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Cruise Control

Student: Ronald Huereca
Date: 11/18/2004
Topic: Cruise Control

Introduction

Most new cars in the United States come with cruise control already built-in. With increasing congestion on the Interstates and highways, automobile manufacturers have begun installing a new feature called adaptive cruise control. Adaptive cruise control senses traffic conditions ahead and adjusts a vehicle’s speed to the vehicle in front of it. Cruise control and its successor, adaptive cruise control, could be another step towards the automation of driving.

Summary

Cruise control got its start back in 1945. Ralph Teetor, who happened to be blind, was the man who invented cruise control. Teetor received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. After working on several engineering jobs, including steam turbine rotors used during World War I, Ralph Teetor invented a speed cruise control device. Teetor officially received a patent for the device in 1945. Early names of cruise control were “Controlmatic”, “Speedostat”, and others. Cruise control was first offered on numerous Chrysler models starting in 1958. By the 1960s, cruise control was standard on all Cadillacs (Bellis).

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Bluray vs. HD-DVD

Student: Ronald Huereca
Date: 09/09/2004
Topic: Bluray vs. HD-DVD

Introduction

Today’s DVDs generate approximately fifty percent of a film’s overall revenue. With a growth of forty-four percent in sales in 2003, DVD sales are stronger than ever. Unfortunately, industry analysts predict that by 2008, DVD sales growth will slow to seven percent. In addition, by 2008 it is expected that half of the United States could own a high-definition (HD) television. To capitalize on slowing DVD sales and a growth in HD devices, the DVD industry is looking for new HD technology. Two such technologies are the Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats. Both technologies have advantages and disadvantages, but only one will go on to be the DVD successor (Grover, 2004).

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Plagiarism, Original Works, and Academic Integrity

Student: Ronald Huereca
Date: 9/2/04
Topic: Plagiarism, Original Works, and Academic Integrity

Introduction

More students are coming into higher levels of education under-prepared. These students cannot read or write very well, cannot think with intellectual depth, and have the wrong skills for life-long learning. Many students have the attitude that they would like the degree, but not have the knowledge (Abramson, 2001). With this attitude and having an under-prepared education, eighty percent of college-bound students have admitted to some form of cheating (Latest Facts). To curb cheating, instructors need to uphold the ten principles of academic integrity. Three principles addressed are instructor accountability, the Internet, and cheating opportunities (McCabe & Pavela, 2004). To assist instructors with these three areas, there is a web-based program called Turnitin that detects plagiarized material and provides students with a necessary deterrent (Plagiarism Prevention).

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