How are you doing on your New Years Resolutions

How are you doing on your New Year’s Resolutions Every year I not only post my New Year’s “Ressaylutions” in January, but also report on my progress in August (well, last year I did my mid-year check-in in September). Why do I do this? Because like most humans, my memory is short. It’s so easy to lose track of the promises I made eight months ago. And I don’t want to find myself in January 2016 in the same place I was a year before. Do you remember your 2015 New Year’s goals? Did you write them down? If so, this is a good time to assess your progress and recommit so you can create new, forward-moving goals for 2016! The Essay Expert’s 2015 “Ressaylutions” and Current Status: Increase college essay / personal statement portion of my business to 25% of business. ?This goal continues to elude me. I have been getting more referrals from resume writers for this type of work, following a presentation I gave last year at the National Resume Writers’ Association conference. And I appeared on Channel 3 TV the morning of July 31 for 3 minutes (an eternity for TV news) talking about college essay topics. I look forward to September through November which are the busiest admissions consulting months of the year! Roll out a new “responsive” (mobile-friendly) website.? Made huge progress on this one! TheEssayExpert.com has launched in its new form and is mobile-friendly! I still have work to do to make the site the way I want it, but I feel like I fulfilled on this promise. Implement Infusionsoft.?This has largely happened. My e-lists have been transferred to Infusionsoft and clients now receive automated messages that ensure we will not lose track of them or their projects! The launch had a number of glitches and we’re still working out the kinks, but I definitely came through on this oneâ€"with MAJOR help from my assistant Jeanne and from Jeremy at WhoKnowsAGuy Media! Serve 250 clients.? Total clients this year is 72, largely due to changes in the number of clients coming to me through my e-book. I am looking at my lead generation strategies and will be working furiously on my website’s SEO in order to generate more leads. Publish a print version of How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile.? This was a huge project, and it’s close to done! The book is formatted and I have a proof which I have now reviewed cover to cover. Once my multitude of edits are complete, we will go to print! I expect the book to help out with Ressaylution #4, increasing my client base at universities and in the Amazon market. Implement a robust referral program. This project has been on hold while I focus on website, Infusionsoft, and print book. I might bump it to 2016! In the meantime, however, people who refer paying clients to The Essay Expert can expect a gift from us! Create more internal systems/guidelines. I have made progress in this area, adding and clarifying items in my agreements with my writers and also revamping some of the terms of service for clients. This is an ongoing project and will never end! I am likely not going to fulfill all my Ressaylutions for 2015, but I’m pretty close on most of them! Checking in on my promises helps me see how much I’ve accomplished and where the gaps are. I wonder what I’ll be creating in 5 months for 2016? How are you doing on your New Year’s Resolutions? Can you reinject energy into completing them? Please share!

Hybrid Car Battery Life and Replacement Costs

It is expensive to replace hybrid batteries—it can cost in the neighborhood of $3,000 for a full hybrid battery replacement. But on the other hand, hybrid batteries have proven themselves to be extremely reliable. And as long as they are not abused and the vehicle charging control system operates effectively, they can be—not unrealistically—expected to last for nearly the life of the vehicle. Manufacturers are providing generous battery warranties (generally about 8-10 years and 80,000 to 100,000 miles), but as with most warranted components, they are designed to last well beyond the coverage period. It would not be unreasonable to expect the life of a battery pack to exceed 150,000 miles. Something to keep in mind: as more hybrids take to the roads, reclaimed batteries from out-of-service (wrecked) cars will become more available at steep discounts.

American Holidays - 11778 Words

American Holidays The following are holidays that we celebrate in the United States: New Years Eve and New Years Day New Years Day is the first day of the year, January 1st. it is a celebration of the old year and the new one to come. People make New Years Resolutions each New Years and promise themselves that they will keep this resolution until next year. New Years Eve is a major social event. Clubs everywhere are packed with party-goers who stay out all night and go nuts at midnight. At midnight it is a tradition to make lots of noise. The traditional New Years Ball is dropped every year in Times Square in New York City at 12 o’clock. This event can be seen all over the world on television. Valentine’s Day Saint†¦show more content†¦They walk from door to door collecting candy. The chant â€Å"trick or treat† is heard throughout the neighborhood. There is really no significance for most people in the US associates with Halloween, other than it is fun dress in costumes, go to parties, play spooky music, and collect candy! Veterans Day Veterans Day used to be called Armistice Day. It is a holiday observed every year in the United States to honor all the men and women who served with the U.S. armed forces during the wars. It is observed either on November 11th or on the fourth Monday of October. Americans display an American Flag outside their homes Banks, offices and school are usually closed. Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated in colonial times in the New England. When the Pilgrims landed their ships at Plymouth Rock in the year 1621, they needed the help of the neighboring Native Americans to learn how to plant crops and grow food. After they had completed their first harvest, the Pilgrims had a feast with the Indians (Native Americans) to celebrate their friendships. This was called â€Å"The First Thanksgiving.† Thanksgiving is still celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November, usually with a feast of turkey, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes and other foods. A favoriteShow MoreRelatedAmerican Holidays1425 Words   |  6 PagesHOLIDAYS AND CUSTOMS American Holidays People in every culture celebrate holidays. Although the word holiday literally means holy day, most American holidays are not religious, but commemorative in nature and origin. Because the nation is blessed with rich ethnic heritage it is possible to trace some of the American holidays to diverse cultural sources and traditions, but all holidays have taken on a distinctively American flavor. In the United States, the word holiday is synonymous with celebrationRead MoreEssay On American Holidays1758 Words   |  8 Pages The History Behind American Holidays Next to your fireplace, bundled up and gathered around a pine tree†¦ Sitting at a table with a big turkey in the middle, and an abundance of food circling it†¦ Little children coming to your house dressed up as their favorite character from a book or a show†¦ Being pinched because you forgot to wear green†¦ Firecrackers shooting into the air†¦ Going on a hunt to find eggs with delicious treats inside†¦Breaking out the champagne to remember what has happened and welcomeRead MoreApollo 11 : An Annual Holiday For Americans1110 Words   |  5 Pageslanding on another atmosphere. I think we should have a national holiday on July sixteenth every year to celebrate the people who contributed to this goal. We should also celebrate all of the technological advancements that were created in this mission. Landing on the moon is a day worth remembering. A few things we use in our life were advancements created in the Apollo 11 mission. Apollo 11 should be an annual holiday for Americans to honor those who contributed. In the beginning going to the moonRead MoreSummer Exam 2016 - Inquiry Research934 Words   |  4 PagesResearch 19 December 2016 EXPOSITORY â€Å"‘Tourists are rejecting the traditional holiday vacations in favour of experiencing different places and activities.’ Why might this be?† Family vacations used to be the go to trip for any given time to travel, but as generations advance the destinations of holiday vacations have evolved alongside society. The mindset of the world today has caused people to reject traditional holiday vacations for new experiences. These new experiences can range anywhere fromRead MoreThe Christmas Holiday From The Federal Calendar852 Words   |  4 PagesOmitting the Christmas Holiday from the Federal Calendar The establishment of a legal holiday is best defined as a day where there are no courts, labor, and is a day of joy and rest. While there should be a separation of church and state, Christmas is considered a legal holiday and one needs to question the validity of establishing this day as a legal holiday when one looks at the concept of separation of church and state and considering the diversity we face in today’s modern society. ChristmasRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Moreton Island1210 Words   |  5 PagesA Holiday Heaven Right Here In Australia: Making Moreton Island Your Next Vacation Stop There aren t a lot of down-to-Earth, but still extraordinary places to visit on holiday anymore. You ve either got opulent and expensive extravagance or you can rough it on economy. In Australia, though, you get the best of both worlds: Kicking back and enjoying yourself, while surrounded by exotic sights and extraordinary experiences. You simply have to make Moreton Island your next holiday stop, here s whyRead MoreResearch Employment Laws Is A Tough One1535 Words   |  7 Pagesmilitary personnel, I was able to go on post (or base) to get necessary shopping done as well since American posts/bases were run by American law. Germany has a law in place that dictates the amount of hours per day/week/year that a person can work and this law is the Working Time Act (WTA). According to Jung (2001), â€Å"the legal working time is 8 hours per day, except for Sundays and statutory holidays, which are seen as a resting period. The weekly working time is 48 hours, but in many cases it isR ead MoreIndependence Day Or The Fourth Of September1499 Words   |  6 Pages Independence day or the fourth of July is the one of the greatest holidays celebrated here in the United States. Just like each of us has our own favorite holidays, Independence’s day might be considered to be a favorite holiday for some of us in the country. The reason that we love holidays so much is that we get to celebrate them while we spend a good time with our family and friends at the same time. Holiday seasons are time of gatherings of each of our families and friends from all over theRead MoreBritish Literature : Holiday Shopping Madness Essay2170 Words   |  9 PagesMax Sawyer 4 December 2016 British Literature Period 1 Holiday Shopping Madness Christmas lights, inflatable snowmen, reindeer with red noses, fake snowflakes, and decorated coffee cups, it must be the winter holidays and the new year! But wait, Halloween was just days ago. How have haunted houses turned to gingerbread so fast, and what happened to Thanksgiving? Holiday decorations, especially those pertaining to Christmas go up so fast in stores and in neighborhoods sometimes as soon as a coupleRead MoreGenerations Research Paper1902 Words   |  8 Pagesentering the workforce, employers are forced to be more creative in their recruiting methods in order to meet the different priorities and expectations of the new generation. Since the 2008 financial crisis, one of the biggest issues to plague the American workforce has been work-life balance (Taylor, 2016). While salaries and minimum wages have experienced an upward trend, the cost of living has risen exponentially. In fact, reports have shown that millenials entering the workforce are working longer

Political Risk International Business Free Essays

string(31) " cause of such economic risks\." POLITICAL RISK IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS The term business normally refers to the act of doing any transactions that ends up in earning or losing money. The act that is ending up in financial implications is called business. This business can be considered as a result of collective commercial transactions of all types involving government, private, corporate, individual or a group of individual, and so on. We will write a custom essay sample on Political Risk International Business or any similar topic only for you Order Now Anyone involve in the business usually undertakes such operations only for the purpose of making profit, and only in the case of government involved business, there will be some other reason than profit making which could be political, economical, etc. International business is recognized and / or defined as the business that is done across two or more country borders. International business involves selling, buying, making investment, transporting goods, logistical activities, etc between two or more countries. The companies that are doing business worldwide are called multinational companies (MNCs). These companies are normally formed and incorporated in one country and then create their operations in various countries, and will have access to all the markets wherever they do trading. These companies are having different strategies and different approaches for different country operations due to many factors such as culture, interest, etc of the people in those countries. To mentions some examples, McDonalds, Sony, Shell, General Motors, Toyota, etc. The very basic purpose of doing business is only to make money, predominantly, although there are businesses which are not mean for money or profit. Hence for the international business also, the basic purpose will be only profit making. However, there are some additional purposes for the international business, since the effort involved in the establishing the international business is more and complicated than just doing a domestic business. Some of the purposes of international business are discussed hereunder. New Opportunities: While the corporations are extending their operations to the international market, the opportunities for them to develop their business and increased sales / revenue are more. Since the international business brings new products and new services to the country, there will be a good opportunity for finding new customers, and making a good volume of sales among the customers. Also, based on the geographical conditions, climatic conditions, available resources, etc there will be more opportunities for the MNCs to develop their business in terms of infrastructure, product lines, etc. Low Cost: This is an advantageous purpose for the MNCs to have their operations in various countries. In countries like China, India, the human resources will be available in large number and hence the cost of labour becomes comparatively cheaper with the countries of origin of those MNCs. Hence the companies start their operations in those countries and reduce their cost of production lesser and lesser. Those products that are produced from there can be transferred to the other country’s operations of the same MNC. Hence over all the company’s cost of production is slashed to a very minimum amount. For example, many Sony opened their operations in China, and most of the Sony products available in any of the country come from the manufacturing units of Sony in China. This way Sony capitalizes the international business concept. Resources: Resources are one of the major assets for any organization. Business while going international, get opportunities to improve the standard of the resources, many times at a cheaper cost. While the business is international, the organization will have access to various types of resources from various countries. This is an added advantage to the company in developing their knowledge, and work force. Hence cross country knowledge is acquired by the organization, and hence the knowledge repository of the organization grows and hence to get more benefit from the resources. Just like the way the international business provides lots of benefits, there are lots of risks associated with the international business, which are discussed hereunder. Strategic Risk: Many of the international companies try to implement many of heir business strategy across all their branches in all the countries; however, due to many changes that exist between the countries wherein the operations are undertaken, many times the strategies will not work. For example, a strategy designed for the summer seasons in one country may not work in another country, since there could be a different season at that time, and vice versa. Hence strategy management is a potential risk in international management. Operation Risk: Internati onal business operations are happening across the globe. The practical situation in one country and the situation in another country will never be the same. Mode of transport, maintenance of machinery, supply and demand of products required for production, logistic and inventory issues, etc will be on a regular basis and will create problem for a smooth production processes. Major cause of this operational risk will be the capital market variances between the countries and assets that are involved in the operational activities. Technological Risk: International business is highly dependent on the technology especially in terms of communication and transaction. There is always a big risk in the security part of the electronic transactions and hence that creates a major risk for the international business. Cost of newer technologies, redundancy of the old technology and the locked cost in such investments, etc are the major risks due to technology. Environmental Risk: While the environment, such as air, pollution, water, etc of the country wherein the operation is happening is affecting the people and creating an environmental issue, which affects the reputation of the corporation functioning there as well. The corporation also socially becomes responsible for such devastation of the environment. Economic Risk: This is anyway not in the hand of the business. If the country in which the business operation of the MNC is happening is not able to control the economic problems, which will eventually impact the MNC as well. Exchange rate, monitory policy, etc are the cause of such economic risks. You read "Political Risk International Business" in category "Essay examples" Financial Risk: Currency rates and inflation rates are major cause of this type of risks. The financial situation of the country becomes instable, and that hits the organization badly. While the government does not have strict rules in areas such as transferring investment funds to other countries, the economic financial conditions become worse. However, the Political risks in the area of international business are large and are highly considerable more than other risks. Since international business is happening in different countries, the business is facing directions and regulations from various political governments. Any changes that are happening in the political situations will have an impact on the way the business is running the country. The leader of the country or the political person in the country will be responsible for such impact of risk; however, the organization will have a lesser say in such situations. The possibility of international business risks is always high. The very moment the business goes abroad, the government to which the business is subjected to will change. Hence irrespective of the amount of impact, there will be surely impact on the business from the political side. The government issues related to the overall country-wide policies, changes in the higher officials such as ministers, or other such positions will directly impact the business. The impacts of the risks are varied from soft to extreme. Terrorism, war, etc are extreme risks, while change of president or prime minister, or different political parties coming into power, etc is moderate risks. However, it is easy to understand and accept that any of this risk will surely be in existence in any given country and hence that will affect the business organization which is doing an international business in that country. The political risks can be classified into micro risks and macro risks. Micro political risks are very common to the country in which it is happening, and will affect the entire company’s existence in the company or something of that magnitude. For example if there is a political instable relationship between two countries, then there will be a risk of closing down the business of the organizations in one country who base location is the other country. On the other hand macro level political risks are something that is affecting all the international business in host country in which the political changes are happening. For example, if there is a political emergency in the county all the international business would come to cease. Such emergency may also work against the foreign direct investment from all the countries, which is again nullifying the international business in the host country. For any risks that are faced in the business, multiple solutions are available. In the context of political risks related to international business, the general strategy the MNCs normally follow is to do a political risk analysis on the country in which the MNC is going to start its operation. If the international business is just about making a foreign investment, before the investment is made a good and detailed risk analysis or research is advisable. There are many independent consultants who do such risk analysis and researches on potential countries. Such reports can be purchased by these MNCs or they can form their own team in making such analysis. MNCs can also adopt some risky strategy which has to be calculative. At times, while investing in a country which is proven for political risk, the MNC can see a better and attractive return from the investment. Hence the strategy needs amendment based on the negotiation with the host government for further compensations and at the same time providing some reasonable benefits for the country resources, such as man power, and other structural facilities. Such MNCs are establishing their operations in those countries and help the country to develop their economy and increase the standard of living there. Another strategy normally tried by the MNCs are involving into the business in the risk prone countries and also make considerable investments in the political risk insurances. By doing so, the possible losses the MNC may face can be compensated by the insurance, if happen so. However, such investments in the international business are made only when the corporation foresees a good and attractive return from those host countries. Interestingly investment in political insurance may also amount to risks, since the insurance claim may not be obtained as it is promised to be. Based on the available option, the recommendation could be to do a good and through research on the political situation of the country wherein the MNC is going to commence its business. While the MNC is hoping to have a wide range of investments in many countries, it is advisable to have a separate department in the company which is looking after such risks, either doing their independent research or having assistance from the well know consultants in the market. Business earns profit in the form of money; however, it also exposed to many risks. There are risks related to the internal environmental factors, as well as external environmental factors. External factors are not in the control of the business organization, and hence handling becomes difficult. When the business goes abroad and become an international business, then the exposure to various external environmental factors increases, while the possible benefits also increases. Political risk is one of the major risks associated with international business, which is the main concern of the MNCs going abroad. MNCs are forced to face both micro and macro political risks. However, since the political risks are a well known factor, there are many research conducted across the world about most of the countries. Hence the MNCs are also having sufficient information to take a decision on the available options and plan their strategy towards opening up their business abroad. In many countries, international business works and give and take policy, where the MNC benefited financially while the hose country is benefited in terms of economy, life standards, and knowledge sharing. References * Alan M. Rugman, Simon Collinson. 2008. International Business. London: Prentice Hall * Oded Shenkar, Yadong Luo. 2008. International Business. Chicago: Sage Publicaitons * Daniels, J. , Radebaugh, L. , Sullivan, D. (2007). International Business: environment and operations, 11th edition. Prentice Hall. * Joshi, Rakesh Mohan, (2009) International Business, Oxford University Press * Travis, T. (2007). Doing Business Anywhere: The Essential Guide to Going Global. Hoboken: John WileySons. How to cite Political Risk International Business, Essay examples

THE BASICS PARTS Essay Example For Students

THE BASICS PARTS Essay An organization it is composed by an operating core and an administrative component made up by managers (strategic apex and middle line) and analysts (deconstructed? and staff), partially responsible for their work. The strategic apex is composed by people having overall responsibility for the organization; they have the widest perspective of the organization. In Nikkei, the Board, Vichy is elected by shareholders, is the ultimate decision- making body of the Company, excluding to those issues reserved to the shareholders. The Board is also in charged for reviewing and establishing procedures in relation to ensure that the Company management and employees Who work in a legal and ethically responsible way. Recently, the Board has had be,even 10 to 14 directors, this size allows diversity of experience Without slowing individual accountability and effective discussion. In relation to the operating core which is composed by the people doing the key work, in Nikkei there are more than 800,000 employees in 46 countries all around the world. This workforce is at the same time distributed in the approximately 00 contract factories where the 3 brands principal products (footwear, apparel and equipment) are fabricated. The middle line is composed by the people who occupy the managerial post, in the firm we are analyzing this is formed by the USBI (Sustainable Business and Innovation), this team is made up of about 130 people who work closely with dedicated sustainability specialists who are integrated into other parts of the organization, such as retail, logistics and information technology. Its focal point is to permit IN EKE, Inc. o prosper in an efficient economy they do this through a atria structure, with defined priorities for each team. The USB function reports to the vice president of Sustainable Business and Innovation, who reports directly to the NIKKEI, Inc. CEO and to the Corporate Responsibility Committee of the Board Of Directors. The deconstructive.

The Polio Vaccine free essay sample

The Polio epidemic happened, each of the 48 states at the time had rampant cases of Polio. The un-curable disease had taken over America. Poliomyelitis is an infectious viral disease that attacks the nerve cells and sometimes the central nervous system; it is caused by the destruction of nerve cells in the spinal cord. Polio often causes muscle wasting, paralysis, and even death. 1 In surveys of what Americans feared most, Polio came in second to the Atomic Bomb. Children were the main target of Polio and until Dr. Jonas Salk’s Polio Vaccine that became available in 1952, there was no cure for the disease Polio was often called infantile paralysis because the majority of the infected were elementary school children. â€Å"It must have been profoundly difficult in that first quarter-century of polio. How helpless parents must have felt to know that there was this killer that could come each summer, and that nothing they could do could safeguard their children. We will write a custom essay sample on The Polio Vaccine or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Every sniffle, every cold, every muscle cramp, every temper tantrum that a child exhibited in the long, hot days of summer and early autumn were potential symptoms of polio. How long could a family show good spirits in front of a child confined to an iron lung, or later, during the two or more years a child might spend in rehabilitative therapy. † This quote is really significant in the fear that polio had over people. Every parent had no way to defend their kids from the disease. Sending children to school was extremely difficult because many schools were shut down from massive outbreaks of polio. Not only schools but also every other public place; restaurants, grocery store, movie theaters, etc. No one would leave the comfort of their own home, and even then they weren’t safe from Polio, they were just safer there than anywhere else. 2 A very notable case of Polio was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Even though it was children who were especially vulnerable, Adults could catch the disease as well. In 1921, FDR had contracted Polio and he became paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Later on in 1937, Roosevelt advocated for The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. Roosevelt’s foundation established The March of Dimes that helped to fund money to find a cure and resist the disease. March of Dimes was really successful in raising money to help fight against the disease. 3 Polio quickly moved from city to city taking no pity on any of its victims. The disease got stronger among the nation. It became surreal-like as demonstrated by this quote by Richard Aldrich M. D. , â€Å"The first summer when I was home in Minnesota was that gosh-awful polio epidemic they had there. We admitted 464 proven cases of polio just at the University Hospital, which is unbelievable. And this was a very severe paralytic form. Maybe two or three hours after a lot of these kids would come in with a stiff neck or a fever, theyd be dead. It was unbelievable. It was just loads of people that came in, sometimes with only a fever but usually a headache and a little stiffness in the neck. And just absolutely terrified. At the height of the epidemic, the people in Minneapolis were so frightened that there was nobody in the restaurants. There was practically no traffic, the stores were empty. It just was considered a feat of bravado almost to go out and mingle in public. A lot of people just took up and moved away, went to another city. †4 What really frustrated people is that there really wasn’t anything they could do. As previously stated, Hospitals were pass there limit of people that could be emitted into the hospital. They couldn’t just turn them away, so they took in everyone who came through the door. This was problematic because the Doctor-Patient ratio was very unbalanced. Not everyone was able to get attention right away and within a couple hours, the disease completely overtook them and they were dead. Every year more and more cases of paralytic polio were occurring. In 1933 there were only 5000 cases and ten years later in 1943, the number of cases was more than double with 12,000 cases. In 1950 there was 33,000 cases. Polio seemed to be moving north to east. Polio shifted from the eastern side of North America and began making its way across the entire United States. Then in 1952 the Polio Epidemic occurred with 59,000 proven cases of paralytic polio. 5 By then, polio epidemics were second only to the atomic bomb in surveys of what Americans feared most. Bomb and virus alike were terrible agents of destruction that might arrive at any moment to devastate a family, a community, or an entire nation. The disease seemed like an omnipresent threat, and its cure became a national responsibility. Epidemics struck other countries, but never as heavily as here. America was the center of polio, and the place where people knew they must work first, and fastest, to end it. They gave their time and money to help the growing swell of victims and to find a way to stem the rising tide of injury. When the call came, they even volunteered their children, millions of them, to test a new vaccine. The fear that had once driven Americans apart was now the force that pulled them together. This quote defines the 1952 Polio Epidemic and the strong fear that Americans had. The worst hit areas to date were Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Nebraska, and the worst were in New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusets. 7 The Most significant figure during this time was Dr. Jonas Salk. Jonas Salk was born October 28, 1914 in New York City. He was the eldest son of Russian immigrant parents. His parents, like many immigrants of the time, were uneducated, but determined that their sons should have formal educations and achieve American success. Salk attended Townsend Harris High School, one of the finest public high schools in New York. He became the first member of his family to go to college. As a medical student and later a researcher at the University of Michigan, Salk studied viruses, such as influenza, and ways to vaccinate against them. In 1947, Salk became head of the Virus Research Lab at the University of Pittsburgh. He began investigating the polio virus. 8 On July 2, 1952, Salk tried a refined vaccine on children whod already had polio and recovered. After the vaccination, their antibodies increased. He then tried it on volunteers who had not had polio, including himself, his wife, and their children. The volunteers all produced antibodies, and none received polio. One of the newest and most hopeful weapons in the fight against polio is a blood fraction called gamma globulin. It is a rich storehouse of the disease fighting antibodies. Also, injections of this would reduce measles in children. There has been evidence that gamma globulin could also destroy polio before it reaches the nervous system, disrupting its paralyzing effects. 6 In 1953, Salk reported his findings in The Journal of the American Medical Association. A nationwide testing of the vaccine was launched in April 1954 with the mass inoculation of school children. Before the polio vaccine, 13,000 to 20,000 people were paralyzed by polio. About 1,000 people died from it each year in the United States alone. The results of Salk’s vaccine were a 60 -70 percent prevention of Polio. The public was ecstatic with Salk’s marvelous creation. It was the gift that the American Public waited for years and years to get. Because of the Vaccine, Many universities awarded Salk honorary degrees, he was given a Congressional Gold Medal, and France made him a member of the Legion of Honor. â€Å"Fifty years ago, on April 12, 1955, the world heard one of the most eagerly anticipated announcements in medical history: Dr. Jonas Salks polio vaccine worked. The vaccine turned a disease that once horrified America into a memory. † There was one incident that took place with Salk’s vaccine that put American’s hope in the dumpsters. About 200 cases of the disease were caused by Salk’s vaccine and 11 people died. All testing was halted because the American people didn’t feel safe anymore. Investigators found that the disease-causing vaccine all came from one poorly made batch at one drug-company. This resulted in higher production standards that were adopted and vaccinations resumed. By August of 1955 four million vaccinations were given and the impact was dramatic. In 1955, there were 28,985 cases of polio. In 1956, there were 14,647 cases. In 1957, there were 5,894 cases. The number of cases kept declining with the number of vaccinations given, and by 1959, 90 other countries used Salks vaccine. Although the last known case of polio in the Western hemisphere was reported in 1991 and there has not been a case in Western Asia since 1997, polio is still rampant in South Asia, West Africa, and Central Africa. Approximately 5,000 cases are diagnosed each year. Although that represents a 90% decrease in just the last ten years.

The Hindenburg Disaster

The Hindenburg Disaster The Hindenburg marked the beginning and the end of transatlantic airships. This 804-foot dirigible filled with over 7 million cubic feet of hydrogen was a crowning achievement of its age. Never before or since has a larger aircraft taken flight. However, the explosion of the Hindenburg changed the landscape for lighter-than-air crafts forever. The Hindenburg is Engulfed in Flames   On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg carrying 61 crew and 36 passengers arrived hours behind schedule at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey. Inclement weather forced this delay. Buffeted by winds and rain, the craft hovered in the area by most accounts for about an hour. The presence of lightning storms were recorded. The landing of the Hindenburg with these types of conditions was against regulations. However, by the time the Hindenburg began its landing, the weather was clearing up. The Hindenburg seems to have been traveling at a fairly fast speed for its landing and for some reason, the Captain attempted a high landing, being winched to the ground from a height of about 200 feet. Soon after the mooring lines were set, some eyewitnesses reported a blue glow on top of the Hindenburg followed by a flame towards the tail section of the craft. The flame was almost simultaneously succeeded by an explosion that quickly engulfed the craft causing it to crash into the ground killing 36 p eople. Spectators watched in horror as passengers and crew were burned alive or jumped to their deaths. As Herb Morrison announced for the radio, Its burst into flames.... Get out of the way, please, oh my, this is terrible...Oh, the humanity and all the passengers. The day after this horrible tragedy occurred, the papers started speculating about the cause of the disaster. Up until this incident, the German Zeppelins had been safe and highly successful. Many theories were talked about and investigated: sabotage, mechanical failure, hydrogen explosions, lightning or even the possibility that it was shot from the sky. On the next page, discover the major theories of what happened on this fateful day in May.   The Commerce Department and the Navy led the investigations into the Hindenburg disaster. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation also looked into the matter even though it technically had no jurisdiction. President FDR had asked all governmental agencies to cooperate in the investigation. The FBI files released about the incident through the Freedom of Information Act are available online. You must download Adobe Acrobat to read the files. Theories of Sabotage The theories of sabotage began to surface immediately. People believed that maybe the Hindenburg had been sabotaged to harm Hitlers Nazi regime. The sabotage theories centered on a bomb of some sort being placed aboard the Hindenburg and later detonated or some other sort of sabotage performed by someone on board. Commander Rosendahl of the Department of Commerce believed that sabotage was the culprit. (See p. 98 of Part I of the FBI documents.) According to a Memorandum to the Director of the FBI dated May 11, 1937, when Captain Anton Wittemann, the third in command of the Hindenburg, was questioned after the tragedy he said that Captain Max Pruss, Captain Ernst Lehmann and he had been warned of a possible incident. He was told by the FBI Special Agents not to speak of the warning to anyone. (See p. 80 of Part I of the FBI documents.) There is no indication that his claims were ever looked into, and no other evidence arose to support the idea of sabotage. Possible Mechanical Failure Some people pointed to a possible mechanical failure. Many of the ground crew later interviewed in the investigation indicated that the Hindenburg was coming in too fast. They believed that the airship was thrown into a full reverse to slow the craft. (See p. 43 of Part I of the FBI documents.) The speculation arose that this may have caused a mechanical failure which sparked a fire causing the hydrogen to explode. This theory is supported by the fire at the tail section of the craft but not much else. The Zeppelins had a great track record, and there is little other evidence to support this speculation. Was It Shot From the Sky?   The next theory, and probably the most outlandish, involves the dirigible being shot from the sky. The investigation focused on reports of a pair of tracks found near the back of the airfield in a restricted area. However, there were numerous people on hand to watch the amazing event of the Hindenburg landing so these footprints could have been made by anyone. In fact, the Navy had caught a couple of boys who had sneaked into the airfield from that direction. There were also reports of farmers shooting at other dirigibles because they passed over their farms. Some people even claimed that joy seekers shot down the Hindenburg. (See p. 80 of Part I of the FBI documents.) Most people dismissed these accusations as nonsense, and the formal investigation never substantiated the theory that the Hindenburg was shot from the sky. Hydrogen and the Hindenburg Explosion The theory that gained the most popularity and became the most widely accepted involved the hydrogen on the Hindenburg. Hydrogen is a highly flammable gas, and most people believed that something caused the hydrogen to spark, thus causing the explosion and fire. At the beginning of the investigation, the idea arose that the drop lines carried static electricity back up to the airship which caused the explosion. However, the chief of the ground crew denied this claim by the fact that the mooring lines were not conductors of static electricity. (See p. 39 of Part I of the FBI documents.) More credible was the idea that the blue arc seen at the tail of the airship just before it burst into flames was lightning and caused the detonation of the hydrogen. This theory was substantiated by the presence of the lightning storms reported in the area. The hydrogen explosion theory became accepted as the reason for the explosion and led to the end of commercial lighter-than-air flight and the stalling of hydrogen as a reliable fuel. Many people pointed to the flammability of the hydrogen and questioned why helium was not used in the craft. It is interesting to note that a similar event happened to a helium dirigible the year before. So what really caused the end of the Hindenburg? Addison Bain, a retired NASA engineer and hydrogen expert, believes he has the correct answer. He states that while hydrogen might have contributed to the fire, it was not the culprit. To prove this, he points to several pieces of evidence: The Hindenburg did not explode but burned in numerous directions.The airship remained afloat for several seconds after the fire began. Some people report it did not crash for 32 seconds.Fabric pieces fell to the ground on fire.The fire was not characteristic of a hydrogen fire. In fact, hydrogen makes no visible flames.There were no reported leaks; the hydrogen was laced with garlic to give off an odor for easy detection. After years of exhaustive traveling and research, Bain uncovered what he believes is the answer to the Hindenburg mystery. His research shows that the Hindenburgs skin was covered with the extremely flammable cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate, added to help with rigidity and aerodynamics. The skin was also coated with flecks of aluminum, a component of rocket fuel, to reflect sunlight and keep the hydrogen from heating and expanding. It had the further benefit of combating wear and tear from the elements. Bain claims these substances, although necessary at the time of construction, directly led to the disaster of the Hindenburg. The substances caught fire from an electric spark that caused the skin to burn. At this point, the hydrogen became the fuel to the already existing fire. Therefore, the real culprit was the skin of the dirigible. The ironic point to this story is that the German Zeppelin makers knew this back in 1937. A handwritten letter in the Zeppelin Archive states, The actual cause of the fire was the extreme easy flammability of the covering material brought about by discharges of an electrostatic nature.