Monday, September 9, 2019

Why I want to be an electrical engineer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I want to be an electrical engineer - Essay Example Ever since my childhood, I have only admired a particular field, engineering. My aspiration for this field is driven by the passion of being like some identified engineers in my society who are perceived to be doing well in life. This has accorded them all the respect they deserve. Similarly, performing well in the core subjects for electrical engineering course has been my driving force into the discipline. Why I want to be an electrical engineer Electrical engineering is a branch of engineering science that involves designing of devices, and connection and maintenance of current flows to ensure that the machines run properly. It is a broad field that also involves proper use of mathematical and physics techniques as well as the study of current flows. The field is divided into two main areas of study that an individual can specialize in, the heavy current part that involves the study of devices such as transformers and the light current which involves the study of current flows by the use of computers. Electrical engineering profession therefore allows one to choose a line of specialization because it has a variety of sub branches. Though it can majorly be subdivided into two branches, heavy current and the light current, it has a wider micro scope that includes â€Å"communication and signal processing, power electronics, electromagnetic and digital systems† among others (Ipfw, p. 1).

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Art History Greek Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art History Greek Art - Essay Example (51.6 cm). It has the following description: "This kouros is one of the earliest marble statues of a human figure carved in Attica. The rigid stance, with the left leg forward and arms at the side, was derived from Egyptian art. The pose provided a clear, simple formula that was used by Greek sculptors throughout the sixth century B.C. In this early figure, geometric, almost abstract forms predominate, and anatomical details are rendered in beautiful analogous patterns. The statue marked the grave of a young Athenian aristocrat." (metmuseum.org). The creator is unknown and it is a statue of a standing nude youth that did not represent any one individual youth but the idea of youth. It was used in Archaic Greece as both a dedication to the gods in sanctuaries and as a grave monument, the standard kouros stood with his left foot forward, arms at his sides, looking straight ahead. Carved in from four sides, the statue retained the general shape of the marble block. Archaic Greek sculpto rs reduced human anatomy and musculature in these statues to decorative patterning on the surface of the marble. The kouros embodies many of the ideals of the aristocratic culture of Archaic Greece. One such ideal of this period was arete, a combination of moral and physical beauty and nobility. Arete was closely connected with kalokagathia, literally a composite term for beautiful and good or noble. Writing in the mid 500s B.C., the Greek poet Theognis summed this idea up as "What is beautiful is loved, and what is not is unloved." In a society that emphasized youth and male beauty, the artistic manifestation of this world view was the kouros. Indeed, when the poet Simonides wrote about arete in the late 500s, he used a metaphor seemingly drawn from the kouros: "In hand and foot and mind alike foursquare/ fashioned without flaw" (getty.edu). Looking closely at the Kouros, one can see how the artist was struggling to represent the complex anatomical details of the body. It has some Egyptian such as the knee and wrist. "But he has cut lines into the lower legs to show the calf muscles, even though the human form has no such incisions, and from the back, the shoulders appear as a simple, flat plane, with just a linear indication for the shoulder planes. The artist wasn't able to convey the complex swellings of these forms. On the head, all the features are placed on the front plane, leaving flat sides with an ear placed much too far back. This is a mistake many beginning art students make. But he has made a beautiful design of the complex structure of an ear, and turned the curly long hair into lovely strings of beads" (ancient-greece.org). The kouros is controversial because of some features which were not in line with the age it was created. At a conference in 1992, art historians and scientists on the authenticity of the kouros. The question remains: "Is it an archaic Greek statue with a faked provenance, or a forgery with a faked provenance" (itarp.uiuc.edu). On the other hand, the Standing Female Figure dates back to ca. 2600-2400 B.C.; Early Cycladic II Cycladic; Keros-Syros culture. It is made of marble with the size H. 24 3/4 in. (62.8 cm) and is said to be a gift of Christos G. Bastis in 1968 (68.148). This early Cycladic sculpture is said to be of the Spedos variety, the most common and most widely distributed form in Cycladic marble art.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Todays Marriages and Families Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 210

Todays Marriages and Families - Assignment Example The magazine photo that I selected has a young girl roughly four years old reaching her arms out to her father while the mother is seated next to her. I deemed this as a structure-functional perception. It appears like the family brought up their child responsibly, provided emotional security and support. Nevertheless, it also might be the attachment theory since the child appears to develop more attachment to her father rather than her mother (Bruhn, 2005). Â  I am always interested in how the number family members in my house are from my mother’s side, which is my grandmother. The only data collection techniques, which can be used, are interviews and questionnaires (Lamanna & Riedmann, 2011). I asked my mother, my mother’s brothers and my mother’s sisters. I discovered that my grandmother has 15 children. I did not discern that I had so many uncles and aunts. Â  The age group, which is rising as a proportion of the U.S. populace, is the elderly, 65-plus years (Bruhn, 2005). For the following two decades, million Boomers will stop working. There will be roughly 10,000 new retirees included in the Medicare and Social Security rolls every day. Individuals are living longer due to U.S.’s advance health care system and clean food (Schwartz & Scott, 2012).

Friday, September 6, 2019

William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

William Shakespeare Essay In the Elizabethan time period 1589-95 Sir William Shakespeare a playwright wrote the play Romeo and Juliet. The play is often thought of as a love story however it is actually far more concerned with violence, death and fate than it is with love. Romeo and Juliet is highly regarded as one of Shakespeares best plays, even as one of the worlds finest love stories. However the play has many other themes of conflict, violence and inevitable tragedy. The play title immediately introduces the theme of love, and the not the darker side of the play, as the name Romeo and Juliet refers to two lovers and nothing else. The play also includes the constant mentioning of the inevitable tragedy. In this essay I will be looking at the themes of forbidden love, family feuds, and revenge that come between the relationship of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet to answer the question of how violence and conflict are introduced by finding evidence to support each theme. I will then conclude by answering the question as a whole. Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon. He married Anne Hathaway in 1882 and had two children. Hamnet and Judith. William Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1590 and 1613. Shakespeare used a variety of sources for his dramas. The story of Romeo and Juliet was by all accounts taken from the poem, The tragic history of Romeus and Juliet written by Arthur Brooke, though the original story may be derived from the Greek author, Xenophon. The play was published in quarto form in 1597 so it is safe to assume that the play may have been written a couple of years earlier, during the first stage of his career. The Quartos contained single plays and were sold for a sixpence each. The play is unusual in that it is a tragedy, for the bulk of his writing in the early years were comedies and histories. Romeo and Juliet marry at a young age of 14 and 15, which links to the time period of the fifteen hundreds as young marriages were not uncommon. In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare includes the theme of revenge to give the play action and tragedy. Romeo blames himself for the death of Mercutio, and is resentful of Tybalts insults; he fears that his love for Juliet has weakened his courage. After witnessing Mercutios death, Romeo vows to slay Tybalt. And red-eyed fury may be my conduct now! Romeo says here how he is filled with anger and wants revenge, and he may behave with his anger now. Red-eyed, shows he is filled with anger and rage and that he is ruling with his heart and not his logic. Either thou, or I, or both must go with him. Romeo angrily says here that they will fight and one of them or both of them will die and join Mercutio. Romeo thinks this should happen as he has lost a friend and will fight, no matter what the outcomes is, to avenge Mercutio. Both outcomes of the fight will create a tragedy because Romeo will either die or be banished. Romeos revenge leads to a violent and tragic end to Tybalts life. Violence is introduced through Romeos hunt for revenge. Another example of revenge is when Tybalt spots Romeo at Juliets marriage party. He wants revenge and goes in search of Romeo to fight him. Boy shall not excuse his injuries that thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw. Tybalt wants to cause Romeo pain for intruding at Juliets party and will fight others to get to Romeo. This is shown when Tybalt ten kills Mercutio, which leads onto the next scene of revenge. This is also an example of the theme of inevitable tragedy. Shakespeare weaves inevitable tragedy into many acts in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare shows this immediately in the prologue as well as saying that the theme of inevitable tragedy will continue as the play goes on. A pair of star crossed lovers, (the phrase puts forward the fact that the two lovers are doomed from the start. The phrase means love is blind. This shows how the two lovers are in love, and this makes them do things that they would normally suggest other people to do otherwise.)

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Investigation of Food Poisoning Outbreak

Investigation of Food Poisoning Outbreak Christian Nehme INTRODUCTION An investigation of a food poisoning outbreak requires some knowledge into what food poisoning is and some common culprit bacteria which trigger such outbreaks. Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, is the name for the range of illnesses caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or drink. Food poisoning occurs in two main ways: poisoning by toxic agent or by infectious agent. Food intoxication is when the food contains toxins, usually occurring when the organism that produced the toxin is no longer present or able to cause infection. Food infection, on the other hand, is when the food contains bacteria which infect the body after it is eaten. Foodborne illness is quite common, affecting almost 5.5 million Australians each year. Two common food poisoning causing bacteria are B.cereus vs S. aureus. Bacillus species are Gram positive, aerobic heterotrophs, with the ability to form resistant spore coats. Do they have similar symptoms, toxins? cases in Australia. Description of Scenario As a special treat paid for by the Department of Health and Aging, 435 pensioners were taken on a catered summer’s day harbour cruise. Later that day, a number of the participants became very ill. The food was prepared on shore and brought onto the boat that day, The boat left Circular Quay at around 10am and cruised around Sydney Harbour past Watsons Bay, into Darling Harbour and disembarking at Circular Quay at 3pm.. The water was rather calm and there was a medium breeze. Local hospitals and ambulances were mobilized to respond to the outbreak. It also came to the attention of the local PHU and their personnel were able to retrieve some remnant food and patient specimens from the scene and hospitals. Questionnaires were distributed to the guest list once this was obtained by the local PHU and the NSW Food Authority. Of the questionnaires sent out, 339 were returned providing the following information. Symptoms Of the total number who were sick, 153 suffered severe diarrhoea; 139 vomited; 122 experienced abdominal cramps; 117 said that they felt nauseous; 11 complained of numbness in the arms and legs; and 3 developed haematuria. Thankfully no deaths were recorded as a consequence of this outbreak. Reported details on illness, and what was eaten and not eaten were compiled into Food Attack Tables. RESULTS Number of individuals who attended the cruise:435 Number of questionnaires returned:339 Number of individuals who suffered diarrhea: 153 Number of individuals who suffered vomiting: 139 Number of individuals who suffered abdominal cramps: 122 Number of individuals who suffered nausea: 117 Number of individuals who suffered numbness in arms / legs: 139 Number of individuals who suffered haematuria: 139 Number of deaths: 0 The incubation periods of the sick individuals (number of cases) are displayed in Figure 1. The food-specific attack rates for foods thought to be implicated are shown in Table 1. Figure 1: Epidemic curve presenting incubation periods of sick pensioners aboard the harbour cruise. Results obtained from responses to a questionnaire. Onset times appear as two distinct peaks, one occurring between 2-3 hours and the other between 6-15 hours, after consuming lunch. Data Calculated Percentage morbidity: (219 x 100) / 339 = 64.6% Percentage mortality: (0 x 100) / 339= 0.0% Percentage case fatality rate: (0 x 100) / 219= 0.0% Average incubation period: = 9.9 Hours Table 1: Food-specific Attack rates using data from questionnaire and other calculations including the Odds Ratio, Chi squared and Confidence Interval for each food type. Odds Ratio: An odds ratio greater than 1 indicates a higher risk of becoming risk on eating that particular food type. In Table 1 above, all meats have an odds ratio less than 1, and only Rice Pudding with Custard has an odds ratio greater than 1. Confidence Interval: the Odds Ratio is within a 95% confidence level if the CI does not include 1. From Table 1, Roast Lamb is the only food not within a 95% confidence level, whilst the 3 other food types are within a 95% confidence level. Chi-Squared: Ho = the sickness is not a result of any of the food consumed H1 = the sickness is a result of any of the food consumed When the P-Value is less than 0.05 (non-significant), the null hypothesis can be rejected. Since the P-Value is less than 0.05 for the Chicken, Ham Rice Pudding, the null hypothesis can be rejected, indicating that the case of the sickness was due to the consumption of either one of, or a combination of these foods. Since the P-Value of the Roast Lamb is much greater than 0.05, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected, signifying that the consumption of the Roast Lamb was most probably not a cause of the sickness. % Ill (Attack Rate): this is a measurement of correlation of the percentage of passengers who got sick and the total number who ate or did not eat a specific type of food. The correlation for Rice Pudding was the one to stand out, where only 20% of the passengers who did not eat rice pudding actually reported that they got sick. This is dramatically less than the other food types, which were above 60% each. Also, Rice Pudding had the highest attack rate of 57.8%. Flowchart of Experiment Food Swabs Cook’s Nose Swab Faecal Swab Results of Experiment DISCUSSION As evident from Figure 1, the number of cases are spread out from 2-21 hours after consuming lunch. There are 2 distinct peaks, occurring at 2-3 and 6-15 hours after consuming lunch. At this stage, a pathogen can possibly be the causative agent as it has shown to portray such symptoms on passing from the Upper Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to the Lower GIT(Kho et al. 2011). These peaks can be linked with vomiting and diarrhoea, respectively. Of the commonly known pathogens, Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming pathogen, causes two distinct forms of foodborne effects: an emetic syndrome (vomiting-typified by an incubation period of 1–6 hours) and a diarrheal illness typified by an incubation period of 6–24 hours (Benenson AS, ed). Table 1 yields useful results which play a critical role in identifying the trigger organism for the outbreak. The attack rate for people who ate the different food types was the highest for Rice Pudding Custard (57.8%), although the other food types were closely behind, Roast Lamb being the closest at 56%. This is not enough information to be able to conclude the causative food type since the attack rate only ranges by 7%. This close range could be due to the fact that these food types were consumed in varying combinations, which makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact, single food at fault. This attack rate, however, can be combined with the attack rate of the pensioners who did not eat a particular food type, giving a clearer picture as to what the causative food source was. Rice Pudding Custard, having the lowest attack rate at just 20%, suggests that if it were not eaten, the chance of becoming ill is heavily less compared to the nearest food type, Roast Lamb, with an attack rate of 62.2%. This, combined with the high attack rate of pensioners who ate the Rice Pudding Custard, signals it to be the culprit source of pathogens. The odds ratio of Rice Pudding Custard, being 5.47, is significantly greater than other food types (which are all less than 1), suggesting that the risk of becoming ill upon consumption is 5.47 times greater than if Rice Pudding weren’t consumed. Furthermore, since the P-Value is less than 0.05 for the Chicken, Ham Rice Pudding, the null hypothesis can be rejected (that the sickness is not a result of any of the food consumed). This indicates that the case of the sickness was due to the consumption of either one of, or a combination of these foods. Since the P-Value of the Roast Lamb is much greater than 0.05, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected, signifying that the consumption of the Roast Lamb was most probably not a cause of the outbreak. However, the Confidence Interval for Rice Pudding Custard lies within a 95% confidence level, further supporting the claim that the Rice Pudding Custard was the causative food source. Knowing the possible food source which triggered the outbreak, and having an idea that the causative organism behind the outbreak was B. cereus (due to the two peaks correlating to the typical symptoms), laboratory investigations were then conducted to conclude what the exact organism was. The first test conducted was inoculating each food sample onto a PEMBA plate. The results varied as to the PEMBA count (cfu/g), possibly due to experimental error. However, Rice Pudding had the highest consistent overall count, with 8.5 x106 and 7.9 x 106 cfu/g. The colonies that grew on the PEMBA plates for the Chicken, Ham and Roast Lamb were small, yellow colonies, measuring approximately 1-2mm each, indicating the possibility of Gram Positive Cocci. The Rice Pudding, however, displayed large (4-5mm), matt blue colonies with a halo of precipitate. The PEMBA isolate for the Rice Pudding were Gram Positive Rods, occurring in chains with an oval central spore. The lipid granule test was positive an d catalase positive, with motile cells. Since none of the other food types PEMBA isolates showed GPR, no further testing was conducted on Chicken, Ham and Roast Lamb. Salmonella, Enterococcus and Shigella may have been possible pathogenic causing bacteria which contributed to the outbreak. In order to eliminate or support this possibility, a Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate (XLD) plate was used. Faecal swabs of the sick pensioners who had eaten a particular food type were inoculated onto the XLD media. The only differentiating outcome was the appearance of the colonies of the faecal sample from people who consumed the Rice Pudding Custard, were slightly larger than those for the other food types. No definitive conclusion can be made from this. Faecal swabs were also plated on PEMBA plates and inoculated into the XLD media. The PEMBA plates displayed small, yellow Gram Positive Cocci colonies for the Chicken, Ham Roast Lamb specimens. The Rice Pudding Custard however, displayed large, Gram Positive Rods, which appeared as large, blue, matte colonies when sub-cultured onto the PEMBA plates. This further supports the finding that B.cereus was the causat ive organism. The next step is to eliminate any possibility that the pathogen Staphylococci spp had any part to play, or to confirm that it did. To do this, the Cook’s nose swab was inoculated on Blood Agar (BA) to stablish haemolysis and on Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), as a selective mechanism for salt-tolerant microorganisms such as Staphylococcus or Enterococcus. After testing, small, round, flat, ÃŽ ³ – haemolytic white colonies were seen on the Blood Agar, with the BA Isolate being Gram Positive Cocci, occurring in clusters and being catalase positive. Although this suggests the possible presence of a Staphylococci species, the MSA plate rendered small, white colonies with pink agar throughout. The pink agar confirms that the Mannitol was not fermented, which is an indicator that no Staphylococci species was present. Further proof for the non-existence of S.aureus was seen with the Latex test displaying no clumping. In order to confirm that B.cereus was the causative organism for the outbreak, further tests were conducted. These include gelatin positive, starch positive, casein negative, nitrate positive (no gas formed). The sample tested positive for Glucose VP. This means that glucose was broken down by the Rice Pudding specimen to form acetoin, and was evident through the dark red colour formed. B.cereus tested negative for the indole test, meaning it was unable to split indole from tryptophan (Wong, Chang Fan 1988). All these test results correspond with the presence of B. cereus and at this point, we are more confident that this is the causative organism. To test for purity, and to confirm that no other specimen influenced these results, a BHIA purity test was performed, which resulted with a pure result, meaning the listed test results were solely caused by the Rice Pudding Custard specimen. Through the results of the media growth and the results of the confirmatory tests conducted, it was determined that the causative food source was the Rice Pudding Custard, which contained a strain of B.cereus. This resulted through the Cook not cooking the Rice at the ideal temperature, and since the temperature used was hot enough to trigger the B.cereus to enter their vegetative state, but was not high enough to kill the B.cereus, this resulted in the widespread growth of the specimen. Accompanied with the fact that the rice was prepared the night before and the warmer environment in which the rice was kept for the period of time overnight were suitable conditions and promoted its growth, further accounts for the growth of B.cereus (Jesen et al. 2003). Outbreaks such as this could be avoided, and at least minimised if some precautions were taken by all those involved with the handling, making and consuming of foods. The following list outlines some main ways through which this can be achieved (Klietmann, W, 2002): Storage of hot food above 600C and cold food in the fridge below 40C Keeping cooked and raw food separated at all times, to avoid cross-contamination Using separate chopping boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods Improving hygiene such as washing hands before and after contact with food Utilising a heat process to destroy the vegetative cells and a rapid cooling process to prevent the spores from germinating Using appropriate cleaning and disinfection of contact surfaces of food, such as sodium hypochlorite based disinfectants Keep frozen foods frozen until used Cooked foods which won’t be consumed within an hour should be kept at temperatures below 10Â °C or above 50Â °C (Roberts, T.A) Experimental Method The main source of primary data was obtained from the questionaries. The accuracy of the answers to the questions asked has a direct influence on the results obtained, and on the findings extracted from the questionaries. Thus, if the questionnaires are completed accurately and in detail, the reliability of the results would increase and a higher potential in obtaining accurate leads as to which species were the triggers to the outbreak would be attained. However, out of the 435 pensioners who were on the cruise, only 339 questionnaires were completed and returned to the local PHU the NSW Food Authority. This leaves 96 unaccounted for pensioners, which would have aided and fastened the search for the possible trigger. These 96 absences could have been a result of the pensioners not wanting to give out personal information, not having an easy method of returning the questionnaires, and some pensioners may not have received the questionaries in the first place. This absence of 96 resp onses has a direct effect on the accuracy of the collected data from these questionnaires, as the data is only a sample of the population, and is not a complete reflection of all pensioners involved. Furthermore, more detailed questions could have been asked on the questionnaires which may have sped the process of identifying the relationship between the symptoms caused and the time of onset. Improvements with the data collection could have involved the collection of vomit and diarrhoea samples, which would have helped identify the pathogen early on in the investigation. API strips could have been used to aid in identifying the pathogen as fast as possible, as well as using advanced technological methods. Testing the venue of where the food was prepared further and analysing all possible contributions to the outbreak at the source by further investigating the cook, the staff involved, whether other foods were being prepared at the same time, the overall hygiene of the kitchen, pest related influences, and previous occurrences and whether any have occurred since. Continuous monitoring of all food preparation methods and staff involved since the occurrence will aid in preventing a reoccurrence. A stricter enforcement of an increased hygiene standard could be rolled out onto not only similar cruise companies, but also all kitchens and restaurants throughout Australia. The most feasible and economical method would be to allocate fortnightly swabs of the kitchen, staff, floors, equipment and food samples at all these food-related location, and be sent to relevant laboratories to be analysed and reported. A safety-tick program could be implemented which takes these results and businesses ca n display them, notifying customers that they conduct regular hygiene tests and have passed all tests, giving the customer piece of mind that their chances of getting food poisoning is less likely. REFERENCES Jenson, I Moir, C. J: In Foodborne Micro-organisms of Public Health Significance. A. D. Hocking et al. (editor) 6th edition. AIFST (NSW Branch) Waterloo NSW 2003. SAA: Australian Standard. Food Microbiology. Method 2.6: Examination for specific organisms – AS 1766.2.6, pp. D8-D12, 1991. Benenson AS, ed. Control of communicable diseases in man. 15th ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1990:177–8. Kho, M.F., Bellier, A., Balasubramani, V., Hu, Y., Hsu, W., Nielsen-LeRoux, C., McGillivray, S.M., Nizet, V. Aroian, R.V. 2011, The pore-forming protein Cry5B elicits the pathogenicity of Bacillus sp. against Caenorhabditis elegans, PLoS One, vol. 6, no. 12, p. e29122. Wong, H., Chang, M. Fan, J. 1988, Incidence and characterization of Bacillus cereus isolates contaminating dairy products, Applied and environmental microbiology, vol. 54, pp. 699-702. Jesen, G.B., Hansen, B.M., Eilenberg, J. Mahillon, J. 2003, The hidden lifestyles of Bacillus ceresus and relatives, Environmental microbiology, vol. 5, pp. 631-40. Roberts, T. A.; Baird-Parker, A. C.; Tompkin, R. B. (1996). Characteristics of microbial pathogens. London: Blackie Academic Professional. p.24. Klietmann, W. and Ruoff, K. 2002. Bioterrorism: Implications for the Clinical Microbiologist. Amer. Soc. Micro. 14(2):364-381.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Crew Pairing And Rostering Aviation Essay

Crew Pairing And Rostering Aviation Essay The award scheme below is loosely based on CASA regulations as regulations for the Asia and Thailand region could not be located. This award scheme takes into account Federal regulations and union negotiated contracts. A pilot may not fly and cannot be rostered when the pilot has exceeded: 38 working hours per any 7 consecutive days 100 working hours in any 28 consecutive days 900 working hours in any 364 consecutive days 11 working hours on a roster 8 hours flight time on a roster Be signed on more than once in a working day An employee (excluding pilot) may not serve work and cannot be rostered when they have exceeded: 59 working hours per any 7 consecutive days 155 working hours in any 28 consecutive days 1,400 working hours in any 364 consecutive days 11 working hours on a roster Periods free of duty: Pilot is allowed at least one weekend off in each calendar month Normally the pilot is rostered for 5 days on consecutive duty and 2 days free of duty. By mutual agreement deferral of one free of duty day can be arranged with the free of duty day taken within 30 days. Separation of free of duty days can be undertaken with mutual consent. If pilot is away from home base then deferral of free of duty days can be taken, however to be effective immediately upon return to home base. A pilot cannot be rostered after 2200 the day before free of duty is issued. If a pilot has worked after this time due to delays the pay rate will double. Similarly a pilot cannot be rostered before 0600 the day after free of duty has been issued. A pilot will have a rest time after being on duty of 9 consecutive hours embracing 2200 to 0600 local time OR 10 consecutive hours. If duty time has exceeded 11 hours due to delays the pilot will receive a rest period of 9 consecutive hours between 2200-0600 plus an hour for each 15 minutes over 11 hours OR 10 consecutive hours plus an hour for each 15 minutes over 11 hours. If duty time has exceeded 12 hours due to delays then the pilot shall receive a 24 hour rest period. Rostering: A pilots rosters must be compiled before 7 days of the roster period and cover a minimum 14 day period. Break: A pilot will be allowed a 30 minute break within 5 working hours. Leave: An employee is entitled to 42 days of annual leave which may be split over two sections within a calendar year. Work related injury or illness will have a maximum of 52 weeks absence from work fully paid if proof is found that firm is at fault. Sickness or injury occurring outside of work will have a paid leave of a maximum 10 days within a calendar year. Pay Rates 1:50 cabin crew ratio for 36-216 seats 1:36 Over 216 seats, 1 cabin crew member per each exit B787-9 8 exits Resource Planning Flight Crew Normal 28 Day Roster 18 days flying 1 day training 1 day reserve 8 days duty free Cabin Crew Normal 28 Day Roster 19 days flying 1 day training 8 days duty free Flight Crew There are 13 roster periods within a year (28 days) Non working days are 42(annual leave) + 10(sick leave) = 52 days per annum Therefore approximately 1.86 off duty periods per annum 900 working hours per annum max à · 11.14 working periods per annum = 80.77 working hours per period -80/10/13 80.77 working hours per period à · 19 flying days per period = 4.25 hours per day Therefore we must utilise our aircrew an average of 4.25 hours per each flying day to achieve maximum utilisation of 900 working hours within 364 consecutive days, the regulation limit. Cabin Crew There are 13 roster periods within a year (28 days) Non working days are 42(annual leave) + 10(sick leave) = 52 days per annum Therefore approximately 1.86 off duty periods per annum 1,400 working hours per annum max à · 11.14 working periods per annum = 125.67 working hours per period 125.67 working hours per period à · 20 flying days per period = 6.28 hours per day Hence to gain maximum utilisation out of our cabin crew respective to the 1,400 hours working limit per 364 consecutive days, the cabin crew would need to work approximately 6.28 hours per day. Pattern Planning Objective: Minimise the number of crew that have to work each day hence flying the current crew as many block hours as possible. This allows for high utilisation of crew leading to a decrease in the amount of crew needed. Crew staying over at DXB instead of BOM in case of delays BKK-DXB-BOM crew would go overtime. Duty time of BKK-DXB-BOM = 10:38 flight time = 7:53. Aurora Air has decided on changing the aircraft schedule to try and implement a very high utilisation of flight crew, however this ended up not working due to the constraints of maximum flight hours allowed at any one time. Pattern 01 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 0500 Day 1 BKK/TLV 0600/0946 7:46 Blk Day 1 Sign Off 1006 9:16 Dty Overnight: Tel Aviv Day 2 Sign On 1001 Day 2 TLV/BKK 1101/2247 7:46 Blk Day 2 Sign Off 2317 9:16 Dty Pattern 02 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 0700 Day 1 BKK/DXB 0800/1033 5:33 Blk Day 1 Sign Off 1103 7:03 Dty Overnight: Dubai Day 2 Sign On 1048 Day 2 DXB/BOM 1148/1538 2:20 Blk Day 2 BOM/BKK 1653/2155 3:32 Blk Day 2 Sign Off 2225 5:52 Blk 8:37 Dty Pattern 03 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 0730 Day 1 BKK/NRT 0830/1546 5:16 Blk Day 1 Sign Off 1616 6:46 Dty Overnight: Tokyo Day 2 Sign On 1601 Day 2 NRT/KIX 1701/1748 0:47 Blk Day 2 KIX/BKK 1833/2118 4:45 Blk Day 2 Sign Off 2148 5:32 Blk 7:47 Dty Pattern 04 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 0530 Day 1 BKK/PVG 0630/1052 Blk 3:22 Day 1 PVG/BKK 1207/1429 Blk 3:22 Day 1 Sign Off 1459 Blk 6:44 9:29 Dty Pattern 05 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 1444 Day 1 BKK/TPE 1544/1940 Blk 2:56 Day 1 TPE/BKK 2055/2251 Blk 2:56 Day 1 Sign Off 2321 Blk 5:52 8:37 Dty Pattern 06 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 1654 Day 1 BKK/HKG 1754/2058 Blk 2:04 Day 1 HKG/BKK 2213/2317 Blk 2:04 Day 1 Sign Off 2347 Blk 4:08 6:53 Dty Pattern 07 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 0600 Day 1 BKK/ICN 0700/1312 Blk 4:12 Day 1 Sign Off 1342 5:42 Dty Overnight: Seoul Day 2 Sign On 1327 Day 2 ICN/BKK 1427/1639 Blk 4:12 Day 2 Sign Off 1709 5:42 Dty Pattern 08 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 1638 Day 1 BKK/SIN 1738/2024 Blk 1:46 Day 1 SIN/BKK 2139/2225 Blk 1:46 Day 1 Sign Off 2255 Blk 3:32 6:17 Dty Pattern 09 (Base: BKK) Day 1 Sign On 0630 Day 1 BKK/PEK 0730/1219 Blk 3:49 Day 1 PEK/BKK 1334/1623 Blk 3:49 Day 1 Sign Off 1653 Blk 7:38 10:23 Dty Change due to 0600 constraint being included Constraints: Pattern 01 04 cannot have an OFF day preceding them 8 OFF days per roster period OFF days must be in pairs 1 Training day per roster period 1 Reserve day per roster period No reserve days overlap between each fleet type Each pattern flown only once each day An unscheduled day must follow a reserve day Crew Rostering Aurora Air has regarded that using the fair share system in which the airline will assign the crew their flying duties in a fair manner taking into account periods of duty free time, hours already flown, etc (Cybula, 2006). In addition crew rostering will take into account the legal limitations of all employees within our region of Thailand and Asia. We have decided to take this approach as we are a starting up airline and it is assumed that pilots apart from the chief pilot will have similar flying hours. All unscheduled days are assumed to be standby days in which the flight crew can be allocated to a flight within a short period of time. Priority will be given to reserve crew who will be stationed at the airport assisting with operations of flights and will be used first to cover any shortages in staff. However if a further shortage of flight crews is realised then any flight crew on standby can be called into duty. Both reserve crew and standby crew are to go without pay however reserve crew must be at the airport in full uniform. Reserve crew will be given meals at expense to the airline. Crews who are rostered as Reserve Ltd are limited in their ability as they cannot take over a flight pattern for more than one day as it will interrupt the normal schedule. Hence these days which only have reserve limited crew are much more susceptible to delays for the next coming day as the pilot may not be where they are normally rostered. Flight crew using wide body jets are paid significantly more than narrow body jet due to the long haul nature. Because of this long haul there is less availability to fly more routes and hence the crew wage is a multiple. The flight crew is also paid by block hours rather than duty hours and once again if crew is to stay overnight the current wage already includes a multiple that takes this into consideration. Accommodation is provided for flight and cabin crew at the airlines expense. Cabin crew will be rostered separately to the flight crew due to their own set of regulation circumstances which is not included in this report.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Affirmative Action :: social issues

Affirmative Action Robert K. Miller, author of The Informed Argument, describes affirmative action as, â€Å"an active effort to help members of historically oppressed groups gain admission to American universities and entrance into a diverse range of jobs previously reserved for white males† (145). Miller also states that this was the thinking of the 1970s civil rights movements (144). Things have changed throughout these past 30 years. Society’s way of thinking has changed so much that logical protest has risen against affirmative action by both protesters and supporters of the action alike. Constance Horner, a quest scholar in the Brookings Governmental Scholars program and publisher of â€Å"Reclaiming the Vision,† which can be found in The Informed Argument, is an opponent of supporting affirmative action. Michael Tomasky, author of the excerpt, â€Å"Reaffirming the Vision,† which can be found in The Informed Argument, from his book, Left for Dead: The Life, Death, and Possible Resurrection of Progressive Politics in America, is a supporter of affirmative action. Proving that affirmative action needs to be abolished or improved is something to debate, which Horner and Tomasky do in their written opinions. Constantine Horner explains that affirmative action is causing the opposite result today from its intentions 30 years ago. The loss of jobs for white Americans has opened the floodgates of protest. The mere suggestion of a reformation of the civil rights result has caused a rising distrust in the black American community towards the politics involved. What black Americans don’t see, Horner believes, is the misplacement of under qualified participants in overwhelming situations. The need to fill race quotas has put under qualified applicants in positions at places of employment; therefore, making it harder, if not impossible, for the employee to receive promotions. The placement of a person in a university based solely on the color of their skin has caused â€Å"a college dropout rate for blacks of almost two-thirds† (Horner 150). The resolution Horner gives is to be patient and to evolve and change, just as Americans have been doing, as long as we are moving forward wit h progress. Michael Tomasky gives the hint that maybe he is willing to see affirmative action changed, if even so slightly, but the feeling he gives in his excerpt, â€Å"Reaffirming the Vision,† was one not of a man to let his belief be easily swayed. Tomasky lets the reader know what side he is on by saying, â€Å"from a pro-affirmative action point of view† (153).