Swot Analysis of Tata Steel Essay Example for Free

Swot Analysis of Tata Steel Essay The company has also been acquiring stake overseas in Canada, Mozambique, Australia etc. to boast its reserves for clean coking coal which is rarely available in India. 2. Management Team Tata Steel has a highly credible management team which has displayed their skills in expanding the company through inorganic route. The company has successfully acquired Nat Steel of Singapore, Millennium Steel of Thailand and more importantly Corus. The company’s virtuosos of finance have been able to find innovative ways to tackle the company’s burgeoning debt and keep the bottom line in the green zone despite lowering demand and huge debts accumulated. . Information Technology The entire mining operation of the Company is safeguarded against accident occurrence. Proactive measures are undertaken to ensure the employees health and productivity through ergonomically designed work stations and by protecting them from occupational hazards. All its mines are ISO-14001 -Environmental Management System Certified. Tata Steels collieries use Surpac, a state-of-the-art mine planning software that estimates the volume of coal in every seam. This software is coupled with qualitative detailing that focuses on output consistency. To maximize productivity and utilization, a voice and data equipped Global Positioning System is used, which helps to supervise mining activity form a chine movement and engine status. 4. Innovativeness of TATA Steel with respect to its competitors Tata Steel has the lowest operating cost for steel manufacture in the world. Further it has displayed effective means in adopting an eco-friendly and sustainable approach towards the manufacture of steel thus proactive measures are undertaken to ensure the employees health and productivity through ergonomically designed work stations and by protecting them from occupational hazards. . Adaptability of the company in the fast change of the environment Tata Steel has displayed immense agility in the recent past during the global financial tsunami. Its virtuosos of various fields have adopted various methods like lowering of production and even shutting down of steel plants owing to the lack of demand, managing the balance sheet efficiently et c. The company has 70% of its procurement of raw materials for its operations in Asia through long term contracts and so its margins can be shielded from the nuances of the volatility of the financial markets. Brand value The TATA brand owing to its highly ethical and a socialistic approach to business have made its name synonymous to trust. After the acquisition of Corus another powerful brand, the brand value of the company has enhanced further. 7. Corporate governance Tata Steel has had an impeccable record for corporate governance. It has set the benchmark in global corporate governance principles of transparency, accountability and equity for others to follow. Tata Steel has been consistently receiving prestigious awards at both the national and the international arena. Recently it bagged the Best Governed Company Award for corporate practices presented by Asian Centre for Corporate Governance. 8. Excellent integration with Corus Corus has a great reserve of around 2000 metallurgists and technology which could be exploited by Tata Steel on several fronts. 10. Excellent procurement philosophy Tata Steel has around 70% of its supplies through long term contracts. Thus it can be shielded from the volatility of the financial markets. 10. Spawning upon opportunities Tata Steel has been amongst the earliest to spot the escalation in the demand for steel in the forthcoming years. It has hence invested heavily in the expansion of its existing facility at Jamshedpur and is setting up other green field projects at Orissa, Jharkhand etc. Weaknesses of Tata Steel 1. Huge debt burden Tata Steel is having a total debt of 10. 2 billion USD in its books. It has a debt equity ratio of 1. 6 which means that the assets of the company are largely financed through debt. With the inflation on a rise the central banks of most all the countries are intending to tighten in the liquidity in the money markets. As a result of which the interest rates are on a rise.

Poisoning In The Home Environmental Sciences Essay

Poisoning In The Home Environmental Sciences Essay Unintentional or accidental poisoning is a significant global public health problem. In 2004, an estimated 346000 people died worldwide from unintentional poisoning.[1]This appears to be an important health threat as it has crucial implications of costs and potential years of life lost. There are various categories of substances that may leads to poisoning and children are usually at greater risk due to developmental incompetencies and their dependence on adults for their care and well-being.[2] According to the report from National Poison Centre(NPC) of Malaysia, a total of 929 cases of poison exposure inquiries were handled by NPC from the years 1996 to 2000. The age and gender distributions are shown in table 1 implicating children younger than 9 years old has the highest incidence of exposure to poisonous substances. As for gender, a male predominance was noted throughout the five year period.[3] C:UserscmhPicturesScreenShot159.bmp Table 1: Age and gender distributions of poisoned patients from 1996 to 2000 Some common substances involved in poisoning cases are pesticides, medicines, household products, detergents and food. From the statistics, it can be concluded that pesticides is the most common substance that leads to poisoning followed by pharmaceuticals and household products.[3] Thus, care must be taken especially at home to avoid exposure to these poisonous substances. C:UserscmhPicturesScreenShot160.bmp Table 2: Distribution of categories of substances implicated in poisonings 1996 to 2000 Throughout the years, there was an increasing trend in the number of poison exposure as shown in Figure 1. The number of poisoning cases showed an increase with an average of 611 enquiries per year. Distributions of poisoning cases are almost the same with the previous years, with the majority cases involving agrochemicals and followed by pharmaceuticals and household chemicals.[2] Figure 1: Number of poisoning cases in Malaysia from year 2001 to 2005 Pesticides There are a wide variety of tools available for pest control in residential environments, including the use of chemical pesticides as well as various non-chemical techniques. Broadly defined, a pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life that are considered to be pests. [4] Pests are living organisms that bother, injure, or cause damage to buildings, plants, humans, and animals, including pets. [4, 5] Pesticide is used in public health to kill vectors of disease, such as mosquitoes, and in agriculture, to kill pests that damage crops. [4] There are various way to classified pesticides for instant it can be categorized by the types of pests it control, the chemical composition of the pesticides, or by hazard of the pesticides. [5, 6] The most common method of classification would be according to the chemical composition of the pesticides itself as different pesticides may be composed of different chemical compound. The chemical category of pesticides includes organochlorine, organophosphate, carbamate, synthetic pyrethroids, inorganic, organic (botanical and microbial), and lastly the miscellaneous. [6] All of these chemical compound works in different routes in controlling pest as different chemicals may have different mechanism of action. Organochlorine (OC) Figure 2. Chemical structure of organochlorine [7] Organochlorine pesticides are hydrocarbon compounds containing multiple chlorine substitutions. There are four main types of OC pesticides; dichlorodiphenylethanes; cyclodienes; chlorinated benzenes; and cyclohexanes. All share a similar pair of carbon rings, one ring being heavily chlorinated. They are the synthetic organic pesticides that are earliest discovered and used. Their characteristics are broad-spectrum, long residual effect and relatively low toxicity. However, due to their stable chemical nature, they are hard to break down in the natural environment. Prolonged use in large quantities will easily lead to environmental pollution and accumulation in mammals, resulting in cumulative poisoning or damage.   Organochlorine pesticides are therefore banned under general circumstances and gradually replaced by other pesticides. [7] Organophosphate Figure 3. Chemical structure of organophosphate [8] Organophosphate pesticides are synthetic in origin and are normally esters, amides, or thiol derivatives of phosphoric, phosphonic, phosphorothioic, or phosphonothioic acids. They are characterised by their multiple functions and the capacity of controlling a broad spectrum of pests. Organophosphate pesticides (as well as sarin and  VX  nerve agent) irreversibly inactivate acetylcholinesterase, which is essential to nerve function in insects, humans, and many other animals.   They are nerve poisons that can be used not only as stomach poison but also as contact poison and fumigant. These pesticides are also biodegradable, cause minimum environmental pollution and slow pest resistance. Temephos and F enitrothion are examples of organophosphate pesticides. [8] Carbamate Figure 4. Chemical structure of carbamate [9] Carbamates  are  organic compounds  derived from  carbamic acid  (NH2COOH). A carbamate group, carbamate  ester, and carbamic acids are  functional groups  that are inter-related structurally and often are interconverted chemically. Carbamate esters are also called  urethanes. Carbamate pesticides work on the same principle as organophosphate pesticides by affecting the transmission of nerve signals resulting in the death of the pest by poisoning. They can be used as stomach and contact poisons as well as fumigant. Moreover, as their molecular structures are largely similar to that of natural organic substances, they can be degraded easily in a natural manner with minimum environmental pollution. Propoxur is an example of carbamate pesticides.[9] Synthetic pyrethroids Figure 5. Chemical structure of synthetic pyrethroids [10] Synthetic-pyrethroid pesticides are a pesticide synthesized by imitating the structure of natural pyrethrins, which are taken from pyrethrum, the oleoresin extract of dried chrysanthemum flowers. The insecticidal properties of pyrethrins are derived from ketoalcoholic esters of chrysanthemic acid and pyrethroic acid. They are  axonic  poisons and cause  paralysis  of an organism by keeping the  sodium channels  open in the neuronal membranes. The sodium channel is a  membrane protein  with a  hydrophilic  interior. This interior is a tiny hole which is shaped precisely to strip away the partially charged water molecules from a sodium ion and create a favorable way for sodium ions to pass through the membrane, enter the axon, and propagate an  action potential. When the toxin keeps the channels in their open state, the nerves cannot de-excite, so the organism is paralyzed. They are comparatively more stable with longer residual effects than natural pyrethrins. Sy nthetic-pyrethroid pesticides are highly toxic to insects but of only slight toxicity to mammals. A llethrin and Permethrin are examples of synthetic-pyrethroid pesticides. [10] Inorganic pesticide Inorganic pesticide refers to compounds that include heavy metals such as arsenic, copper sulfates, lead, cadmium, and mercury. They do not degrade readily and persist long in the system. Arsenic  works by coagulates proteins, form complexes with coenzymes which is then inhibits the production of ATP. Like cadmium and mercury, it can substitute for phosphorous in some biochemical processes. Mercury  has a strong affinity for sulfhydryl groups (SH) in proteins, enzymes, hemoglobin and serum albumin. The Central Nervous system is affected by damage to the blood-brain barrier; transfer of metabolites such as amino acids in the brain is not properly regulated. Cadmium  affects enzymes responsible for the reabsorption of proteins in kidney tubules. It also affects the functioning of enzymes such as ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase). Cadmium is substituted for zinc as both metals are similar in solution. Arsenic was commonly used as arsenic trioxide (As2O3) or arsenous acid and mercury as mercuric chloride (HgCl2). Inorganic pesticides were often used in powder, paste, or dip form. The pesticide residue stays on the object and continues to be an effective insect killer for a long time. [11] Organic pesticide Organic pesticides are carbon-based compounds that include pesticides such as Naphthalene and Paradichlorobenzene (PDB), two chemicals commonly known as mothballs. Naphthalene and PDB are applied as a solid (in mothball and flake form) and sublimate, acting as a fumigant. The fumes from these materials kill insects and work best in tightly closed spaces. The pesticide residue is expected to evaporate over time. Old collections often smell of these pesticides and it is not clearly understood how long it takes for the chemicals to completely sublimate in the museum environment. [12] Miscellaneous There are wide variety of commercial product of miscellaneous pesticides including 4-Aminipyridine, calcium cyanamide, creosote, endothall, metakdehyde, and sodium chlorate. 4-aminopyridine is a highly toxic white powder used as a bird repellent. It works by making one or two birds acutely ill, thus warning off the remaining birds by cries of dostress.it is toxic to vertebrates. Calcium cynamide incorporated into soil to serve as fertilizer, fungicide, and herbicides. Creosote is extensively used as a wood preservatives, usually by high-pressure impregnation of lumber.it has also been used as an animal dip and disinfectant. Endothall can act as the free acid or as sodium, potassium, or amine salts. It is used as a contact herbicide, defoliant, aquatic herbicide, and algaecide. Methaldehyde is a four-unit cyclic polymer of acetaldehyde which has long been used to kill slug and snails, which attracted to it without the use of bait. Sodium chlorate is used in agriculture as a defoliant, nonselective contact herbicide, and semi-permanent soil sterilant. [13] Pesticides Classified by Chemical Category Category Examples Organochlorines* Aldrin, chlordane, DDT Organophosphates chlorpyrifos (Dursban), diazinon, acephate (Orthene), malathion Carbamates carbaryl (Sevin), propoxur (Baygon) Synthetic pyrethroids permethrin, resmethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin Inorganic boric acid, chlorates, cryolite, diatomaceous earth, silica aerogel, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) Organic (botanical) garlic, limonene, neem, nicotine, pyrethrum, rotenone, ryania, sabadilla Miscellaneous Horticultural oils, insect growth regulators, insecticidal soaps, insect pheromones Table 3. Major chemical classes of pesticides Type of Pesticide Activity Algaecides Control algae in bodies of water, including swimming pools. Antimicrobials Kill microorganisms that produce disease Attractants Attract specific pests using natural insect chemicals called pheromones that confuse the mating behavior of insects. Avicides Control pest birds. Biopesticides Naturally occurring substances with pesticidal properties. Defoliants Cause foliage to drop from a plant, typically to aid in the harvesting process. Desiccants Aid in the drying process of plants or insects, usually for laboratory purposes. Fumigants Produce vapors or gases to control air- or soilborne insects and diseases. Fungicides Destroy fungi that infect plants, animals, or people. Herbicides Control noxious weeds and other vegetation that are growing or competing with a desired species. Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) Accelerate or retard the rate of growth of insects. Insecticides Control or eliminate insects that affect plants, animals, or people. Miticides (Acaricides) Kill mites that live on plants, livestock, and people. Molluscicides Kill snails and slugs. Nematicides Kill nematodes, which are microscopic wormlike organisms that live in the soil and cause damage to food crops. Ovicides Control insect eggs through the application of low-sulfur petroleum oils to plants and animals. Piscicides Control pest fish. Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) Accelerate or retard the rate of growth of a plant. Predacides Control vertebrate pests. Repellents Repel pests such as mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and fleas. Rodenticides Control mice, rats, and other rodents. Table 4. Types of pesticides Pesticide Poisoning Pesticide poisoning occurs after exposure to pesticides. It may occur shortly after a single exposure (acute poisoning) or gradually after repeated exposures over a period of time (chronic poisoning).[17] Acute poisoning presents symptoms like headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, blurred vision, excessive eye watering, sweating and excessive saliva. More severe case of acute poisoning may also lead to changes in heart rate, chest tightness, muscle weakness and twitching, difficulty breathing and walking, constricted pupils and incontinence. In very severe case of acute poisoning, seizures and unconsciousness may occur.[17] Chronic poisoning presents symptoms like muscle weakness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and remember things, and generally feeling unwell.[17] The type of symptoms, how long they last and how severe they are may vary depending on factors such as the type and concentration of the pesticide used, the type and concentration of the pesticide used, the degree of exposure and the health and age of the person exposed. Many of the potential symptoms are not specific to pesticide poisoning. They may be due to other conditions, such as illness or allergy.[17] Most common pesticide poisoning: Mechanism of action/toxicity and signs and symptoms Table 5 shows most common pesticide poisoning. It is classified according to the class of chemical ingredient contained in pesticide. It also shows mechanism of action or toxicity, sign and symptoms treatment of pesticide poisoning of each class. Class Mechanism of action/toxicity Signs and symptoms Organophosphates Acephate (Orthene) Chlorphoxim (Baythion-C) Chlorpyrifos (Dursban, Lorsban) Diazinon Dimethoate (Cygon, DeFend) Ethoprop (Mocap) Fenitrothion (Sumithion) Fenthion (Baytex) Malathion (Cythion) Naled (Dibrome) Terbufos (Counter) Inhibit cholinesterase leading to excess acetylcholine CNS-anxiety, seizures, skeletal nerve-muscle junctions, autonomic ganglia-twitching, tachycardia, muscle weakness (nicotinic effects); peripheral cholinergic neuroeffector junctions- all faucets on- sweating, salivation, diarrhea, tearing (muscarinic effects); miosis (pinpoint pupils) most commonly, but 15 percent have mydriasis secondary to epinephrine release from adrenals due to nicotinic receptor stimulation. Carbamates Carbaryl (Sevin) Pirimicarb (Aphox, Rapid) Propoxur (Baygon) Timethacarb (Landrin) Other carbamates Reversible cholinesterase inhibition (carbamoyl- acetylcholinesterase [AChE] complex dissociates much more easily and quickly than OP-AChE complex) Cholinergic crisis with all faucets on; CNS depression with coma, seizures, hypotonicity in serious toxic exposures Organochlorines Chlorobenzilate Dicofol (Kelthane) Dienochlor (Pentac) Endosulfan Lindane (Kwell) Induction of hyperexcitable state in central and peripheral nervous system by disruption of normal flow of sodium and potassium across the axon membrane; may antagonize GABA- mediated inhibition in CNS. Seizures, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, paresthesias, incoordination, tremor/twitching following topical treatment for lice/scabies or accidental or intentional ingestion of liquid pesticide. Pyrethrins/pyrethroids Allethrin Cyfluthrin (Baythroid) Cypermethrin (Barricade, Cymbush, Cynoff, Demon) Deltamethrin Dimethrin Fenothrin Fenvalerate Permethrin (Ambush, Dragnet, Nix, Pounce) Remethrin Pyrethrins are derived from chrysanthemums; pyrethroids are synthetic compounds with longer half-lives; both can produce toxic effects on the nervous system but are not well absorbed and are effectively and quickly detoxified by mammalian liver enzyme systems. The most severe symptoms are seizures, though highly uncommon unless highly exposed (usually through ingestion of large quantities); tremor, incoordination, salivation, vomiting; topical exposure can produce short-term paresthesias, especially of the hands and face; a small portion of the population (1 to 3 percent) is allergic to pyrethrins/pyrethroids-resulting in symptoms ranging from nasal stuffiness to asthma. Bacillus thuringiensis Variety aizawai (Agree, Mattch) Variety israelensis (Aquabac, Skeetal) Variety kurstaki (Bactur, Dipel) Wide range of products derived from several varieties of this organism; highly limited effects on mammalian systems. Mild irritative pulmonary symptoms in some involved in manufacturing process, not in mixers or appliers; theoretical risk of respiratory infection in immunocompromised individuals; single corneal ulceration reported, successfully treated with standard antibiotics; mild gastroenteritis with heavy ingestion. Repellants Diethyltoluamide- DEET (Muskol, Off!, Skeeter Beater, Skeeter Cheater, Skintastic for Kids, others) Mechanism of toxicity unknown. CNS depression followed by seizures; rare unless applied excessively under occlusion; mild skin irritating effects with repeated use; corneal and mucosal irritation; nausea and vomiting with ingestion and, rarely, hypotension, tachycardia with heavy dermal exposureà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ Table 5: Most common pesticide poisoning: Mechanism of action/toxicity and signs and symptoms [18] Possible harm of pesticide to the environment On objects, plants or animals: Pesticides can move away from the release site when they are on or in objects or organisms that move (or are moved) offsite. Pesticides may stick to shoes or clothing, to animal fur, or to blowing dust and be transferred to other surfaces. When pesticide handlers bring home or wear home contaminated personal protective equipment, work clothing, or other items, residues can rub off on carpeting, furniture, and laundry items and onto pets and people. [19] Harmful effect on nontarget plants and animals: Nontarget organisms may be harmed by pesticides in two ways. The pesticide may cause injury by contacting the nontarget organism directly. Another way is the pesticide may leave a residue that causes later injuries. [19] Harmful effect from direct contact: Pesticides may harm nontarget organisms that are present during a pesticide application. Poorly timed applications can kill bees and other pollinators that are active in or near the target site. Pesticides may harm other wildlife, too. Read the warnings and directions on the pesticide labeling carefully to avoid harming nontarget organisms during a pesticide application. Drift from the target site may injure wildlife, livestock, pets, sensitive plants, and people. For example, drift of herbicides can damage sensitive nearby plants, including crops, forests, or ornamental plantings. Drift also can kill beneficial parasites and predators that are near the target site.[19] Harmful effects from residues: A residue is the part of a pesticide that remains in the environment for a period of time following application or a spill. Pesticides usually break down into harmless components after they are released into an environment. The breakdown time ranges from less than a day to several years. The rate of pesticide breakdown depends mostly on the chemical structure of the pesticide active ingredient. Persistent pesticides leave residues that stay in the environment without breaking down for long periods of time. These pesticides are sometimes desirable, because they provide long-term pest control and may reduce the need for repeated applications. However, some persistent pesticides that are applied to or spilled on soil, plants, lumber, and other surfaces or into water can later cause harm to sensitive plants or animals, including humans, that contact them. While using persistent pesticides, consider whether their continued presence in the environment is likely to harm plants and animals. Sometimes animals can be harmed when they feed on plants or animals that have pesticide residues on or in them. [19] Harmful effects on surfaces Sometimes surfaces are harmed by pesticides or pesticide residues. Some surfaces may become discolored by contact with certain pesticides. Other surfaces may be pitted or marked by contact with some pesticides. Some pesticides can corrode or obstruct electronic systems or metal. Sometimes a pesticide will leave a visible deposit on the treated surface.[19] Safety Measures of the Use of Pesticide Many types of pesticides are obtainable to eliminate a particular pest and a variety of pesticide formulations are available to the consumers. Thus, it is crucial to choose the correct pesticide in order to control the pest(s) in the house, garden or lawn. To select the more appropriate pesticide for the targeted pest(s), consumer should:[20] Identify the insect, weed, disease, rodent or other pest that one is attempted to control. Consider utilizing alternative nonchemical control procedures if applicable. Purchase the least toxic pesticide product which will eliminate the pest. The pesticide should be purchased in a quantity for immediate use only. Before purchasing and using the pesticide products, consumers should read the label of the product.[20] Pesticides Labels Pesticides should be packed and labeled according to World Health Organization (WHO) specifications. The label should be in English and in local language. It is a legal document which should indicate the contents, safety instructions and possible measures in the events of swallowing or contamination. Table 6 below has incorporated the information provided in the pesticide label.[21] Trade, brand, or product names The trade name is each companys unique market name for the product. Ingredient statement This statement identifies every active ingredient, the percentage by weight for each active ingredient and the percentage by weight for all inert ingredients. Use classification statement The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies every pesticide product either as Restricted Use or Unclassified/General Use. The restricted use pesticides must include a special statement. Under law, only those persons who have been certified and receive specialized training can use these types of pesticides. Generally, most pesticide products used in and around the home setting are Unclassified/General Use pesticides. Name and address of manufacturer Emergency telephone number Registration number The EPA registration number indicates that the pesticide product has been registered and thats its label has been approved by the EPA. Signal words and symbols These words and symbols provide the user with an indication of the relative acute toxicity of the product to humans and animals. The statement keep out of reach of children must also be printed on the front panel of the label. Signal words Indication On the Products Caution Slightly toxic either orally, dermally, or through inhalation or cause slight eye and skin irritation. Warning Moderately toxic either orally, dermally, or through inhalation or cause moderate eye and skin irritation. Danger Cause severe eye damage or skin irritation. Danger (with poison and the skull crossbones symbol) Highly toxic by any route of entry. Precautionary statements Statements to help applicators decide what precautions to take to protect other persons or animals who may be exposed. Statement of practical treatment First aid treatments recommended in case of a poisoning. In addition, instructions for physicians and medical personnel may be included. Environmental hazards Usually only for the restricted-use pesticides.Statements can indicate that a product is especially hazardous to wildlife and include common sense procedures to avoid contamination of the environment. Physical or chemical hazards Describes any special fire, explosion, or chemical hazards the product may pose. Restricted entry level (REI) Provides information on the duration of time must pass between the last application of a pesticide and when people can reenter a treated area. Storage and disposal General instruction for the appriopriate storage and disposal of the pesticide and its container. Directions for use Provides instructions concerning the method employed to use the product, the type of pest to be treated, the application sites and any application equipment to be usedTable 6. Pesticide Label Information [20] In Malaysia, in order to facilitate the consumers to understand the level of toxicity of the pesticide products to human beings, there is a colour band indicating the toxicity class at the bottom of the label. The Malaysian Pesticide Board has classified all the registered pesticide into four classes (colors) according to their level of toxicity to human beings. http://www.mantegroup.com/images/ControlsPesticidesClasses.gif Figure 6: Classification of Pesticide Products by the Malaysian Pesticide Board. The indication of each class ( colour bands) are as follow: Class Colour Band Toxic Level Class 1 Black band for Class 1a Red band for Class 1b ( Both with a skull and crossbones symbol) Highly poisonous. Only used by trained personnels. Class 2 Yellow band. Poisonous Class 3 Blue band. Harmful Class 4 White band Least toxic group Table 7: Indication of the toxicity of each classes of pesticide product with their respective colour bands.[19] Protective Clothing During Pesticide Application The type of protective clothing and equipment needed depends on the pesticide being used and the extent of the pest elimination plan (size of the garden or lawn). Users should refer to the personal protection equipment (PPE) on the label for selection of protective clothing and equipment.At a minimum, consumers should have the following protective items while handling pesticide:[20] Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Proper ways of using PPE Clean clothing Long-sleeved shirt, long trousers or coveralls made of tightly woven fabric or a water-repellant material. Cotton t-shirts or tank tops, shorts and sandals are unsuitable as they do not provide adequate protection during pesticide application. Rubber gloves Unlined and without a fabric wristband. Shirtsleeves should be worn over the gloves to prevent the spills from running down inside of the glove. Waterproof boots Pants legs should be worn over the boots and not tucked inside. Waterproof hat If required. Eye protection Safety goggles should be worn if needed. Dusts mask or cartridge respirator If required. Table 8: Proper ways of using personal protection equipmentUser Image: An appriopriately clothed pesticide user. (Image taken from: http://web.extension.illinois.edu ) Safety Measures While Handling Pesticides Generally, during pesticide application, the product might possibly enter the body via oral route, inhalation or dermal exposure. For oral exposure, user may ingest the pesticide through the mouth. For inhalation exposure, user may breathe in pesticide vapours, dust or spray particles. On the other hand, pesticide may also be absorbed into skin via dermal exposure to the product. Thus, it is essential to practice safety measures while handling the products in order to lower the risk of exposure to the pesticide.[20] Mixing During mixing, fill the spray tank about half full of water before adding in the chemical. Then, measure the recommended amount of chemical accurately according to the label instructions. Finish filling the spray tank with the correct amount of water, being careful not to spill or splash the mixture. All measuring utensils such as cups and spoons, containers and application equipment should be specifically marked and kept at the same place where pesticide are stored. After each use, the utensils should be washed thoroughly.[20] Use safe practices. Do not splash. Pour with care; illustration (37 Kb PDF file) Image: Proper technique in mixing pesticides (Image taken from: www.stewardshipcommunity.com ) Application of pesticides Upon using, the discharge from the sprayer should be directed away from the body. Leaking of equipment should be repaired. Organophosphorus and carbamate compounds should not be applied for more than 5-6 hours a day and the hands should be washed after every pump charge. Users should guard against the drifts of pesticide sprays or dusts by performing the application when there is no wind as some chemicals may drift in considerable distances if the right conditions exist. Users should not eat, drink or smoke while applying pesticides.[20] Spillage of Pesticide Upon spillage, users should clean up the spill immediately by using absorbent material such as sawdust, soil in order to soak up any spillage. The spillage and contaminated waste should then be collected and put into a bag or container and to be disposed accordingly.[21] Storage and disposal of pesticides Storage of pesticides in quantity by certified applicators, wholesalers, dealers and retailers must comply with the following: All pesticides stored in quantity must be stored in securely locked well ventilated rooms, well away from all food or feed items. The pesticides should be stored in such manner as to prevent fumes from contaminating food or feed. Pesticides should be separated during storage, preferably in bins, depending upon the type of pesticide. Each type of pesticide, i.e., herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc., must be stored separately from each other.<

Steak and E- Love :: Journalism Journal Essays

â€Å"Steak and E- Love† I take the heels off my aching feet and remove my eyeliner; sometimes I wonder why I ever take this job. Even though I have a place in Manhattan Park Apartments with a great view of the city and of course my Persian cat, Delta, writing a weekly article for the NY Times can be trying and hectic, especially when you are writing on some pretty controversial stuff. I'm mean, I'm talking about everything from violence in the media to this week's "E- Love", about singles finding love through Websites online. My boss is a fast pace man with an eye for great articles, and those that are a product of me are no exception. I came to him last week with the idea of doing this story. I had already found three very different websites; each containing contrasting thoughts and ideas of what these sites should consist of. "Mr. Lance, I have an idea..." He was astounded, this was exciting because I'm really trying to move my way up the corporate latter and every little bit helps. Making the boss happy is at the top of my priority list. "Ms. Nash, I think that is a great idea, good work," he said with a relieving smile. I could feel my day perk up, I better start making some phone calls and get some good quotes. I walked out of his office with an undeniable glow. Then the suggestion came that shot down the cloud that I was riding on. "Hey Nash, one more thing, maybe you should have dinner with all of them at the same time, it should add some appeal to your article." Before I could even repl y, the door shut and that was that. So, where do you take three totally different people to dinner? Then it came to me. The Waldorf . Yes, dinner would be beautiful with a striking view of the city, and delectable food on the paper's tab. I made reservations for seven- thirty and made the phone calls to my prospective guests. Of course, all could come and so it was set. If the night turned out to be a total disaster, at least they would get a great meal at a world- renowned place.

FIR Filter Design

The objective of this project is to use three different design methods to design a low-pass filter that meets specifications given, and then compare these three different methods through different parameters. In this project, seven filters should be designed using Matlab. And we compare them on worst case gain, largest tap weight coefficient, maximal passband and stopband error, magnitude frequency response, impulse response, group delay and zeros/poles location. Finally, use these filters to do filtering, and then compare their responses to the predicted one. Discussion of Results: > Part 1: Window Method (a) Use fir1 function to synthesize an FIR that meets specifications using a boxcar window. Worst gain = 1.8372 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3694 Maximal passband error = 0.1678 Maximal stopband error = 0.0795 (b) Use Hann window to synthesize an FIR that meets specifications. Worst gain = 1.4154 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3496 Maximal passband error = 0.0052 Maximal stopband error = 0.2385 **Filter #1 is the unwindowed design, and Filter #2 is the windowed design. From the comparison above, we can see that the unwindowed design has a more critical passband and stopband edge, but the windowed one has a smaller maximal passband error as we expected. Also, the windowed one has a larger attenuation on stopband than the unwindowed one. The group delay responses of two designs are the same. (c) Use Kaiser window to synthesize an FIR that meets specifications Worst gain = 1.6900 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3500 N = 21 (which is in 20 in matlab) Maximal passband error = 0.0706 Maximal stopband error = 0.0852 ** Filter #1 is the unwindowed design, and Filter #2 is the kaiser design. From the comparison above, we can see that both designs have critical passband and stopband edges, but the kaiser one has a smaller maximal passband error as we expected. Also, the kaiser one has a smaller attenuation on stopband compare with the unwindowed one. The group delay responses of two designs are different, the Kaiser one only has 20th order, so the group delay is 10, not 11 as the unwindowed one. (d)The zeros of the three windowed designs ** Filter #1 is the â€Å"boxcar† design, and Filter #2 is the Hann design, Filter #3 is the Kaiser design. From figure above, we can see that Hann design has a zero far from unit circle, which is corresponding to the slower attenuation compared to the other two designs. The zeros of â€Å"boxcar† design are similar to the Kaiser design. > Part 2: LMS Method (a) Using Matlab's firls function to meet the original design specification. Worst gain = 1.5990 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3477 Maximal passband error = 0.0403 Maximal stopband error = 0.1137 ** Filter #1 is the 2(a) design, and Filter #2 is the â€Å"boxcar† design. From the comparison above, we can see that the â€Å"boxcar† design has a more critical passband and stopband edge, but the LMS one has a smaller maximal passband error as we expected. Also, the LMS one has a larger attenuation on stopband than the â€Å"boxcar† one. The group delay responses of two designs are the same. (b) Using Matlab's fircls1 function to meet the original design specification. Worst gain = 1.6771 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3464 Maximal passband error = 0.0516 Maximal stopband error = 0.0782 ** Filter #1 is the 2(a) design, and Filter #2 is the 2(b) design. From the comparison above, we can see that the 2(b) design has a more critical passband and stopband edge, but the 2(a) one has a smaller maximal passband error. Also, the 2(a) one has a larger attenuation on stopband than the 2(b) one. The group delay responses of two designs are the same. (c)The zeros of the two LMS designs ** Filter #1 is the 2(a) design, and Filter #2 is the 2(b) design. From figure above, we can see that 2(b) design has a zero far from unit circle, which is corresponding to the slower attenuation compared to the other design. The zeros around the unit circle are similar to each other. > Part 3: Equiripple Method (a) Using Matlab's firgr function to meet the original design specification (uniform error weight) Worst gain = 1.6646 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3500 Maximal passband error = 0.0538 Maximal stopband error = 0.0538 ** Filter #1 is the 3(a) design, and Filter #2 is the â€Å"boxcar† design. From the comparison above, we can see that the â€Å"boxcar† design has a more critical passband and stopband edge, but the 3(a) one has a smaller maximal passband error. Also, the â€Å"boxcar† one has a larger attenuation on stopband than the 3(a) one. The group delay responses of two designs are the same. (b) Using Matlab's firpm function to meet the original design specification Worst gain = 1.6639 Largest tap weight coefficient = 0.3476 Maximal passband error = 0.0638 Maximal stopband error = 0.0594 ** Filter #1 is the 3(a) design, and Filter #2 is the 3(b) design. From the comparison above, we can see that the 3(b) design has a more critical passband and stopband edge. And the stopband error is 0.0488 (which is consistent with 0.0538*(1-20%)=0.04304), the passband error is 0.0639 (which is consistent with 0.0538/(1-20%)=0.06725). The group delay responses of two designs are the same. (c) The zeros of the two equiripple designs ** Filter #1 is the 3(a) design, and Filter #2 is the 3(b) design. From figure above, we can see that 3(a) design has a zero far from unit circle, which is corresponding to the slower attenuation compared to the other design (almost no attenuation on the figure shown ). There is only one zero stays outside the unit circle for 3(b) design, which is the minimum phase design. > Part 4: Testing (a)Table the features for the 7 designed FIRs: Features Filter #1 Filter #2 Filter #3 Filter #4 Filter #5 Filter #6 Filter #7 Maximum gain 1.8372 1.4154 1.6900 1.5990 1.6771 1.6646 1.6639 Maximum passband linear 0.1678 0.0052 0.0706 0.0403 0.0516 0.0538 0.0638 Maximum passband error(dB) -15.5052 -45.7568 -23.0266 -27.8855 -25.7472 -25.3838 -23.9007 Maximum stopband linear 0.0795 0.2385 0.0852 0.1137 0.0782 0.0538 0.0594 Maximum stopband error(dB) -21.9886 -12.4495 -21.3913 -18.8858 -22.1339 -25.3838 -24.5274 Group delay 11 11 10 11 11 11 11 Largest tap weight coefficient 0.3694 0.3496 0.3500 0.3477 0.3464 0.3500 0.3476 (b) From the figure followed, we can figure out that the group delay is 22-11=11 samples regardless of the input frequency. (c) Compare the original, mirror, and complement FIR's impulse, magnitude frequency, and group delay response **Filter #1 is the original filter, Filter #2 is the mirror filter, and Filter #3 is the complement filter. (d) Maximal output is 1.8372, which equals to the worst gain prediction of this filter. > Part 5: Run-time Architecture (a) N = 8, M=1; N = 12, M=1; N = 16, M=1; Round off error N=8 N=12 N=16 From the comparison above, we can see clearly that as the value of N increases, the round-off error decreases. Bits of precision is N-1-1=N-2 (b) Choose two 12-bit address space which has memory cycle time of 12 ns, so the maximum run-time filter speed is 1/ (12ns/cycle*16 bits) =1/ (192 ns/filter cycle) =5.21*106 filter cycles/sec > Part 6: Experimentation (a) The maximal of the output time-series is 1.1341. It is reasonable, because it is smaller than the worst case gain which is 1.8372. So this agrees with the predicted filter response. (b) The â€Å"chirp† function makes a short, high-pitched sound, and it sounds four times, which is corresponding to the 4*fs. When all the .wav files are played, we can hear obviously that the frequency of output sound is much lower than the frequency of input sound, which means that the filter did filter high-frequency components out. From the figure above, we can see the high-frequency components are gone, which agrees with the predicted filter response, a low-pass filter. Summary: Through this project, the detailed processes of designing a filter by three different methods have been understood. And we know more about all the parameters which would affect properties of the filters, and how to use different methods to design them and make best trade-off between each other.

Ella Baker Essay

Ella Baker embodies the theme of strength in the face of adversity in Joanne Grant’s novel Ella Baker: Freedom Bound. Ella Baker comes from a long line of strong women who taught her to stand up for what she felt was good and right. As Ella Baker encounters racial discord in the twentieth century, she draws up on the strength of her mother, her grandmother and her aunts. She also remembers the strength that was passed down from her grandfather and uncle. As a result of her great strength she is able to teach others about nurturing equality among all people. Ella Baker spent her adult years organizing people to fight for equality but this fight wasn’t always easy. Ella Baker was a black woman facing all the struggles that black people went through prior to and just after the Civil Rights Movement. She can be compared to Martin Luther King Jr. because of her tenaciousness and unwillingness to give up the fight. However, Baker faced gender discrimination as well which only added to her struggles but also encouraged her to continue to use the strength that her ancestors passed down to her. Ella Baker faced great resistance from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference headed by Martin Luther King Jr. because she was a woman and men didn’t care for taking advice from women. In this way, Ella Baker faced a fight for racial rights as well as gender rights. Ella Baker was responsible for organizing ordinary people to fight for equality. She is credited with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) which mobilized ordinary people to join the Civil Right fight despite the challenges that they faced. Throughout her activist activities and numerous speeches, she urged ordinary people to find the strength to identify one thing that needed changing and work on it a little at a time. She emphasized to crowds that each person had something to give and these little bits could add up to huge changes. Ella Baker’s most important contribution to the world was her untiring dedication to the Civil Rights movement. Drawing upon the strength that her family members instilled in her gave her the power to continue the fight even when times were tough. She was one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement and Grant’s book details her great contributions. One important characteristic that gave Ella Baker so much of her strength was her ability to work towards equality without calling attention to herself. Baker didn’t focus on the work of individuals. Instead, she focused on the great things that could be accomplished when people worked together to make changes. As a result, Baker was often at odds with other (primarily male) civil rights activists because she was more focused on getting things done than reveling in the glory of accomplishment. Grant’s inclusion of primary and secondary sources only lends to the credibility of strength that she presents in her book. African American people have relied on songs and rhymes throughout history in order to gain strength during struggles. Grant’s inclusion of several of these short songs shows just how important strength was to Ella Baker and the many avenues she used to draw upon the strength of her family members. Grant’s use of personal remembrances of Ella Baker goes further to show her character and depth of her strength in her constant battle to gain equality for all people. If these accounts were not included in the book, the theme of strength wouldn’t be displayed as well as Grant was able to show. The use of primary and secondary sources give further evidence about the person that Ella Baker was and allow readers to gain a true picture of the kind of person that Ella Baker really was. Throughout the book, Ella Baker demonstrated her â€Å"belief in the ability of people to take control of their lives and lead themselves. † Joanne Grant realized the importance of telling the world about Ella Baker. Grant had first hand experience with the work of Ella Baker and the important contributions she made to the Civil Rights Movement. Grant witnessed Baker’s ability to set herself apart in order to build upon inner strength to find one’s path in life. Ella Baker was no stranger to resistance based on both her race and her gender and Grant knew that her story needed to be told so her name could be associated with the great work that was done throughout the Civil Rights Movement. The role of black women is underrepresented in non fiction and Grant took it upon herself to share her opinion of Ella Baker with readers. Ella Baker: Freedom Bound is a book that will open the eyes of readers learning about the Civil Rights. It will show the struggle that African Americans went through to gain equality but also the struggle that women went through. Grant paints a vivid picture of the strength that Ella Baker had despite constant challenges to keep her from reaching her goals. This book emphasizes that strength is necessary when one is fighting such an important battle. Ella Baker becomes the model of persistence through her dedication to equality and her willingness to keep fighting no matter what. She didn’t let men or white people keep her from working towards her vision of equal rights. This book is highly recommended to those who wish to gain a clear but different perspective on what it was like to be an activist during the Civil Rights Movement fighting for both racial and gender equality. Grant, Joanne. â€Å"Ella Baker: Freedom Bound. 1998. 17 Nov 2008 . Hamilton, Grace Towns & Robinson, Ruby Doris Smith. â€Å"Book excerpts: Three women’s voices from the annals of the civil rights struggle. † The New Crisis April: 1. Omatseye, Sam. â€Å"Ella Baker: A Civil Rights Angel. † Urban Spectrum. 2006. 17 Nov 2008 .

Living in a Morally Corrupt Society

Brandi Smithers 18 October 2012 Professor James Essay #1 Final Draft Living in a Morally Corrupt and Market Driven Society Our society is a corrupt one, without a doubt. Built on morals and ethics that have lost prominence and importance, our society and the people who it is composed of have quickly made our market economy something awful that was never intended. A market economy is essentially a harmless, productive way of organizing activity and trade; unfortunately, society has lost sight of the good intentions and has â€Å"drifted from having a market economy to being a market society (Sandel 10).People have let greed for money and for success consume them. No longer is the market a tool for organization. Instead, it is now a way of life. Having the upper-hand in the market, means one is better off. What caused this change in society? Greed. Market triumphalism became the goal of many when they let greed overpower integrity (Sandel 6). Greed is the devil inside the market. It c reates a moral dilemma by causing people to have a desire from market triumphalism so strong that they are â€Å"led to irresponsible risk taking† as means of obtaining what they long for (Sandal 6).People start to question if the morals instilled in their mind can be stretched farther and farther until they become â€Å"morally vacant† (Sandal 13). The market has put a price on things never meant to be associated with a dollar sign such as time and ultimately, our lives. Historically, the need to â€Å"organize the production and distribution of goods† generated the idea of a market economy; though once widely accepted, â€Å"markets†¦ have come to govern our lives as never before† (Sandal 6).In today’s society the market has a negative impact on a majority of adults and a surprising amount of children. It is becoming more and more common to see adults using incentives to motivate children to the right thing. For example, parents and schools often offer cash incentive for good grades (Sandal 51). Not only is it surprising to some that parents pay their children for a good report card, but â€Å"it never occurred to anyone that the school itself might pay for good grades† (Sandal 51).Though some may argue that money incentive for grades â€Å"transforms the culture of schools and the attitudes of students towards school† (Sandal 54) for the better, the children’s desire for cash replaces the traditional and responsible thought that doing good in school meant that one would not only better themselves, but that they would be a productive member of society. The incentives, or bribes, â€Å"bypass persuasion and substitute and external reason for an intrinsic one† (Sandal 59).This shift in mindset not only instills greedy habits in children, but also creates irrational expectations for incentive given when one did nothing above and beyond what should be expected of any child. In essence, parents a nd adults are manipulating a child’s sense of duty and obligation by putting a price on good behavior. The market and the common use of bribery undermine â€Å"obligation and commitment,† which ultimately are â€Å"ideals that can’t be reduced to monetary terms† (Sandal 50).When one hears the word â€Å"greed,† more often than not, money comes to mind; however, money is not the only asset people seek with greedy minds. The concept of time is one part of people’s everyday lives that the market has dramatically manipulated in such a way that time is more valuable than money. Corporations and franchised businesses have noticed this growing trend and they have taken advantage of people’s greed for time. They have found that adding â€Å"fast-track schemes† to their marketing plans adds to their profit margin and also increases customer satisfaction.They stand firm in the belief that â€Å"letting people par for faster service at a irports, at amusement parks, and on highways improves economic efficiency but letting people put a price on their time† (Sandel 20). It is not surprising that the moral importance of equality is thrown under the table by the same people that saw dollar signs when handling the ultimatum of profit vs. equality. For instance, people with excess money are able to jump to the front of the line at amusement parks and they also have to ability to pay extra to sit First-Class on an airplane (Sandal 17-18).Sure, the convenience for the consumer of the â€Å"fast-track schemes† is considerable, but the schemes are extremely â€Å"unfair to those left languishing† waiting patiently for their turn (Sandal 27). Today’s market society has not only added an extreme factor to inequality amongst citizens of society, but yet again, people are letting their morals of fairness slide in order to gain selfish convenience. The market has driven businesses and consumers alike int o forgetting that one of the key factors to coexistence with one another is equality. The arket has made time, once an element of life considered unchangeable, an easily manipulated tool for profit gain and also another reason why people of our society are so morally vacant. Out of all the ways market has driven the people of our society mad by giving priceless aspects of life monetary value, one aspect of life that should never be a part of market economy, is life itself. Project Prevention, founded by Barbra Harris, is a program that offers drug addicted women $300 cash if they will undergo sterilization or long-term birth control (Sandel 43).Offering drug-addicted women money for sterilization is coercive, thus already making it morally wrong (Sandel 45). Not only does the organization use means of coercion for their gain, but the ultimatum that the drug-addicted women are faced with is one that no woman should ever have to encounter. She has to choose whether she wants to have c hildren in the future, or if she is to take the money to satisfy the â€Å"necessity of her situation† (Sandal 45). When â€Å"a drug-addicted woman agrees to be sterilized for money, she is not acting freely† (45).Project Prevention is a perfect example of how today’s free market has labeled our bodies (and the ones yet to be born) are merely â€Å"possessions that we own and can use and dispose of† (Sandal 47). Since the market has stepped over the moral boundaries of viewing humans as possessions, it is clear that â€Å"we need to rethink the role that markets should play in our society† (Sandal 7). Human life is one of the things that money can’t buy. Market economy is a great tool for organization in the way trade is handled, but a tool is what it should be; unfortunately, the market has consumed our society and it is the very air we all breathe.Children are not only submerged in the ideas of a morally corrupt market, but they are being taught how to follow in the footsteps of the morally corrupted. As they develop, the corrupt ideas intensify, and money becomes air. Functionality is impossible in the absence of market. Intangible aspects of life, such as time, form a monetary value, leaving the once innocent child as a money hungry adult. Despite the morals once instilled in that child’s mind, the child finds the ultimate victim to a morally corrupt society: an unborn child. When will he realize that there are some things that money can’t buy?

America Gets VERY Involved Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

America Gets VERY Involved - Essay Example The Buddhist crisis was a result of the repressive reforms of the President Diem in South Vietnam. The reforms were majorly against the likes of the Buddhists, who constituted the majority of the population. Until 1963, the Buddhists resisted themselves from any rebellious demonstrations as a reaction to the disliked Diem rule. However, in May 1963, this patience came to a revolutionary end, when the Diem forbade the celebration of the Buddha’s birthday by religious banners or flags. On May 8, in the city of Hue, Buddhist leaders went against this order and continued their celebrations. This led to a conflict between the Diem army and the Buddhist monks leading to an open fire demonstration that resulted in the killing of nine people and fourteen people became wounded (Brune & Burns 2003). This event was precipitated as a result of the oppressive reforms and rule of President Diem and the event was significant in showing to the world the disdain and dislike his own people had for him. The Buddhist revolt gave evidence of the immense lack of support that Diem had in his own country (Brune & Burns 2003). Another significant turning point in the Buddhist crisis was on June 11. On a busy intersection of Saigon, a monk, Thich Quang Duc poured himself with gasoline and set himself on fire only to express his contempt for Diem. The American media captured this incident immediately and the photographs of the self-immolation became the highlights in not just United States but all around the world. These horrendous pictures of a monk on fire led to a wave of criticism and immediate action. The American policies were criticized for supporting Diem who was oppressive in his handling of religious matters. The American government on the other hand, realized the deficiencies in Diem ’s presidency, and forced him to withhold his strict limitations (Moss 2009). The Buddhist revolts were a