SAFER Makes Safe to Walk in Space

SAFER Makes Safe to Walk in Space Its like a scene from a science fiction movie nightmare: an astronaut is working outside a spacecraft in the vacuum of space when something happens. A tether breaks or maybe a computer glitch strands the astronaut too far from the ship. However it happens, the end result is the same. The astronaut ends up floating away from the spacecraft into the endless void of space, with no hope of rescue. Thankfully, NASA developed a device for space walking that keeps an astronaut safe while working outdoors to prevent such a scenario from happening in real life.   Safety for EVAs Space walks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), are an important part of living and working in space. Dozens were needed just for the the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS).   Early missions by both the U.S. and Soviet Union also relied on space walks, with astronauts tethered to their spacecraft by lifelines. The space station cannot maneuver to rescue a free-floating EVA crew member, so NASA got to work to design a safety harness for astronauts who would be working around it without direct connections. Its called Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER): a life jacket for space walks. SAFER is a self-contained maneuvering unit worn by astronauts like a backpack. The system relies on small nitrogen-jet thrusters to let an astronaut move around in space. Its relatively small size and weight allow for convenient storage on the station, and let EVA crew members put it on in the station’s airlock. However, the small size was achieved by limiting the amount of propellant it carries, meaning that it can only be used for a limited time. Its intended primarily for emergency rescue, and not as an alternative to tethers, and safety grips. Astronauts control the unit with a hand controller attached to the front of their space suits, and computers assist in its operation. The system has an automatic attitude hold function, in which the onboard computer helps the wearer maintain course. SAFERs propulsion is provided by 24 fixed-position thrusters that expel nitrogen gas and have a thrust of 3.56 Newtons (0.8 pounds) each. SAFER was first tested in 1994 aboard the space shuttle Discovery, when astronaut Mark Lee became the first person in 10 years to float freely in space. EVAs and Safety Space walking has come a long way since the early days. In June 1965, astronaut Ed White became the first American to conduct a space walk. His space suit was smaller than later EVA suits, since it did not carry its own oxygen supply. Instead, a hose to an oxygen supply on the Gemini capsule connected White. Bundled with the oxygen hose were electrical and communication wires and a safety tether. However, it quickly expended its supply of gas. On Gemini 10 and 11, a hose to a nitrogen tank aboard the spacecraft connected a modified version of the handheld device. This allowed the astronauts to use it for a longer period of time. The Moon missions had EVAs starting with Apollo 11, but these were on the surface, and required the astronauts wear full space suits. Skylab astronauts made repairs to their systems, but were tethered to the station. In later years, especially during the shuttle era, the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) was used as a way for an astronaut to jet around the shuttle. Bruce McCandless was the first to try one out, and the image of him floating free in space was an instant hit.   SAFER, which has been described as a simplified version of the MMU, has two advantages over the earlier system. It is a more convenient size and weight and ideal for an astronaut rescue device outside the Space Station. SAFER is a rare type of technology- the kind NASA built hoping that it wont be necessary to use it. So far, tethers, safety grips, and the robot arm have proved adequate to safely keep astronauts where they are supposed to be during space walks. But if they ever fail, SAFER will be ready.

The Word of the Year 2011

The Word of the Year 2011 The Word of the Year 2011 The Word of the Year 2011 By Mark Nichol Each year at about this time, the English-language media rolls out various reports announcing the word of the year according to one or more authorities. These pieces imply or overtly suggest that these selections are keywords for our society’s values, beliefs, and obsessions. But a glance at such choices reveals that these words are the linguistic equivalent of candy satisfying (or not sometimes they’re the equivalent of chocolate-covered brussels sprouts) but not sustaining. The following lists of the top word for each year of the past decade suggest that one year’s byword can be the next year’s punch line (or a least a later period’s â€Å"Huh?†): Merriam-Webster 2010: austerity 2009: admonish 2008: bailout 2007: w00t 2006: truthiness 2005: integrity 2004: blog 2003: democracy American Dialect Society 2010: app 2009: tweet 2008: bailout 2007: subprime 2006: plutoed 2005: truthiness 2004: red state/blue state 2003: metrosexual 2002: weapons of mass destruction 2001: 9-11 (most often styled 9/11) Global Language Monitor 2011: occupy 2010: spillcam 2009: Twitter 2008: change 2007: hybrid 2006: sustainable 2005: refugee 2004: incivility 2003: embedded 2002: misunderestimate 2001: ground zero Oxford Dictionaries 2011: squeezed middle 2010: big society 2009: unfriend 2008: credit crunch 2007: footprint 2006: bovvered 2005: podcast 2004: chav Technological terms like app and tweet have variable staying power. Blog, which was ten years old when Merriam-Webster crowned it in 2004 (while app may be old enough to vote), isn’t going anywhere, nor is podcast. But eventually, many once popular terms evoke nothing more than a chuckle (â€Å"floppy disk,† anyone?). And to w00t, I say, â€Å"W00t-ever.† Jargon from economic and political contexts serves as a shorthand, but Steven Colbert’s brilliant-in-its-time truthiness is as stale as Bush-speak jokes (or perhaps I misunderestimate it), and â€Å"weapons of mass destruction† and embedded have acquired a derisive connotation their coiners did not intend. Variance in American English and British English is also an obstacle: Several of the Oxford Dictionaries selections are obscure to US readers. (â€Å"Big society† refers to localism in government, bovvered is part of a British TV character’s dismissive catchphrase â€Å"Am I bovvered?† and chav refers to a lumpen-prole UK subculture with a perplexing penchant for faux-Burberry plaid couture.) Environmentally oriented terms at least the ones in these lists seem to have legs: We’re still discussing sustainability and footprints (as in â€Å"carbon footprint†), though perhaps without the fresh vigor applied just a few years before. A couple of these lists offer a word of the year for 2011 (the other listmakers have not yet weighed in for the current year), but you are also entitled to your opinion. Which word (or phrase) do you nominate for the honor? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About TalkingHomogeneous vs. Heterogeneous10 Varieties of Syntax to Improve Your Writing

2 contract law assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

2 contract law assignments - Essay Example However, that right would have arisen by virtue of common law principles rather than statutory law as contained in the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. Owen Fox explains that ‘for many years, the doctrine of privity of contract was a fundamental feature of English law, meaning that it was only the parties to a contract who could rely upon or enforce the terms of that contract. The consequence of this was that if a third party suffered a loss because the contracting parties failed to fulfil their obligations to each other, then the third party had no recourse under the contract.’2 This is the background against which Sarah Jones Development’s claim for damages against Archibald must be examined. There were and are exceptions to the privity of contract rule. One exception is to be found in circumstances where a collateral contract exists. For example when there is a contract between two parties one of the parties thereto may have a collateral contract with a third party in respect of the same matters contained in the primary contract. Shanklin Pier v Detal Products [1951] 854 provides a good example. In this case the plaintiff hired a contractor for the purpose of painting a pier. The painting contractor was instructed to purchase the paint from the defendants. The defendants informed the plaintiffs that the paint would last for seven years when in fact it only lasted for three months. As a result the plaintiff took the defendants to court despite the absence of a contract between them and defendants. 3 The court ruled that the plaintiffs could sue the defendants for damages on the basis of a collateral contract. The plaintiff had provided consideration in exchange for the defendants’ assurance of the quality of the paint by indorsing a contract with the painting contractor which specifically required that they purchase the defendants’ paint.4 The general tone of judicial findings was that there must be an intention to form a

The issue of corporporate responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The issue of corporporate responsibility - Essay Example Sustainability, at its core, reflects a more integrated and efficient management structure that would be adept to weather the economic downturn. Quoting from the World Economic Forum report, Smith (2003) elucidates three key pressures that impel businesses to incorporate CSR viz.: linkages between corporate competitiveness, corporate governance, and corporate citizenship. a) Every business decision should embed the sustainability criteria: Porter and Kramer (2006) articulate: "the essential test that should guide CSR, is not whether a cause is worthy, but whether, it presents an opportunity to create shared value, that is, a meaningful benefit for society that also is valuable to the business." The Patagonia's mission statement captures strategic alignment of CSR with business: b) Build Brand through total wealth creation: Businesses ought to maximize the wealth all stakeholders through effective community investment and poverty alleviation programs. The wealth creation should be woven around green policies through innovative projects that protect environmental assets for the long term. c) Develop environmental projects focusing on economic exclusion: There's an urgent need for companies to refocus on their corporate responsibility to produce a pronounced positive impact on environment protection, and especially target eco... c) Develop environmental projects focusing on economic exclusion: There's an urgent need for companies to refocus on their corporate responsibility to produce a pronounced positive impact on environment protection, and especially target economically deprived areas for holistic growth. d) Partner More effectively: Partnering with government and NGOs can ease to an extent, the project funding issues, and dovetail the company's businesses with national growth strategies. Such an approach would also bring credibility for activities, and help gain public trust. e) Focus on governance and accountability: Especially in times of recession, the scrutinizing eyes of media, shareholders and government would continue to hover on companies, demanding transparency and accountability. Guarnieri and Kao (2008) noted that the 2007 Top Companies for Leaders are poignantly strategic and use CSR to help attract, engage and retain leadership talent. Leaders in such companies are encouraged to take leadership roles in social and community organizations. CSR thus becomes a critical component for leadership development strategy. CSR can be the best starting point for integrating societal considerations with business operations (Porter, & Kramer, 2006). Especially, in economically hard times, companies would be forced to reflect on their core priority businesses, and customers. In such situations, sustainability programmes can help to sieve the strategic business areas, and relook at the supply chain management with a "sustainability screening policy." Corporate responsibility can thus help pruning overheads, and effect cost savings through carbon accounting. Conflict between Luxury Branding and Environmental Concern Pinault spearheading the case for sustainable luxury believes that

Presidential Candidate Profiles :: essays research papers

Candidate Profiles I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al Gore   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore, was born on March 31, 1948 in Washington D.C.. His father Albert Gore Sr., a congressman from Tennessee, served in the House of Representatives and his mother Pauline La Fon was one of the first women to graduate from Vanderbilt Law School. Gore, a Baptist, attended Harvard where he received a degree with high honors in government. Even though he was strongly opposed to the war in 1970 Al joined the army where he served his time in Vietnam as an army reporter. After attending Vanderbilt Law School Gore ran for and won Tennessee’s fourth district congressional seat where he served four terms, after which he ran for and won the Tennessee Senatorial Seat. Gore remained in senate until presidential nominee Bill Clinton Chose him as his running mate in 1992, they were elected into office that year and re-elected in 1996. While in office Gore expressed great concern for the envir onment and in 1992 wrote the book Earth in the Balance: Healing the Global Environment. Gore has been married to Tipper Aitcheson since 1969, together they have four children: Karenna, Kristin, Sarah, and Albert III. Al Gore’s running Mate for the 2000 election is Connecticut state Senator Joe Lieberman. As well as being the first Jewish-American ever in the U.S. Senate, Lieberman was the Connecticut state Attorney General and also practiced law in New Haven. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Bush   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Governor of Texas and Republican Presidential Nominee George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven , Connecticut. Bush, often referred to as simply W. is The eldest son of former President George Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush, his siblings include Jeb (Governor of Florida), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. Like his father, Bush attended the prestigious Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts before going to Yale University where he graduated with a bachelors degree. Upon leaving Yale he went to Texas and joined the Air National Guard, Where he learned to fly fighter jets, he eventually became a lieutenant but was never called on to fight in Vietnam. In 1972 Bush entered Harvard Business School, earning his M.B.A. in 1975. In 1977 he married Laura Welch, a former teacher and librarian, and in 1980 she gave birth to their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. Shortly after his 40th birthday in July ‘86 Bush reached a turning point in his pers onal and professional life.

Culture Assessment Essay

Culture can be defined as a set of learned beliefs, values, norms and materials goods shared by group people. It includes everything that an individual adopts from a group in the process of living from infancy to old age. In the U. S and anywhere in the world, culture guides the social interactions between members of a society and influences the personal beliefs and values that shape an individual perception of their own environment (William E. T and Joseph H. 2005). Generally, cultural variations in many societies are as a result of class, ancestral, and religion disparities. William kufuor a middle aged man from the neighborhood but who subscribes to different cultural from most of the inhabitants of Miami was selected for an interview. He was supposed to reveal his beliefs values and norms concerning many situations in the U. S. The selected person is 35 years of age and his parents are immigrants from western Africa who migrated to the U. S in the early 1950’s and settled in Miami. He is a married man and works as an assistance professor in Chicago state university. His spouse is from Hispanic community who are also not Native Americans. The couple is blessed with two beautiful children aged between 5 years and 8 years. Although William was born and brought up in the U. S, he seems to incline so much towards African culture than the American culture. Kufuor as he is well known confesses to be a Christian and goes to church every Sunday together with his wife and children. His beliefs are that there exists a supreme creature called God who created all of us that and who is provider of everything. William seems to be very concern about body contact and personal space between him and other people especially those of the opposite sex. During the interview session he did keep a distance between me and him and whenever I tried to move closer he looked so much surprised. William like most American keeps an open space in between himself and his conversation partner. When offering greetings, Kufuor makes sure that there is minimal body contact and is most of the time he is very comfortable with a simple handshake as opposed to a hug or a kiss unless one is a very close relative and who is of the same sex except his wife only. This was evidenced when he moved away and offered a offered a handshake instead when a tried to hug him. William was believed to be one of the alienated African American, who may have discarded their ancestral beliefs and replaced them with the American beliefs. This was because he was born in America, grew, schooled and associated with Native Americans but after the interviews, it was against the expectations of the researcher since, he behaved like a typical African in his own country of origin. However, at home with his family the most used language was English, which was well spoken, written and conversed by all family members although William spoke fluent French. William said that it was because his wife was from a different culture which was Hispanic and that she was only fluent in English made them use English as the only language at home. William kufuor also takes the father and husband role and provides for everything to the family members, this did not mean that the wife did not contribute towards the family income. At home however unlike many Africans, William could cook for the family and perform many household chores that demanded his attention but mostly it was the wife who performed those household chores. When asked why he was liberal on issue concerning household chores since most people of the African culture believed that the kitchen was a place meant for women, William admitted that it was the country’s social structure that had influenced his way of doing things. He confessed that he had been influenced by his educational attainment, income and occupation. Thompson W. E and Joseph V. H (2005), Adams, J. Q. ; Pearlie S. A (2001) agree with Kufuor that it is not possible to understand people’s behaviour without assessing their social class since the social position possesses a great influence on almost all our feelings. They further agree that one’s religious beliefs are influenced by the social class, political affiliation, the foods he/she eats, clothes worn and associations. Kufuor beliefs that most of the diseases that are taking the lives of many in the world today are lifestyle related and are only avoided by behavioral change. He argues that the communicable and non communicable diseases are mainly as a result of unhealthy eating behaviors. However, the African culture upholds traditional medicines and concoctions which they belief are effective in the treatment of ailments than the modern medicine provided in hospitals. But kufuor admitted that he had deviated from those beliefs because of the education and exposure that he had acquired. The health care workers especially the nurses should treat people of this culture with a lot of love and care as well as emphasize with them so that they can change their perception towards healthcare facilities, since also these people prefer their indigenous foods as delicacies the nurses should provide them with the same but encourage them to diversify their intake so as to reduce the chances of getting deficiencies of some nutrients. The entire interview was lively since we communicated and understood each other very well using the American English. But however some necessary information was not revealed by interviewee this may be because he was not prepared well during the introduction so as to create a rapport end be able extract as much information as possible from the interviewee. Kufuor beliefs that most of the diseases that are causing havoc in the world today are as a result of what we eat, drink and think. He therefore argues that their solution not only lies in medication provided in the hospital but also in behavioral change among the affected. This involves minding what one eats and how he/she relates with the surrounding communities. Similary,kufuor feels that the hospital staff should also take a leading role in advising their clients both in-patient and out-patient about prevention measures of the common ailments. Reference: Thompson, William, Joseph hickey (2005). Society in focus. The culture of United States. Boston, M. A Pearson Adams, J. Q. ; Pearlie strother – Adams (2001): Dealing with diversity Chicago, LL Kendall/hunt publishing company.

Hausser Food Products Company - 3498 Words

Hausser Food Products Company Brenda Cooper, the southeastern regional sales manager for the Hausser Food Products Company (HFP) expressed her concern to a researcher from a well-known eastern business school: I think during the past year I’ve begun to make some progress here, but the situation is a lot more difficult than I thought when I first arrived. Our current methods of selling products just are not adequate, and the people in the field don’t seem interested in coming up with new ideas or approaches to selling. BACKGROUND Hausser Food Products Company was a leading producer and marketer of baby foods in the United States. The company manufactured and marketed a whole line of foods for the baby market including strained meats,†¦show more content†¦Brenda Cooper, the southeast regional sales manager, was fairly typical of the kind of person who was placed in that position. Brenda entered an MBA program immediately following graduation from one of the best women’s colleges in the country. Majoring in marketing, she did extremely well in business school and graduated near the top of her class. Upon graduation she received many job offers and took a position as an assistant product manager in a large nonfood consumer products company. During four years at that firm she performed extremely well both in the management of existing products and in the launching of new products. By the end of her fourth year, however, she was becoming restless, and seeing no opportunities for quick advancement, decided to accept an offer to become a regional sales manager at HFP. The salary was attractive, plus she would receive a potentially large bonus based on the profit performance of the entire company. Brenda was also attracted by the possibility of advancement within the company. She had heard that many of the senior staff had started as regional managers. At the end of her first year Brenda was still very concerned about doing well in her job; in particular she was adjusting to her role as manager with six district managers reporting to her. THE SALES PLAN Much of the activity of the regional managers centered around the yearly sales plan. The sales plan was essentially a budget that includes projections ofShow MoreRelatedCase Study: Hausser Food Products Company1655 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Hausser Food Products Company has been successful in the business of selling baby food since the 1980s, and has had extreme sales growth through the 1990s. Unfortunately, due to some outside factors like decrease in birth rates, organic and dye free standards, and private name brand competition, growth rate recently dropped by three percent. The marketing and sales team are taking responsibility for reshaping the produce line and making more sales to turn this trend aroundRead MoreHausser Food Case924 Words   |  4 PagesHausser Food Products Company is well known for its production of infant food. It controled approximately 60 percent of the market and continued to increases sales every year until the baby bust in 1980. This was the first time that Hausser started to see a decrease in sales. The marketing department has focused its efforts to increase sales. Currently, they have divided the country into seven geographical regions, each with a sales manager who rep orts back to the district level. The first stepRead MoreHausser Food1527 Words   |  7 PagesAssignment Hausser Food Product 1. Using whatever concepts, frameworks, or ideas you think are applicable, explain why the Florida sales team is withholding information about a new market opportunity from regional and corporate sales management? a. Expectancy theory of motivation Hausser Food. Employees and organization both of them have expectation and needs. Organization have expectation to their employees through target. Employees have expectation to the organization or company through theirRead MoreHausser Food1698 Words   |  7 Pages[1] Hausser Foods is clearly experiencing a decline in sales growth due mostly to competition and a decline in population growth. The case focuses mostly on the southeast sales region; however the decline in sales growth is affecting the entire company. The lack of new ideas by the sales force is primarily due to a lack of reflective and adequate encouragement from HDQ as well as a fear or concern that such new ideas for sales revenue might actually burden the sales force in the following yearRead MoreHausser Food Company1249 Words   |  5 PagesCASE: HAUSSER FOOD PRODUCTS (HFP) COMPANY: ââ€"  Brenda Cooper → South-eastern Regional Sales Manager (Jefa de ventas de la Regià ³n Sudeste) for the HFP. ââ€"  Her concern: their current methods of selling products are not adequate. 1) Background: (Antecedentes): ââ€"  HFP: was a leading producer and marketer of infant foods in the U.S. (era un destacado productor y vendedor de comida infantil en Estados Unidos). It maintained a market share of aprox. 60%. ââ€"  Its products line included: strained (triturada/machacada)Read MoreAnalysis of Mattel’s Supply Chain Management6531 Words   |  27 Pagesposition through her many mergers and acquisitions. Second, Mattel outsourced all operations. Third, after the 2007 recall, Mattel moved all toy-prototype creations in-house to project their intellectual property and ensure safety before moving product overseas. Mattel also implemented checks and balances with their Chinese suppliers. Finally, Mattel continues to innovate with consumer trends as they have slowly expanded into digital and online as an extension of their physical toys. In the shortRead MoreShort Cases19708 Words   |  79 Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3. THE ARDEN COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4. UNIPRO INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 5. HAUSSER FOOD PRODUCTS COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6. MANAGING MARKETINGRead MoreFrench Terms for Ib Sl French B8316 Words   |  34 Pages2 3 5 12 12 21 28 28 31 36 36 37 40 40 42 48 48 51 Topic Area 1 Home and local area Life in the home; friends and relationships Local area, facilities and getting around Topic Area 2 Health and sport Sport, outdoor pursuits and healthy lifestyle Food and drink as aspects of culture and health Topic Area 3 Leisure and entertainment (includes online) Socialising, special occasions and festivals TV, films and music Topic Area 4 Travel and the wider world Holidays and exchanges Environmental, cultural