Computer Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Computer Network - Essay Example Moreover, there is no documentation for the current IT infrastructure. There is no documentation explaining the network setup in the company. Also, the software and the hardware are outdated. Considering that the computers are still running windows XP, it implies that the OS may not support the current versions of application software and hardware needed to run the business as per the requirements. Considering the above stated issues, it’s clear that the WLA Company IT infrastructure needs to be restructured, redesigned and updated to meet the current IT requirements. This involves updating both the software and the hardware parts of the current system, designing new network infrastructure to cater for the needs of the company and training the existing employees on how to use the lately installed networking system. To solve the above-connoted issues a network system has to be set up. This network system will consist of client computers, servers and other peripheral devices such as printers, fax machines, telephone etc. (i.e. a client/server network is set up). The best network design for this company is peer-to-peer design. But the rapid growth of the company calls for the preparation of the company for further expansion by allowing flexibility. In this regard, the best network design will be a hybrid network. With this setup, account and permission will be required to access file on the server, while at the same time, access to other computers on the network will be shared equally. This will minimize the cost of setting up the network while at the same time bringing in efficiency. The hardware and software explain below are recommended to ensure maximum functioning of the company activities. All software and hardware that will be required for WLA business is listed below and why the justification of why it is required. Garrett (2003)

Sports Biomechanics and Functional Anatomy

Sports Biomechanics and Functional Anatomy Introduction: Biomechanics is the sport science field that applies the laws of mechanics and physics to human performance, in order to gain a greater understanding of performance in athletic events through modelling, simulation and measurement (Wood, 2009). According to Mcginnis, (2004), Biomechanics is useful to sports and can identify what forces may have caused an injury, how to prevent the injury from recurring and what exercises may assist for injury rehabilitation. It can be used for alternations in technique, equipment or training to prevent or rehabilitate injury. The general role of Biomechanics is to understand the mechanical cause-effect relationships that determine the motions of living organisms. In relation to sport, Biomechanics contributes to the description, explanation, and prediction of the mechanical aspects of human exercise, sport and play. Sports biomechanics offers methods by which the very fast actions which occur in sport can be recorded and analysed in detail. An importa nt application of sports biomechanics with any sport is the definition and understanding of skills. This can help in the coaching process and as a result enhance the learning and performance of those skills (Reilly and Williams, 2003). When looking at golf it is clear to see a lot of skill is involved during the swing. Hung and Jani, (2004) stated that the golf swing is one of the most complex biomechanical motions a human can make in sport. The aim of the golfer must be to make a consistent strike of the ball to propel it in the desired direction for a given distance. Furthermore the hip plays an important role in the golf swing. The Hip joint: The hip joint is one of the largest and most stable joints in the body. It is a ball and socket joint that consists of the head of the femur connecting with the acetabulum of the pelvic girdle. The pelvic girdle, including the hip joint plays an important role in the supporting the weight of the body while offering mobility by increasing the range of motion in the lower extremity. The acetabulum is the concave surface of the ball and socket joint, facing anteriorly, laterally and inferiorly. Furthermore the spherical head of the femur fits snugly into the acetabular cavity, giving the joint both congruency and a large surface. Both the femoral head and the acetabulum have large amounts of spongy trabecular bone that facilitates the distribution of the forces absorbed by the hip joint (Floyd and Thompson, 2001; Nordin and Frankel 2001; Uys, 2004). Ligaments of the hip: According to Callaghan et al, (2006) several strong ligaments reinforce the capsule of the hip joint. These include the iliofermoral ligament, the pubofemoral ligament and the ischiofemoral ligament. The iliofemoral ligament is the strongest ligament in the body and helps to prevent extension of the femur when the body is standing erect. It is a Y-shaped band of very strong fibres that connects the lower front iliac spine of the coxal bone to a bony line (intertrochanteric line) extending between the greater and lesser trochanters of the femur. However the pubofemoral ligament extends between the upper portion of the pubis and the iliofemoral ligament. Its fibres also blend with the fibres of the joint capsule of the hip joint. The ischiofemoral ligament is made up of a band of strong fibres that originate on the ischium just behind the acetabulum. These fibres blend with the fibres of the joint capsule of the hip. (Pickering, 2009) Muscles of the Hip: The muscles of the hip joint are those muscles that cause movement in the hip. Most modern anatomists define 17 of these muscles, although some additional muscles may sometimes be considered (Mind Body Motion, 2007). These are often divided into several groups. These muscles control the movements of the hips. According to Ãâ€"zkaya et al, (1999) the psoas, iliacus, rectus femoris, pectineus and tensor fascia latae are the primary hip flexors. These are also used to carry out activities such as running, walking and kicking. The gluteus maximus and the hamstring muscles are hip extensors. The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are hip abductor muscles providing for the inward rotation of the femur. The gluteus medius is also the primary muscle group stabilizing the pelvis in the frontal plane. The adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magus and gracilis muscles are the hip adductors and also provide for the outward rotation of the femur. Movement of the hips: The hip joint allows for the greatest range of movement as it has the capacity to move in three planes, about three axes. It also has a great deal of mobility, which allows normal locomotion in the performance of daily activities. Kolt and Mackler, (2003), state that the hip joint has three degrees of freedom of motion which include flexion-extension in the sagittal plane, abduction-adduction in the frontal plane (figure 3.2) and external-internal rotation in the transverse plane. Golf The modern golf swing has evolved with this use of technology, both in equipment and analysis; as well as the physical training the golfers now go through. The golf swing is a very complex body motion, involving a large range of movement of the upper limbs that act as a link between the golf club and the body, with the lower limbs acting as the main movement promoting areas. Limitations in the body in terms of flexibility, muscular strength, endurance, or power can create faults in the swing from a biomechanical perspective. As a result, most of the successful golfers in the world today, are relatively fit, flexible and strong compared to in the older generation of golfers. Improved technology in gyms has given golfers the opportunity to strengthen specific and key muscles used in the swing. Hip rotation is very important to the effectiveness of the golf swing. According to Hill, (2007), it holds the key to a powerful swing. To increase power and ball-striking ability the hips need to rotate properly during the swing. According to Atherton,(2009), most amateur golfers rotate their hips too far during the backswing, which makes it difficult for them to get their hips to open up to the target at impact, a key component of a successful swing. However, the increased risk of hip injury is a relatively recent hazard for golfers, arising from the greater rotation favoured by the modern golf swing. This adaptation of this technique itself reduced the incidence of low-back injury among golfers. The downswing begins with a forward movement of the hips that, with good golfers, actually begins approximately 0.1 seconds before the club head reaches the limit of the back swing. This moving forward of the hips rotates the whole upper body and moves both levers through the first part of the downswing (Hay, 1993). The forces responsible for this forward movement of the hips and the lesser forces exerted by the same hip and leg muscles later in the downswing have been estimated to account for 2.5 hp of the total 3-4 hp generated in a good drive. Thus it can readily be seen that the muscles of the hips and legs constitute the main source. A series of EMG studies have described the role of the hip muscles during the golf swing (Thain and Alistair, 2002). A study by Tsai et al, (2004), showed that hip abduction strength was significantly higher in better golfers. In addition it stated all the hip movements tended to be stronger in the best golfers who had the lowest handicaps and longest driving distances. In one study performed by the University of Umea in which the muscle activities in 13 male professionals while performing a golf swing were analysed using dynamic surface electromyography (EMG) and the muscle activities were measured in percent of maximum manual muscle testing (MMT) of each muscle. During the forward swing, gluteus maximus, expressed the highest muscle activity during a complete golf swing (84%). This indicates that especially the trailing side, gluteus maximus, is an important hip stabiliser as the golfer shifts the weight to the target side and the golf club begins to accelerate (Grinell, 1999). In golf the hip is especially exposed to high-velocity internal rotation on the downswing, requiring a great deal of eccentric gluteus muscle control. Set-up, ball positon, alignment and posture are essential for a good swing. However according Shamus, ( 2001), the most common characteristic of an improper setup position is failing to use a hip-hinge motion to obtain the primary spine angle. Furthermore evolved technology has made it easier for golfers and coaches to analyse the golf swing and correct mistakes made by the golfer. Technology advances: (ASTAR and Powerstool) The Astar digital video technology is the latest, highly sophisticated software that evaluates and analyses recorded golf swings. This means that golf instructors can literally capture and illustrate every aspect of a students swing to determine and remedy any problem areas. It automatically creates a video file of the entire desire motion (for a golf swing from address to follow-through). Astar includes all necessary functionality to analyze technical performance, hence improve the golf swing by this method of analysis. By using the very latest A Star professional software, golf swings can be analysed from many different angles and a plan can be put in place for the improvement of any golf swing (ASTAR, 2006). The powerstool is another example of advanced technology used to improve the golf swing. It mimics the perfect golf swing as close as possible enabling the golfer to get inot the most efficent position (Strachan, 2009).The powerstool makes sure the golfer achieves the right amount of hip turn and shoulder turn. This helps to reduce tension and strain that is common with over turning. Technology in footwear and insoles has also developed throughout the years making golf shoes more comfortable and blister free. It has also been proven that specific golf shoes reduce injuries of the lower extremities. In addition, according to Light, (2008), the use of custom foot orthoses to change the mechanics of foot function may improve hip extension and create prolonged relief of low back pain symptoms. As a result, they provide a viable alternative to surgery to treat hip and back painmaking it pain free for golfers. Orthoses are also helpful for supporting the arch of the foot, offloading specific pressure points in the foot, and cushioning the heel. Furthermore it was claimed that orthoses could be a non-invasive approach to improving biomechanics and possibly pain. ECCO golf, (2009) states that their golf shoes use a double-layer inlay sole that ingeniously absorbs heel force, reducing the impact felt by your knees, hip and back. That same heel force is also used to power an air-circulation system that ensures a fresh, dry and cool environment for your feet making it comfortable for the golfer. In conclusion, it is clear to see that technology is evolving a rapid rate with new advances in biomechanical parameters. Advances in analysis and equipment has been proven to improve general performance of all sports and even holds an important role in reducing injury and the rehabilitation of injury.

Instructional Design :: essays research papers

The ultimate goal of Instructional Design is to quickly and effectively teach people a new skill, or system of thinking. Elliot Masie, editor of TechLearn Trends, suggests  ¡Ã‚ §all training is about behavioral stimulation that changes human beings on some level. ¡Ã‚ ¨ (Masie, 1998, p. 14) This is a tall order  ¡Ã‚ §to change human beings ¡Ã‚ ¨, and therefore, any professional instructor that accepts this challenge must ask plenty of fundamental questions first. These essential questions are part of a process known as Needs Assessment. This critical front-end work is going to 1. Provide information about audience capabilities and preparedness. 2. Establish that, indeed, there is a need for training. 3. Reveal information regarding the company culture. An instructor needs this information to choose tools for the program; the more you know your audience, both customer and learners, the more successful the program will be. There are several need assessment models to follow, but I will use  ¡Ã‚ §The Zemke-Kramlinger Model of the Major Human and Organizational Factors that Affect People Performance in an Organization ¡Ã‚ ¨. Their model asks hard questions in three different categories: Performer Skills „h What Abilities „h What Skill Level „h Job Knowledge „h Objective „h Needs Company Support „h Objective „h Expectations „h Reward „h Punishment „h Feedback „h Support Corporate Culture „h History „h Mission „h Goals „h Strategy „h Tactics „h Plans Without this information, the designer is only guessing. Once a designer is confident the needs assessment has provided a solid foundation to start building a program, different tools, or media, should be considered. The variety of tools ranges from simple (print) to high tech (satellite dish communication). The American Society for Training and Development has published a book that outlines an eight-step process for assisting in selection of the proper tools. The steps are as follows: 1. Understand all the training tools available with the benefits and drawbacks of their use. 2. List the media delivery that WILL WORK FOR YOUR AUDIENCE AT THEIR CAPABILITY LEVEL. 3. Evaluate your media list with the goals of training, and level of audience in mind. 4. Conduct a cost comparison. 5. Synthesize findings and establish  ¡Ã‚ §core media ¡Ã‚ ¨. 6. Consider auxiliary media that would augment your  ¡Ã‚ §core media ¡Ã‚ ¨. 7. Identify any implementation issues, organizational requirements, or technical limitations which could prevent successful use of your  ¡Ã‚ §core media ¡Ã‚ ¨. 8. Prepare your conclusion in a formal report for management. With all the preparation out of the way, just what tools are we talking about? Here is a list of possibilities: Manuals Handouts Video Tape Overheads Data Bases CD Rom Interactive Video Conference Internet Computer Base Training Satellite Distance Learning With information on the objectives, learners, the company, budget, constraints etc.

Book review: Drew Magary’s PostMortal Essay

The Postmortal starts with whispers that an anti-aging cure has been discovered. This is similar to the human capacity enhancement proposal speculated in chapter 3 of Dickenson’s bioethics. Also, we see similar proposal play out in the chapters of More and Vita-More’s Transhumanist Reader, where technology is speculated to be used to stop aging process, enhance human intelligent, capability and agility. More even goes a step further to propose ‘the Posthumanist’ – overcoming the limitations that describe the less desirable aspects of human condition – a life devoid of disease, aging and death. However, the Postmortal cure does not prevent someone from getting sick, diseases or even dying from accident, rather it merely stops the body from ageing. That means a 27 year old that gets the treatment will have the same body and physical appearance and fitness until the day they die. The United States government instantly prohibits it for three decad es, providing them an ample opportunity to research it and comprehend the effects better. At this time, pro-cure and pro-death protesters were fighting more and more aggressively for and against the cure respectively. Just like the religious right fought against the stem cell research in chapter 6 of Dickenson’s bioethics in 2001, the religious devotees’ fight against the anti-aging cure and the Vatican issues a condemnation against it. Underground treatments known as black market cure were being perpetuated. Eventually John Farrell, the narrator got the cure at one of these underground markets. Within two weeks or there about, he convinced his friend to get the treatment and thereafter encountered a couple of tragic events associated with a mysterious woman that influenced his emotions throughout the story. Finally, the cure was legalized. The novel includes how things regarding love, marriage, and the law and government changes overtime. Marriage became endangered because the fundamental premise of marriage â€Å"till death do us part† has been considerably altered. John’s law firm devised a new form of marriage called ‘cyclical marriage,’ – a 40-year term marriage which involves an obligation to live together as husband and wife for 40 years, with an option to  separate (with evenly split assets) or to renew the marriage for another 40 years at the end of the contract. The cure nearly brought marriage to a halt and love undermined as most people believe there is a greater chance of separation for a new lover. Mr. Farrell prefers not getting married to his lover who is pregnant with his baby but only choses to take care of the child. As things change around the world, he continues to document his life experiences. A new form of worship is discovered whereby man is seen as the god of his own and ruler of the earth. A lot of people become outlaws and selfish; others become religious enthusiasts; while some others chose to refrain from getting the cure. Throughout the course of the book, the government gradually loses control over her citizens. Different laws are passed to expand death penalty to include giving â€Å"lee-way† to people who wish to die in a legal way without the need of committing suicide but which is of course morally wrong. The other detailed problems consist of jails, how to provide housing to people and basic necessities, as well as how to deal with countries that have become military powerhouses. Similar moral violation was seen in bioethics where executed Chinese prisoners’ kidneys are harvested for sale to wealthy westerners; the Tuskegee and Guatemala experiments by the US Public Health in chapter 7; and the surrogate motherhood and egg selling in chapter 2. All these practices, in one way or the other violate morality at the very least.  As the story continues to unfold in the book, Mr. Ferrell falls in love again which also results in another tragic incident. Over and over again he tries to find joy but has his hopes dashed, signifying the fact that the ‘cure’ for ageing is not really a great thing in many ways. As the United States becomes unsafe, Russia and third-world nations assume control of surrounding nations and Chinese starts acquiring nuclear weapons to get rid of certain populations. Pregnant woman are punished because people hate the idea of conception and child birth. A war over Antarctica begins and chaos sets in. Meanwhile in totalitarian societies like China and Russia, the government takes undue advantage of the looming prospect of an exploding and forever  young world population in the face of diminishing resources. Russia forms a strong and formidable army with eternally young soldiers; China cuts herself off from the rest of the world, while the United States plummets into widespread class warfare while terrorism is on the high side as people kill at will. It’s baffling how much of these are conceivable. At the end of the story, nuclear weapons are dropped on the coast of California where Mr. Farrell tries to elude the attack with his lover. But unfortunately the man is stabbed as they try to make their way to a safer ground. The injury is so severe that he bleeds so immensely and regrettably the end is here for him. Meanwhile as he gradually makes an inroad to a new world, he releases that there is no such thing as immortality. However, his lover is expected to survive. Nicholas Agar in his book, Humanity’s End, objected similar enhancement proposal. From my understanding of the chapters, many of his objections are based on the premise that, for any action whose outcome is uncertain and perhaps bad, we ought to presume that the worst could happen, and work to address all conceivable exigencies before proceeding further. Thus, going by the fantasy (the story), we have seen how a cure that is rather an everlasting treasure in the hearts of many has turned out to be the greatest nightmare of all time to the society. Perhaps, if the world had applied due diligence (as noted in Agar’s book) before legalizing such cure, these problems could have been avoided. The book is an awesome read because it raises one’s curiosity as you go further. You are eager to know what happens next and how things will unfold. It is a story that could very well happen. Most of the events in the book are also plausible reactions that the world could very well experience. The first two parts of the book are intriguing as the world goes through a dramatic change with the recognition of the cure, and I admired the tension that arose between pro-death and pro-cure groups. Again, similar religious protest was seen in Chapter 3 of Dickenson’s bioethics where religious movements fought against stem cell research and funding to a halt. Although the ban on its funding was later rescinded by President Obama, but the issue  is still contested in courts. However, one minor issue that I hope to point out is: for a story that started out in 2019 and runs through 2079, technology did not advance that much. Apart from a few inventions like plug-in cars mentioned in the book and which even has same level of sophistication as today’s plug-ins (charging duration of 48 hours), technological innovation seems to be frozen for several decades. One would expect that the significant population explosion expressed in the book would be accompanied by a robust ‘capacity building’ and technological development that is aimed at addressing the problems of a few extra billion population of people around the world, rather technology seems stagnant in this book.

Case Analysis 1: Multistate Health Corporation Essay

Describe MHC’s strategy in terms of market position. Also, identify the type of external environment MHC is operating in and the degree to which the strategy matches the environment. In this particular case study of the Multistate Health Corporation their business strategy alignment was not well suited for that of the market. They decided to focus on two objectives that would give them success and deter away from the â€Å"oversupply of bed space.† One of the objectives were to focus on technology. â€Å"The strategic planners departed from the previous strategy, opting to become a leader in the development of new health care technologies and procedures† (Effective Training 51). The other objective that they decided to align with was to improve their efficiencies in their healthcare and outpatient services. The cause of this new direction for MHC is due to the changing environment of the healthcare system and the pressures that they were receiving from the federal and state government. In order to stay competitive with other healthcare facilities, they need to be proactive and adjust their business strategies to the needs of the environment. Identify the type of structure MHC currently uses in its primary businesses. Describe the fit between the structure and the competitive strategy. Describe any structural adjustments MHC should make to maximize the effectiveness of the strategy. The way that the Multistate Health Corporation is organization is through a three-tier hierarchy. At the top of the organization is the President and CEO of the company. Underneath this position there are three regional EVPs that report to the President and CEO. Within the three regions they have their own staff that is employed across several hospitals within those regions. With the new adjustments that they are making the increase in technologies and a new focus on outpatient services, they should really readjust the organizational hierarchy by including a Research and  Development sector that would be implemented across all of the regions instead of each region creating new technologies. This would definitely maximize the effectiveness of the new competitive strategy that could be instrumented more quickly and efficiently. Identify any areas where current management KSAs are not aligned with effective implementation of the competitive strategy. There seems to be contrasting opinions in regards to the HRPS Objectives. There are three different organizational levels that had outlooks on the current situation. The first organizational level is on the corporate level, regional as the second, and divisional as the third level. The regional and divisional level felt that improving the selection and searching process was the top objective of this strategy; however, corporate felt that creating and utilizing career development was the top priority. Here are two different precedents that levels within the organization feel is the most important. Their outlook for developing this new strategic plan are not in synced with one another and may cause future predicaments in implementation and development of the plan. Another issue that has seems to involve the current management is the KSAs of these employees. â€Å"No system for evaluating the KSA required for a CEO in one part of the corporation compared with that of another. For example, the CEO in Grand Rapids has a different responsibilities compared with a CEO in Detroit, but no one at the corporate level knows what the differences are† (Effective Training 53). This is going to pose a problem because not everyone is on the same page and the competencies of these positions are not consisted between regions. There needs to be a certain set of KSAs and responsibilities based on a certain position throughout the entire organization, not based on a particular region. Having all employees equipped with the same competencies makes them more marketable within the organization.