Thursday, October 31, 2019

The future of tourism planning lies with a community-driven approach Essay

The future of tourism planning lies with a community-driven approach - Essay Example The general â€Å"host-guest† conflicts and stereotypes can be better overcome by tourism development through clearer local guidance which goes on to stimulate a superior stewardship of tourism resources. The participation of the stakeholders such as tourism operators, government, local residents, etc in tourism planning guides an improved fitting, longer enduring, and less exhausting tourism industry taking into consideration the local requirements, concerns, desires and abilities. Community involvement while preparing plans for tourism increases the abilities of the stakeholders thereby resulting in sustainable tourism development. Community-driven tourism planning highlights improved strategic and rational vision for growth of tourism. The approach depends upon the local residents and the community leaders who propose opportunities to clarify strengths and weaknesses for the social, economic and ecological well-being. The influence of community-driven approach assures touri sts’ satisfaction eliminating the experience of tourism as a source of anxiety and negative impact. The involvement of community in the process of tourism planning undoubtedly brings up flourishing impact on the tourism industry which otherwise would have remained less successful due to insufficient local knowledge and experience. The illustration of the Whistler Village has been cited as an ideal example of community-driven approach for tourism planning. It has been very rightly said that the future of tourism planning lies with a community-driven approach. The need for community participation in tourism planning must be felt and appreciated (Murphy, 1985a). This calls for the inclusion of strategic planning and community development standards in tourism planning processes. This will inevitably result in to the cohesive working of all the stakeholders, be it tourism industry associations, resident organizations, public organizations, government officials, social

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Calcium Absorption Essay Example for Free

Calcium Absorption Essay In order to determine the content of calcium and magnesium in an unknown sample of limestone, the utilization of atomic absorption spectrophotometry can help in deciphering the unknown concentrations of each molecule in the limestone sample. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry, emits radiation of the correct frequency that is passed through a flame and the intensity of the transmitted radiation is measured?. The calcium concentration or ppm can be measured using the absorbance of the solution and comparing it to a standard curve for calcium?. Whereas magnesium, needs to be determined using the standard addition method. The concentrations of each respective molecule can be presented as CaO and MgO percentages of the unknown limestone sample. Materials and Methods The compound calcium carbonate (CaCO3, CAS: 471-34-1, 204. 89ppm) was utilized to compare its absorbance to the unknown sample of limestone # 8066 on the standard curve. Moreover, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO4*7H2O, CAS: 10034-99-8, 40. 8ppm) was also utilized to compare its absorbance against that of the unknown. Lab personnel from the CSU Eastbay department of chemistry stockroom performed all calibrations on the Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 300 atomic absorption spectrometer. All chemicals used in this experiment were obtained from the CSU Eastbay department of chemistry stockroom. A Denver Instrument Co. Sargent-Welch analytical balance was used to determine the mass of the unknown, mass of calcium carbonate, and mass of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. A Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 300 atomic absorption spectrometer equipped with a Lumina Calcium and Magnesium Lamp was used to determine the absorbance. The instrument used Argon and Acetylene as the carrier gas and oxidant gas, respectively.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Microbial Contamination on Toothbrush Storage

Microbial Contamination on Toothbrush Storage The study of microbial contamination on storing a toothbrush in a bathroom with a toilet Abstract Aims: To examine the microbial contamination of storing a toothbrush in the bathroom with a toilet among the Colony Forming Unit (CFU) of microbial groups. Methods and Results: The results are analyzed by the counting of CFU of agar plates Conclusion: The toothbrush storing in a bathroom with a toilet or without toilet is being contaminated and it is a bad place for storage Introduction Escherichia coli (E.coli) is recognized as a coliform bacterium which is gram negative, anaerobically developed and shaped like a rod. It is generally found in the intestine of warm-blooded animals such as humans. In addition, E.coli is able to discharge into the environment with fecal substance under airborne condition especially by the flushing of toilet and the bacteria can grow numerously in fresh fecal substances aerobically for short periods of time. The bacterial aerosols by the flushing can move as far as six to eight feet away from the toilet. A humid, warm surface permit more bacteria to grow and the bristles of the toothbrush would increase the surface area for microbial adhesion, hence, the fecal-oral transmission can be used as a major route via which pathogenic strain of bacteria to bring into oral diseases. Apparently, the occurrence of fecal coliforms in water is not straightforwardly harmful and does not essentially express the presence of feces (Doyle, M. P., and M. C. Erickson. 2006). Five types of plates were used with the microbial groups in this experiment. Chocolate blood agar, CBA, is an unselective and a medium with enriched development used for fastidious bacterial isolation.[1][2][3] It is a alternative of the blood agar plate which contains red blood cells lysed by moderate heating to 80  °C. Reasoners 2A agar, R2A, is used for the isolation of heterotrophic bacteria from treated drinkable water (Sandle, T, 2004). These bacteria is likely to grow slowly and would rapidly be restrained by speedy-growing species on a rich medium. Diagnostics Pseudomonas Isolation Agar, PYO, is used for the isolation and differentiation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa selectively by raising the pyocyanin production. Pyocyanin production is indicated as a bluish-green, water-soluble pigment that gives a greenish color into the media (Bodey, G.D., et al., 1989). Malt Extract Agar, ME, is used for the cultivation and isolation of yeasts and molds by suitable nutrient supply (7). The pH is modified to nearly 5.5 for upgrading the fungi growth and to lightly hinder bacterial growth which usually determined as environmental contaminants.(6) Lauryl Sulfate Broth, LTA, is used for the isolation of coliforms in water and foods. The coliform groups involves aerobic and facultative anaerobic, gram-negative and the bacilli without spores which is able to progress the fermentation of lactose and generate acid and gas at 35 °C. Additionally the LTA44 °C makes faecal coliforms to be enumerated and the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate demonstrates excelle nt inhibition of organisms except the coliforms. The technique of spreading plates is used for the isolation and enumeration of microorganisms in a mixed culture by even allocation. This method can measure the bacteria easier by using a sterilized spreader and applying a small quantity of bacteria suspension on the surface of plate. The plate is required to be dry before incubation so the bacteria can be absorbed into the agar rapidly. The plate counting approximate the amount of cells depend on the capability to produce colonies under particular states of nutrient medium, temperature and time. The counting of CFU believes that every colonies is aggregate and observed by a single viable cell.[1] Moreover, CFU/mL of the original suspension is figured out mathematically and then factored in the quantity plated and the dilution factor. This study aims to examine the microbiological contamination of toothbrush to prove whether a bathroom with a toilet is a good place to store a toothbrush or not. Material and methods Sample collections and suspensions preparation of samples Group 1, Stored normally at the sink in a bathroom which contained a toilet situated 0.5 2 m away from the sink. Group 2, not stored near a toilet. Brush either stored in bedroom or in bathroom devoid of toilet. The samples of plaque, toothbrush, sink and tap water were collected by respective sterile method. The plaque sample was put into a 2.5ml Ringers solution and sonicated for 10 minutes. Then the weight of plaque sample is determined by weighing the bijou bottle and the toothpick is removed by aseptic techniques. The toothbrush sample is put into the 10ml Ringers solution into a Universal bottle and the toothbrush head is cut and removed aseptically. The swab originated from 2 x 2 cm square of the sink sample is put into 2.5 Ringers solution of the bijou bottle and is vortexed for approximately 3 minutes. Then the swab is taken out by sterile techniques and the suspension is ensured to squeeze out of the swab. The sample of tap water is put into the 15ml of sterile tube. 10-fold dilutions and plates spreading Each of the samples were processed with orders of plaque, toothbrush, sink and tap water. Different dilutions of samples are prepared by the 10-fold dilutions expect the tap water samples. 0.5ml of undiluted original suspension (100) is removed and inoculated into 4.5 ml of another Ringers solution aseptically and mixed well to be a 10-1 dilution. All the samples are prepared down to 10-5dilution. Four plates of CBA, R2A, ME and two plates of PYO, LTA37 and LTA44 of each samples were collected and labelled. For the plaque sample, 2 PYO, 2 LTA37 and 2 LTA44 plates with 100, 2ME plates with 10-1, 2ME plates with 10-2, 2 CBA and 2 R2A plates with 10-4, 2 CBA and 2 R2A plates with 10-5 were inoculated. For the toothbrush sample, 2 PYO, 2 ME, 2 LTA37 and 2 LTA44 with 100, 2 ME plates with 10-1, 2 R2A with 10-2, 2 CBA and 2 R2A plates with 10-3, 2 CBA plates with 10-4 were inoculated. For the sink sample, 2 PYO, 2 LTA37 and 2 LTA44 plates with 100, 2 ME plates with 10-1, 2 ME and 2 R2A plates with 10-2, 2 CBA and 2 R2A plates with 10-3, 2 CBA plates with 10-4 were inoculated. For the tap water sample, all 18 plates were inoculated with 100 undilutedsuspension. 0.2ml of relative dilutions were spread across the surface of the agar plates with aseptic methods. All the plates were allowed to dry before inoculation. 2 LTA44 plates were put in the incubator with 44„ƒ, 2 PYO pla tes, 2 LTA37 and 4 CBA plates were put in the incubator with 37„ƒ, 4 R2A and 4 ME plates were put in the incubator with 25„ƒ (United States Pharmacopeia, 2015). Data collection The inoculated plates were collected and colonies were counted to determine the Colony Forming Units (CFU) by multiplying the average number of colonies by 5 to convert from 0.2ml to 1ml and is multiplied by the dilution factor. The best number of colonies (30-60 colonies) were counted for the plates which have two dilutions plated onto them. The CFU was calculated as the CFU ml-1 100 suspension and needed subsequent conversions except for the tap water sample. For the plaque, CFU ml-1 100 suspension was multiplied by 2.5 and divided by the weight of plaque to determine the CFU g-1 in 2.5ml bijou bottle. For the toothbrush, CFU ml-1 100 suspension was multiplied by 10 to determine the CFU head-1 in the 10ml Universal bottle. For the sink surface, CFU ml-1 100 suspension was multiplied by 2.5 and divided by 4 to determine the CFU cm-2 in the 2.5ml bijou bottle from a 4cm2 square. Results Mean CFUs per unit with SD : a measure that is used to quantify the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of data values.[1] A low standard deviation indicates that the data points tend to be close to the mean (also called the expected value) of the set, while a high standard deviation indicates that the data points are spread out over a wider range of values. Average with SD (Plaque CFUs per gram) Group 1 (with toilet) Group 2 (without toilet) CBA 4.16+ 12 x 108 4.71 + 16 x 108 R2A 1.2 + 3.41 x 108 1.96 + 3.55 x 108 PYO 8.34+ 23.5 x 102 7.41 + 38.5 x 107 LTA37 4.7 + 23.4 x 102 8.49 + 4.33 x 103 LTA44 0 2.55 + 13.2 x 102 ME(yeasts) 3.35 + 8.78 x 104 9.51 + 49.2 x 105 ME (fil fungi) 1.72 + 6.2 x 104 2.95 + 5.71 x 103 Average with SD (toothbrush CFUs per head) Group 1 (with toilet) Group 2 (without toilet) CBA 1.92 +3.52 x 106 1.51 +5.76 x 107 R2A 2.35 +5.71 x 106 1.12 +4.60 x 107 PYO 1.27 +4.07 x104 2.78 +14.4 x 108 LTA37 1.84 +5.94 x104 2.54 +12.9 x 106 LTA44 1.18 +5.88 x 104 4.85 +24 x 104 ME(yeasts) 2.10 +9.78 x 104 3 +13.6 x 105 ME (fil fungi) 2.59 +11.8 x 104 1.34 +2.26 x 102 Average with SD (sink per square cm) Group 1 (with toilet) Group 2 (without toilet) CBA 8.91 +22.7 x 104 6.33 +24.7 x105 R2A 2.56 +11.5 x 105 7.82 +36.7 x105 PYO 1.22 +2.98 x 102 4.65 +16 x103 LTA37 4.55 +12.4 x102 5.73 +16.9 x103 LTA44 4.24 +14.5 x10 1.54 +6.19 x102 ME(yeasts) 4.84 +1.57 x 102 3.13 +7.55 x103 ME (fil fungi) 1.40 +1.76 x 102 4.71 +18.5 x102 Average with SD (tap water CFU per mL) Group 1 (with toilet) Group 2 (without toilet) CBA 1.53 +2.14 x 10 1.5 +7.69 x104 R2A 9.04 +21.6 10 3.49 +14.4 x104 PYO 8.46 +30.7 10-1 1.85 +9.62 x10-1 LTA37 0 3.7 +19.2 x10-2 LTA44 1.15 +5.88 10-1 0 ME(yeasts) 7.12 +19.5 9.7 +22.1 ME (fil fungi) 5.85 +19.5 4.44 +7.85 p-value. Two-tailed independent samples t-test (Group 1 vs Group 2) 95% = P plaque toothbrush sink Tap water CBA 0.891 0.251 0.269 0.325 R2A 0.437 0.336 0.488 0.234 PYO 0.341 0.331 0.155 0.291 LTA37 0.334 0.324 0.118 0.331 LTA44 0.341 0.453 0.375 0.313 ME(yeasts) 0.356 0.300 0.086 0.654 ME (fil fungi) 0.241 0.283 0.370 0.731 From the table, the CFU in the plaque sample collected from storing the toothbrush with and without toilet are observed. For the CBA and R2A, the CFU in group 1(with toilet) is counted as 4.16+ 12 x 108 CFU g-1 and 1.2 + 3.41 x 108 respectively, and the CFU in group2 (without toilet) is marginally greater than group1 which resulted as 4.71 + 16 x 108 and 1.96 + 3.55 x 108 respectively. For the PYO, LTA37, LTA44 and ME (yeasts), The CFU of group 2 are slightly more than the group 1 except the fewer CFU (2.95 + 5.71 x 103) without toilet than in which with toilet (1.72 + 6.2 x 104) observed in ME (fil fungi). It is found that the fewest CFU is on LTA44 or even observed as 0 CFU per unit since 44„ƒis over the optimal temperature and the bacteria can be inactive. Besides, for the other microbial groups, toothbrush, sink and the tap water samples, they showed the similar results as the plaque sample that the average CFUs per unit of the without toilet sets were slightly more tha n the sets with toilet on the CBA, R2A, PYP, LTA37, LTA44 and ME (yeasts) and the CFUs per unit of the without toilet sets were slightly less than the toilets sets. However, the samples in the tap water evaluated some differences from the other groups was that the small quantity of average CFUs per ml within each samples were indicated since the presence of fecal coliforms in water might not be directly harmful and did not necessarily indicate the presence of feces. Overall, the CFU of the plaque sample collected without toilet is slightly greater than which with toilet but probably there is no obvious difference between two groups by the examination of p value. P value is used to compare the significance of the tests. Significant difference between two groups can be determined if the p value is smaller than 0.05 and the null hypothesis is not be supported. From the table of two-tailed independent sample t-test, it indicated that all p values among the different agar plates of the 4 microbial groups are greater than 0.05 which showed that the difference between 2 groups for any sample type (with toilets and without toilets) or medium types are not significant. Although the tables showed large variability within a given sample, this is common for environmental samples and hence the null hypothesis is supported. Discussion The toothbrush, the plaque and the sink samples collected with or without the toilet sets, except the tap-water, were observed to contain large quantity of coliforms and it proved the presence of pathogenic bacteria, E.coli. The toothbrushes contamination acts as a crucial role in the expansion of various diseases such as respiratory infection and oral diseases (M. B. Dayoub, D. Rusilko, and A. Gross, 1977). Toothbrushes are often stored in the toilets and disclosed to contamination as it is a microbial atmosphere with the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria which is spread by aerosols and the flushing of toilets (Taji SS, Rogers AH, 1998). Moreover, the presence of the E.coli is correlated with the uncleaned bristles or the storage of brushes with high humidity (the sink) and warm environment which are near to the bristles and this can effectively enhance the spread and growth of bacteria than those stored in aerated conditions by 70%. (R. T. Glass, 1992). However, the experimental results showed the colony forming units in the bathroom without toilets sets were greater than the sets with toilets which is apparently difference from the hypothesis. P-values of Two-tailed independent samples t-test can evaluate the situation. Although the large variability within a given sample was observed, this is common for environmental samples. Because of the large variability, there is no significant difference between the two groups for any sample type or medium type. The p values is greater than 0.05 which showed 95% level of confidence that the two parameters are not the same and there is no enough difference within the samples to conclude a difference so the null hypothesis is accepted. It is conclude that toothbrush would get contaminated regardless of storing near or far from the toilet. There are some limitations existed in this experiment. Firstly, there is manageable amount of data for the analysis which can affect the precision of the results. In this experiment, only 26 samples and 27 samples for each groups were examined which were not excessive enough to evaluate the hypothesis. More sample sizes are suggested and hence sufficient statistical power to the final results can be determined. Another error would be the dilution error since the pipetting for 10- fold dilutions could lead to a considerable departure from the expected identity and inaccurate results. It is suggested that the precise pipetting from 10-1 down to 10-5 and proper vortex with vibration of suspension within each dilutions is required. Additionally, more time allowed for the first lab practical and appropriate aseptic techniques could be suggested to ensure the accuracy of results. References M. B. Dayoub, D. Rusilko, and A. Gross, Microbial contamination of toothbrushes, Journal of Dental Research, vol. 56, no. 6, article 706, 1977. View at Google Scholar R. T. Glass, Toothbrush types and retention of microorganisms: how to choose a biologically sound toothbrush, Journal-Oklahoma Dental Association, vol. 82, no. 3, pp. 26-28, 1992. View at Google Scholar Taji SS, Rogers AH. The microbial contamination of toothbrushes. A pilot study. Aust Dent J. 1998 Apr;43(2):128-30 USP 61: Microbial Enumeration Tests (PDF). United States Pharmacopeia. Retrieved 24 March 2015. Sandle, T. (July 2004). An approach for the reporting of microbiological results from water systems. PDA J Pharm Sci Technol. 58 (4): 231-7. Doyle, M. P., and M. C. Erickson. 2006. Closing the door on the fecal coliform assay. Microbe 1:162-163. Sammons RL, Kaur D, Neal P. Bacterial survival and biofilm formation on conventional and antibacterial toothbrushes. Biofilms. 2004;1: 123-30. Bodey, G.D., et al. 1989. Infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Rev. Infect. Dis.; 5:279-313.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow vs. The 1980s Televisi

When we compare Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to the 1980 television movie The Legend of Sleepy Hollow starring Meg Foster, Dick Butkus, and Jeff Goldblum, we find that while there are several similarities between the two, there are also some key differences. When we look at various characters as well as the storyline, we see those similarities and differences. Washington Irving’s depiction of Katrina Van Tassel is that she was â€Å"a little of a coquette† and liked to mix older and modern fashions—â€Å"she wore the†¦stomacher of the older time; and withal a provokingly short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle† (Irving 325)—because they accentuated her best features. Add in her beauty—â€Å"a blooming lass of fresh eighteen; plump as a partridge; ripe and melting and rosy cheeked†Ã¢â‚¬â€and it seems that she is a good candidate for being a tease. Her immense grasp of her sex is illustrated by the fact that she plays Ichabod Crane against her other suitor, Brom Bones. The true nature of Katrina’s character comes through when we see Ichabod leave the party â€Å"quite desolate and chop-fallen† (Irving 334-35) and we have to wonder as Irving did: â€Å"was her encouragement of the poor pedagogue all a mere sham to secure her conquest of his rival?† ( Irving 335). It seems that all evidence points to the affirmative in Irving’s story; Ichabod is not seen again, and Katrina marries Brom. In comparison, the movie’s version of Katrina Van Tassel is somewhat altered. Meg Foster’s Katrina seems to be a spirited woman; unlike the story, she is (eventually) quite taken with Ichabod but not interested in Brom Bones in the slightest. One example of her spiritedness is shown in the first few minutes of her introduction: Jeff Go... ...rbidden love, whereas Irving’s tale is a tale of possible unrequited love. The characters are vaguely similar in both the written story and the movie, but the glaring difference is that while Ichabod possibly flees from Sleepy Hollow because he was frightened beyond his limits, the movie allows him to denounce any superstition in order to wed his beloved. There are many conclusions we can draw from the characters as well the storylines from the book and movie. It is up to each of us to decide what kind of characters we want to see; just as it is our own choice in deciding how the story ends. Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones, and Ichabod Crane will always be central to the story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, just as they are important to the nuances of the story, but it is up to us, the readers and viewers, to draw our own conclusions about the headless horseman. Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow vs. The 1980's Televisi When we compare Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to the 1980 television movie The Legend of Sleepy Hollow starring Meg Foster, Dick Butkus, and Jeff Goldblum, we find that while there are several similarities between the two, there are also some key differences. When we look at various characters as well as the storyline, we see those similarities and differences. Washington Irving’s depiction of Katrina Van Tassel is that she was â€Å"a little of a coquette† and liked to mix older and modern fashions—â€Å"she wore the†¦stomacher of the older time; and withal a provokingly short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle† (Irving 325)—because they accentuated her best features. Add in her beauty—â€Å"a blooming lass of fresh eighteen; plump as a partridge; ripe and melting and rosy cheeked†Ã¢â‚¬â€and it seems that she is a good candidate for being a tease. Her immense grasp of her sex is illustrated by the fact that she plays Ichabod Crane against her other suitor, Brom Bones. The true nature of Katrina’s character comes through when we see Ichabod leave the party â€Å"quite desolate and chop-fallen† (Irving 334-35) and we have to wonder as Irving did: â€Å"was her encouragement of the poor pedagogue all a mere sham to secure her conquest of his rival?† ( Irving 335). It seems that all evidence points to the affirmative in Irving’s story; Ichabod is not seen again, and Katrina marries Brom. In comparison, the movie’s version of Katrina Van Tassel is somewhat altered. Meg Foster’s Katrina seems to be a spirited woman; unlike the story, she is (eventually) quite taken with Ichabod but not interested in Brom Bones in the slightest. One example of her spiritedness is shown in the first few minutes of her introduction: Jeff Go... ...rbidden love, whereas Irving’s tale is a tale of possible unrequited love. The characters are vaguely similar in both the written story and the movie, but the glaring difference is that while Ichabod possibly flees from Sleepy Hollow because he was frightened beyond his limits, the movie allows him to denounce any superstition in order to wed his beloved. There are many conclusions we can draw from the characters as well the storylines from the book and movie. It is up to each of us to decide what kind of characters we want to see; just as it is our own choice in deciding how the story ends. Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones, and Ichabod Crane will always be central to the story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, just as they are important to the nuances of the story, but it is up to us, the readers and viewers, to draw our own conclusions about the headless horseman.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Fifty Shades of Normal

Fifty Shades of Normal Since its publication in 1996, Robe Harrier's book It's Perfectly Normal has appeared on the American Library Association list of challenged books. It's Perfectly Normal was the LA'S #1 Most Challenged Book of 2005. The book is intended for ages 10 and up, and it explains the various physical and psychological changes that occur during puberty including information about sex and sexual health. The books text is paired with cartoonist illustrations by Michael Embezzler.Many religious institutions are posed to the information and the viewpoints discussed within because masturbation, abortion, homosexuality and other alternative sexual lifestyles are described as being â€Å"perfectly normal. † It's Perfectly Normal has been criticized for mocking religious beliefs by stating â€Å"some religions call masturbation a sin. But masturbating cannot hurt you† (48), and Harris then goes on to provide images of a young boy and young girl masturbating comple te with an explanation how to masturbate.In June 1996, John Chamberlain, a member of the Provo (Utah) Library aid It's Perfectly Normal â€Å"should be banned from the children's section because it's graphic illustrations of male and female anatomy, including sex organs, and its discussions of intercourse, masturbation, and homosexuality† (Forester 205). The Catholic Church believes that â€Å"masturbation is an intrinsically and seriously disordered act† (Vatican) and â€Å"any sexual act outside of marriage not intended for procreation is considered inappropriate† (Vatican).Harris explains that â€Å"sexual intercourse-having sex-can involve the penis and the vagina, or the mouth and the initials, or the penis and the anus† (15). While the book is factually correct, many challenges are based on whether this information is appropriate for children. In 2001, the book was restricted to elementary school pupils with parental permission in Anchorage, Alaska due to objections to the book's â€Å"value statements† and because â€Å"marriage is mentioned once in the whole book, while homosexual relationships are allocated an entire section† (ala. Org). Furthermore, the book was also challenged, but retained in 2002 after a conservative Christian group, the Republican Leadership Council, characterized the book as â€Å"vulgar† and trying â€Å"to minimize or even negate that homosexuality is a problem† (ala. Org). The book has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion chain in the USA, but in contrast, nowhere does the book describe the virtue of chastity or abstinence (American Life League). Critics say the book promotes abortion by listing nine reasons to have an abortion (Dudgeon).The book's description of the abortion process is very clinical, and it avoids any discussion about whether abortion is morally right or the various social views surrounding the epic. It's Perfectly Normal was challe nged but retained in the children's section of the Mexico-Durian County, Mo. Library in 1997 when a Baptist minister complained not only about this title, but also about other â€Å"material concerning family sensitive issues, such as sexuality, the death of a loved one, or the birth process† (ala. Org). As per a BBC report, â€Å"all the religions have taken strong positions on abortion; they believe that the issue encompasses profound issues of life and death, right and wrong, human relationships and the nature of society, that make it a major religious once† (BBC. Co. UK). Harris wrote the book with the intent to provide facts that â€Å"were accurate and up-to-date and that the text was age-appropriate† (arbitrators. Com).She later commented that â€Å"l knew that illustrator Michael Embezzler and I had created a book that provided kids and teens with honest and accurate information, which they have a right to and need in order to stay healthy as they enter and go through puberty and adolescence† (Crispin). Harris succeeded in this regard, and accordingly, the book has been highly recognized and honored by the ALA, Booklets, Child Magazine, The New York Times, Planned Parenthood, and Publishers' Weekly (Floorboards).While some religious groups assert that the book â€Å"goes too far and even boarders on child pornography† (American Life League), â€Å"removal of a book for political, social, or moral reasons is legally prohibited† (Forester 205). The American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights states that â€Å"librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents-?and only parents-?have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children-?and only their children-?to Barry resources† (Floorboards).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Bead Bar Systems Development Project Essay

The primary objective is to organize information and operate in a planned and controlled manner to capitalize on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization. The proposed information system would departmentalize the operations of the various departments and make the organization accessible to its stakeholders in a pre-approved and designed manner. Not everyone would be allowed to access all kinds of information and all activities can be tracked so as to ascertain the state of the organization at every point of time. The involvement of EIS, MIS, DSS, TPS and knowledge work systems would ensure that different variants of stakeholders manage the system with their given privileges to drive the enterprise. Proposed system: We propose to create a company website which can be accessed through the internet enabling the franchisee locations to access it and perform the business functions of recording and updating the system for all the business changes. All the franchisee locations are connected with the help of public data carriers so that it is able to access the company website to perform their functions. Each such franchisee would have their access privileges to enter the transaction section and operate their business process. The president and the owner, vice president’s of all the departments would have an Executive Information System (EIS) Management Information System (MIS) to manage their operations. The accounts department may use Transaction Processing System (TPS) and the ground level workers can use Knowledge Work System to measure worker output, productivity and others. Lists of Input and Output information and sources: Prior to outlining the input and output information, the system development life cycle must be in place so that the analysis is done accordingly. The correct nature of the inputs and the outputs would make the system design vary accordingly as it requires to capture the information and put it into a frame to interpret in a decisive manner to take further decisions. The systems development life cycle for Bead Bar is as follows: 1. Feasibility analysis: The new proposed system and the present working system are analyzed so that the ROI (Return on Investment) is obtained. The proposed system is further analyzed for economical, technical, schedule and other feasibilities so that it stands in front of all difficulties in the development of the project. The Bead bar enterprise’s key management people are involved in the process of feasibility analysis. All the inputs, outputs and external environment are studied in detail so that the underlying intricacies would be researched well for their impact and development. Inputs: Bead Bar’s inputs are in the form of company’s short and long term objectives, its financial base and credibility for years to come, its general strategic plans, consent of the advisors and directors, risk handling strategies and many others. Outputs: The feasibility has outputs in the form of higher management approval for the sustenance of the systems development, its full length use to cover all business functions, risk mitigation strategies and many others. 2. Systems planning and requirements gathering: After the system is thoroughly checked for all its inputs and outputs, the requirements phase takes the lead. All the key stakeholders of the departments and the users of the system must be taken into account for gathering the crucial departmental functions, requirements and its interaction with other departments to achieve the central goal of the enterprise. Input: It must be in the form of the users of the system who are better-off to understand and figure out the exact ground level happenings in the business. Their view of the workings of the enterprise must be captured so that appropriate implementation can be done. Output: The valuable information fetched from the users of the system must be given a representation and frame it accordingly to fix it into a system. 3. Systems Analysis and Design: Bead Bar’s system requirements are studied and the system is analyzed and designed accordingly. The flow of data is analyzed so that the system captures the entire business cycle and their functions. Inputs: It would come from the requirements gathering phase and the order of business flow. Outputs: It would result in helping the analysts and designers in the process of database handling and further development of the system. 4. Database Model: The database model for Bead Bar is as follows, which shows the interaction of the different entities of the business. Figure 1 : Database Model 5. Coding: The above design is given a representation of the business and the various functions are finally implemented at this stage. Inputs: It is in the form of requirements gathered from the previous stages and the design documents. Outputs: It results in actual implementation of the system so that it can be viewed physically. 6. Implementation and Training: This stage correlates with actual planting of the system at the Bead Bar so that the present system is replaced and the proposed system takes its place. The users must be trained to operate the business functions with the system, store and retrieve data whenever it is demanded. 7. System feedback and maintenance: The general working of the system must be responded back so that any form of negative points would be highlighted and discussed to take advantage of the system and technologies involved. 8. Systems Review and Maintenance schedule: The review and maintenance schedule must include the following: Preventative maintenance – Maintenance schedules are a necessity for keeping the resources of a system in good health. The hardware, network equipments, communication programs and software must be periodically checked whether it is up and running (Mawer, 2000).