Interior lighting Essay Example for Free

Interior lighting Essay Interior lighting not only illuminates dark rooms, creating mood and atmosphere, it emphasizes areas of importance and highlights prized possessions. But selecting the best interior lighting for both practical illumination and as a powerful decorating tool isn’t automatic. You need to develop a lighting plan for each room that serves your lifestyle and complements your personal decorating style (Young). Luminance and Chrominance It is easier to take advantage of these effects when the interior is described in terms of luminance and chrominance. Luminance is closely related to the perception of brightness, whereas chrominance is related to the perception of color hue and saturation. By definition, luminance is proportional to the light energy emitted per unit projected area of source, but the energy in each band of wavelengths of the input is scaled by the corresponding sensitivity of the eye in that band. Therefore, luminance is a measure of the physical energy of the light source reaching the eye, but the incident energy is weighted according to the spectral sensitivity of the eye (Tregenza and Loe). Color The color of an object or surface is determined by its reflected or transmitted light. Color is not a physical property of the things we see – it is the consequence of light waves bouncing off or passing through various objects. What is perceived as color is the result of materials reflecting or transmitting energy in particular regions of the visible spectrum. A light source that emits radiant energy comparatively balanced in all visible wavelengths appears â€Å"white† in color. Passing a narrow beam of the white light through a prism separates and spreads the individual wavelengths, allowing the eye to distinguish among them. The resulting visual phenomenon is called color spectrum. â€Å"White† light sources emit energy at all or almost all visible wavelengths, but not always in an ideal proportion. Almost all sources are deficient at some wavelengths yet still appear to be white. This deficiency influences the perception of colors; the effect is known as color rendition. It causes the graying of some colors while enhancing the vividness of others (Gordon). Daylight A principal characteristic of daylight is its variability. The color of daylight changes with the time of day, the cleanliness of the atmosphere, and the inter reflection of surrounding objects. The intensity of the sun changes with the time of the day, the time of year, and the latitude of the site. The luminance of the sky depends on whether the light is coming from an overcast sky, from a clear sky only, or from a clear sky and direct sunlight. Daylight has two components: sunlight and skylight. Sunlight is the directional beam emitted by the sun; skylight is the diffuse reflection of light from particles in the atmosphere (Gordon). Incandescent Lamps The incandescent lamp depends on passing an electric current through a wire to such an extent that it glows white hot. Tungsten wire is now used, but early lamps used carbon filaments; it is necessary to have a material with a high melting point so that it emits light for reasonable length of time without breaking. The tungsten wire is usually coiled and coiled again to produce a fine filament. This is supported on two wires, which connect it to the electricity supply. The bulb usually contains an inert gas to stop the filament oxidizing; sometimes a vacuum is used. But gradually, as the lamp operates, tungsten evaporates from the filament and is deposited on the inside of the bulb. The filament becomes thinner and eventually breaks. An inert gas filling retards this process and ensures a reasonable lamp life, typically about 1000 hours. The actual life varies within a batch of lamps, and although a mean value can be quoted this may not be helpful. Lamp manufacturers often give the life as the point when they expect a particular percentage of lamps to have failed (Tregenza and Loe). Discharge Lamps – The Glowing Gas Light can be produced by an electric discharge in a gas-filled transparent tube. The discharge is started by applying a high voltage across electrodes at each end. This ionizes the gas filling, enabling an increasing current to flow, and resulting in further ionization. The radiation produced depends in the materials in the tube ad the as pressure. Its spectrum is discontinuous, and comprises bands of radiation at specific wavelengths. Phosphor coatings in the inside wall of the tube may be used to absorb some of the radiation and re-emit it at different wavelengths – especially to convert ultraviolet radiation to energy in the visible range. With all discharge lamps additional equipment is required in the electrical circuit. This produces an initial high voltage to start the discharge, then limits the current during operation and controls the power factor. The power factor depends on the relationship between voltage and current in an ac circuit and affects the efficiency of the equipment. The combined efficacy of the lamp and its control circuit determine the energy efficiency (Tregenza and Loe). The fluorescent lamp is the most versatile package of light available in today’s market. Ranging in light output from 115 lumens to 16,500 lumens in standard sizes, they are available in 40 different wattages and numerous circuit types. Fluorescent lamps are known as gaseous discharge lamps; they produce light by discharging an electric arc through a tube filled with low-pressure gas which contains mercury atoms. Some of the electrons in the arc collide with electrons in the mercury atoms. When collisions occur the mercury electrons are knocked out of orbit and, because they have absorbed energy as a result of the collision, jump to a higher energy level. They return to their normal orbit almost immediately and, in the process, give up the energy which was absorbed (Lindsey).

Rwanda Report :: essays research papers

Rwanda Report Rwanda is an African country in East Central Africa. Rwanda is just a very little degrees below the Equator which is not too shabby in my mind. Below the Equator would be in the south and so it is actually in south central. Get it South Central (get it)HA!HA! In Rwanda there are about seven hundred and ten per square which in my mind a whole lot of people I don't think even San Bernardino has that many but what do I know. Rwanda is twenty six thousand three hundred and eighty eight miles squared which in my mind is tiny but I'll say again what do I knows. So to figure out what the exact population of this measly little country you must multiply seven hundred and ten by twenty six thousand three hundred and eighty eight and you get a whole lot but when I looked in the book it said seven million two hundred twenty two thousand people. This enormous number doesn't look right but I am too lazy too get up and get a calculator too check so I'll take their word of it. The capital city in Rwanda is Kigali which is also the biggest city in Rwanda I can't find how big it is but it must be bigger than twenty miles square and under twenty six thousand three hundred and thirty eight square miles. The official name of Rwanda is called The Republic Of Rwanda. Rwanda is also landlocked which doesn't help much either. Since it is landlocked I will tell you which countries it is surrounded by on the north it is by Ughanda, on the east by Tanzanian the south by Burundi and finally on the west it is next to Zaire. Rwanda is one of the poorest countries in the world and it is one of the most densely populated country in the world. One of the reasons for Rwanda being in such a bad state of poverty is that there was a Civil war between the Hutu and the Tutsi which fought for stupid reasons. Well at least I think that they are stupid reasons but to them it was probably some serious stuff that they don't take very lightly. The Hutu are very short people that make up about ninety two percent of the population. The Hutu are not pygmies but they are very short people that are about three feet tall a piece which is about two feet shorter than I am and now that is pretty short in my mind.

Importance of Employee Retention During a Recession

Importance of Employee Retention During a Recession Introduction During a recession companies have to constantly protect and plan for financial attacks from increased expenses, decreased sales as well as customer and especially employee retention. Management must realize that their employees are suffering just as their businesses are with increased expenses and costs for everyday items. All parties must work cohesively to transition through a down economy. Employers must be aware that their employees will be looking for other employment if the company is not providing the tools time and training in order for them to perform their jobs well.This is especially important during recessionary times when the focus needs to be on customer and employee retention. Numerous studies have found and experts agree that â€Å"company culture† is the leading factor in employee satisfaction and retention. Companies must embrace the importance of employee retention through the implementation of various retention practices so that they will be better prepared to continue to grow and be successful even through recessionary times.Companies that grasp that concept and incorporate an environment where employees feel empowered, motivated and engaged will result in greater productivity and teamwork and therefore greater customer loyalty. Company Culture Company culture and in several instances lack of a positive company culture appears to be the leading factor in the retention ratio of employees remaining versus voluntarily leaving a company. The culture of a company is defined by many different aspects. Organizations that focus on employee retention and management programs have found some surprising indications.Employee retention has been a challenge for all companies big and small and across industry lines. Many have researched and studied the reasons why some companies have better retention rates than others similar. Many experts agree that a basic foundation of proven retent ion and management skills being implemented and used effectively will result in a higher retention rate. The consensus of decades of research has found that â€Å"high retention has little to do with formal programs and everything to do with culture† (Duggan, 2010).Companies that aim to make sure theirs is a company that values its most valuable asset, its employees. Years of analysis on employee retention and human resource directives have shown that an environment where employees are valued assets and treated as such as well as one where talent has been developed with the proper tools, time and training show higher retention levels over time in any economic environment. â€Å"Among those who strongly agreed that they work for a manager who cares about their well-being, 94 percent said they intend to stay with their current employer.Of those who strongly disagreed that their manager cared about their well-being, just 43 percent planned to stick around† (Ryan, 2010). A well known gem known among informed and effective management is that employees do not leave companies they leave bad managers. With this knowledge companies should be able to make sure their focus and goal should be to ensure that their company and its management is effective, dependable and respected leaders. This focus in the long run will ensure there is a positive company culture that will allow them to maintain their most valued asset.Importance of Solid Human Resource Practices The human resource department should take the lead when implementing policies, disciplining employees and layoffs or terminations within a company and especially during a down economy. The human resource department can ensure that policies are implemented smoothly and within legal guidelines. They are there to ensure that company policies and procedures are communicated effectively. â€Å"HR must take the lead in workforce management, including, when necessary, conducting layoffs or terminations of em ployees in a systematic, ogical and effective manner â€Å"(Lieber, Spring 2009). Companies are finding that by developing their current pool of employees they will be better able to weather any market trends whether up or down. Employers should focus on making sure that employees receive regular feedback from their managers. Informal weekly meetings are a great start to fostering positive relationships between managers and their staff. Studies have found that consistent communication helps to ensure that employees are comfortable with positive and not so positive criticism.Communications and how effective companies are at communicating new policies and procedures help to foster a level of trust and openness within the entire company. An environment where employees are encouraged to voice their concerns and receive proper feedback ensures that employees are engaged in their positions and in the success of the company. Any positive, proactive measure implemented by human resources, as long as done with honesty, will help to engage employees and contribute to a positive company culture. Misconceptions of Employee RetentionEmployee retention is one of the most important factors in any companies’ success. Along with its importance come several misconceptions as well as adverse effects as a result of them. The majority of employers believe that employees would never consider leaving their jobs during a recession. In fact, a survey conducted by Salary. com showed that 65% of employees admit to passively or actively looking for a new job already (Throckmorton, n. d. ). Experts are in agreement that many times companies focus on retaining their high level executives during difficult times.An article in the Mckinsey Quarterly emphasizes that companies should instead turn their focus on retaining the â€Å"key employees† (Cosack, Guthridge, Lawson, 2010). Key employees are defined as ones that are normal performers and are critical to the company’s success overall. Key employees are not necessarily the high level executives; they are normal performing employees that are critical to the overall success of the company (Cosack, Guthridge, Lawson, 2010). Collectively the departments support the entire company and share in the company’s success.Employers tend to believe that employees are also less engaged in their positions during a down economy because they believe that employees have fewer employment options. This is another misconception. In a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership and Booz Allen Hamilton found that employees are more engaged in their positions during a recession. Conclusion As one can conclude maintaining a high and effective retention rate is a challenge for most companies no matter the condition of the economy.Companies that are serious about their success will always value their most important asset, their employees. Successful companies will have embraced the challenges and will enga ge their employees. Companies with effective and ethical leaders will be laying the foundation for long-term success of the company in a any economic environment.References Duggan,  M. (2010,  August). Best practices: Retention. Drug Topics,  154(8),  21. Retrieved October 31, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:  2137959661). Lieber, L. (2009). How to manage terminations and layoffs in a recession. Employment Relations Today (Wiley), 36(1), 95-102. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Cosack, S. , Guthridge, M. , & Lawson, E. (2010). Retaining key employees in times of change. McKinsey Quarterly, (3), 135-139. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Throckman, R. (n. d. ). Are You Worrying about Retention During the Recession? You Better Be! Retrieved from http://www. strategichrinc. com/articles/rentention-recession. htm. Ryan, J. (2010). Keeping Employees Happy in a Post-Recession World. BusinessWeek. com, 5. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Intelligence Briefing issue paper for Senior Official Free Essay Example, 2750 words

NATIONAL SECURITY v. CIVIL LIBERTIES: An Issue Paper on the Use of Global Positioning System Technology to track down Terrorists Contents Executive Summary 1 I. The doctrine of â€Å"fruit of the forbidden tree†: or why it is against the interests of the law enforcement community to flout the Constitution 2 II. â€Å"Bird Dog† case: jurisprudential antecedents of GPS technology and the Constitution 4 III. Reasonable expectation of privacy and the case of United States v. Jones 6 IV. Duration 9 V. Recommendations 10 Executive Summary The expedient needs of law and order have often come into conflict with the rights of the accused to due process. Whilst the Constitution is replete with guarantees to ensure a fair trial for those charged with the commission of criminal offenses, it cannot be discounted that there is an equal need to ensure that the requirements of law enforcement are adequately met. Currently, there are interesting trends in technology that would greatly help the law enforcement community. Researchers at Sonoma Valley Electronics, Inc. , a private research and development firm, have developed a technology that allows for the geo-positioning of cell phones independently of the telecommunications network. The technology permits a remote antenna to pick up the very low power signals from the cell phone. We will write a custom essay sample on Intelligence Briefing & issue paper for Senior Official or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page