Diamond Necklace

â€Å"Maupassant uses the symbol of the necklace to represent various stations in Victorian society. However, this theme may be lost to readers that are not versed in Victorian culture. In the story, the necklace is more than an object of desire. It symbolizes something that is out of reach for the heroine of the story. It is used to explain the pitfalls of what can happen when desire overrides all other elements of one's life. However, the necklace also has another meaning that is often overlooked. â€Å"One will recall that there are two necklaces in the story.The first one is the more expensive one. It represents the true upper class of society, those that can truly afford to possess such an object. Madame Forestier feels comfortable allowing Madame Loisel to borrow the necklace. She is not afraid to let go of it. This suggests that her life savings are not tied up in it. She does not guard it so carefully that she is unwilling to let it out of her sight. She is comfortable taki ng a small risk with it. â€Å"However, Madame Forestier is less than amicable when the necklace is returned a week late.This indicates that although, she was not devastated by the loss of the necklace, it still held a considerable value to her. Her reactions indicate that it was still an uncomfortable loss and held some value in her life. To the wealthy, class of Victorian France, their finery was s symbol of not only their wealth, but their power in society as well. This necklace was important to Madame Forestier as a symbol of her station in French society. We do not know how many pieces such as this that she owned, but this may have been an important piece to her. â€Å"

Empowering Women †Culture vs Modern Life Essay

The world today has allowed women to hold other positions apart from their traditional roles which are being temporarily pushed aside. Temporary because traditional roles and family responsibilities can never be ignored or eliminated and it is this responsibility that women need to be empowered to encourage and give them the confidence to venture out and earn income to meet the demands of everyday life. The 20th century has become familiar with gender equality and more women and girls are stepping out of their traditional roles and embracing success despite facing economic, social, cultural and educational issues. This essay will discuss the issue of empowering women as a strategy used to help women and investment in education as the driving forces of overcoming problems and help forge a better future. Firstly, in our environment today we see more women stepping out of their traditional roles to work regardless of low or high paid income. The disadvantage on the economical level they face is the power of wealth where unnecessary spending does not allow for savings for the future. Women tend to give in to husbands demands and with peer pressure want for luxury items far beyond their affordability. For instance, our environment can influence the way we spend especially wanting what others have, for example, purchasing a vehicle can exhaust funds and create debt and borrowing. Economically this slows the growth of the economy and encourages poverty within families and the community. Secondly, the social disadvantage women face as they begin to take up higher responsibilities and thus, decision making within their household and at work encourages them to stand for their rights on any issues they face. This can lead to many social problems as they are exposed to many lifestyles such as the way they dress, attitudes and behavior changes. These changes can result to problems within the household and the community which leads to violence within families and between husband and wives or women and the community. In Bagdad, Afghanistan women who sought work in town are changing the way they dress from wearing their cultural wear, burqa (clothes that cover most of their entire body) to wearing short skirts and blouses to work. This has angered some husbands and in February 21st Pritka Singh’s husband killed her for bringing shame into the family as a mother. (Fiji Times, March 4 2013 p.19) Lastly, in most Pacific Island countries and some places within the Asian and Middle East countries, women’s role is to stay at home and look after the families while the husbands earn income to support the family financially. But as women begin to shift roles and work to earn an income, most women begin to spend most of their time at work rather than at home. For this reason most families system begins to breakup as children are left to care for themselves and the upbringing by their caretakers are under supervised can lead children to poor health. Also, divorce and broken homes happen when mothers and fathers spend time away from each other and reconciliation is beyond repair. (Personal communication Priscilla Tongi) However, even though the disadvantages are discouraging I feel that these problems can be fixed and overcome as strategies of empowering of women begin to take place. In the past, women were not allowed to stand up among men to participate in decision making but the 20th century has allowed this and why empowering of women has made a positive impact on women so far. Firstly, the advantage of empowering women to do more and engage in formal work possibility leads to economic growth. A study shows that women in Australia who held positions as board directors significantly had higher financial returns, including 53 percent higher returns on equity, 24 percent higher returns on sales and 67 percent higher returns on invested capital (www.wikipedia.org). This shows that female workers use strategies that communicate well with their employees to motivate them to perform well within the environment they work in. Secondly, the mentalities of men as the superior of both genders begin to change as women become empowered and begin to take up responsibilities similar to men. Here women have the confidence and courage to make decisions within their household, workplaces and the society as a whole. They rise from fear of being teased, mocked, seen as worthless and not important and begin to take part in important discussions with males to help their families and communities. (www.ifad.org) This social advantage helps in confirming fundamental rights of women. Finally, Education is an important element to any development within a society and without proper education poverty emerges. Through empowering of women, this strategy has encouraged more women to attend school and given the same opportunities as the male. Universities and other formal education enhances understanding on different fields like health, economics, politics etc to help them make good decisions within their families and society.(www.ifd.org) For example in Honiara at the Anglican Satellite church at Burns Creek , Literacy classes for the rural uneducated mothers are held twice a week to help them to read and write . Hence, confidence in attending community meetings and sharing in decision makings with the community become easy. Investment in education should be a priority to assist women become good role models and with educational achievements of women are more likely to be looked upon as setting good examples. (personal communication Shirley Nokia) Based on the evidence presented in this essay, empowerment of women is a positive strategy which encourages women, whereas in the past, little was done to allow women to step out from their traditional roles and into higher positions. Although the disadvantages hinder women through economical, social and educational issues, the advantages are more promising and through investment in education especially, women and girls can have a better future and make a better world for all.

Biological energy production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biological energy production - Essay Example There are mainly four recurring steps of the entire process of beta oxidation of fatty acid catabolism. However, the activation of fatty acids is quite necessary before that. The fatty acids are able to penetrate the plasma membrane because of the high fat solubility and poor water solubility of the plasma membranes. A fatty acid can react with ATP after it gets in the cytosol, and give a fatty acyl adenylate in addition to inorganic pyrophosphate. It is this reactive acyl adenylate that reacts with free coenzyme A in order to produce fatty acyl-CoA ester and AMP. The first step of fatty acid catabolism or beta oxidation is the oxidation of the fatty acid by the Acyl-CoA- Dehydrogenease. A double bond is formed between the C-2 and C-3. The purpose that the enzyme serves is to catalyze the process of formation. In the second step of fatty acid catabolism the bond between the C-2 and C-3 goes through the process of hydration. This is a stereospecific reaction that forms only the L isomer. The third step of fatty acid breakdown is the oxidation of L-beta-hydroxyacyl CoA by NAD+. In this process the hydroxyl group is converted into a keto group. The last step of catabolism of fatty acid is called Thiolysis. It is the cleavage of beta-ketocyl CoA by the thiol group of a different molecule of CoA. It is between the C-2 and C-3 that the thiol is inserted. (Miles, 2003) Aerobic respiration is one kind of ce... The principal condition for the aerobic respiration to take place and generate ATP is that this biological process necessitates the presence and participation of oxygen. There is more than one part of the cells that are involved in the entire process of ATP being generated and used. One of the major and important phases of the production of ATP is that Pyruvate has to be broken down from glycolysis and has to enter the mitochondrion so that it can get fully oxidized by the Kerbs cycle. Therefore, mitochondrion can be regarded as one of the cell parts that are involved in the production of ATP in aerobic respiration. Though it is believed that mitochondria, that is considered to be the powerhouse of the cell, is the cell part where all ATP is produced. The fact remains that all ATP is not produced in mitochondria, though most of them are. Since the process of oxidative phosphorylation takes place in mitochondria, it is thought that all ATP is produced in mitochondria. Some of the ATP is also produced in the cytoplasm. The production of ATP also takes into account the creation of chemiosmotic potential through the process of the protons being pumped across a membrane. The membrane, therefore, comes to be one of the parts of the cell that are involved in the production of ATP in aerobic respiration. (Porter and Brand, 1995; Kaiser, 2001) Identify the sites within cells where ATP is both produced and used up during anaerobic respiration. So far as anaerobic respiration is concerned, pyruvate is not metabolized without oxygen by cellular respiration. In fact, it goes through a process of fermentation. Apart from the fact that the production of ATP in aerobic

Child device Safety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Child device Safety - Research Paper Example To save the parents the pressure that comes with not knowing where a child is, a child-tracking device becomes one of the remedies. This project therefore sorts to provide a solution by developing software for parents to track their children with a GPS and SMS capable smart watch. The project will involve writing software for a server and a smartphone application. The software will aim at exploring the child’s day-to-day movements. When the child, for example, strays from his usual route on his way from school, the server will send requests to the smart watch through an SMS gateway, which will respond with a GPS data point. By analyzing this information, the server will use data analytic techniques to categories those data points as safe or non-safe places for children. The parent will then receive a notification from the smartphone application on the specific danger, and the exact position where the child is. With such innovation, the parent will need not worry when at work of their children where about. This project adopted GPS tracking over GSM and WiFi due to it know record on accuracy of 88% (Mun, et al 1). GPS is also known for energy efficiency in less congested places. In poor GPS signal data zones, the ephemeris downloads may prolong download time hence leading to GPS receiver systems consuming more energy (Evanczuk 1). This issue is well handled by installing GPS in areas where mobile networks provide coverage. To reduce ephemeris download time, this project explores the usefulness of SMS alerts as a way of reducing energy consumption. One challenge in creating this system will be in how to decide when to trigger a notification. We will do this by extracting semantically significant â€Å"safe regions† and â€Å"safe routes† from the tracking data and detecting when the child has strayed from these patterns. Due to the fact that coordinates will vary

Knowledge management approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Knowledge management approach - Essay Example Knowledge management implies any activity regarding the capture and the diffusion of knowledge within the organization. A key component of KM is to provide access to stored knowledge components in order to improve decision-making and facilitate knowledge acquisition by the user. The present essay is an attempt to introduce this innovative capital of modern organisations in a simple and lucid style. In the essay, the writer first, tries to distinguish the related concepts in the area of knowledge such as data, information etc, which are often misunderstood (used interchangeably with) as knowledge. In addition, an attempt is made to introduce the two approaches to knowledge management that capture and utilize knowledge. The essay prepared to examine the different of these two approaches. Specifically, it attempts to narrate the definition of these approaches and portrays both advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches. Finally, rather most importantly the report demonstrates how to apply theoretical concepts of knowledge management to NASA's JPL case study. One of the essentials of an effective knowledge management system is that the system must be able to distinguish knowledge from data and information so that information overload can be reduced/eliminated and its efficiency can be improved. An efficient knowledge management system accepts only those data that are relevant, timely, reliable and accurate. In the words of Liew (2002) data means the collection of facts or events and it is comprised of the basic, unrefined and unfiltered information, which are mostly useless. But, information is more refined data that is useful and meaningful for an analysis and decision making. In contrast, knowledge resides in the human brain and it happens when human experience is applied to data and information, therefore, knowledge is internalized which absorbed and understood by the human mind. In the modern business context, knowledge management can have a lot to perform to attain a competitive edge and thereby create value to the organisation. Knowledge management There are many interpretations as to what exactly knowledge management is all about. The definition put forward by Quintas P., Lefrere P. and Jones is worth notable in this context. They define knowledge management as "a continuously process of managing knowledge in order to ensure that knowledge is available when and where needed and can be acquired both from external sources and internal sources" (Quintas et al, 1997). It is worthwhile here to mention the definition developed by NASA for knowledge management. NASA defines "knowledge management as getting the right information to the right people at the right time and helping people create knowledge and share and act upon information in ways that will measurably improve the performance of an organization and its partners" (NASA, 2009). The procedures by which the objectives of KM can be accomplished include the following: As far as possible, everyone connected with knowledge management system should disclose what he/she knows and thereby facilitates knowledge sharing and its reuse. This will allow others to know when and where knowledge is available. Knowledge is made available at the time of decision making and it is the duty of the concerned personnel in an organisation that knowledge is

Starbucks Failure in International Market Essay

Starbucks Failure in International Market - Essay Example The company that is the subject of this research is Starbucks, an international coffee and Spice Company that operates in over 60 countries in the global food and beverages industry. The company has invested in the food and drinks industry, which has become a target for many investors today. The company started from a humble beginning back in 1987 in the US under the leadership of Baldwin, Bowker, and Siegel, and now is one of the top international companies that supplies coffee products. As the pressure in the domestic market increased, the company management focused on international expansion to evade competition and market saturation. However, the company’s international expansion has faced a wide range of challenges due to the complexity of the international market. The weakness of the company hails from its inability to focus on the characteristics of the international market such as culture, competition, customer behavior patterns, which has led to losses. This article s eeks to detect the cause of Starbuck’s failure in the international market, Japan for this purpose, and develop strategies to overcome these challenges. Therefore, this piece of work will provide the company with a platform to succeed in the international market. In international strategy, organizations look for markets that are potential for their products and one that provides an opportunity for organizational development. One of the international markets that Starbucks has focused on is the Japanese market, one of the largest coffee consumer markets. A rapid development of the Japanese economy has been an attractive feature for many investors. As the economy stabilizes, the purchasing power of the consumers will increase and hence the demand will escalate. Therefore, the company’ choice for this market was a wise decision.

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Project - Essay Example I tried to engage three people in general conversations such as politics, sports and movies. Of the three two didn’t amount to much but one, a colleague at work, seemed to amount to something. I actually summoned the courage to ask for her phone number without feeling as if I was crossing the line. At the close of the day, I did not remember the two failed conversations, but I was happy I could make a friend. I said ‘NO’ to a colleague, who was asking for my time, since I had other commitments at that particular time, and I did not feel guilty about it. And as much as I thought he would be disappointed in me, he wasn’t. I was broke, but I summoned the courage to borrow some money from a colleague without feeling embarrassed about it. I actually accepted that I am not more respectable just because I appear self-sufficient. I attended a staff party that involved taking alcoholic drinks and dancing. I did not take any alcohol despite the pressure, and I realized that they did not mind it; in fact, they thought it was respectable to stand by my

Negative Impacts of Large Salaries of Professional Athletes Essay

Negative Impacts of Large Salaries of Professional Athletes - Essay Example The large salary paid to athletes has been a controversial issue since time immemorial. Olympic gold winners such as Usain Bolt and Mike Tyson have topped the table of some of the highest paid athletes in the histories of their respective sports. Athletes make as much as thirty million dollars in a single sports event while a professional doctor in the united states may earn an average salary of slightly over $500,000 a year. The disparity is large a feature that makes athletes live a particular type of life that has consequently defamed both themselves and their respective sports. Among the living examples of poor management of the large salaries, including the life of the professional boxer Mike Tyson and several other athletes in Africa who have lived recklessly thereby losing either their lives or limbs thereby missing the sports (Mottram, 2005). Among the reasons that lead to a poor reputation, the large salaries have earned to both the sports and the athletes include the motivation arising from the large salaries. The athletes have therefore resorted to doing anything possible to win the medals in order to earn the large salaries. As explained earlier, the large salaries are often both a motivation and a reward for the strenuous exercises the athletes undergo during their sports. However, the fame and the millions of dollars have affected the lives of the athletes negatively thereby tarnishing the reputation of the sports. Doping, for example, is a contentious issue in athletes with the sports organizers calling back and banning many athletes who have won their trophies unscrupulously (Santo & Mildner, 2010).

Designing to apply new concepts in a practical way Assignment - 1

Designing to apply new concepts in a practical way - Assignment Example such as early contractor involvement, design and construction, management contractor services, construction only, cost planning and design management. The company has also demonstrated its capacity to deliver in diverse projects, such as commercial buildings, industrial and educational institutions, leisure, interiors, community and green projects. This is a preliminary qualification assessment of ADCO Construction for the construction of the Monash University proposed Green Amphitheatre based on their website. It will also explain the benefits of a careful prequalification process in determining successful project outcomes. The ADCO website helps me to establish the quality that this company is likely to bring on board should they be awarded the tender. To begin with, the company is able to deliver in a project, such as the proposed library because of their green architecture credentials (Hatush and Skitmore 1997, 129). From the website, one can decipher their experience in delivering highly rated sustainable projects. Subsequently, the ADCO website will help to determine their ability to meet the unique utility needs that form the basis of this project, which is to put up a building that complies with sustainable development architecture requirements (Saha and Hardie 2010, 671). The website also facilitates one to establish the capability of the management, as well as the qualification of the staff who are green star accredited professionals. The construction credentials of the board of directors, the national management team, and the regional management teams can also be accessed through the website, a factor which increases one’s confidence in their ability to deliver on the project (Lam et al.. 2000, 252). The diverse technical ability of the company allows it to experiment on new technologies and apply them. This is because the company employs best practices in the construction industry, such as safety management, environment management and quality

Welsh Migration in the late 19th century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Welsh Migration in the late 19th century - Essay Example Wales occupies the western part of the island of Great Britain facing the sea across Ireland. It was settled by Celts thousands of years ago and, by nature of the rugged mountainous terrain that isolated it from the rest of the island, the Welsh developed a culture, language, and history that is distinguishable from the rest of the U.K. With three sides facing the sea - the Irish Sea to the north, Bristol Channel on the south, and St. George's Channel and Cardigan Bay in the west-Wales developed to become a major source of seafarers and a centre of shipping. Cardiff, the Welsh capital, has one of the best natural seaports in the kingdom. Tucked at the south-eastern corner and close to the boundary between Wales and England, Cardiff's seaport towns of Tiger Bay and Butetown provided a perfect crossroads for ships and their cargoes of goods and people to and from England and the rest of the world. This explains partly why the Welsh are tough, universal, and open to other cultures as the exposure to other peoples have taught them to be tolerant in human nature and temperament. This also justifies why the Welsh are amongst the most daring of English peoples to settle in far-off lands like Australia and Patagonia. Wales is also a land rich with natural resources, mainly coal, iron, slate, gold, and other metals. This is why mining was the main industry and source of employment for many years, supported by the presence of shipyards and ports that brought in workers from over the world to mine the land and ship out coal and other minerals that were sold to the world. Industrial Revolution and Immigration The industrial revolution in late 18th century England caused a huge demand for coal, the fuel that provided the energy needed by steam engines in so-called manufactories producing anything from steel pins to textile. The wealth boom is much like what we are witnessing with the oil-producing nations of our century, as coal was then the oil of industry. The revolution caused a huge demand for raw materials and minerals and, because of economic wealth, a parallel demand for gold and building materials was generated. This led to the opening of more mines to extract natural resources and finding new and more efficient ways to transport these materials to other parts of England and the world. Amongst the results was an explosion in the demand for workers. Initially, these workers consisted of British and Welsh farmers displaced by the drop in agricultural labour demand due to higher wages being earned by work in factories instead of farmlands. This resulted in internal migration from other parts of Wales and the British Isles until the middle of the 19th century into the southern counties of Bridgend, Rhondda, Glamorgan, Merthyr, and Cardiff. However, in such a rough and sparsely populated land, the supply of labour was soon exhausted, so the people had to come from abroad. The magnitude of the immigration phenomenon can be grasped by looking at Welsh population figures in the early, middle, and later 19th century: 600,000 in 1801, 1.2 million in 1851, and 2 million by 1901. In the last decade of the 19th century, an estimated 240,000 immigrants moved into the coalfields of South Wales. Glamorgan's population boomed from 70,000 in 1801 to 1.1 million by 1901, whilst Rhondda's exploded from

Promise Essay Example for Free

Promise Essay The teacher walked into the classroom. It was the first period that day. â€Å"Good morning, everyone. How was your holiday? † Mrs. Jane asked. â€Å"Great! † â€Å"Fun! † â€Å"Exciting! † Those were the words came from every student in the class describing their end-year holidays. Of course holiday is fun and interesting days for everyone. But, for Jessica, it was a boring holiday since her parents rarely spent their times with her due to their busy schedules even during her school holidays. She just kept quiet as if she did not hear when Mrs. Jane asked them. She seems hardly opened her mouth since she entering the class. After sometimes Mrs. Jane realized that Jessica disliked her school holidays. She quickly switches her topic. â€Å"Okay, now. Everyone, I’m going to introduce you to your new classmate, Tiffany,† announced Mrs. Jane. She welcomes Tiffany to the classroom. Mrs. Jane then asked her to introduce herself. After that she asked her to sit beside Jessica. â€Å"Hi, I’m Jessica. Nice to meet you,† Jessica greeted her with a broad smile. â€Å"Nice to meet you too,† Tiffany said with a broad smile too. Mrs. Jane smiled to herself when she saw that Jessica smiled broadly. Mrs. Jane felt relief knowing that Jessica was happy to have a new friend. Alright, everyone~ Let’s start our first lesson today,† Mrs. Jane told the class. The lesson for the day was very interesting as the students seemed to be enjoying the lesson. It was at about 2pm everyone was waiting for the final bell to ring that marked the end of the lesson of the day. Jessica and tiffany walked hand-in-hand on their way home. â€Å"Do you usually walk home? † Tiffany asked Jessica while walking along the corridor. â€Å"Yes. I’d rather walking than going by car,† Jessica told her. â€Å"I used to walk too,† said Tiffany. â€Å"Hey†¦ can I ask you something? † Jessica asked. â€Å"Sure. Why not? † Tiffany wondering what is she going to ask her. Can we be friend? † Jessica asked. Her face turned reddish red. Tiffany giggled. â€Å"Why are you asking that silly question? We’re already friends,† she said. â€Å"What? Really? Thanks! † Jessica said and hugged her tightly. â€Å"No problem,† Tiffany said and Jessica released the hug. â€Å"Now, let us promise,† she said. â€Å"What? † â€Å"Let’s be friend forever no matter what happen. Even if we were separated one day, we will always keep in touch, okay? † She told her. â€Å"Okay~ I promise. † Jessica said. After promising to each other, they headed to their own home. Day after day, their relationship became closer and closer. They always spent their weekend together at each other’s home. During the holiday, Jessica spent her holiday with tiffany and her family since Jessica’s parents was always busy. A few months later, Jessica parents told her that they will move overseas. Knowing this, Jessica’s tears rolling down to her cheeks. â€Å"We know you can’t separate with Tiffany. But, we have to move, dear. Anyways, you will have some new friends there,† her mother tried to console her. One day after the school was over; Jessica told tiffany that she will move to New York that evening. â€Å"Really? But, I know you will come to visit me in the future, right? Tiffany asked as her tears rolled down her cheeks. â€Å"Yes. I will,† that was all Jessica can say at that moment. They went home as usual. That evening, Tiffany went to the airport to say goodbye to Jessica. Jessica was happy to see her present at the airport and wish her happy journey. She hugged Tiffany and felt heavy to let her go. As it was already time to go to the departure hall, Tiffany loosens her hug and let her go. â€Å"Promise me that you will not cry when you arrive there and I promise to wait for you to come here,† Tiffany promised. â€Å"I promise. And, I promise I will be back,† Jessica told her. Alright, girls. It’s time to go and say goodbye,† Jessica’s mother said to them. â€Å"Okay, mom. † Jessica said. Then, they bid their farewell. Two years later, Tiffany pursued her study in college. Even though they were separated, they always keep in touch through social network and phone call. Since Jessica was busy with her college activities, she didn’t have enough time to go back to Canada. But, she still kept her promise. She told Tiffany that she will be back next week. Tiffany was so delighted to hear the news. Two weeks later, but Jessica still not coming back. She was very disappointed and upset with Jessica. One day, Jessica’s mother went to Tiffany’s house. She told Tiffany why Jessica will not come. She told her that Jessica died in a car accident while on her way to the airport two weeks ago. â€Å"No! That shouldn’t be! She won’t leave me! † Tiffany cried out loudly. She feels that she can’t bear it anymore. Her mother and Jessica’s mother tried to console her. Tiffany went to New York that night. Upon arriving at New York, she went to Jessica’s grave. Tears gushing out of her eyes until she felt that no more tears came out. It’s been two years after Jessica’s death; Tiffany soon became a famous singer as they promise in the past.

Accounting Materiality Case Essay Example for Free

Accounting Materiality Case Essay After the release of the SFAC No. 8, your definition of materiality has been brought into question. In the past, your rule for determining materiality was based solely on quantitative data, where an event was only material if its impact was more than a given percentage of the income statement amounts. Using a quantitative measure is effective because it keeps the process objective; however there are also times when the quantitative difference doesn’t adequately demonstrate the true effect of an action. For this reason, â€Å"materiality is an entity-specific aspect of relevance based on the nature [quality] or magnitude [quantity] or both items,† as stated in Q:11 of the SFAC No. 8. For The Framework Company each of the following closing entries must be judged on a case-by-case level on the parameters of whether it could influence decisions that our users make. See more: Ethnic groups and racism essay 1)In this entry, the company is paying a fine of a foreign subsidiary. The amount is less than 3% of net income, making it quantitatively immaterial. The description of the case lists that after the fine is paid, business will go back to normal with only slight changes. However, this is qualitatively material because it shows that the company did something unlawful which makes users question the company’s integrity and ethical standards. 2)This entry shows an investment in an expansion of the company. The impact on the company amounts to only 4.3% of its total assets (it was predetermined that the bar for materiality is 5%) so it is not quantitatively material. However, in terms of this action affecting a user’s decision about the company, this entry is definitely material. It represents an expansion of the company which users can either see as promising for future growth or frightening because it’s a risky investment. 3)Generally a loss, no matter the size isn’t seen as material due to the fact that it tends to be a one-time thing, compared to an expense that occurs regularly. However, in this case the amount of the loss proves to be material both quantitatively and qualitatively. Its impact on net income is above the 3% predetermined materiality threshold, making it quantitatively material. Also, it was determined that more of these losses may be coming in the near future for this line and that it’s becoming more delinquent. These two qualitative aspects are very impactful for a user’s decision regarding the company because they show serious problems with one of the company’s most profitable line and puts huge question marks on the quality of the product. 4)In this entry, the management made the decision to self regulate based on a court case of a similar company. The amount of additional expense accounts for 4% of the net income, making it a quantitatively material. The main reason this decision is also qualitative is due to the fact that the additional $200,000 in expenses needs to be explained to the user to show that The Framework Company is being responsible and cautious by policing themselves. 5)The ruling in a litigation case is that The Framework Company owes credit customers 325,000 in damages, which is 6.5% of net income. The company plans to appeal the case and believes they have a good defense in that appeal. A large portion of their customer base was involved in this case, meaning if the ruling is overturned some of their customers could take their business elsewhere. That makes this entry both quantitative and qualitatively material. 6)This 200,000 dollar loan that didn’t show up in the financial statements would only increase the assets by 0.08%, making it quantitatively immaterial. This event is a one-time occurrence for the company, because the chance of a payment being â€Å"mishandled† should be small. Since it is a small portion of the balance sheet and is something that won’t frequently happen, this entry is quantitatively and qualitatively immaterial. Based on The Framework Company’s current accounting standards, this set of post-closing entries is quantitatively material because the sum of all the changes is greater than 3% of their net income and equal to 5% of assets. Even if the sum of the changes didn’t surpass the preset threshold, it would still be smart to report these entries based on the idea of conservatism. The accountants are responsible for the information released, so if they leave something out that a user would deem important, they are liable. So, when in doubt, it’s best to release the information. The SFAC No. 8 mentions a number of times that cases of materiality, such as this one, cannot be decided by a general set of standards. The concept of materiality is too difficult to restrain. Under our current system, the expansion branch (entry 2) would be considered immaterial due to is size relative to our total assets. However, this entry really is material because it means so much to the future of the company and that’s what financial report users are looking for. The only standard that can be set when dealing with materiality is does this entry â€Å"influence decisions that users make on the basis of the financial information† (SFAC No. 8, Q:11).

Why Radical Right Parties Struggle to Maintain Support

Why Radical Right Parties Struggle to Maintain Support Explaining the rapid decline in support for radical right parties in Western Europe Abstract The general trend amongst the radical right parties of Western Europe has been a steady increase of fortunes in elections to the national legislature. However, cases in France, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands have presented a phenomenon whereby the party haemorrhages their share of the vote soon after an electoral breakthrough. The aim of this work will be to highlight why (where it occurs) parties of the extreme right have struggled to maintain the consistent support of a large portion of the electorate and explain why this decline is more rapid than traditional mainstream parties. Introduction Background Amongst observers of Western European parties of the radical, or extreme, right there has been a general consensus that the last three decades have exhibited a trend of resurgent fortunes. Since the collapse in support and legitimacy for such parties in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War and the onset of the Cold War, they initially struggled to establish an electoral foothold in both the traditionally and newly democratic systems of Western Europe. Approaching the 21st Century, though, most countries in Western Europe witnessed an upturn in fortunes for the radical right, with many achieving the status of mass organised parties and becoming a persistent presence in national legislatures. Consequently, academic literature has tended to focus on the reasons behind this phenomenon, observers attempting to provide explanations behind the electoral performance of specific parties or an over-arching explanation of why radical right parties appear to be becoming increasingly p opular and successful in elections to national legislatures. This has provided several factors which are generally considered to be conducive towards the success of the radical right, such as: populist appeal; charismatic leadership; shifting debate in the political spectrum which creates a niche which the radical right alone can exploit; increasing salience of radical right issues; notably immigration and race relations; decline in voter confidence in the traditional democratic elites (including electoral effects of voter apathy); and increasing perception of mainstream party corruption; and inability to deliver on critical issues; and more. Taking the general theme of research in this area, then, one might assume that the fortunes of Western European radical right parties has on the whole been of increasing, or at least stable, electoral fortunes. Indeed, in researching for this paper, it has been noted that electoral results for radical right parties to national legislatures has in almost all Western European countries been improving over the last three decades. However, there are certain cases which present an interesting question regarding the futures of such parties and the continuance of this trend. This is the question of whether they are institutionally capable and stable enough to maintain support and legitimacy, as well as operate as a successful governing party once they have achieved significant success. Such success we might define as the institutionalisation of the party as a relatively permanent feature in national elections, with reasonable potential to participate in coalition negotiations or be a signif icant factor affecting the passing of bills and focus of debate in the national legislature and media. As mentioned, for many parties this is already a reality, or could realistically become one, but four cases suggest that once extreme right parties have reached a certain level of support, they encounter the same risks as many other institutionalised parties with regard to reversals in fortune. However, I will argue that many of the risks they face are unique to parties of the radical/extreme right, and hence why in the cases under study the decline in support has been so rapid. The cases under question regard when parties of the radical right experience a reversal of the general electoral trend, namely a decline in support. As mentioned, examples of this have been the exception rather than the rule, but are of significant interest because of the fact that radical right parties are still essentially niche parties. The cases investigated in this paper Austrias FPO, Frances Front National, Germanys Die Republikaner, and the Dutch parties of the radical right have all at some point experienced a significant downturn in electoral support in national elections. In 2002, the FPO slipped from 26.9% of the popular vote to just 10% after a tumultuous period in coalition with the OVP, and though experiencing a resurgence in fortunes, the party has suffered from Haiders split to form the BZO. In Germany, the Republikaner party went from being a party with European Parliament and Landtag seats and polling over half a million votes in federal elections by 1998, to a sp lintered and no longer apparently extremist party which has almost dropped off the electoral map in federal elections. The French Front National has been an ever-present and outspoken feature of French politics since Jean-Marie Le Pen burst onto the scene, but after the unexpected success in the 2002 presidential elections, they have been unable to maintain momentum, with numerous internal spats and a slide a results in 2007 Le Pens lowest result in presidential elections since 1981, and the National Assembly results more than halving. Finally, the Netherlands presents an interesting case, whereby several radical right parties have scored seats in general elections, yet so far all have swiftly collapsed, despite what might be argued is a fertile ground for the radical right as a force in Dutch politics. These cases stand out because of the unusually damaging decline in electoral fortunes, which buck the trend of established radical right party performance over the last three decades. Whilst there are examples of established radical right parties (i.e.: parties which have representation in the national legislature over several terms) which have suffered electoral setbacks (notably the Alleanza Nazionale in 2001, Norways Fremskrittspartiet in 1993), such declines in support have been relatively minor, and such parties have recovered from them swiftly. This paper seeks to provide some explanation as to why the reversal in electoral fortunes for the four parties under investigation here has been so rapid. Whilst there have been cases elsewhere in Western Europe of radical right parties suffering electoral setbacks, none have been so markedly significant as these, where the parties under examination have experienced declines in performance of at least 60% in elections to the national leg islature in the space of just two elections. In two cases the LPF and Republikaner this has been near a near terminal decline; in the case of the FPO, this was followed by a significant split from which they are only just recovering; and the FN are left at in a difficult position, particularly given the age of their ever-present leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. These results stand in stark contrast to the general story of radical right success in recent decades, where a decline in votes for an established party has been both relatively minor and recoverable from, the four parties under investigation have experienced what appear to be electoral nose-dives. Consequently an examination of the reasons why these four parties have suffered such unusually damaging results might help to produce interesting results concerning how the parties of the radical right operate as an electoral force and any unique challenges they face in consolidating themselves in the party systems of Western Europe. Previous research in this area As mentioned earlier, general research into the declining fortunes of the radical right has been relatively sparse and overwhelmed in comparison to the amount of research conducted into the reasons behind success for the radical right. Much of the general work into the radical right as a new phenomenon has provided useful grounds for research into decline, most notably Herbert Kitschelts The Radical Right in Western Europe (University of Michigan Press, 1995), which posited that the radical rights success in the late 20th century can to a large extent be explained by an electoral systems effect on voter choice. This seminal work has gone some way to explaining the differing levels of success exhibited by the radical right, offering a plausible reason why there appear to be significant limits to radical right success at a national level in mixed and majoritarian systems, such as the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, compared to systems which are more proportional or have lower thresholds for entry into legislatures. It is useful to take into account the effect of electoral systems, given that many individual and general studies suggest that successful radical right parties will often exhibit very similar traits with rega rd to leadership style, policy platforms and party organisation, and in particular the mobilisation of electoral coalitions on common policy issues; yet these similarities stand in contrast to electoral results which might vary greatly. Though Kitschelts theory as elucidated in The Radical Right is intended primarily to explain the conditions for radical right emergence and success, it has also been to some extent used to explain the converse why the radical right might experience a decline in success. However, the great weakness of Kitschelts study is that it is so concerned with explaining conditions for emergence. Numerous studies have gone to show that taking the converse of Kitschelts theory that electoral systems can explain reversals in success for radical right parties will not provide satisfactory explanations of the radical right phenomenon. Partly this is because the electoral systems model cannot account for reversals in success once a radical right party has become established. Indeed, if we take Kitschelts theory strictly, we might conclude that once a radical right party has established itself as a legitimate and vote-winning parliamentary party (i.e.: it has broken through the electoral thresholds and maintained representation for at least one subsequent election), then it is unlikely to fall back into a position whereby it retreats into permanent decline despite a permeable electoral system. Significant counter-examples to this notion exist, most notably the Dutch example, whereby the radical right has broken through electoral barriers to make relatively significant gains, only to suffer rapid and terminal decline, despite little change to the electoral system and the obvious salience of radical right politics amongst a stubborn group of extremist voters and significant group of protest voters. The issue is further complicated when we consider the effect of other actors in the electoral system. Two studies in 2005 (Veugelers and Magnan; Meguid) complimented an approach which showed how flawed an analysis of electoral systems can be when considering the reasons for a decline or restriction in the success for radical right parties. The Veugelers Magnan study sought to apply Kitschelts electoral systems theory, although the study was specifically aimed at analysing the conditions for far right strength. The significance here was that the study A.) suggested that the conditions for far right success were dependent to a significant extent upon the structure or restructuring of party competition; and B.) that an application of the electoral systems theory could not satisfactorily explain the (varying levels of) success for parties in France and Austria. Whilst Meguids studypaid little attention to electoral system features as a variable, it did present strong evidence that the a ttitudes of ‘mainstream parties towards niche (including radical right parties) is crucial to the electoral fortunes of a niche party at a general election a theory backed up by Art, who believed the differing levels of success experienced by the German and Austrian extreme right was primarily attributable to mainstream responses to their presence in the arty system. The structure of party competition is therefore of interest, as it provides the possibility of a significant external factor which might effect a decline in support for a radical right party. Individual studies have shown the significance of mainstream responses to radical right issues when it comes to electoral performance. Generally, there is a lot of divergence across countries with regard to cross-party adoption of and attitudes towards the policies and issues canvassed by the radical right. This is partly due to the nature of political discourse in each country, with what we might call ‘radical right grievances amongst voters and politicians alike rather diverse. Whilst the primary issues championed by the radical right tend to be common (foremost amongst which are immigration, race relations and anti-establishment platforms), the salience of these issues amongst voters varies significantly from country to country, and accommodation of such issues likewise. For instance, m ainstream responses to immigration and race issues in Germany are rather muted by mainstream fears of being accused of auslà ¤nderfeindlichkeit, despite it being a highly vocal issue at local level in contrast, there has been a marked shift in strategy amongst the French mainstream since the early 1990s to accommodate issues popularised by Le Pens outspoken rhetoric. Again, much of the general work on party system effects on the fortunes of the radical right has centred upon their emergence and the conditions for success, rather than failure. A general theme popularised by Ignazi (1992) was that the evolution of political discourse in post-industrial Western Europe to focus on neo-conservatism and neo-liberalism had opened up and legitimised dialogue concerning issues traditionally confined to the extreme right. Given that these same themes are to some extent still prevalent today, it might be suggested that any decline in fortunes for the radical right might be due to internal factors affecting radical right parties, rather than the result of further shifts in the political spectrum which havent been evidenced. However, Ignazis theory has become less popular recently, with studies such as Abedi (2002) suggesting that radical right parties are just as successful where ‘overcrowding of the centre is evident as when the centre parties open up (as Ignazi suggested) to allow possible entry. Further to this, no obvious correlation between a fall in support for the radical right and a change in the party system can be drawn. This is partly due to difficulties in producing a coherent model of the party system which analyses such a correlation, as well as because responses to the influence of a radical right party tend to be driven by particular or extraordinary events in the short term, rather than medium- and long-term shifts in discourse. Particularly evident are the cases of the LPF and FPO, whereby shifts to actually accommodate these parties in government by pragmatic coalition partners were immediately followed by a rapid decline in support, even though the overall terms of political debate did not significantly change over the period in question. This might lead us to agree with Abedi that any change in support for the radical right is largely unrelated to the degree of polarisation exhibited by the party system. We m ight subsequently take the view that a decline in support for a radical right party has an ambiguous relationship to restructuring of the party system. Given this we might look to the manner in which parties of the radical right garner support in the first place (excepting any influence from external actors such as those discussed above). Studies in this area have again tended to concern how the radical right achieves support in the first place. A recent example is Ivarsflatens (2008) study, which supports the theory that the only grievance mobilised by all radical right parties with any success is that of immigration. Importantly, this study suggests that radical right parties are just as effective when no particular grievance is mobilised (intentionally or not). This presents one of the more crucial issues that the radical right faces, namely how to deal with a voter base which tends to be split along three lines first, committed voters who are attracted to the partys general platform; second, voters who would normally vote otherwise, but are attracted because the issues touted by the party (in particular, immigration) suddenly b ecome more salient; and thirdly a protest vote from those voters who have become particularly disillusioned with mainstream parties(more on this later). The suggestion, consequently, is that it is not a change in policy or grievance issues which effects a drop in support for the radical right, but rather a partys response to changing perceptions of legitimacy and reliability as a legislative grouping. This is particularly important given that radical right parties so often emphasise themselves as anti-establishment, meaning they risk de-legitimisation if they acquire the labels of ‘corrupt and ‘ineffective which they hurl at mainstream parties. Having to contend with these issues, radical right parties have consequently developed rather unique party structures in order to respond effectively to voter issues. Of particular interest is common assertion that the radical right tend to be populist parties. For numerous reasons too extensive to list here, radical right parties have relied heavily on new media and the appeal of a charismatic and outspoken leadership. Due to their small size relative to mainstream parties, as well as the more transitory nature of their voter base, they have tended to rely heavily on alarmist campaigning, often gaining press coverage in excess of their size or real influence, in order to get heard and maximise their effect on party dialogue. This is a regularly observed strategy, even if it weakens or threatens solidarity and effectiveness in the party leadership. One key objective of such a technique is to widen and enhance their voter appeal, but in order to work successfully radical right parties have often had to ‘water downproposals, or at least simplify them in order to fulfil the need for soundbites and slick campaign material. Such campaigning, and a reliance on uniquely charismatic and authoritarian leadership (a common feature across the most successful radical right parties), is a factor common to most radical right parties, particularly those under study in this paper. Hypotheses Given the variety of factors affecting the establishment and growth of the radical right, it might be reasoned that there are numerous reasons behind the failings of radical right parties where they have occurred. Although external factors such as party system structure, electoral system and the nature of the electorate have been shown to have an effect on the performance of radical right parties, existing research suggests that this is most significant when a radical right party is emerging. However, I will seek to show that whilst these factors can be part of the reason for a decline in support for radical right parties, they are not necessarily primary causes. In particular, in the four cases under investigation, the hypothesis is that the external factors mentioned are not significant enough to explain why the decline in support for these parties was so rapid. The central question of this paper is why the radical right in the four countries under investigation have experienced such a substantial decline in voter share between elections, rather than a minimal drop or continuing to grow as has been the case with the radical right in other West European countries. A hypothesis based on external factors (party system and competition, media strategy, electoral system, voter issues, etc.) affecting the party is unlikely to be sufficient, as the variation in circumstances for the four parties under consideration means it would be difficult to derive a general cause for electoral demise, particularly given the highly unorthodox nature of the parties decline in comparison to the overall story of radical right success across Europe in the same period. A hypothesis based on internal factors (leadership, party strategy, etc.) alone is also insufficient, as it is difficult to envisage how the decline in votes scored on such a large scale can be the res ult of internal structural issues without a significant alteration in the external factors precipitating a decline. Comparing these cases to other Western European radical right parties which have not suffered a significant or permanent collapse in support, it is suggested that the successful parties have better managed a transition which allows them to present themselves as reliable governing parties which can (sustainably) fulfil the demands of voters in parliament or government, rather than just reliable vote-winning ­ parties which can win representation on limited issues at individual elections. The former is shown to be present in the case of parties such as Italys MSI/AN and Lega Nord, Switzerlands SVP, Norways Fremskrittspartiet, etc, all of which have avoided significant declines in vote-share despite changing conditions in the party system or electoral system. It is therefore expected that in the four cases under investigation the three most significant factors conducive to the plunge in electoral results are:- 1.) Leadership style. As mentioned, radical right parties tend to, without the ‘taming effect of coalition partners, be characterised by a populist style of campaigning, often focusing on specific political issues to fan voter sentiments and gain cross-cleavage support from the electorate. This often includes leaders who embody a highly pragmatic and charismatic leadership style. It is hypothesised that in our four cases this style of leadership makes it difficult for the party to the demands of government or maintain a stable coalition of support. 2.) Mainstream party responses to the radical right. Since the emergence of the ‘new radical right party family there has been a general move by radical right leaders towards legitimising their parties within political systems, and it is not controversial to suggest that this is a necessity for them to be perceived as legitimate by an electorate in order to break into a national legislature or into government, or by the parties they have to negotiate with in parliaments (for the passage of bills, formation of coalitions, etc.) in order to effectively influence policy. It is postulated that the reaction of mainstream parties to a breakthrough by the four parties under consideration inhibits the respective radical right partys ability to operate as a governing/policy influencing party, as well as inhibiting the ability of the initially large electoral coalition which gave them representation to support them in a consequent election. 3.) The social bases of electoral support. Given the heterogeneous nature of support for radical right parties at the polls, it is suggested that a significant portion of the vote for the parties under consideration at ‘breakthrough elections is mobilised on a temporary, rather than a permanent, basis. This could be for a variety of reasons issue salience, identification as a ‘radical right voter, legitimacy of the party. It is suggested, therefore, that the four parties under investigation have been unable to establish a stable and reliable basis of electoral support between parliaments, such that when factors (1) and or (2) come into play the party suffers from the departure of one or more groups of voters that are attracted to the party by temporary issues. Consequently the steep decline in vote share is a result of the inability of the party to consolidate their appeal to a broad enough group of voters to maintain their electoral momentum, resulting in only a small g roup of faithful voters turning out to prop up their poll numbers. Methods and Focus This paper will focus on the developments of four parties in the electoral periods relevant to the subject of enquiry. These are: the French Front National between the 2002 and 2007 presidential elections, and the 1997, 2002 and 2007 National Assembly elections; Austrias Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs (FPO) between the 1999 and 2002 Parlament elections; Germanys Die Republikaner between the 1998 and 2002 Bundestag elections; and the cases of the Dutch radical right parties, concentrating on the electoral fortunes of the Lijst Pim Fortuyn between the 2002 and 2003 elections to the House of Representatives. In each of these cases the parties in question have gone from positions of relative strength to haemorrhaging votes, results which stand in contrast to results for radical right parties elsewhere across Western Europe. This paper will then focus on analysing whether the hypotheses listed above are true. This has been done by assessing academic papers which have analysed the conditions of the relevant parties in order to determine what, if any, consensus there is on the reasons behind these parties collapse in vote share, backing this up with media evidence where it is relevant. Additional to this, general research into the systematic effects determining what might cause a drop in votes for the radical right has been called upon in order to confirm the hypotheses, as well as potentially extrapolate the hypothesised causes for vote decline from external factors (such as changes in the party or electoral system, the strategies of rival parties, changes in issue salience, etc) in order to see if it can be confirmed. Throughout the investigation special attention will be given to several key themes which contribute the events surrounding the electoral defeats of the parties in question. These will include:- Party leadership All four parties under investigation have been generally considered by observers as exhibiting a populist style of political strategy. Three factors are worth considering here. First, how far this is important in allowing the party to generate votes at general elections; second, to what extent the party uses populist campaigning to gain influence on policy; and thirdly, how this affects the partys ability to respond to demands of government/the electorate (where relevant). Legitimacy of the party This does not concern whether or not the party is viewed as a legitimate, i.e.: not anti-system, party; rather, it concerns whether or not the party has a reputation for delivering on its promises, or can present candidates who are genuine and reliable enough for an electorate to support them. This is important in the sense that the partys chances of maintaining electoral momentum may be hampered by poor performance in government or in the legislative process in parliament. Competition in the party system How other (relevant) parties in the countrys party system respond to the challenges posed by the party of the radical right. Obviously there is a difficulty in assessing which responses by what parties actually have an affect on the performance of the radical right party. Consequently we will be looking for cases collaboration, cohabitation, or ostracisation by mainstream parties which have an observable effect on either the radical right partys electoral fortunes, or their ability to operate as a policy-influencing party (be it by governing or as a force in the legislature). Salient policy issues at elections Parties of the radical right have been noted to campaign on a breadth of issues, albeit often engaging more vocally with a specific issue in order to generate support, in contrast to mainstream parties (particularly those with ambitions of government) which are forced to campaign on a wide variety of issues affecting all voters. Consequently, it is of interest to observe whether the specific campaign and policy stances of the radical right parties at elections in any way effected (or possibly even mitigated) the decline in vote share. The social bases of support Radical right parties do not fit easily into a cleavage-based model of the party system, as they tend to draw their support from a wide variety of social backgrounds for numerous different reasons. It is of interest, therefore, from what groups did the party under investigation originally garner support in the election preceding the regression, and whether there was any observable change in the type or confidence of the groups who voted for the party by the time of their decline in the following election. Cases Studies Austria the Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs (FPO) The FPO is possibly the most significant party to begin this investigation with, due to the fact that it is not only one of the longest established radical right parties, but also because it occupied government for far longer than any other under investigation here. Since Jà ¶rg Haider was elected leader of the party in 1986 it had experienced a remarkably sustainable rise in results, culminating in the earthquake success at the 1999 election where it became the second largest party with 26.9% of the vote. It is of note that the FPOs success has roughly correlated to the declining fortunes of the ‘Grand Coalition of SPO and OVP. Popular disenchantment with the Proporz system which had characterized Austrias two-party system came to a head in the 1999 elections when both parties opinion poll ratings slumped immediately prior to the election. The SPO/OVP coalition had not, by most standards, been particularly unsuccessful or hit by scandal, even benefitting from increasing opinion poll numbers thanks to Austrias presidency of the EU in the second half of 1998. Whilst the Social Democrats poll numbers remained remarkably stable (with only a minimal drop in 1999 compared to the OVP), the OVP had a much harder time, being unable to mitigate a general trend of decline that had continued since the 1991-95 Parlament. In particular, Mà ¼ller notes that the party had difficulty in producing a coordinated and effective campaign on election issues, compared to the aggressive campaigning of the SPO and FPO, the latter of whom was particularly successful at enlivening their campaign by recruiting celebrities such as Patrick Ortlieb and Theresia Kirler. The constitution of the vote for the FPO in the 1999 election is also interesting with regard to how it broke the OVP/SPO duopoly. The FPO had been remarkably successful at increasing turnout from voters of every background, suggesting the FPO was poaching voters from both the SPO and OVP. This is partly due to voter dissatisfaction with the continuation of the Grand Coalition still too tainted by Proporz, as well as the FPOs ability to play off Haiders recent election to the Governorship of Carinthia a success which greatly enhanced the FPOs credentials as a party of government. However, the core vote for the FPO remained blue collar (predominantly male) workers, largely (and perhaps disproportionately) drawn from former SPO-leaning voters, despite the SPO being generally seen to have been more successful than the OVP at limiting the drop in votes experienced as the 1995-9 coalition came to its end. (Though it should be noted that the FPO increasingly attracted a significant number of voters from right-leaning farmers and middle-class professionals unhappy with the OVPs commitment to the EU and perceived lack of leadership.) The FPO had also more than any other party managed to increase membership of the party, particularly amongst professionals and those exhibiting no ideological affinity for the party. Luther points out that as beneficial as this may have been for maximising turnout, the membership drive was set against a push by Haider to fill organisation posts within the party with individuals likely to be loyal to the party leadership (i.e.: Haider), including key figures such as Susanne Riess-Passer and Karl-Heinz Grasser. T

Ritalin And Its Uses Essay -- essays research papers

Ritalin and Its Uses In recent years, more and more kids seem to be on a prescription drug called Ritalin(methylphenidate). This drug is being handed out more and more by doctors as a way of treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a complex neurological impairnment that prevents kids from concentrating. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, it rose fron 200 grams per 100,000 people to over 1400 grams per 100,000 people in the last fifteen years. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about one student in every classroom is believed to experience the disorder. The rate of Ritalin use in the United States is at least five times higher than in the rest of the world according to federal studies. Are doctors just catching this disabling affliction more often? Or does society just want a convenient way to solve a complicated problem. Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant that is somewhat similar to amphetamines. It was created in 1955, classified as a controlled substance in 1971, and became the drug of choice for ADHD in 1981. It is also used in treating narcolepsy. It is thought to activate the brain stem arousal system and cortex, and, like cocaine, works on the neurotransmitter dopamine. It appears to increase the levels of dopamine in the frontal lobe where attention and impulsive actions are regulated. When taken in its intended form under a doctor's prescritption, it has moderate stimulant properties. There has been a great deal of concern about it's addictive qualities and adverse affects. ADHD is a relatively new disorder. It was introduced in 1980, where it was labeled ADD(attention deficit disorder). In the 1950's, children were simply labeled "hyperkinetic." The term "hyperactivity" was added in 1987, hence the name ADHD. Not all children have the hyperactivity, and thus are labeled to have ADD. ADD is not treated with Ritalin; antidepressants are more commonly used. One of the problems with the label ADHD is that just because a child may be overly hyper, doesn't mean the child is not paying attention. The problem is, the child is paying too much attention to too many things at the same time. ADHD is children's #1 childhood psychiatric disorder. The prevalence is three time... ...ere), irregular heartbeat and respiration(may be profound and life threatening), anxiety, restlessness, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks, and formicaton(sensation of bugs or worms crawling under the skin). It seems to be abused by high school kids and college students predominantly. Although the drug is too complex to manufacture illegally, and it doesn't create the euphoric effect that cocaine has, it seems to be an aid in studying for final exams. It allows students to stay up all night allowing them to cram much easier. It is important to remember that too many children in America are suffering from this ailment, and yet too many kids are getting pills instead of proper care. Although Ritalin currently seems to be an effective way in treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, we must not treat this disorder hastily. Our society must realize that prescription drugs can have just as many complications as street drugs. Befor writing out a prescription, or carelessly diagnosing ADHD, we must remember that these are kids we are dealing with. They put all their faith in us to help them, and not just to medicate them.

PaceMaker Essay -- medical health heart disease

The PaceMaker I. Introduction Heart disease is among the leading causes of deaths each year. However, many people with heart problems are increasing their longevity with pacemakers. A pacemaker’s main purpose is to keep the heart from beating too slowly thereby preventing the problems associated with slow heart rhythms (passing out, congestive heart failure, and death). Pacemakers are necessary because, while there are many medications that prevent the heart from going too fast, there are only a handful that make the heart beat faster. Medications that speed the heart rate are poorly tolerated and often associated with serious side effects. Pacemakers have become a reliable means of helping people live longer and improve their lifestyles despite having a slow heart rhythm. The body’s â€Å"natural† pacemaker is a small mass of specialized cells in the top of the right atrium, or chamber, of the heart. It produces the electrical impulses that cause a heart to beat. A chamber of the heart contracts when an electrical impulse or signal moves across it. For a heart to beat properly, the signal must travel down a specific path to reach the ventricles. Natural pacemakers may be defective, causing the heart to beat too fast, too slowly, or irregularly. There may also be a blockage of the heart’s electrical pathways. A pacemaker is a solution to these problems. II. Technical Description Patients require pacemakers for many different reasons. Most pacemakers are implanted to prevent the heart from beating too slowly0. Often, this slowness occurs because there is no cell in the heart that will beat fast enough to maintain proper function, or because there is a â€Å"block† somewhere in the electrical pathway which does not allow the electrical activity to spread to all of the necessary portions of the heart muscle. The underlying cause of this mishap may be scar tissue, most frequently from previous heart attacks. Sometimes it is simply caused by â€Å"aging† of the conduction system. Pacemakers come in different shapes and sizes. All of them are small and lightweight. Depending on the patient’s heart condition, the physician will prescribe the number of chambers to be paced and a specific kind of pacing. A single-chamber pacemaker paces either the right atrium or the right ventricle with one lead. Single lead pacemakers are used pri... ...ach manufacturer programs this function in a different but characteristic way. A certain â€Å"magnet rate† indicates the need for elective or immediate replacement for each model. Although pacemakers are useful life-extending devices, they are not foolproof. Many precautions must be taken for patients with pacemakers, including: battery maintenance, avoiding microwaves, arc welding (which can create a high-energy field that can reprogram pacemakers), power-generating equipment, powerful magnets, and cellular phones. References Cunningham, David et. al. National Pacemaker Database. Grant from Medical Devices Agency and The Department of Health. United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 1996 – 1997. â€Å"Pacemaker.† Americanheart. Internet Explorer. Telnet. 17 Feb. 2008. â€Å"Pacemaker Patients: Use the cell phone, but with caution.† Mayohealth. 22 May 1997. Internet Explorer. Telnet. 17 Feb. 2008. â€Å"Pacemakers.† HeartPoint. Internet Explorer. Telnet. 17 Feb. 2008. Sgarbossa, Elena B, M.D. â€Å"Recognition of Pacemaker Failure.† ASCA. Internet Explorer. Telnet. 17 Feb. 2008. â€Å"Vigor.† Guidant. Internet Explorer. Telnet. 17 Feb. 2008.

Father Roles Heaney Essay -- essays papers

Father Roles Heaney Father Roles There are many factors that will shape a young boy’s life, but possibly none more important than the role of that boy’s father. Seamus Heaney and Theodore Roethke both have shown the importance of the father role in their poems â€Å"Digging† and â€Å"My Papas Waltz.† Although the roles of the fathers in these poems were different, the respect and admiration shown by their sons is one in the same. Weather it is Heaney’s father digging under his window, or Roehtke’s father dancing him around as a little boy, the love shown in these two poems, shows a direct relation on the lives they shared with their fathers. Heaney’s poem, â€Å"Digging† showed that while the boy still loved his father, he did not wish to carry on the tradition of potato digging that had been in his family for generations. For example, Heaney wrote that he had â€Å"no spade to follow men like them†(Spence par 1). This quote states that Heaney, although loving his father, did not think he could carry on the tradition. Heaney remembers the way he would bring his grandfather a glass of milk, and would drink the entire bottle, and then would watch his grandfather fall to work once again. This brings about the fact that while still caring a great deal for his father and grandfather, he still would prefer the path of a writer (Glover 542). Ultimately, Heaney chose not to â€Å"follow men like them†, and chose instead on becoming a writer. This is backed up later in the poem when Heaney writes â€Å"Between my finger and my thumb/The squat pen rests/I’ll dig with it.† Heaney had alwa ys watched his father from the upstairs window while he dug, and Heaney would watch and write, and this fanned the fire for Heaney’s desire to become a writer (Pellegrio pa... ...and Theodore Roehtke both had fathers who were hard working, involved men, but both having taken the time to show their sons the attention and love that they deserved. The impact that the fathers played in these poets lives will always be remembered in the poems â€Å"Digging† and â€Å"My Papas Waltz.† Between the lines of these two poems, you can see the importance that Seamus Heaney, and Theodore Roehtke’s fathers played in their sons lives, by showing them love, and compassion, no matter what hey had chosen to do. Weather it was simply bringing his dad a glass of milk, or dancing around the kitchen without ever wanting to let go, the role of father is one of the biggest roles a man can ever accept. â€Å"Digging† and My Papas Waltz† are two great examples of how much difference a father makes if he shows warmth, love, compassion, and possibly most important, understanding.

Gender communication

For many years, society has influenced how humans act and communicate towards one another depending on the scenario and the sex that they are specified to. Social and cultural norms can significantly influence both the expression of gender identity, and the nature of the interactions between genders.Gender culture, the set of behaviors or practices associated with masculinity and femininity (Relish p 423), pay a huge contribution on how and why males and females communicate fervently with other genders. Researchers like Susan Relish believe that the differences start from childhood with the games they are influenced to play. The stereotypes the media portray nowadays also play a factor on the difference Of males and females. It ultimately affects the communication styles by the way they process information, the â€Å"leadership† role males tend to feel, and their talk time.Since childhood, little girls are influenced to play house, with no rules, obligations, or worries about anything because the â€Å"dad† is the one who should make the money while the â€Å"mom† stays home. While on the other hand, most if not all, boys are obligated to join sports teams, be competitive, and have goals and strategies. These differences as children cause women to operate from assumptions about communication, and use rules for communication that differ significantly from those endorsed by most men (Relish p 422).Little boys are told to â€Å"suck it up† if they get hurt during a game while the girls are tended to as quickly as possible which can explain why many men don't show as much emotion when they communicate. Aries' research shows that men aren't as open as women are with others: Men are more likely than women to emerge as leaders, to be directive and hierarchical, to dominate in groups by talking more and interrupting more and to be oriented toward solving problems. In contrast, women are found to be more expressive, supportive, facilitative, egalitarian and cooperative than men.In the movie, John Tucker Must Die, the star athlete portrays the typical stereotype male in which they have â€Å"locker room talk†. His friends make fun of him because he is â€Å"whipped† but he turns it around by saying that he only does It so that he can get laid. Reason he does that is because he doesn't ant to show weakness with other men and wants them to know that he is the hierarchy in the relationship. On the other hand, girls are more open and talk with each other for advice using every detail they can. Women are more expressive with each other rather than men who are better at keeping everything bottled in.According to Lewis and Miller, women communicate emotionally through facial expressions. When females communicate, they tend to use mostly their eyebrows to get their message across. The like to look at the person they are talking to, to make sure that they are listen inning and paying attention to them. Women at ofte n times do not care of the leadership role as long as they are listened to. At the University of Texas at San Antonio, a survey was within the students of the campus between the ages of 1 8 to 25 to see how they communicate differently depending on the people they are with.The table below shows the findings: Fig. 1 DUST communication difference between ages 18 to 25 Upon doing the survey, it is found that men tend to change the way they communicate with others because of social stereotypes while females do not change as much. After some more research, males communicate different tit other males and like to show aggressiveness and hierarchy to not show weakness even though it is not always the case unlike women who communicate almost the same with everyone as long as they get their point across to the other person. Attitude is a strategy both female and males do but differently.Carpi's research shows that men interrupt when they want to get their point across to show authority while Women tend to nod their head, wait and listen. When males communicate with each other, they tend to debate and disagree with each other and with not much eye contact while on the other hand , females re inclined to show support as their â€Å"motherly instincts† come out. When males and females get in a heated discussion, males are most likely to just storm off without wanting to talk about it to avoid having long talks and get aggressive rapidly while the females show much emotion and want to talk everything out.Rather than just talk everything out, men would much rather prefer doing some activities instead (Wright p 49). Fig 2. Females Fig. 3 Males The data below are the Wrights finding between males and females of ages 20 to 24. It is safe to with the data that women prefer to talk with friends than o activities while men want to beat around the bush and just take their mind of it. Women like to take their time talking about their issues and men just keep simple. Pond all this research, sex is the root source of differences of how males and females relate and communicate to others. Whether it is to show hierarchy or express their feelings, it is safe to say that both genders ultimately communicate different based on social norms and to get their point across.

Flood Monitoring System

demodulators 2012, 12, 4213-4236 doi10. 3390/s great hundred404213 OPEN ACCESS detectors ISSN 1424-8220 www. mdpi. com/ daybook/detectors Article A Real-Time touchstone System for Long-Life Flood monitor and pattern Applications Rafael Marin-Perez 1, , Javier Garc? a-Pintado 2,3 and Antonio Skarmeta G? mez 1 ? o 1 De decomposement of Information and parley Engineering, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, E-30100, Murcia, Spain E-Mail email encourageed es 2 Euromediterranean peeing Institute, Campus de Espinardo, E-30100, Murcia, Spain E-Mail email entertained om 3 subject middle for Earth Observation, University of narration, Harry Pitt Building, 3 Earley Gate, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AL, UK Author to whom correspondence should be intercommunicate E-Mail emailprotected es. Received 7 February 2012 in revised form 14 shew 2012 / Accepted 22 March 2012 / promulgated 28 March 2012 Abstract A ? ood monition re primary(prenominal)(prenominal)s incorporates teleme tered rain downfall and ? ow/ piss level selective information heedful at various locations in the catchment atomic number 18a. realistic number- period right information collection is essential for this use, and demodulator intercommunicates improve the system capabilities.However, exist demodulator nodes struggle to satisfy the hydrological requirements in terms of autonomy, sensor hardw argon compatibility, dependability and foresighted-range communion. We describe the practice and outgrowth of a real-time measurement system for ? ood supervise, and its deployment in a ? ash tree-? ood prone 650 km2 semiarid river basin in Southern Spain. A developed poor- post and long-range communication device, so-called DatalogV1, hand oers semiautomatic info run intoing and tried and true contagious disease. DatalogV1 incorporates self- supervise for adapting measurement schedules for consumption direction and to dumbfound events of gratify. both tests a r apply to assess the success of the development. The results show an autonomous and robust observe system for semipermanent collection of water level data in some slight locations during ? ood events. Keywords real-time data learning sensor profit hydrological supervise ? ood word of advice system Sensors 2012, 12 1. Introduction 4214 A warmer clime, with its increased climate variability, get out increase the risk of both ? oods and droughts 1, whose management and mitigation are consequential to protect property, life, and natural environment. Real-time accurate monitor of hydrologic vari equal to(p)s is gravestone for ? od prognostic, as considerably as for optimizing related archetype systems for disablement mitigation. Recent studies show that in the speci? c human face of semiarid and arid subject fields, equal deployment of observe ne devilrks is essential to a real understanding of the underlying executees gene valuation run-off in impel events, and t o contact hard-hitting emergency systems (e. g. , 2). Traditionally, researchers go directly collected data at the places of interest. This has now been commonly substituted by automatic sensor and datalogger systems, which pop the question lavishly temporal role data resolution, while reducing useable human resource requirements.Dataloggers stick out topical anaesthetic automatic and unattended data gathering, and trim down environmental perturbation. However, data retrieval from modular dataloggers and storage in touch and subordination/ monition centers still has to be done either manually, which prevents its applicability in ? ood warning systems, or through and through wired attributeions, which leads to hearty investments and operating(a) costs. To confront these problems, sensor ne cardinalrk technology has been proposed in many monitor applications 3. Yet, speci? c literature on sensor network for ? ood forecasting is sparse, with only a few examples availab le (e. . , 48). Basically, a sensor network comprises a set of nodes, where severally node holds a processor, a receiving set radio staff, a government agency communicate, and is equip with sensor hardware to capture environmental data. each(prenominal) node performs the tasks of data gathering, personal parameter processing, and radio set data transmission to the chequer server. Speci? cally, for hydrologic applications, sensor nodes essential too ful? ll a number of additional requirements force-out lifetime Power sources are a good deal not available at the locations of hydrological interest.More over, these locations are usually unprotected, and if renewable ability devices are use, there are prone to hooliganism or theft. and then, sensor nodes essential stand outset-consumption, which along with real standard batteries, should ut al near at least one hydrologic cycle. Sensor hardware compatibility al almost hydrologic sensor nodes include a datalogge r device attached through a cable to one or more measurement instruments. The datalogger must provide multiple wired embrasures to be able to communicate with a range of speci? c sensor hardware interfaces.This also involves issues of post tag on, and selective time for male monarch dispatching, which leads to optimal ply management and facilitates the expansion of connected instruments. Reliability Harsh weather conditions whitethorn cause failures in the tuner communication over the monitoring network. Backup mechanicss in local sensor dataloggers must be used to lift information losses in unexpected crashes. Long-range communication Hydrologic measurement locations are commonly sparse over sizable areas, and far external from the hold back center (i. e. , tens or hundreds of kilometers).Sensor nodes must endure a peer-to-peer connection with the bid center. Sensors 2012, 12 4215 In general, these, sometimes opposing, requirements are dif? cult to be satis? ed by existing developed solutions. For example, multiple sensor course sessions and long-range communication are lavishly world-beater-consumption tasks, which diminish barrage lifetime. For instance, many existing wireless solutions for agriculture applications (e. g. , 911) use a set of tens or hundreds of motes, which collaborate to gather dense data in a small area. Motes have low consumption, nevertheless they provide limited sensor interfaces, and short-range communication.On the other hand, several hydrologic and meteorologic applications have been implemented with a few wireless datalogger post, which individually grow multi-sensor data in a few sparse locations over a colossal area (e. g. , 5,1214). These dataloggers permit graduate(prenominal) computing and long-range communication. However, they have an excessive investment cost and a high consumption that may be, in the long-term, unsustainable. This paper describes the traffic pattern, development, and deployment o f a real-time monitoring system for hydrological applications.The paper is focused on the description in detail of our wireless datalogger device, so-called DatalogV1 15, which combines the low consumption of motes and the rock-steady communication of most actorful multi-sensor datalogger stations in order to satisfy the requirements of ? ood warning system scenarios. The DatalogV1 provides automatic monitoring and long-term autonomy in sparse points over large areas. To demonstrate the goodness of the DatalogV1 design, we deployed a monitoring network in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed, in Southern Spain. The severity of ? ash ? ods in the Rambla del o Albuj? n has caused important environmental and economic damages over the last years. concordly, the o wireless monitoring network is intended to provide real-time accurate hydrologic information to support an operational stick-based ? ood warning system. This is an excellent test to asses the DatalogV1 murder and success in a real case scenario. The remainder of the paper is make as follows. sectionalization 2 introduces the tier setting of environmental monitoring and ? ood warning systems. percentage 3 depicts our hydrologic monitoring scenario.Section 4 presents the design of DatalogV1 hardware. Section 5 shows the implementation of DatalogV1 software. Section 6 describes the architecture developed for impertinent hydrologic monitoring. Section 7 describes the deployment of the monitoring network in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed. Section 8 shows the results o obtained regarding precedent consumption and data collection. Section 9 provides concluding remarks. 2. environmental observe Environmental monitoring is the most popular application for sensor networks. At present, sensor networks have been applied for a number of applications as, e. . , daub moisture monitoring 16, solar radiation mapping 17, aquatic monitoring 18, glacial keep and climate change 19, forest ? re warning designa te 20, landscape ? ooding alarm 21, and forecasting in rivers 22. The ability to place autonomous and low cost nodes in large unpleasant environments without communication alkali enables accurate data collection directly observe from interest areas. With sensor networks, environmental data fundament be observed and collected in real-time, and used for forecasting upcoming phenomena and displace prompt warnings if required.Sensors 2012, 12 2. 1. Model-Based Flood Warning System Context 4216 The developed sensor network was incorporated within the condition of a model-based ? ood warning system in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed. A model-based ? ood warning system, for mitigating the o effects of ? ooding on life and property, incorporates a catchment model based on observed/forecasted rainfall and telemetered observations of hydrologic tell apart variables at various locations within the catchment area. Generally, observed variables are ? ow and/or water level in arguments .Also, other variables such(prenominal) as soil moisture and piezometric levels may be of interest, depending on the watershed response. Real-time updating of the ? ood forecasting involves the continual adaptation of the model state variables, getups and parameters, so that the forecasts for various times into the future(a) are based on the current available information and are optimized, in some sense, to minimize the forecasting errors (e. g. , 23). This is the process of data assimilation. Implementation of environmental sensor networks for data assimilation within model-based ? ood warning systems involves complex engineering and system challenges.These systems must withstand the event of interest in real-time, remain functional over long time periods when no events occur, cover large geographical regions of interest to the event, and support the transition of sensor types needed to detect the phenomenon 8. 3. Hydrological Monitoring and Forecasting in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed o The Rambla del Albuj? n watershed (650 km2 ) is the main drainage catchment in the Campo de o Cartagena river basin, in Southern Spain (see icon 1). The main channel in the watershed is 40 km long and ? ows into the Mar Menor one of the spoilt coastal lagoons in the Mediterranean (135 km2 ).The Campo de Cartagena basin is an area with semiarid Mediterranean climate, where the amount temperature ranges from 14 o C to 17 o C, mean potential evapotranspiration is 890 mm yr1 and mean ruination is 350 mm yr1 . Most rainfall comes in short-time storm events, and the watershed hydrologic response is highly complex and non-uniform. preliminary studies have shown the complex ? ash-? ood response of the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed o and the importance of spatially distributed observation for adequate forecasting (e. g. , 2). Also, for ? ooding evaluations, detail qualitys provide an advantage over ? w gauges that the observations remain unbiased when ? ow goes out of banks, in which case the validness of calibrated rating curves (stage-? ow relationships) is prevented. In this sense, remotely-sensed information (from fairylike picture taking and/or satellites) is appealing as it contains a good deal more spatial information than emblematic stage gauge networks in operational watersheds. Accordingly, recent studies are evaluating the potential of aerial photography and remotely sensed (from satellites) artificial aperture radar to provide measurements over large areas of water levels and ? od extents in lakes and rivers (e. g. , TerraSAR-X or COSMO-Skymed constellations 24). However, the current low temporal frequency of satellite acquisitions relative to gauging station sampling indicates that remote sensing still does not represent a viable heir strategy for data assimilation into model-based forecasts 25. Also, in front the ? ow goes out of banks, the accuracy of standard stage gauges is higher than that provided by airborne informati on, which is key for early warnings.Thus, if economically viable, a spatially distributed network of stage gauges remains the stovepipe option to capture the observations required to prey the forecasting and data assimilation processes. Sensors 2012, 12 4217 At the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed, we implemented a hydrological monitoring system consisting o on a network of stage gauges hardened at eight critical continuative points amongst major tributaries. The monitoring locations were carefully chosen in order to achieve effective water level monitoring during ? ood events and a reliable model-based forecasting system. jut 1 shows the selected locations which are far a flair (? 50 km) from the control center at the University of Murcia, to the northbound of the watershed. In this area, an existing phone infrastructure enables the communication among the server in the control center and the DatalogV1s in the ? eld. The DatalogV1s must be autonomous only with batteries, becaus e no power source exists in the monitoring area and solar panels are frequently stolen or vandalized. In the following sections, we describe the design and development of the DatalogV1 to provide remote data gathering of the water stage in channels during ? ods. invention 1. Deployment scenario. The embedded range shows the location of the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed at the Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The violet var. describes the o watershed boundary pinched on a digital terrain model (DTM). Within the watershed, the main channel network is shown in blue, and labeled squares indicate deployed gauge locations. Sensors 2012, 12 4. frame of DatalogV1 Hardware 4218 The DatalogV1s design was developed to address the requirements of the describe application. The block diagram of DatalogV1 is illustrated in jut out 2(a).The critical components are a low-power microcontroller (C) staff that supervises the DatalogV1s operation, multiple sensor interfaces (Pulse, SDI-12, RS- 485, analogue) that enable to leave measurements from different kinds of sensor devices, and a GPRS mental faculty for long-distance communication with the control center. Moreover, two communication modules (USB and Bluetooth) enable the unmoved(p) interactions via a laptop. All electronic components and a battery are mounted in an IP65 waterproof box to protect from coarse weather conditions, as shown by exercise 2(b).The DatalogV1s design is balanced between low-power consumption for long-lifetime, and computational capability for multi-sensor enounceing and long-range communication. The hardware design of these components is expound in the next subsections. invention 2. Two different views of the DatalogV1. (a) Block diagram demo the main components. (b) The electronic components and the battery are mounted on a IP65 auspices box. SDI-12 Interface RS-485 Interface Pulse Counters Analog Inputs Power connection DC/DC converter GPRS staff Linear governor stamp battery Connector Linear RegulatorMosfet trade C DC/DC Converter Pulse Counters Bluetooth mental faculty RS-485 Interface USB module Battery Connector Power Connector Analogic Inputs SDI-12 Connector GPRS Module Bluetooth Module USB Module C (a) (b) 4. 1. Design of Microcontroller Module The tour of duty nonrepresentational of the microcontroller module is shown in Figure 3. The central part of the schematic drawing represents the low-power 8-bits microcontroller (PIC18LF8722) manufacture by Micro halt. The PIC18F8722 operating to 3. 3 V is ideal for low power applications ( nanoWatts) with 120 nW sleep mode and 25 W active mode.It provides high processing speed (40 MHz) with a large 256 KB RAM memory. A 12 MB data? ash memory is include for local storage of sensor data. The top-left mess of the schematic (IC3) shows a security mechanism to avoid microcontroller blockage in case that available energy is not enough. Thus the microcontroller resets when there is less than 2. 4 V. The cen ter-left part of the schematic contains the crystal oscillator setting to 11 MHz. (OSC1/OSC2 tags). The oscillator provides a precise clock signal to stabilize frequencies for sensor readings and data transmissions. Sensors 2012, 12 Figure 3.Circuit schematic of the microcontroller module. The center grant is the microcontroller used to control DatalogV1 operation, and the center-left is the crystal oscillator used for setting the clock. 4219 4. 2. Design of Sensor Interfaces DatalogV1 provides multi-sensor interfaces to take readings from a wide set of hydrologic instruments. Its sensor interfaces are two pulse counters, two digital links (RS-485 and SDI-12), and eight analog scuttlebutts. Each pulse counter reads from a tipping-bucket rain gauge (pluviometer) which generates a discrete galvanising signal for every amount of accumulated rainfall.Digital interfaces total power to and read measurements from instruments, which provide themselves include some degree of computati onal capability. Analog connectors enable the reading of straightforward instruments which modify the rendering potentials to return emf values proportional to the physical observed variables. These multiple interfaces are compatible with the most of hydrological sensor devices in the market. Pulse-counters typically connect to rain-gauge devices. The standard rain gauge collects the audacity into a small container. Every time the container is ? led and emptied, it generates a electric pulse. According to the number of pulses and the size of the container, DatalogV1 estimates the precipitation without requiring power supply. Sensors 2012, 12 4220 For each digital interface, DatalogV1 tail end supply and read multiple sensors. both RS-485 and SDI-12 interfaces consist of collar electronic wires for data, cause and supplying emf. The RS-485 is a standard sequent communication for long distance and stertorous environments. In addition, the SDI-12 is a serial data interface at 1,200 baud knowing for low-power sensors.Using serial protocols, DatalogV1 can directly obtain the physical measurements. The analog inputs allow to read 8 first derivative sensors, 16 single-ended sensors, or a combination of both options. A differential connection comprises four electronic wires acting as electric potential-supplier, ground, commanding- potency, and negative-voltage, while a single-end connection contains two electronic wires for supplying-voltage and positive-voltage. The main passing between differential and single-ended is the way to obtain the voltage value. In single-ended, the voltage value is the difference between the positive voltage and the ground at 0 V.However, single-ended connections are sensitive to electrical disturbance errors, which are solved by differential connections. Because twisting wires together allow realise that any noise picked up will be the said(prenominal) for each wire, the voltage value in differential inputs is the diff erence between the positive and negative voltages. Figure 4. Circuit schematic of analog interfaces. (a) selector switch of analog connections to plugged-in sensors, (b) ADC converter from make voltage to digital data. (a) (b) To obtain the measurements of the physical variables, output voltages are processed apply three main hardware components multiplexer, ampli? r, and ADC converter. Two multiplexers MC74HC4051D from Motorola alliance enable to select the output voltage of a speci? c analog sensor (Figure 4(a)). Each multiplexer contains 3 control pins CA0, CA1, and CA2 to shoot an output voltage among 16 possibilities. The selected output voltage is ampli? ed for preserving high effective resolution. DatalogV1 uses an AD8622 ampli? er, manufactured by Analog Devices, that provides high current precision, low noise, and low power operation. The pre-con? gured ampli? cation depends on the output range Sensors 2012, 12 4221 of the selected sensor.Finally, the ampli? ed output signal is converted to a digital value through an Analog-Digital Converter (ADC), as shown by Figure 4(b). DatalogV1 contains a 13-bit ADC MCP3302, manufactured by Microchip, that provides high precision and resolution. This ? exible design provides full compatibility with presumptively all kind of available sensors for hydrologic use. 4. 3. Design of GPRS Communication Module A GPRS module is used to transmit monitoring data from DatalogV1 to the control center. Figure 5 shows the GPRS module implementing all functions for wireless communication theory. Figure 5.Circuit schematic of the GPRS module. The center portion is the GPRS module used to control the long-distance communication, and the top-left portion is the SIM taunt connection. The top-left part of the circuit shows the connection of SIM phone-cards consort to the manufacturer speci? cation. The bottom-left shows a uFL coaxial connector to the wireless antenna. We chose a Wavecom Q2686 chip, which is connected to the microcontroller via an USART interface (CS-USART). The Wavecom Q2686 contains a programmable 256 KB SRAM memory and includes a ARM9 32-bit processor at 104 MHz.This Q2686 chip makes attainable to join a GSM/GPRS base-station and receive/ institutionalize data reliably in quad-band communications on the 800, 900, 1,800 and 1,900 MHz Sensors 2012, 12 4222 bands. Also, the chip makes it easy to upgrade to 3G when needed. This GPRS module enables long-distance UDP/IP communications through cellular radio networks. 4. 4. Design of Power Module The power module consists of two power sources and three regulable mechanism to provide a secure supply of electronics components. The main energy source is a 12 V DC battery of 7,000 mAh power susceptibility which can be rechargeable victimisation an optional solar panel.To adapt the input tension of the solar panel (1720 V) to a lower tension (1215 V) to supply the battery, we use a commutated DC/DC regulator in lessening mode, as shown by F igure 6(a). The microcontroller turns on the DC/DC regulator when it detects that the battery has a low level fit in to a pre-established threshold. Three circuits guarantee unchanging energy levels for battery, solar-panel, and sensors, as shown by Figure 6(b). The circuits of battery and solar-panel include security mechanisms to avoid a too low power level input to the sensors.For this, the circuit of sensors is used, in advance readings are taken, to check if the power supply is stable as to obtain an accurate measurement. Figure 6. Circuit schematic of the battery, solar-panel, and power-control modules. (a) Battery and solar modules, (b) secure power control for battery, solar panel, and sensor. (a) (b) Figure 7. Circuit schematic of the power supply module. (a) Power supply for GPRS, sensors, and ADC converter, (b) power supply for microcontroller. (a) (b) To reduce the power consumption, DatalogV1 keeps almost all electrical components deactivated, such as GPRS, sensors, and ADC.Only the microcontroller circuit is always supplied at 3. 3 V Sensors 2012, 12 4223 (Figure 7(a)) through a linear regulator LM2936 from National Semiconductor with ultra-low current in the stand-by mode. This LM2936 regulator features low drop-out voltage (50 mA) to minimize power losses. Also, this circuit includes a diode (D10) to provide a security power to protect the microcontroller and all board at most 5 V. When it is necessary, the microcontroller supplies independently the electrical components using two DC/DC converters, two linear regulators and a MOSFET switch (Figure 7(b)).Concretely to supply sensors, a DC/DC converter and the MOSFET switch is combined to create a adjustable transposition cell. The design of the commutation cell includes high-power isolated chips in order to reduce interferences. At the same time, it has a good linearity and warhead regulation characteristics, and allows to establish the voltage supply between 3 V and 10 V. The chosen MOSFET is a FDC6330L, manufactured by Fairchild Semiconductor, which provides high performance for extremely low on-resistance (