Thursday, December 26, 2019

Thomas W. Stewart, Inventor of the Wringing Mop

Thomas W. Stewart, an African-American inventor  from Kalamazoo, Michigan, patented a new type of mop (U.S. patent #499,402) on June 11, 1893. Thanks to his invention of a clamping device that could wring water out of the mop by using a  lever, floor cleaning was not nearly the chore it once was. Mops Through the Ages Throughout much of history, floors were made out of packed dirt or plaster. These were kept clean with simple brooms, made from straw, twigs, corn husks, or horse hair. But some kind of wet cleaning method was needed to care for  the slate, stone, or marble floors that were a feature of the homes of the aristocracy and, later, the middle classes. The word mop goes back probably as far as the late 15th century, when it was spelled mappe in Old English. These devices were likely nothing more than bundles of rags or coarse yarns attached to a long wooden pole. A Better Way Thomas W. Stewart, one of the first African-American inventors to be awarded a patent, lived his whole life trying to make peoples everyday lives easier. In order to save time and ensure a more healthy environment in the home, he came up with two improvements to the mop. He first designed a mop head that could be removed by unscrewing it from the base of the mop handle, allowing users to clean the head or discard it when it wore out. Next, he designed a lever attached to the mop head, which, when pulled, would wring water from the head without users getting their hands wet. Stewart described the mechanics in his abstract: 1. A  mop-stick, comprising a stick proper, provided with the T-head having the grooved ends, forming one portion of the clamp, the rod having a straight portion forming the other part of the clamp and from thence converging rearwardly to the sides of the stick, a lever to which the free ends of said rod are pivoted, a ring loose on the stick, to which the forked ends of the lever are pivoted, and a spring between said ring and the T-head; substantially as set forth. 2. The combination of a mopstick provided with a T-head, forming one part of the clamp, a moveable rod forming the other part of the clamp, a lever to which the free ends of said rod are pivoted, said lever being fulcrum-ed to a moveable support on the stick, and a spring exerting a resistance against the lever when the latter is thrown back; substantially as set forth. Other Inventions Stewart also co-invented with William Edward Johnson an improved station and street indicator in 1883. It was used with railways and cars on the street to signal what road or street the vehicles were crossing. Their indicator would automatically activate a signal by means of a lever on the side of the track. Four years later, Stewart invented an improved metal-bending machine that was able to oscillate.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

An Investigation into Related Job Stress and Job Satisfaction

This research is based on a study done at Northern Caribbean University to investigate the relation between job satisfaction and job stress among teachers. According to French Caplan (1972) job stress is as a result of a misfit between an individual and their environment. Research topic: â€Å"An investigation into related job stress and job satisfaction† Job Stress Among Teachers Related job stress and job satisfaction have been a topic researched by several scholars and now by me. The issue of stress in the teaching profession as caused a serious concern for both faculty and administrators (Schuster, 1986). The increasing stress have been creating profound impact on female teachers (Lease, 1999), and new faculty members (Oslen, 1993).†¦show more content†¦Some researchers have also attributed poor behavior of students as a significant contributor to the daily stress teachers face (Geving, 2007). When one think of teaching one can also think of it as a stressful occupation that many present teachers are quitting more than ever (Smith, 2006). Mastery of task-management skills have been found as a critically component that new teachers take a while to grasp which in turn fosters a recipe for stress (Brown, 2005). Researchers like Cox (2007) have found weak administrations and school violence as a major factor which lead to overwhelming stress and departure of many teachers. This finding was also supported by Smith (2006). Smith’s findings indicated that teaches are stressed because they don’t feel safe in the environment in which they are expected to spend most of their lives. As job commitment increase the level of potential stress decreases (Forrest, 2006). Nevertheless, if there is a low level of commitment then the possibility of being stressed will increase. Researches like Maslach and Jackson (1996) have intended to three major factors that contributes to teachers being burnout. These factors are subjective accomplishments, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Job Satisfaction Among Teachers There have been several investigations to create an understanding between job satisfaction and the teaching profession. In various studies related to job satisfaction for teachersShow MoreRelatedCause And Effect Of Burnout Essay1063 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION Burnout is defined as psychological syndrome of prolonged exposure to work related stress that contains three components: exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced self-efficiency. (Chirico, 2016). Exhaustion is the depletion of energy due to excessive workload, and there is a lack of social support to overcome exhaustion (Chirico, 2016). Depersonalization is also known as cynism, when an individual becomes distant or indifferent towards the work or his or her clients (Chirico, 2016)Read MoreEmployee Perception Of The Job Requirements At Social Service Agencies1386 Words   |  6 Pagesservice agencies. This means that community demands are increasing and workers take on more client’s, deadlines, and increased accountability. This study seeks to explore employee perception of the job requirements at social service agencies in regards to the demands, organizational support and satisfaction. 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There was also a change in work conditions that introduced the ‘gender division of labour’ meaning that women were assigned with easier jobs whereas men were assigned with the more â€Å"heavy-duty† (Aguiar, 2002, p. 246) jobs. Due to these new managementRead MoreFactors Affecting Human Resource Management1521 Words   |  7 Pagescompetitive advantages as well as focusing on job satisfaction of employee. According to Wright McMahan (1992) theory, the organisation cannot compete in the market unless organizations adoptemployee retention practices which cannot be imitated easily. This implies, employers should be concerned about how to propose employment practices that best meet these diverse employee expectations. To put it plainly, employee’s demographic characteristics are related to their preference, for a range of employeeRead MoreEmotional Intelligence (Ei) Is A Topic That Has Not Been1647 Words   |  7 Pagesto predict a successful job performance (Compton, Morrisey Nankervis 2014, p. 15). Over the years, Human Resources managers have been using sources such as employment applications, curriculums, referees, interviews and psychometric tests to support their decisions and testing during the employee selection process has been related to intelligence, aptitudes, and personality. Although it has been useful in determining whether an employee will be able to do a particular job, it does not help muchRead MoreProblems within JC Casino1052 Words   |  4 PagesVerbally expressing appreciation for a job well done can mean so much to an employee Incentive Theory The staff in the housekeeping department would find the incentive system very helpful. There could be an incentive for an employee that cleans a certain number of rooms per shift. This incentive would be a monetary bonus. Attendance lotteries and games reduce employee absences by 18% on average (Spector, 2012). Excessive attendance concerns place unwanted stress and duties on the current employees.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Control System by Ab-Soul free essay sample

A clever and talented rapper, Ab-Soul, released his first album called â€Å"Control System†. This album sparked his bright future with Top Dawg Entertainment, which also includes superstars such as: Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar. Mixing his violent past and background with poetry and art, Ab-Soul named this album â€Å"Control Systems†, because he believes that people live from controlled systems. Since signing with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2007, Ab-Soul has produced a series of singles which have promoted his first album. Soul’s album delivered deep messages about his life in the ghetto and his diagnosis with Steven-Johnson Syndrome, a disease that attacked his lips, skin, and eyes. A fatal tribulation in his life, his disease is why is always wearing dark sunglasses in his music videos. The highly creative artist’s most famous song on â€Å"Control Systems† was â€Å"Pineal Gland†; which emphasize hallucinations while on the i nfluence of DMT, a psychedelic drug. We will write a custom essay sample on Control System by Ab-Soul or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After releasing a music video to â€Å"Pineal Gland†, Soul received a great amount of popularity. â€Å"Terrorist Threats†, the forth track on his album, talks about Soul’s early life and how his dreams of being a professional basketball player were cut short. His sixteenth track was called â€Å"Book of Soul†, which was named after the Bible’s Book of Job. In this song, Soul speaks about his life with his beautiful girlfriend, but unfortunately reveals that she committed suicide in 2012. Showing strength through great despair, Soul’s songs are more than just hard beats and clever wordplay. â€Å"Control System† is an album that makes listeners look at life through Soul’s perspective.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Political Economy of Great Britain

The Political Economy This paper seeks to discuss the political economy of Great Britain. Great Britain is made up of England, Wales, and Scotland. Great Britain is ranked number four in Europe in terms of population density. A majority of the inhabitants of Great Britain are English making up 80 per cent of the present population. The remaining percentage is made up of the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish people. Great Britain is part of the G8 meaning that it has a stable economy (Gorton and Schmid 4).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Political Economy of Great Britain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Great Britain has achieved economic prowess despite the fact that it has to import most of its raw materials. On top of that, Great Britain imports 40 percent of its food supply. The country’s economy relies heavily on the exportation of manufactured goods. The major exports include â€Å"machine tools, auto mobiles, aircraft, electronic and communications equipment, clothing and textiles, and chemicals† (Washington Post Press 1). More than two thirds of the GDP are derived from the services industries which are made up of the banking sector, insurance sector and business services. These sectors have employed close to 70 per cent of all employees in Great Britain. In addition, â€Å"Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy† (Washington Post Press 1). The constitution of Great Britain is a collection of statutes, judicial decisions, usage, and tradition. In Great Britain, sovereignty is vested in parliament. Parliament is made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the crown. Furthermore, the British system of corporate governance supports the principle of shareholder sovereignty (Anglo Saxon model of capitalism); the returns of the corporations’ stakeholders are given priority (Evans 23). The British company law contains mandatory rules on neither of t hese matters, though it prohibits neither feature and seems sufficiently flexible (Mallin 4). In Great Britain, institutional investors are exceptionally powerful because of the level of their ownership. According to as report produced by the Office of National Statistics in 2005, institutional investors own the majority of the Great Britain equity, with insurance companies such as the Standard Life owning 17 percent of the Great Britain equity by the end of 2004 (Mallin 6). Policy makers argue institutional investors are extremely important in ensuring that corporate governance best practices are followed. This has resulted into a sea of change in the Great Britain’s corporate ownerships. These changes have led to a shift of share ownership from individual ownership to institutional ownership. Office of National Statistics has reported that in 1963, individual investors in the Great Britain owned 53 per cent of shares (Mallin 7). The percentage of individual share ownership has fallen steadily in the last forty years. In 1989, it had fallen to 21 percent. Amazingly, individual share ownership had fallen to 14 percent in 2004.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In contrast, institutional ownership has increased steadily over the past five decades (Mallin 8). Most of the institutions that own shares are large insurance companies and pension funds. The Office of National Statistics has indicated that the percentage of institutional ownership has grown from 10 percent in 1963 to 17 percent in 2004 (Edwards and Banks 67). On top of this, the corporate industry of the Great Britain has realized a dramatic increase in the number of foreign institutional investors (Rahman and Bullock 68). Great Britain and the Economic Recession Like other European nations, Great Britain was significantly affected by the global financial crisis. Great Britain started fee ling the heat of global recession in January 2009. The Office of National Statistics announced that the GDP had fallen by 1.5 per cent during the final quarter of the financial year of 2008 (Brown 1). In the first quarter of 2009, the GPD fell by 2.4 percent, and by June 2009, Great Britain’s economy was 5.5 per cent below its peak (Brown 1). The recession that occurred in Great Britain was as a result of the larger global financial crisis that began in August 2007. The most hit sector of the economy was the banking sector. Banks accumulated huge debts having invested earlier in assets that later turned out to be unsafe, illiquid and worthless (Vaitilingam 5). As a result, domestic and foreign investors withdraw their capital. The housing sector was the other hardest hit sector of the economy. The economic crisis led to a significant drop in the prices of houses in Great Britain. As a result, potential sellers withdraw their houses from the market (Vaitilingam 5). In addition , the employment sector suffered a huge blow. By the end of 2009, 573,000 jobs had been lost representing the highest number of job losses since 1971(Brown 1). Great Britain and the EU The European Union is made up of 27 European nations, which share political and economic privileges. The EU has various supranational independent institutions, which form a link between the cooperating nations. These institutions offer a channel through which intergovernmental decisions are met. The European Commission and the council of the European Union are the chief institutions of the EU. Others include the European central bank, the European council and the European parliament. In addition, the court of Justice of the European Union is a key legal institution of the EU. The Europe parliament is involved in the formation of laws which govern the EU’s member states. The EU has established a single market by formulating well defined laws. Under this system, most of the barriers which hinder trade between member states have been abolished. As a result, there is free movement of goods and services between member states. The most significant legislations are related to immigration, foreign investment, and foreign exchange. The EU has established a single currency for all its member states.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Political Economy of Great Britain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a member, of the European Union, Great Britain benefits in a number of ways. The concept of single market has made companies operating in EU member states to lower the prices of their products so as to become more competitive (DTI 3). This concept also makes its easier for companies from Great Britain to conduct business in other EU member states. In addition, the concept of single market ensures that no customs duty is paid on goods being exchanged between EU member states. Great Britain also benefits from th e policy of free movement of citizens between the EU member states. This policy allows Britons to live, study, work and travel to other EU member states. Statistics indicate since 1995 more than 100,000 students have studied in other EU member states (DTI 3). These statistics further indicate that close to 3.5 million jobs in Great Britain is a result of Great Britain’s EU membership (DTI 3). The only disadvantage of joining the EU is that a country might lose its sovereignty (DTI 3). However, the pros for joining the EU are much greater than the cons. Foreign Investment in Great Britain Great Britain boasts of a number of features which attract investors (Trade and Investment 1). First, any business that operates in Great Britain is guaranteed of fast, easy access to the European market. Secondly, Great Britain has close to 28 million skilled workers. As such, any business that operates in Great Britain is likely to get the right people for the job. Third, Great Britain has low utility costs. Fourth, Great Britain has established a regulatory environment that promotes growths and profits. Fifth, Great Britain has low corporate and personal taxation. Sixth, Great Britain is a center of world class research, design and development. On top of that, Great Britain has eliminated most barriers which hinder foreign investments. Conclusion In summary, Great Britain is made up of England, Wales, and Scotland. Great Britain is ranked number four in Europe in terms of population density. A majority of the inhabitants of Great Britain are English making up 80 per cent of the present population. Great Britain has achieved economic prowess despite the fact that it has to import most of its raw materials. On top of that, Great Britain imports 40 percent of its food supply. The country’s economy relies heavily on the exportation of manufactured goods. Like other European nations, Great Britain was significantly affected by the global financial crisis. Great Bri tain started feeling the heat of global recession in January 2009. The Office of National Statistics announced that the GDP had fallen by 1.5 per cent during the final quarter of the financial year of 2008.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The hardest hit sectors include the banking, employment, and housing sectors. Great Britain boasts of a number of features which attract investors: a business that operates in Great Britain is guaranteed of fast, easy access to the European market, Great Britain has close to 28 million skilled workers, low utility costs, and low corporate and personal taxation. In addition, Great Britain has eliminated most barriers which hinder foreign investments. Works Cited Brown, Cooper. â€Å"The Global Economic Recession†. UK Times 15 Dec. 2010: 1-10. Print. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Implement – from Quality to Organisational Excellence. March 2008. Web. Edwards, Jehnan, and Fischer, Khan. Banks, Finance and Investiment in the UK. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Print. Evans, Joel. Decision processes, monitoring, incentives and large firm performance in the UK. Aberdeen: The Rober Gordon Univerity Press, 1995. Print. Gorton, Garry, and Schmid, Anthony. Universal banking and the performance of UK firms,Workingpaper. Pennsylvannia: University of Pennsylvannia Press, 1998. Print. Mallin, Claw. International Corporate Governace: A case Study Approach. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2006. Print. Rahman, Saul. and Bullock, P. Relationships Between Soft TQM, Hard TQM, and Organisational Performance. March 2002. Web. Trade and Investment. Benefits of Investing in the UK. October 2012. Web. Vaitilingam, Romesh. Recession:Britain. London: ESRCPress, 2010. Print. Washington Post Press. â€Å"Great Britain†. The Washington Post 23 May 2008: 1-10. Web. This report on The Political Economy of Great Britain was written and submitted by user Esmeralda Hines to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.