1. An international protocol on climate change, ratified by the EU,Japan, Canada, and now Russia, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the more serious ramifications of global warming. Current attention is focused on the progression of complementary technologies that will give us low-cost renewable energy over the short and longer-term. This will provide the economic incentive to replace fossil fuels in developed and developing countries, leading to a more pervasively low-carbon economy. This is crucial if we are to slow the rate of climate change which can have devastating effects on the flora and fauna of our planet.
2. It was originally believed that the universe had been created only a few thousand years ago. However, there are shortcomings of this theory.Firstly, it was discovered in 1923 that many of the faint patches of light in the night sky are from other galaxies larger than our own. The light was so faint because it took millions or billions of years to reach us, which meant that the universe could not have been just a few thousand years old.Secondly, astronomers had learned, by analysing the light projected by other galaxies that all other galaxies are moving away from us. Moreover, the farther they are from us, the faster they are moving away. This means that the universe is expanding. These discoveries completely changed discussions surrounding the origin of the universe.
3. Internet shoppers are at an increased risk of both fraud and theft due to a number of factors. Amongst them are both a decrease in a means of reliable identification and an increase in the use of websites for monetary transactions whether from online reservations, internet banking, or other types of business. This fraud is increasing in severity and frequency in areas such as false business websites, telesales and online shopping and is now a more serious problem than ever before. One solution to this problem would be to limit internet transactions to websites authorised by the banks.
4. In general, the longer an individual practices Yoga, the more the person improves. Long term Yoga enthusiasts benefit more while suffering from fewer symptoms of modern day life; they experience less stress,insomnia and high blood pressure and are less susceptible to common complaints such as tiredness and back pain. They are also likely to recommend it to other new health enthusiasts. Fitness fanatics usually gauge their performance on the basis of strength and stamina. They rarely study another factor that reflects how much is gained - the individual''s wellbeing.
5. A recent study investigating the effects of stress at work argues that stress management programs should be included in all organisational development policies as a key step in helping to fight absenteeism from work and work-related stress. The Confederation of Work and Industry states that it is essential to counter work-related stress to beat higher absenteeism from jobs, and that most work stress arises from poor management. Stress management strategies are currently excluded from organisational development policies by many businesses, and smaller companies are unlikely to allow organisational development in the area of stress management.
6. An ever-increasing amount of time is spent each year on staff assessment, and the benefits can be numerous. An appraisal can be informative, shedding light on areas of good performance; it can be constructive in that it can give employees an opportunity to consider areas for development within the job; and it can also be motivating by highlighting those skills, abilities and areas of knowledge that the individual has gained from the job. However, the frequency of appraisals is the focus of criticism by some people, who state that assessments do not take place at appropriate times, i.e. in time for an individual to address performance areas in time for a promotion, and therefore it is likely that half of the time spent on assessment is used ineffectively.
7. Off-shoring has been adopted by banks and other financial organisations in the West since the 1980''s, but it is only in recent years that it has become popular in other industry sectors as its financial benefits over more local outsourcing have become recognised. Evidence indicates that off-shore workers have a lower incidence of failure and cost less to employ than workers based locally. Off-shore workers need less financial rewards and become more competent than local workers in a shorter space of time.
8. Since the number of societies actively promoting environmental awareness has escalated in recent years, the implementation of campaigns is leading to a corresponding increase in involvement. However, survey data demonstrates that only one in twenty interested supporters bothers to get involved with the society concerned. This inertia typically reflects the belief that their contribution would be inconsequential, and, to a lesser extent, uncertainty about the appropriate channels to use. The data also suggested that interested followers are likely to discuss their views with other individuals. While this is a valuable means of promoting environmental awareness, it would be more beneficial to get involved with the societies themselves.
9. Minimum wage policies, first introduced in the service industry and leading to a reduction in employee exploitation, were the result of numerous studies. The studies confirmed that a national minimum wage is an important parameter in employee security, and campaigners were rewarded with key backing from worker''s unions. This provided the support required to drive through Employment Relations programmes in many agricultural and industrial sectors, culminating in the creation of the Low Pay Commission. This has been vital in attracting collaboration from major corporations which have previously resisted the pressure to improve income stability.
10. Until 1995, the use of bicycles had remained virtually static for many years. However, in recent years the number of people using bicycles has grown with increasing pressure from environmentalists, transport agencies and health officials. The trend has been to produce more fashionable bicycles in a variety of styles, lighter cycles, and more comfortable cycles. The diversity of models has increased enormously, though their general shape has not changed radically.
11. The first television broadcast took place over 50 years ago.However, since then the advances in technology, science and programme production expertise have been phenomenal. The production of programmes has advanced exceptionally fast in the last 20 years and due to popular demand,television has become of significant importance to domestic life. The huge variety of programmes produced for television has influenced the types of audience attracted, such as the film enthusiasts of the 80''s, sporting advocates and those attracted by information media such as the news. Plasma screens have now been developed to improve the quality of television for the viewer, and the increasing demand for smaller handheld televisions are a reflection of the increasing popularity of television technology.
12. For most people, any reference to hypnosis brings to mind images of individuals involved in amusing, and often out of character, behaviour.However, hypnosis is also a topic of scientific research. Research by scientists over the last few decades has revealed ways in which memory processes and processes involved in pain perception can be changed using hypnosis. It has also been found that hypnotic suggestions can regulate activity in identifiable sections of the brain and can contribute to the effective management of cognitive conflict. Findings from several related brain imaging studies, for example, have suggested that people under hypnosis can exhibit reduced levels of brain activity in both visual areas and the anterior cingulate cortex. Disparate research has already established the role of these brain structures in the monitoring of cognitive conflict.
13. Horticulturalists must take into account many factors when planning the reproduction of plants. Propagation by seed is the most common method employed as it is relatively easy and has a good expected rate of germination, although this can drop if the seed has been packaged for more than a year. Many seeds can remain viable for up to 5 years if properly stored, as their protective coats prevent sprouting until ideal growing conditions exist. External conditions can be manipulated in order to bring seeds out of dormancy and hasten germination. However, even with optimal conditions, some seeds are reluctant to sprout.
14. Significant advances in float furnace design and operation, in the development of glass compositions and in the glass forming process itself have all played a role in the optimisation of glass manufacturing. For example, thermodynamic modelling assists in the enhancement of glass composition and offers control over devitrification characteristics, and studies examining burner design, to ensure flames have maximum luminosity and impinge on the glass at the correct angle, aid the minimisation of fuel consumption. The exploitation of such advanced research allows glass manufacturers to reduce their expenditure on fuel, decrease their defect rates and produce glass of the highest quality, all of which are important if they are to retain their commercial standing and customer loyalty.
15. When implementing a change programme, the more attention an organisation pays to the ''people side'' of the business, the more successful the initiative is likely to be. Considering these human elements ensures more employees understand the changes and thus support them; staff are more motivated and are therefore less likely to leave. They are also more likely to disseminate the message to others in a positive light. Most organisations focus initially on the process elements of the change initiative. Only very infrequently is the initial focus upon this equally important part of the change process: the people.
16. Financial fraud is a crime of growing significance. In 2003, 8% of reported business-related crimes were frauds, averaging ?35,000 in losses.By 2005, whilst financial fraud was found to be the sixth-most frequent crime, it was the third-highest concern amongst business leaders.Researchers found that globally, Internet-based fraud was rising dramatically, accounting for two-thirds of all reported fraud cases in 2005.The main reasons for the frauds included poor supervision and lack of proper division of duties, inadequate control of access to systems, and poor authorisation controls. Internal detective measures uncovered less than half of the cases, with an increasing number of cases being discovered by accident. One third of the cases were committed by managerial staff, while one-half were committed by non-managerial staff.
17. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation is the afterglow from the Big Bang, and weak as it may be today, these primeval microwaves hold valuable information about fundamental properties of the early universe. Slight differences, or anisotropies, in the brightness and polarization of the CMB reveal clues about the nature of the primordial plasma: that the discrepancies exist at all shows that the plasma was not perfectly uniform. The variations in brightness seen in the CMB reflect differences in the density of the primordial plasma, whereas the anisotropic polarization reveals information about the dynamics of the early universe,such as the movement of material and the number of gravitational waves. The CMB, however, is not the only source of polarized microwaves and the cosmological polarisation must thus be measured at different wavelengths so as to isolate them from foreground signals.
18. As in the tradition of haute couture catwalks and magazines, an effective shop window must display items in such a way that engenders customers'' aspirations to lead a certain lifestyle and consequently stimulate their desire to purchase the merchandise. Financial success may also depend on how frequently the window display is altered, as this will encourage customers to regularly enter the shop to inspect new stock. It may also induce an anxiety that the pieces may be removed imminently and thereby increase customer spending, as well as catch the attention of passers by because a constantly evolving window display suggests something exciting is happening. The display items should be large and bright in colour to ensure that they are visible from a distance and a themed window (e.g. Christmas) often improves sales considerably. A common drawback of placing items in a shop window is that they are more liable to be stolen.
19. The prospect of accepting negative feedback about ourselves elicits conflict as we need to assess the immediate emotional costs of negative information about ourselves against the long-term benefits of gaining useful feedback. Studies have confirmed what most managers seem to have known already: that the mood we are in whilst receiving feedback often influences the relative weight people assign to emotional costs versus the informational benefits of receiving negative feedback. The studies that have been carried out have demonstrated that positive moods can function as a buffer and therefore enable people affected in this way to both accept as well as better handle the emotional costs of negative self-related information.