Health South Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health South Corporation - Case Study Example d risks associated with buying various businesses from HealthSouth and deciding whether it would be prudent of White Rock Capital to make such an investment. Of particular interest is the ambulatory surgery division, diagnostic centers and rehabilitation facilities earmarked for disposal. He is responsible for determining the nature and extent of the fraud case and the repurcusions of fraud. The cases under investigation involve fraud allegations against Healthsouth. In particular, Healthsouth is alleged to have billed group therapy as concurrent therapy. The concurrent therapy system was later (2002) abolished by the CMS upon the issue of a clarification requiring that all concurrent therapy services be reimbursed at group therapy rates. This policy change by the CMS was important to Healthsouth’s business interests as the concurrent therapy program generated more capital than the group therapy program. For eample, Healthsouth lowered its EBITDA by $172 million in the fiscal year 2002 as a result of changes in medicare reimbursements for its outpatient rehabilitation services. It is important for Nair to thoroughly scrutinise the suspect transactions carried out by Scrushy. One suspicious transaction is Scrushy’s decision to sell $74 million of his stock in may 2002 despite having previously announced satisfaction with analyst’s estimates of 39% grofit growth in early 2002. Another suspect transaction was Scrushy’s sale of shares in July 2002 to repay an outstanding loan he owed the company before the company’s profit warning. Despite the transaction being approved by the company’s Compensation Committee the shares of Health South tumbled 44% on august 27 2002 closing at $6.69 per share (Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell, 2013). Nair should also note that the initiative by Healthsouth to spin-off its ambulatory surgery division and the shedding of other assets was in the aftermath of a SEC request for documents. There was concern among analysts that

Homosexual Couples Essay Example for Free

Homosexual Couples Essay Children adopted by homosexual parents will become targets of homophobic bullying. According to a teacher’s association in the United Kingdom specializing on teaching issues, homophobic bullying â€Å"can affect any young person, for example, someone with gay family members† (Association of Teachers and Lecturers, 2006). The teacher’s association points out that having homosexual parents is enough to engage homophobic behavior. This form of bullying not only persists but worsens throughout the child’s schooling because it is one of the most difficult forms of bullying to notice. The effects of bullying are well known. Leading psychologist Victoria Clarke, among others, notes that homophobic bullying in particular â€Å"is a serious problem that carries many severe psychological consequences† (Clarke, 2006). Victims of teasing and bullying often are often shy and keep to themselves. Most victims of bullying have a hard time communicating to others and have many relationship problems, as a direct result of the the violence that they experience. What these children actually learn from their experiences is that self-expression can lead to actual physical harm. This necessarily puts a financial strain on the family of those suffering from bullying. It frames the self-esteem of these victims to such an extent that they fail to overcome a mindset where they think that they are victims. They then fail to take positive control of their lives and often spiral into depression. Those who support adoption by homosexual parents center their argument on studies that show that homosexual parenting has no negative effects on children. These arguments overlook the fact that what is important is the best interest of the child. These studies do not take into account the other indirect negative effects of being raised by homosexuals, like being more vulnerable to sexual abusers – not that the parents themselves would abuse their children – but these children are more likely to come into contact with other homosexuals who are sexual predators. According to the Family Research Institute, â€Å"all to almost all childhood molestations of boys are made by adults of the same sex with homosexuals accounting up to more than one third of the pedophiles under studies made as early as 1948† (Cameron, 2006). It is not far to imagine that of the many homosexuals that these children may be exposed to, at least one may try to sexually abuse them. This is a scary number that should not be ignored. Although I do not suggest that all homosexuals are pedophiles, it cannot be ignored that these pedophiles are almost entirely gay. This link between homosexuality and sexual abuse is well-documented by critics such as Charles Coughlin, who claims that â€Å"[a]s early as 1948, the Kinsey survey revealed that 37% of homosexual men admitted to having sexual relations with underage boys; and if gay men were admitting these crimes in 1948, when society was far more conservative, what would the numbers be today when people are more tolerant of gay relationships? † (Coughlin, 2006). The increasingly liberal attitude society has taken since 1948 points toward an even larger number of sexual predators who come into contact with our children. Thus, more lives are at stake than what we realize. We have to remember it only takes one encounter with a sexual predator before an innocent child’s life is changed forever. It is clear that allowing homosexuals to adopt children is not in any child’s best interest and should be disallowed. In no instance should a child be exposed to sexual predators. Children deserve to be brought up in a home environment where there is a balance of male and female influences. Finally, being adopted by homosexual parents exposes the adopted child to homophobic bullying which is not only traumatic, but harmful to a child’s proper physical, emotional, and psychological development. Sources:Hayton, Bradley, 1993. To Marry or Not: The Legalization of Marriage and Adoption of Homosexual Couples at http://radiance. m6. net/myrrh/doc-samesx. html Cameron, Paul, 2006. Child Molestation and Homosexuality. at http://www. familyresearchinst. org/FRI_EduPamphlet2. html Coughlin, Charles, 2006. 37% of Gay Men Admit Molestation at http://www. whitecivilrights. com/37-of-gay-men-admit-molestation_611. html Dailey, Timothy. â€Å"Homosexual Parenting: Placing Children at Risk,† Insight 238, Family Research Council, http://www. frc. org/get. cfm? i=IS01J3. Wardle, Lynn D. 1997. â€Å"The Potential Impact of Homosexual Parenting on Children. † Universityof Illinois Law Review 1997:833–919. p, 860 cited in (How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter? † Judith Stacey and Timothy J. Biblarz at http://www. e-noah. net/ASA/MO/articles/stacey. pdf Sotirios Sarantakos. 1996. Children in three contexts: Family, education and social development, Children Australia, Vol. 21, No. 3, (1996): pp. 23-31 at http://www. acl. org. au/pdfs/load_pdf_public. pdf? pdf_id=586from=SEARCH Clarke, Victoria, et. al. 2004. Kids are just cruel anyway: Lesbian and gay parents talk about homophobic bullying. British Journal of Social Psychology, Volume 43, Number 4 Association of Teachers and Lecturers, 2006. Different forms of bullying. http://www. new2teaching. org. uk/tzone/Behaviour/pupil_bullying/different_forms. asp

The Law Of Evidence

The Law Of Evidence Smooth muscle is one of three muscle fiber types found in animals. Unlike skeletal and cardiac muscle cells, smooth muscle cells are not striated, and have single nuclei. Smooth muscles are typically under control of the autonomic nervous system, and do not contract voluntarily. Smooth muscle contracts slowly, and does not exhibit the characteristic twitch seen in skeletal muscle. In addition, smooth muscle is not prone to muscle fatigue, making it an ideal component of sphincter muscles. Smooth muscle is found in the gastrointestinal tract of many animals, and is responsible for peristaltic movements. Smooth muscle contractions are affected by calcium and potassium ions. Calcium ion influx into the smooth muscle cell initiates a contraction. Potassium ion concentration in the extra cellular medium affects the resting membrane potential of the cell, bringing it closer to or farther away from its threshold voltage. Neurotransmitters affect different types of smooth muscle differently, depending on the association of the smooth muscle with excitable cells. In general, acetylcholine increases the muscle cells permeability to calcium, while epinephrine decreases the cells permeability to calcium. Introduction and aim of the experiment The following report was to test a smooth muscle which was collected from the intestine of a rabbit. The main of this experiment was to see how the surrounding environment of the muscle could affect how muscle contracted. The experiment consisted of different environments and the muscle was monitored and results were recorded of the amplitude and the frequency of the wavelengths. The levels of muscle contractions and relaxations were measured using a transducer, a D.C amplifier, and a laboratory computer. Overview of experiment The smooth muscle was a small part of the intestine which was prepared correctly by trimming off the attached mesentery and fat. This experiment only required one piece of this smooth muscle and this was then placed into a beaker which was aerated and fed Ringer-Locke solution this is an aqueous solution containing the chlorides of sodium and potassium and calcium that is isotonic to animal tissues. The experiment only required one piece of small intestine, which had the length of 2-3 cm long. The intestine was held in place with a tissue holder, and was attached to the transducer via a piece of string. The transducer detected contractions and relaxation of the muscle, and via the D.C amplifier showed on the computer the frequency and strength of the contractions and relaxations. The solution that the muscle was placed in was kept at the temperature of 37 Celsius apart from when the environment condition changed was the temperature. This type of setup is known as in vivo preparation. This preparation of the smooth intestine allows a precise control of the environmental conditions. Brief description of test carried out The test which was carried out had six parts to it. The first part of the experiment was to gain initial control of the muscle this was done by having optimum conditions for the smooth muscle so it could achieve a steady rate of contraction and relaxation. This was achieved by adding Ringer-Locke solution and keeping it aerated. By having this set up it allowed the muscle environment to be very closely met to the ideal body environment where the muscle would have a good contraction and relaxation rate. The muscle was left in this preparation until the readings on the computer were constant (about 4 minutes) the initial control was labelled using the comment bar. The next environment was non-aerated this meant to turn the air supply off which was coming to the bath where the muscle was held. Then the Ringer-Locke solution was removed from the bath and fresh Ringer-Locke solution was then placed into the bath. The reason for removing the old solution was to prevent any inaccurate readings as the solution could still have contained oxygen which would have affected the results. This part of the test was recorded after every 5, 10, 15 minutes and the results where inserted into a table. The main purpose of using this environment was to see what the muscle contractions and relaxations are when there is a lack of oxygen. This part of the experiment was again labelled on the comment bar. The next part of the experiment was to remove the Ringer-Locke solution and replace it with 50ml of glucose free solution and again results were recorded after every 5 ,10, 15 minutes and recorded into a table. The fourth different environment was change in temperature. The Ringer-Locke solution of 37 Celsius was replaced with a Ringer-Locke solution that was cooled to 4 Celsius. The purpose of this environment was to test the muscle activity in a cold environment and to analyse the effects. The fifth environment involved the use of calcium free solution this replaced the Ringer-Locke solution. This was analysed for 5 minutes to see how the muscle activity was affected. The final environment was to do with changes in the pH. The pH was changed from pH7 which is neutral to a different pH. The solution with different pH was prepared before hand and the purpose of this environment was to see what effect a pH change would have on the muscle activity. After each part of the experiment initial control was established before moving on to the next part the reason for this being to keep the muscle running properly before each part of the experiment and to cause less damage to the smooth muscle. Also each part of the experiment was labelled on the comment bar this was done to show each different part clearly so it was not confused. (Clear methods are shown in the printouts) Results table for my experiment Firstly the results achieved ere done by looking at the different graphs and to work out the amplitude for the graph the following was done: Example (Graph not related to report) To work out the amplitude of the graph recording two figures were recorded one being the peak of the wave and the other being the lowest part of the wave To work out the frequency for each part of the experiment the amount of waves were recorded in a minute time period. The frequency in this case was how many times the muscles contracted and relaxed in a minutes. The amplitude was the strength of each contraction and relaxing of the muscle. The maximum and minimum amplitudes were collected for each environment and recorded; the amplitude chosen was picked at random as well as the minute where the frequency of waves was calculated. These are results are shown in the table below: Environments Frequency per Minute (min-1) Amplitude 1 Amplitude 2 Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Initial control 15 2.10 0.78 1.96 0.65 Non aerated 5 Mins 13 1.94 0.47 1.89 0.38 Non aerated 10 Mins 17 1.53 0.36 1.51 0.38 Non aerated 15 Mins 16 1.58 0.38 1.54 0.36 Lack of glucose 5 mins 17 1.34 0.47 1.49 0.41 Lack of glucose 10 mins 17 1.51 0.43 1.52 0.45 Lack of glucose 15 mins 17 1.37 0.45 1.43 0.46 Cold ringer solution 5 Mins 14 1.76 0.44 1.73 0.51 Calcium Lack 5 Mins 12 1.15 0.63 .95 0.47 Change of pH Flat No waves Discussion of results Firstly a diagram of the intestine is needed to show how it works and what different types of cells it contains. This is needed as it will help to understand why the muscle behaved differently when tested with six different environments. A diagram of the small intestine is shown below; The small intestine contains the 4 basic layers which are serosa, muscularis, submucosa, and mucosa. Small intestine wall is composed of the same four layers that make up most of the gastrointestinal tract: serosa, muscularis, submucosa, and mucosa. The mucosa is composed of a layer of epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae. The epithelial layer of the small intestinal musoca consists of simple columnar epithelium that contains many types of cells. Some of these are the following: Enetrocytes these help with the transport of substances from lumen of the intestine to the circulatory system, synthesis of the glycoprotein enzymes needed for terminal digestion and absorption. Goblet cells these are unicellular mucin also known as secreting glands. Paneth cells these are located at the bottom of the intestinal glands. Their main function is their secretion of granules which contain lysozyme this enzyme helps breakdown bacteria also known as phagocytosis. Paneth cells may have a role in regulating the microbial population in the small intestine. Enteroendocrine cells these are mostly found again in the lower parts of the intestinal gland known as the crypt. The main function of these cells is to release several hormones. The main one beings cholecystokinin, secretin and gastric inhibitory peptide these help increase pancreatic and gallbladder activity. Intermediate cells these are young enterocytes and goblet cell which are able to withstand cell division. Apart from the smooth muscle many other cells and vessels make up the intestine. The small intestine also contains submucosal artery and vein, lymphatic vessel, submucosal plexus, circular layer of smooth muscle, and myenteric plexus. All these tissues, cells, and vessel combine to make the small intestine wall. The smooth muscle in the control environment was able to obtain a steady frequency through out its 4 minute period with 15 waves per minute. The waves which were seen were the smooth muscle contracting and relaxing. The amplitude levels of the waves were both quite high showing strong contractions rate the reason for this was that the environment set was to ideal conditions where the muscle could perform its best. It had a max amplitude of 2.10 and min amplitude of 0.78 which shows that having ideal conditions the muscle is able to behave normally without any problems. The effect of oxygen lack of the smooth muscle cause the small intestine to increase the frequency, at 5 minutes no aerated the frequency had first dropped to 13 and after 15 minutes the frequency of contraction and relaxations had increased to 17 the reason or this being without oxygen the smooth muscles started to have spasms as it was unable to contract properly without the oxygen supply needed. Also the amplitude levels decreased quite quickly from 1.94 (max) and 0.47(min) at 5 minutes to 1.58(max) and 0.38 (min) at 15 minutes. The reason for this was that without oxygen the muscle was unable to make the energy needed for strong contractions as the peak is lowered as can be seen on the traces. This was detected by the pull on the string that was attached to the transducer; the pull was not as strong so this was recorded on the traces. So without oxygen the muscle cells are still able to make ATP but a small amount. Only about 2 ATP are produced per molecule of glucose in glycolys is. If there is no oxygen present, the Pyruvate produced in glycolysis undergoes fermentation to regenerate the NAD+ used in glycolysis. This is known as anaerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration generates only two ATPs, and lactic acid is produced. Most lactic acid diffuses out of the cell and into the bloodstream and is subsequently absorbed by the liver. Some of the lactic acid remains in the muscle fibers, where it contributes to muscle fatigue. Because both the liver and muscle fibers must convert the lactic acid back to pyruvic acid when oxygen becomes available, anaerobic respiration is said to produce oxygen debt The next part of the experiment was to test how the muscle activity differed when placed in glucose free solution. From this part of the test the frequency of muscle activity stayed consistent throughout the 15 minutes. The traces show consistent movement and also the amplitudes levels differed as at 5 minutes (1.34) the maximum amplitude was low then at 10 minutes (1.51) it wet higher and at 15 minutes (1.37) it decreased again to a similar figure which was at 5 minutes. By looking at this result the results are not as accurate as they should have been, meaning they may have been some kind of inaccuracy when following the method as without glucose, ATP can not be made and the amplitude of the waves should have been lower. ATP can be made from glucose which is stored in the carbohydrate glycogen. Through the metabolic process of glycogenolysis, glycogen is broken down to release glucose. ATP is then generated from glucose by cellular respiration. Also ATP can be produced from glucose and fatty acids obtained from the bloodstream. When energy requirements are high, glucose from glycogen stored in the liver and fatty acids from fat stored in adipose cells and the liver are released into the bloodstream. Glucose and fatty acids are then absorbed from the bloodstream by muscle cells. ATP is then generated from these energy-rich molecules by cellular respiration. Without glucose the frequecny should hve increased but the amplitudes levels should have decreased as there was not a sufficient energy source which could supply the muscle so it could contract and relax. The next part of the experiment consisted of placing the smooth muscle into a cooled solution of 4 Celsius from a change of 37 Celsius. There was not much change to the frequency but it did drop a little bit due to the muscle not being used to these environmental conditions. The amplitude differed from the control readings as they had decreased but were still quite high as they had the nutrients in the solutions which helped them to contract. If this experiment was left to carry on then there would be further change as the solution would gradually heat up to room temperature and this would mean that the smooth muscle activity would increase. Calcium plays a big part in all muscle contraction as well as smooth muscle contraction which is different as it does not contain troponin. In smooth muscles calcium ions enter from outside the cell. They then bind to an enzyme complex on myosin; this then breaks up ATP into ADP and then transfers the Pi directly into myosin. By doing this it allows the myosin to activate and from cross ridges with actin. When the calcium is pumped out of the cell, the Pi gets removed from myosin by an enzyme this allows the myosin to become inactive and the smooth muscle is able to relax. This process is also known as myosin regulated contraction. In the experiment where calcium free solution was added it affected the smooth muscle immensely as the frequency of contracting and relaxing dropped to 12. Also the amplitude levels came down as the contractions and relaxations levels were not strong the max being 0.95 and the minimum being 0.47 if this was left for a longer period of time the frequency levels may have dropped more. Without calcium entering the cell the smooth muscle is unable to do the process which is described above. While making the Ringer-Locke solution it is not only the calcium ions which are important to the smooth muscles. Some others are potassium chloride and sodium chloride, the reason these ions are needed because it helps to portray an environment such as the body with ideal conditions. If only distilled water was used it would mean the cells in the muscles would up take the water and blow up. So these ions are used so they are able to keep a concentration gradient and allow everything to work correctly as it would in the smooth muscles natural environment. The final environment was the change in pH levels. The results showed that the muscle had stopped functioning and there was no reading on the traces. This meant that there was no muscle contraction or relaxing. The reason for this was the muscle had broken down the reason for this muscle fatigue was that the low pH had affected the smooth muscle as it was unable to perform in this type of environment. Also as the low pH solution was there for a certain period of time the muscle was unable to remove it and therefore caused the muscle to breakdown. The low pH may have affected the sarcoplasmic reticulum which may lead to the interfere of the intercellular calcium concentrations, this can lead to long term physical muscle damage as muscle fibers are affected. While preparing the isolated smooth muscle many precautions are taken so the muscle can avoid excessive pH changes. One of these precautions which are taken is to make sure that before inserting the small intestine into the bath. The solution will need to be tested with pH indicator test strips which will give a fairly accurate reading of the solution which the smooth muscle will be placed. This is very important as if the pH is incorrect it will mean that the smooth muscle will not perform to its full potential meaning the results achieved will be inaccurate. To gain accurate results all solutions which are used will need to be checked to see if they are the correct pH by using the ph indicating strips. After this test the smooth muscle was unable to reach the control again as the muscle had broken down. If this experiment was done again at room temperature the results would differ as the performance of the muscle would decrease. This is because the optimum temperature inside the body is around 37 Celsius and this temperature allows the muscle to work at an optimum rate. The lower temperature will mean that muscle contraction will be slower as there will be an effect on enzyme reactions as the more heat there is the more kinetic energy there is this will mean that the muscle activity will be good. If acetylcholine was added to the solution bath of the smooth muscle the membrane potential would decrease and the frequency of waves would increase. The muscle will become more active, with an increase in tonic tension and the number of rhythmic contractions. The effect is mediated by enzymes which increases the intracellular Calcium concentration. Another substance which could have been added was adrenaline. Adrenaline allows blood to flow more easily to your muscles. This means that more oxygen is carried to your muscles by the extra blood, which allows your muscles to function at elevated levels. Adrenaline also facilitates the conversion of the bodys fuel source (glycogen) into its fuel (glucose). This carbohydrate gives energy to muscles, and a sudden burst of glucose also allows muscles to strengthen further. Skeletal and smooth muscle muscles differences in structure and function There are many differences between the two types of muscles the differences are stated below: Snmooth muscles Skeletal muscle A smooth muscle fiber has no T tubules, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum forms a loose network throughout the sarcoplasm. Are long cyrindrical cells that contain many nuclei Smooth muscle tissue has no myofibrils or sarcomeres They are striated this shows their precise alignments of their myofilaments. This tissue also has no striations and is called nonstriated muscle. Thick filaments consist of myosin as thin filaments consist mostly of actin. Thick filaments are scattered throughout the sarcoplasm of a smooth muscle cell Each independent cell is stimulated by a motor neurone. Adjacent smooth muscle cells are bound together at dense bodies, transmitting the contractile forces from cell to cell throughout the tissue. Connective endomysium seprates cell Function Differences Smooth muscles cells are an involuntary action and can work slower so they do not have muscle fatigue. Skeletal Muscle contains both Fast Slow Twitch muscle fibers, that allow for a faster reaction where needed, and the opposite is true for the Slow as well Smooth muscle lines your arteries and airways and serves to contract or relax to help control blood pressure. skeletal muscles function almost continuously to maintain your posture making one tiny adjustment after another to keep your body upright They are also present in the iris of the eye to control the size of the pupil in response to light. By the use of the radial and circular muscle. Skeletal muscle is also important for holding your bones in the correct position and prevents your joints from dislocating. Some skeletal muscles in your face are directly attached to your skin They line the GI tract to move foodthrough the intestines. This is done by peristalsis. Skeletal muscle generates heat as a by-product of muscle activity. This heat is vital for maintaining your normal body temperature.

Joan of Arc :: essays research papers

Choose one of the women discussed and decide which of the â€Å"syndromes† you think society would have applied to her and why? Do you agree or disagree?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joan of Arc the Patron Saint of France could have very easily been characterized under many â€Å"syndromes† by her society. Joan being a virgin and highly religious could have been viewed under the Chaste Syndrome, she may have been viewed under the Tomboy Syndrome for being a warrior and dressing like a man, or she may have been viewed under the Shame Syndrome for taking command of the French army leading them to defeat over England. Joan possibly could have been viewed by society under a culmination of all these â€Å"syndromes†, being called a Warrior Queen. It is difficult to choose just one of Joan’s abnormality’s or shall I say â€Å"syndromes† according to her society, but the Chaste Syndrome describes her the best from my view.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joan being a virgin, which is none of my business or her community’s, and showing a venerance to God correlates closely to the image of the Virgin Mary. Joan being such a close resemblance to the Virgin Mary would allow her society to classify her under the Chaste Syndrome. Throughout the classroom reading assignment on Joan of Arc I get the impression she is pristine and wants nothing but to obey the voices of St. Catherine, and St. Margaret. When being interrogated she says, that the voices â€Å"told her to fight boldly and God would help her.† Joan’s society would have hopefully seen her under the Chaste Syndrome, she was one to be revered and emulated much like that of the Virgin Mary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion my opinion stands in disagreeance with Joan’s society for one reason, a syndrome is defined as a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterized a particular abnormality.

History and Comparison of Windows, Linux, and Apple Essay

An operating system is a set of programs containing instructions that work together to coordinate all the activities among computer hardware resources. Most operating systems perform similar functions that include starting and shutting down a computer, providing a user interface, managing programs, managing memory, coordinating tasks, configuring devices, establishing an Internet connection, monitoring performance, providing file management and other utilities, and automatically updating itself and certain utility programs (Shelly p. 398). There are three major operating systems that exist today that are going to be compared to decide which operating system could be best for different user purposes. The three operating systems are Windows, Linux, and Apple. Windows operating system is developed and maintained by Microsoft in Seattle, WA. The Microsoft Company was developed by Bill Gates. The first version of the Windows operating system was released in 1985, and has been the leading operating system used by 90% of users (Satyam). It is used by the Server 2008 R2 (Satyam). Windows is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows its users to manage files and run software programs easily on desktop and laptop computers (Satyam). On the desktop, icons are used to represent programs that are easy to find and can be clicked to easily access and run the program of choice. Windows is also very popular because of its user interface programs such as Microsoft Office, which include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point, and Microsoft Office Outlook. Windows also has a great reputation for its high and efficient security. Some popular Windows editions are Win 98, Win 2000, Win Me, Windows NT, Windows CE, Win 2003, Win XP, Win Vista and Windows 7 ( Satyam). Windows 8 is now the new successor of Windows 7 and is now available. Linux (Linus’ Unix) is a leading server operating system, and is used for running the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world (Satyam). Linus Torwalds created Linux, and is the current owner of the Linux Trademark (Satyam). LIndows, Lycoris, Red Hat, SuSe, Mandrake, Knopping, Slackware are the various companies that distribute the Linux operating system (Satyam). NASlite is a version of the Linux operating system that runs off of a single floppy disk and converts an old computer into a file server (Satyam). Some popular versions of Linux include Debian, Fedora, and Red Hat. This operating system is ranked just below Windows operating system, but is quickly becoming popular and is predicted to give future Windows some tough competition. Since 1984, Mac OS 9 had been Apple’s primary operating system, but has been recently succeeded by Mac OS X. Mac OS X is a sequence of Unix-based operating systems and GUI’s developed, marketed and sold by Apple (Satyam). Mac OS X is user friendly, and is popular for its plug-and-play support, which means the operating system automatically configures new devices as they are installed (Shelly p. 408). As stated in the beginning of this paper, Windows, Linux, and Apple are the three most popular operating systems with Windows as the most popular of the three with 85% to 90% of personal computers using this operating system (Satyam). Compared to Windows, Mac is used by fewer people, but is more reliable and less likely to fail than Windows OS because of Mac regularly monitoring and the software and hardware add-ons. Linux is the least popular of the three and is based on UNIX, which has been used for more than three decades that now powers about 90% of Web sites (Satyam). Compared to both Mac and Windows, Linux is an open source project, meaning anyone can modify the Linux Code (Satyam). Linux offers great security and flexibility compared to Windows and Mac, but it takes a great deal of knowledge to install and operate the Linux operating system. Linux is also very much less expensive or even free compared to Windows operating system. When using a server, Linux is much cheaper compared to Windows because Microsoft only allows only a single copy to be used on one computer. However, once Linux is purchased, it can be used on any number of computers at no additional charge (Satyam). Windows can make it difficult for users to store user information and settings and switch to a new computer, but Linux stores the user’s data in the home directory, making it easier to transfer from an old to a new computer (Satyam). In conclusion, Linux is much more secure, reliable, flexible, and more cost efficient than Windows or Mac, but much more difficult to install, understand and operate, it is ideal for industry sectors. Windows and Mac operating systems are much easier for personal use and require less knowledge than Linux operating system. Windows and Mac, however, are more expensive, but are more widely used than Linux, with Windows leading the three in popularity. References Shelly, G. B., & Vermaat, M. E. (2011). Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World, Complete (pp. 398-408). Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning. Satyam. (2011, June 29). Windows, Linux or Mac OS A Comparison. In HackDigital. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from Google.

The Serial Comma is OK with Me

The Serial Comma is OK with Me The Serial Comma is OK with Me The Serial Comma is OK with Me By Maeve Maddox After a lifetime of being wishy-washy about the serial comma, I’ve reached a decision: I’m going to use it all the time. Such a momentous decision is, of course, a deeply personal matter. The pros and cons are widely, frequently, and hotly debated. Here is some information that may enable you to make the decision for yourself, if you haven’t already done so. serial comma: (also Oxford comma) n. a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before and or or (e.g. an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect). Penguin Writer’s Manual. Oxford comma: n. [after the preferred use of such a comma to avoid ambiguity in the house style of Oxford University Press] a comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a list of items. OED Some writers call the Oxford comma the â€Å"Harvard comma.† Heres a sentence with a serial comma: The Three Stooges are Larry, Moe, and Curly. Here it is without a serial comma: The Three Stooges are Larry, Moe and Curly. PRO serial comma The Chicago Manual of Style (2009) When a conjunction joins the last two elements in a series, a comma- known as the serial or series comma or the Oxford comma- should appear before the conjunction. Chicago strongly recommends this widely practiced usage, blessed by Fowler and other authorities 6.19 The Elements of Style (2000) In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. The stated rule seems ambiguous to me, but the examples that follow it are clear: red, white, and blue gold, silver, or copper Gregg Reference Manual (1993) When three or more items are listed in a series, and the last item is preceded by and, or, or nor, place a comma before the conjunction as well as between the other items. CON serial comma   AP Stylebook (2009) Use commas to separate elements in a series, but do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: The flag is red, white and blue. He would nominate Tom, Dick or Harry. AP does allow a comma before and when ambiguity would result without one: Put a comma before the concluding conjunction in a series, however, if an integral element of the series requires a conjunction: I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast. Penguin Guide to Punctuation (1997) Note also that it is not usual in British usage to put a listing comma before the word and or or itself (though American usage regularly puts one there.) So, in British usage, it is not usual to write The Three Musketeers were Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. On the fence regarding the serial comma Penguin Writer’s Manual (2002) It is becoming more common in British English (and is usual in American English) to place a comma before the and that precedes the final item in a simple list (numbers one, two, three, and four). Fowler’s Modern English Usage (1965) In promoting the use of the serial comma, CMOS observes that the usage is â€Å"blessed by Fowler† among other authorities. However, when I looked up the topic in Fowler (1965 edition) I found this remark, which seems neutral at best: The more usual way of punctuating such an enumeration as was used as an example in the preceding section is French, German, Italian and Spanish; the commas between French and German and German and Italian take the place of ands; there is no comma after Italian because, with and, it would be otiose [having no practical function; redundant; superfluous]. There are, however, some who favour putting one there, arguing that, since it may sometimes be needed to avoid ambiguity it may as well be used always for the sake of uniformity. So there you have it. My choice is to travel the path of otiosity for the sake of uniformity. What’s yours? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withComma Before ButWhile vs. Whilst

Free Essays on Lee Iacocca

Biography of Lee Iacocca Lee Iacocca was a leader and now a historian of leadership qualities. Iacocca was born on October 15, 1924, at Allentown, PA, as the second child to Nicola and Antionette Iacocca. His birth name was Lido Anthony Iacocca, but he later known as â€Å"Lee." His father became known in Allentown as a hard-driving businessperson, opening restaurant and rental car company, among other interest. Iacocca worked and went to school, graduating in 1945 from Leigh University. In 1946, he earned a master’s degree in engineering from Princeton University. In that same year, Iacocca went to work at Ford Motor Company as a training engineer. After nine months, he decided engineering was not for him. He felt that being a salesperson at Ford would better suit him. This started his climbing to the top at Ford. At age thirty-six he was the general manager of the biggest division in the second largest automobile company. Iacocca organized the Fairlane Committee that consisted of young engineers and himself. He soon became known as â€Å"The father of the Mustang.† The Fairlane Committee and Iacocca made the 1964  ½ Mustang. After the creation of the Mustang, he worked his way through the company, becoming the general manager of Ford division and vice president of the company in 1960. Iacocca became president in 1970, but his relationship with Henry Ford cost his job in 1978. Soon after termination he secured a job as president of the struggling Chrysler, which at that time manufactured gas-guzzling vehicles during rising gas prices. The company faced bankruptcy, but Iacocca would not give up. He approached the U.S. Congress for financial assistance. Congress agreed to $1.5 billion in loan guarantees if Chrysler could raise another $2 billion in capital. It did, and the 1981 fiscal year showed a small profit. In 1984, Chrysler generated $2.4 billion in profits after reforming its vehicles and entire company. I... Free Essays on Lee Iacocca Free Essays on Lee Iacocca Biography of Lee Iacocca Lee Iacocca was a leader and now a historian of leadership qualities. Iacocca was born on October 15, 1924, at Allentown, PA, as the second child to Nicola and Antionette Iacocca. His birth name was Lido Anthony Iacocca, but he later known as â€Å"Lee." His father became known in Allentown as a hard-driving businessperson, opening restaurant and rental car company, among other interest. Iacocca worked and went to school, graduating in 1945 from Leigh University. In 1946, he earned a master’s degree in engineering from Princeton University. In that same year, Iacocca went to work at Ford Motor Company as a training engineer. After nine months, he decided engineering was not for him. He felt that being a salesperson at Ford would better suit him. This started his climbing to the top at Ford. At age thirty-six he was the general manager of the biggest division in the second largest automobile company. Iacocca organized the Fairlane Committee that consisted of young engineers and himself. He soon became known as â€Å"The father of the Mustang.† The Fairlane Committee and Iacocca made the 1964  ½ Mustang. After the creation of the Mustang, he worked his way through the company, becoming the general manager of Ford division and vice president of the company in 1960. Iacocca became president in 1970, but his relationship with Henry Ford cost his job in 1978. Soon after termination he secured a job as president of the struggling Chrysler, which at that time manufactured gas-guzzling vehicles during rising gas prices. The company faced bankruptcy, but Iacocca would not give up. He approached the U.S. Congress for financial assistance. Congress agreed to $1.5 billion in loan guarantees if Chrysler could raise another $2 billion in capital. It did, and the 1981 fiscal year showed a small profit. In 1984, Chrysler generated $2.4 billion in profits after reforming its vehicles and entire company. I...