Legislative Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legislative Brief - Essay Example The government needs to take a number of drastic steps in the coming years in order to reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons, plus change the culture of America to make it generally more green. Only then will we turn back the clock on our environmental problems. The world’s climate is changing and the consequences are far reaching. When examining this important issue we must be sure to have our facts straight. Even before looking at the consequences and possible solutions, it is necessary to determine what is causing this phenomenon. Some people say climate change is part of a natural process which happens every few centuries and which caused the ice age and other periods in Earth’s history in which the temperature was different. This might be true. But many scientists believe that human beings cause global warming (Coren). They say it is caused by the huge amount of cars we drive on our roads and by our coal plants and our thousands of factories. These people say we have simply not been good stewards of the Earth and are now responsible for the fact that the surface of the planet seems to be warming because of trapped gases. Our fossil fuel use is the main reason those gases are present. Every time we drive a car to school or work, use electricity, or heat our houses, we are releasing carbon dioxide into the air and making our planet hotter. Another important source of greenhouse gases is caused by deforestation, mainly in the Amazon. There is a lot of money to be made in cutting down trees and planting land for animals to use so the animals can be made into hamburgers at the end of the day. Cattle itself is said by some people to be in part responsible for increasing the amount of methane in the atmosphere (Flannery, 201). So much of what we do to stay alive and to make money appears to be hurting our planet, according to scientists who are increasingly vocal about this important

Initial Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Initial Report - Essay Example In this context, mathematics and especially algebra are regarded as having a significant role in the development of all aspects of human life mostly because of their use in several other sciences like physics, chemistry, medicine, astronomy and so on. In fact algebra is considered to be among the first sciences developed by human. Findings from ancient civilizations have proved the use of algebra in ancient times as a basic tool of commerce and astronomy. Through the years, the use of algebra has been extended to all industrial sectors. One of the periods that have been characterized by radical changes in sciences (including algebra) is Renaissance. During this period, the development of algebra reached extremely high levels offering the appropriate framework for the improvement of all other sciences related with algebra either directly or indirectly. This project has been divided in two main parts. In this context, in Chapter One all the details related with the choice of the subject (such as the statement of the problem, the research methodology and the reasons for choice of the project) are presented. The project is mainly developed in Chapter Two which has been divided into sub-sections in order to cover more effectively the issue under examination. In this context, in Chapter Two all particular aspects of algebra – as part of modern science - are presented while a short reference is made to the history of algebra in the pre-Renaissance period. Also, in Chapter Two the history of algebra after the Renaissance is analytically explained making primarily a short reference to the influence of Renaissance in algebra as it has been evaluated by historians of the particular period. Finally, in Chapter Three Conclusions and Recommendations on the subject under examination are made taking into account the characteristics of alg ebra as developed through

Elasticity Experiment: Application of Hookes Law

Elasticity Experiment: Application of Hookes Law Nguyen Manh Tri Investigation of elasticity Introduction General statement Any string that able to stretch and come back its original length can be considered as a spring. Each spring has constant of elasticity (stiffness) that depends on its material. A simple spring generally is made from metal. Background Elastic forces of the springs appear at the ends of the springs and material effect on the contact or association with it as it is deformed (Elert, 1998). The direction of elastic force counters the direction of the external force causing deformation. Specifically, when stretched, the elastic force of the spring towards the axis of the spring on the inside; even when compressed, the elastic force of the spring axis oriented outwards. The most popular law of elasticity is Hooke’s law. When a force is applied to an elastic object, the object will be stretched. A change in length à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l is formed. In the elastic limit, the magnitude of the elastic force of the spring is proportional to the deformation of the spring. Hooke’s law can be expressed as = k () where k is a constant value which shows the stiffness of the object (BelenkiÄ ­, Salaev and SuleÄ ­manov, 1988). The k value has unit of newton per meter. A spring of length l1 is hung up by a bracket as shown in figure 1. If a mass is applied to the other end the spring, the spring will be stretched, resilient until all the energy is gone and form a new length l2. Then the system is balanced, the applied force, the weight of the mass, must equal the restoring force Mg = k(l2 – l1) = kà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l Figure 1 Mathematically, Mg = k can be written as à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l = [1.0] Equation [1.0] also can be performed as a linear equation (Treloar and Dunn, 1974) y = mx where y is à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l and x is M. Then if we hang more and more weights for the spring and measure the length à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l for each, the gradient of the graph is (Bbc.co.uk, 2014). Consequently, we can find the constant value k by calculating the gradient. For rubber or steel wire rope elastic force only when external forces are stretched. In this case the elastic force is called tension. Tension set point and direction like elastic force of the spring. For the contact surface is deformed when pressed against each other, with the elastic force perpendicular to the contact surface. Aims To determine the constant of elasticity of several different springs To find out the elastic limit. Hypothesis There are number of factors which affect the springs’ constant. One of these factors is the types of material, which makes the stiffness of springs different. Hookes law is accurate with simple objects such as springs. With material such as rubber or plastics, the dependence between the elastic forces in the deformation could more complicate (BelenkiÄ ­, Salaev and SuleÄ ­manov, 1988). In essence, the elastic interaction forces between molecules or atoms, i.e. the electromagnetic force between electrons and protons inside the elastic material. When the large deformation to a certain value, the elastic force does not appear again, and this value is called the elastic limit, if you exceed the time limit elastic deformation material will not be able to return original shape after impact not deform more. Figure 2: Elastic limit Method and Materials Figure 3: Experimental set-up Method The experiment was set up as shown in figure 3. The retort stand was placed firmly on the table. A spring was attached to the retort stand. The length of the spring (l1) in rest state was measured (using ruler) and recorded. The mass hanger (10 grams) was hung up the other end of the spring. New length of the spring (after applied the mass hanger) was measured (using ruler) and recorded. The change of length of the spring was calculated and recorded. One set of data was obtained afterwards. A weight was placed on the mass hanger. New length of the spring (after applied the weight) was measured (using ruler) and recorded. The change of length of the spring was calculated and recorded. Another set of data was obtained afterwards. Another weight was placed (20 grams total) and step 8 was then repeated. Step 9 was repeated until no weight left. 8 other sets of data were obtained afterwards. Steps 3 to 10 were repeated for the new springs (the remaining 2 springs). Finally, 30 sets of data were obtained (10 sets each spring). Results Table 1: First spring results l1 for the first spring = 13 mm M (g) l2 (mm) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l = l2 – l1 (mm) 10 14 1 20 16 3 30 18 5 40 20 7 50 21 8 60 24 11 70 25 12 80 25 12 90 28 15 100 31 18 Table 2: Second spring results l1 for the first spring = 20 mm M (g) l2 (mm) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l = l2 – l1 (mm) 10 20 0 20 20 0 30 22 2 40 24 4 50 28 8 60 32 12 70 35 15 80 39 19 90 42 22 100 46 26 Table 3: Third spring results l1 for the first spring = 20 mm M (g) l2 (mm) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l = l2 – l1 (mm) 10 20 0 20 20 0 30 20 0 40 22 2 50 24 4 60 27 7 70 32 12 80 34 14 90 38 18 100 40 20 Figure 4: Change of length against mass for the first spring Figure 5: Change of length against mass for the second spring Figure 6: Change of length against mass for the third spring As shown in figure 4, 5, and 6 three straight lines are formed and show a trend that the weight increases with increasing à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l. Discussion Calculation – Results from part 1 experiment From figure 4, y = 0.1834x 1 therefore, gradient (m1) = 0.1834 mm/g From figure 5, y = 0.3062x 6 therefore, gradient (m2) = 0.3062 mm/g From figure 6, y = 0.2774x 8 therefore, gradient (m3) = 0.2774 mm/g Since the spring constants are measured by gradient (m) = therefore, k = We also have g = 9.81 (ms-2), k1 = = = 53.50 mmgs-2 k2 = = = 32.04 mmgs-2 k3 = = = 35.36 mmgs-2 Results analysis Because of above factors, some points such as (10; 0) from figure 5 and (10; 0), (20; 0) from figure 6 are not involved in the trend line. The smallest share of the ruler is 1mm so it is unable to distinguish the à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l between 0 gram and 10, 20 grams. Parallax error also is a cause of these strange points. Because of the very first à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l are too small, wrong angles between eyes and ruler may cause the errors of these points. Y-intercepts for 3 springs are -1, -6 and -8 respectively. The y-intercept -1 is a very small value and is able to show the accuracy of the experiment. The others two are much bigger because of different constant k values of springs (53.50, 32.04 and 35.36 respectively). For the first spring, which has k value are 53.50, it is much easier to distinguish different à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l values for the first weights. Consequently, there is no strange point is recorded for this spring, all the points involves in the trend line. For the last two springs, k values are almost half of the first one and it hard to distinguish à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l values for the first weights. This is the reason why strange points are recorded and do not involve in the trend lines. Consequently, the trend lines of these springs tend to go far away the origins when pass the y-axis. Errors analysis and other factors affecting the experiment Parallax error Parallax error is the most popular error in physics (Aphysicsteacher.blogspot.co.uk, 2009). Because this experiment contain many small values (smaller than mm), so parallax error may cause many wrong data and strange points. The concept of parallax error is related to the term parallax. For instance, in figure 7, different positions of eyes result in 3 values for the measurement (two of them are wrong values).Soparallax is the change in the apparent position of an object when the position of the observer changes. Figure 7: Example for parallax error Consequently, the accuracy of the measurement depends on the angle between eyes and ruler. Because of this error, à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  l values are slightly greater or smaller and results in slightly change of k values. To minimize this error, a pointer can be used to help read the scale on the ruler and the scale had to be viewed at eye level (Cyberphysics.co.uk, 2014). Temperature Materials’ thermal expansion coefficient ÃŽ ± and stiffness are connected. This connection is mathematically formulated as ÃŽ ± = where the ÃŽ ³G is a constant value (0.4 G ÃŽ ± is a constant value so if temperature is increased, density increases and stiffness increases; if temperature decreased, density decreases and stiffness decreases. Accuracy of ruler The smallest share of plastic ruler is 1mm. As mentioned above, there are many small values so it is necessary to consider the error percentage caused by accuracy of ruler. Improvement To minimize parallax error, a pointer can be used to help read the scale on the ruler and the scale had to be viewed at eye level (Cyberphysics.co.uk, 2014). To minimize temperature error, the air temperature should be held on standard (room temperature – 298K). To minimize accuracy of ruler error, an instrument which has small length accurately should be used (Mohindroo, 2006). The accuracy of the result can be greatly improved. Conclusion The constant of elasticity of 3 springs are 53.50, 32.04 and 35.36 respectively by calculating as mentioned above. Summarizing the three points, this experiment has met the objectives stated in the introduction. Knowledge about elasticity and constant of elasticity has learnt through this study. It is unable to find out the elastic limits because if keep adding weights until the springs can stretch more, the springs will be damaged and will not be able to come back its original shapes (Sadd, 2005). There are some factors are mentioned above, which are affect the results of this experiment. These factors do not change the results significantly (strange points were recorded only for the very first weights). Reference Bbc.co.uk, (2014). BBC GCSE Bitesize: Hookes Law. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_aqa/forces/forceselasticityrev2.shtml [Accessed 26 Mar. 2015]. BelenkiÄ ­, G., Salaev, É. and SuleÄ ­manov, R. (1988). Deformation effects in layer crystals. Sov. Phys. Usp., 31(5), pp.434-455. Cyberphysics.co.uk, (2014). Hookes Law. [online] Available at: http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/forces/hooke.htm [Accessed 26 Mar. 2015]. Elert, G. (1998). Elasticity The Physics Hypertextbook. [online] Physics.info. Available at: http://physics.info/elasticity/ [Accessed 29 Mar. 2015]. Mohindroo, K.K. (2006). +2 Practical Physics Vol. II: Fifth Revised Edition. New Delhi: Pitambar Publishing. Sadd, M. (2005). Elasticity. Amsterdam: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann. Treloar, L. and Dunn, A. (1974). Rubber and rubber elasticity. New York: Wiley.

Drug Abuse Essays -- Substance Abuse Essays

Drug abuse dates as far back as the Biblical era, so it is not a new phenomenon. â€Å"The emotional and social damage and the devastation linked to drugs and their use is immeasurable.† The ripple of subversive and detrimental consequences from alcoholism, drug addictions, and addictive behavior is appalling. Among the long list of effects is lost productivity, anxiety, depression, increased crime rate, probable incarceration, frequent illness, and premature death. The limitless consequences include the destruction to personal development, relationships, and families (Henderson 1-2). â€Å"Understandably, Americans consider drug abuse to be one of the most serious problems† in the fabric of society. And although â€Å"addiction is the result of voluntary drug use, addiction is no longer voluntary behavior, it’s uncontrollable behavior,† says Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Torr 12-13).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Addiction is a progressive, chronic, and ultimately a fatal disease. It is progressive in the sense that if it is left untreated it will get worse. Chronic means long term. Once one becomes dependent, it is like diabetes, in that diabetes is an incurable disease that can only be controlled. Long-term addictions have the high potential to lead to death through overdose, AIDs, suicide, or an accident (Aronson 17). The cycle of addiction tends to follow a pattern.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People first take drugs for many different reasons. Early on, drug experimentation can stem from curiosity, peer pressure and influence, or because of the environment people live in (Nagle 17). For example, in the East Side of downtown it is apparent that drug dealing and drug usage is prevalent. The police recently arrested 54 individuals from the East Side. Unfortunately it was just one block out of approximately 50 more on that side of town.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next comes the social use stage. This is the stage where most individuals tend to stop or control their usage. People will try it and occasionally use drugs to â€Å"cut loose†, party, and have a good time, generally if, and only if, everyone else around them is doing it. Otherwise they could either take it or leave it and don’t necessarily seek out illegal drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, as a tolerance to the substances begins to build and the social group changes from friends in the same peer group to primarily drug users and abusers, that is when the drug... ...er says, that â€Å"eventually, the drugs decrease the person’s ability to experience pleasure without a drug† (Torr 13).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Enfin, one of the most browbeating and frustrating things in the world is the disease of addiction. It is a progressive, chronic, and often fatal disease that takes control of life away from people. However, â€Å"drugs are here to stay, and...we have no choice but to learn how to live with them so that they cause the least possible harm† (Torr 116). Unfortunately, ten percent of all eighth graders and twenty percent of all tenth graders are using marijuana at least once a month (Torr 38). Works Cited Aronson, Virginia. "Junior Drug Awareness." Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2011. â€Å"Dopamine System May Be the Key to Addiction.† News Briefs. Nature Magazine. May-June 2012. National Drug Strategy Network. Web. 20 Apr. 2015 http://www.ndsn.org/newbriefs.html Henderson, Elizabeth Connell. Understanding Addiction. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2013. Nagle, Jeanne. Everything You Need to Know About Drug Addiction. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2012. Torr, James D. Drug Abuse: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2014.

Smart Kids

Will you ever find a star quarterback on the high school debate team, Chess Club, or any other academic team that would place him as a nerd? According to Grant Penrod and his essay Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate Smart Kids this would probably not happen (Bullock,691). You can be a jock, but you can’t be a â€Å"nerd† at the same time. The winning football team always goes down in history, but the winning academic teams are never remembered. Thinking back to high school you can see billboards of the football team winning state, but not for the state brain-bowl winners.Social destruction is possible for those who show too much intelligence. â€Å"Geek,† â€Å"Nerd,† or â€Å"High Achiever† no matter the name given; they are doomed for destruction in the social world. The intellectual student bears a mark on him/her for social pitfall especially in high school. Sometimes this may happen in the early elementary years. They are usually targeted on web sites and blogs; left out of social events. Take the blog excerpt from Talking-Cock. com â€Å"Man how I hate nerds†¦. if I ever had a tommygun with me†¦I would most probably blow each one of their heads off. (Bullock,691) There are other websites that talk about test score postings, and don’t these people referencing nerds and geeks have a life. This miss conception is partly due to the un-intelligent thinking that all smart people do is study. Failing to realize that the intelligent people are the ones that help move the world along; this miss conception it actually leaves the un-intelligent out. The media places celebrities and other public figures without a strong education in the limelight, which is harmful to our youth’s minds.This type of high regards for someone lacking good education, further promotes the way society treats those that are educated. If you take a young high school student who has some athletic ability chances of him/her pursuing the highest academic achievements are less than them going after that athletic win. A choir student may go for the Nashville break instead of pursuing a degree in school. Displaying celebrities’ lives and their income only encourages young minds to seek other ways of living without getting educated.A website that demonstrates this is Angelfire. com it promotes famous high school dropouts like Christian Aguilera, Kid Rock, L. L. Cool J and Sammy Sosa. (Bullock,693) Some people have no regards for the intelligence that lead them to where we are in society today. People would rather choose to be rich than to have some means of keeping their wealth. Ignoring that intelligent people are the ones that helped make the progress of the world, and because they are forgotten this is why many individuals do not finish their education.The anti-intelligent want to blame the media, but in all reality it is the common everyday person who is to blame for ostracizing the intelligent. The following is a poem that was written and appeared on TeenMag. com and illustrates the feelings of a nerd that has been out casted. My loud and bitter screams aren’t being heard No one is there to hear them or to care They do not come cuz I’m a nerd Dealing with this pain is a lot to bear. (Casey F. )Society as a whole needs to take a step back and realize who got us to where we are today; how we got to where we are today. Intelligent people need to be given the due credit for their works in society and not shunned away. Grant Penrod’s Essay Anti-Intellectualism Why We Hate Smart the Kids is very clear on the devastating social destruction of those that are smart. Works Cited Bullock, Richard, and Maureen Daly Goggin. The Norton Field Guide To Writing. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010.

Challenges in Mozambique

MOZAMBIQUE’S CHALLENGES By Alina Sandra Silvi Abstract Mozambique, by its official name the Republic of Mozambique is a country in south-eastern Africa which in 1505 was colonized by Portugal. The country became independent in 1975 but in 1977 a civil war started and lasted for 15 years†¦ by the end an estimated one million lives were lost. However, lots of things have changed for Mozambique in a decade; â€Å"from being one of the poorest countries on Earth, it has joined a rare group of success stories† (Vines A. , 2004).Today, its economy is booming, absolute poverty has fallen and all is due to increased production in agriculture – the main source through which people sustain their livelihoods. â€Å"The country’s economic performance has been spectacular since 1994, making it one of the greatest recipients of foreign capital inflows in Africa. These inflows and increasing domestic growth enabled government expenditure on social and infrastructur e projects to be doubled. Investment has included the two billion dollars BHP – Billiton aluminium smelter – the largest single investment in Mozambique’s history† (Vines A. 2004) Introduction This report will analyze some of the problems that Mozambique is still facing because despite the positive aspects presented, Mozambique is still struggling to achieve the eight Millennium Development Goals. The paper will focus on three inequalities although all of them are interrelated and all need to be achieved equally for a sustainable development of the country. First of all, the eradication of absolute poverty and hunger will be evaluated because half of Mozambique’s population is still living below poverty line.Secondly, the achieving of universal education will be assessed because through education people become more informed and develop skills which can help them to improve their lives; someone once said, â€Å"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime† (Madi M. and Wilson E. , 2005). In the end, the report will look at the impact of HIV/AIDS and other diseases on people and at how they can be combated. 1. Extreme poverty and hunger Every day we hear on the news or read in the newspapers that more and more people are starving and live in extreme poverty.This is also the case of Mozambique, a rich country due to its natural resources, with an economy considered of huge potential but where people still live in unimaginable conditions and got to bed with their stomachs aching due to the lack of food. Lappe et al (1998) present in their book some of the ‘causes’ of the hunger and also prove that they are only myths†¦ myths which can be contradicted. For example, one of the myths says that there is not enough food in the world and that is why some people go hungry†¦ ut, in fact, the world today produces enough grain itself in order to feed everyone a nd to provide them with thirty-five hundred calories per day. The American Association for the Advancement of Science found in a study that 78% of all undernourished children under five live in developing countries with food surpluses (Lappe, F. M. et al, 1998). Also countries such as India, Africa and Bangladesh, where hunger is at a high level, export much more in agricultural goods than they import. All these facts led to a single conclusion: that food scarcity is clearly not the cause of hunger.The main conclusion of the book – World hunger: 12 myths (Lappe, F. M. et al, 1998) – is that hunger is driven by poverty because people are too poor to buy readily available food and all this requires political not agrotechnical solutions. Allen, T. and Thomas, A. (2000) stated, â€Å"Chronic hunger is related to poverty and a persistent failure to generate sufficient entitlements in a society†. The World Bank measures poverty by the percentage of people living below an income of one US dollar per day. (see appendix 1, fig. ) The proportion of the population living under the poverty line declined from 69. 4% in 1997 to 54. 1% in 2003. The main factor that led to such an improvement was the economic growth rate which was above 7% for much of the past decade. To continue the strong commitment and leadership proved since the achievement of PARPA I the Government of Mozambique have now implemented PARPA II which will be developed under the â€Å"areas of macro-economy and poverty, governance, economic development, human capital and cross-cutting issues† (Mozambique second MDG report, 2005). 2. EducationThe second Millenium Development Goal’s – Achieve universal primary education – target is â€Å"to ensure that, by 2015, all boys and girls are able to complete a full course of primary schooling† (Mozambique second MDG report, 2005). In 1975, when the Portuguese left the country, Mozambique’s only university lost most of its teaching staff and was forced to play its role in developing skilled manpower for the socialist experiment. The system of primary education in Mozambique contains two cycles: a lower level of five years (EP1) followed by two years of higher level (EP2).The net enrolment rate (NER) for EP1 increased substantially between 1997 and 2003, from 44% to 69. 4% (Mozambique second MDG report, 2005). Despite this progress Mozambique is still facing a high level of geographical and residential disparities, and also a gender gap – the NER for girls in EP1 was 66. 4% compared to 72. 4% among boys (Mozambique second MDG report, 2005). The completion rates in EP1 also increased from 22% in 1997 to 38. 7% in 2003, however, the country will not achieve the MDG target for 2015 if substantial and financial resources are not invested in the system.The World Bank stated in a report in 1985 that the role of literacy it is very powerful in determining a population’s level o f mortality and also suggested that â€Å"this factor carries far more weight than many others, including income growth† (Allen, T. and Thomas, A. , 2000) Female education also has an important role in providing good health because an educated woman is capable of creating a healthier environment for her family. This idea has been supported by two of the World Bank’s publications – one in 1983 and the other in ten years later (Allen, T. and Thomas, A. , 2000).In order to solve the education problem a first Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP I) was implemented for 1999-2003 period. The plan’s goal was to improve the education system in order to promote economic and social development and poverty reduction in Mozambique (Mozambique second MDG report, 2005). In 2005, the second ESSP was approved covering the period 2005-2009; its role is to continue the work of the first ESSP but also to strengthen it. 3. HIV/AIDS and other diseases The death rate of child ren under five years old in the least developed countries is 40% and the rate for people under 65 is 84% compared with only . 7% and 23% respectively in rich countries (Allen, T. and Thomas, A. , 2000) . All these deaths are generated by diseases attack, especially the infectious and parasitic ones. The greatest threats for Mozambique’s development are HIV/AIDS. From 1998 to 2004 the HIV/AIDS prevalence among adults has increased from 8. 2% to 16. 2% although it varies greatly between the three regions of the country. (see appendix 1, fig. 2) In 2003 1. 5 million Mozambicans had HIV/AIDS (8% of total population) the majority being represented by women (58%). Among those living with HIV/AIDS 5. 8% were children under 15 years old.An important thing to bear in mind is that just as HIV and AIDS generate poverty and inequalities so do poverty and inequality facilitate the transmission of HIV. This happens because people in poor areas do not have the necessary income in order to b uy condoms or an easy access to health facilities and HIV infection programmes. Today, HIV accounts for considerable mortality and morbidity and â€Å"the UN programme UNAIDS recently estimated that by the end of 1996 more than 23 million people worldwide were infected with HIV and more than 6 million people had died with AIDS† (World Bank, 1997).Moreover, HIV/AIDS facilitate the transmission of other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB); the most vulnerable one being again the poor ones who live in overcrowded conditions and have very low incomes. In fact, â€Å"TB is now one of the leading causes of death among adults in many developing countries and it is estimated that it kills about three million people a year. The increase in fatal cases parallels the AIDS epidemic in many countries† (Allen, T. and Thomas, A. , 2000).In order to confront this problem, in 2002, a multi-sectoral National AIDS Council (NAC) was created to lead and coordinate the national re sponse to HIV/AIDS. The government also revised its National Strategic Plan to Combat HIV/AIDS and created a second one, for the period 2005-2009, that â€Å"will prioritise the following seven areas: prevention, advocacy, stigma and discrimination, treatment, mitigation, research and investigation and coordination of the national response† (Mozambique second MDG report, 2005). ConclusionThis report presented only three of the inequalities facing Mozambique when, in fact, there are much more and all of them are interrelated, creating a vicious cycle that needs to be broken in order to achieve a full and satisfactory development. The Secretary-General has outlined a number of priorities for UN action to sustain the development of all countries in Africa: * Regional structures must be strengthened; * Their economies have to be diversified and increase the promotion of ‘free-market’ and ‘free-trade’; * Promotion of a Green-Revolution by financing the de velopment of high-yield food crops etc. UN Chronicle, 1995) List of references: Allen, T. and Thomas, A. (2000) Poverty and development into the 21st century Lappe, F. M. , Collins, J. and Rosset, P. (1998) World hunger: 12 Myths Madi, M. And Wilson, E. (2005) Poverty in Africa. The world today journal, vol. 61, no. 11 Report on the Millenium Development Goals – Mozambique (2005) [online] available from [12 February 2011] Vines, A. (2004) Mozambique: Orderly change. World development journal, vol. 60, no. 12 UN Chronicle (1995) vol. XXXII, no. 4

John Gottmans work

John Gottmans work Free Online Research Papers There are many theories that we have discussed in class that I can see are applicable to my life. I believe the point of this class, in essence, is to help people see what normally goes unseen. Although I am completely and irrevocably in love with all the material that was introduced to me through the course, there is one man that I appreciate the most: John Gottman. Gottman’s work on relationships has been as remarkable to me as the theory of evolution has been to man. It is both practical and myth-dispelling. Without further adieu, I want to share some of my favorite theories Gottman has researched and discovered. In his â€Å"love lab† at the University of Washington, Gottman analyzes human behavioral relations. Here are some of his interesting theories regarding styles of interaction amongst couples:  · Validation: couples compromise often and calmly work out their problems to mutual satisfaction as they arise.  · Volatility: in which conflict erupts often, resulting in passionate disputes.  · Conflict-avoidance: in which couples agree to disagree, rarely confronting their differences head-on. Gottman says as long as both members of a couple approach romantic problem-solving the same way, a healthy relationship can be achieved. Red flags start flying, however, when each relies on a different strategy (say, one person is volatile and the other is conflict-avoiding) His point is that anger and negativity do not necessarily promise a relationship’s demise (again, provided both partners deal with these emotions in a similar way). Instead, what Gottman found to be a sure sign of doom is a repeated occurrence of any of the following behaviors (which he calls, memorably, the â€Å"Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse†)  · Complaining/criticism: (†I can’t believe how you acted at that party!†)  · Contempt: (disgust, scorn, sarcasm, eye rolls, icy feelings)  · Defensiveness: (whining, excuses, acting innocent, denying)  · Withdrawal: (†stonewalling† or emotionally â€Å"checking out† of the situation; saying things like, â€Å"Fine Whatever†) I think that at some point of any relationship we are all guilty of one, if not several, of these behaviors. I chose Gottman because I can apply his work directly to my life. My case in point is with my boyfriend turned fiancà © and fiancà © turned boyfriend (depending on the day and the levels of oxytocin flowing through our brains). I have asked with more than one failed relationship, â€Å"Why is love just not enough?† Furthermore why do I feel so compelled to share my life with someone? The answers that I have gotten from psychosocial sciences are interesting yet, to me, not entirely compelling. In my research, women and men just get categorized and then labeled into a sort of scientific caste system. They’re just waiting to be freed from that theory by some new hotshot theorist that has come to prove the other’s theory wrong. I admit that I have become jaded with the answers that psychology has to offer. I am truly fed up with the renditions of my nature as a â€Å"woman† and feeling the need to â€Å"nest† and so on and so forth. I’m sorry but it’s not a sufficient explanation to why I think that my boyfriend doesn’t understand me. I don’t think that psychology is inaccurate; I just think it’s robotic in its methodology. Therefore, it’s clear to see why I might like Gottman so much. He understands the fundamental anatomical difference between men and women but sees the inherent emotional similarities also. Here is a conversation with my partner that I have analyzed – It is Thanksgiving dinner. The table is set, the food looks great and I have consumed at this point 3 vodka sodas (delivered to me by my partner, also his own drinks). My partner is very close to his four siblings. Out of those four, there are three present at the dinner. My partner and his siblings have this way of sarcasm and mockery that they find funny and like to use as coping mechanisms to various emotions they maybe feeling. I don’t understand it at times and I also think it may be cultural. I found it to be very offensive and rude when my partner’s siblings stared to mock their mother at the dinner table in a sarcastic and obtusely rude manner. I don’t know how to explain the sarcasm because if I could, I’d understand it. Nonetheless I was offended and I spoke up saying- â€Å"God! How can you talk about your mother like that?† After what seemed like an eternity of silence on the table I excused my self and went on to the other table. Later on I was informed by my lover in less then a loving manner the offence I had caused to his family. This news, especially at the time, was odd for me because I feel that they are the ones who should feel bad for talking about their mother in that manner. The disconfirmation and the simply not having my partners support or backing on the matter led me to feel so secluded and betrayed. I was even pulled out by his brother who proceeded to yell at me, saying how â€Å"You don’t know my mother!† and that â€Å"you have no right to comment†. Even at this point I tried to explain that I might not have gotten how exactly they might have been meaning the remarks that I took offence to. I asked and pleaded with him like a dog, saying that maybe I was mistaken or that maybe we can speak of perspectives (things I have learned in class on conflict)on how we see the situation. It seemed, however, that no matter what I said or how I said it I was still being yelled at and belittled with no one to my rescue. It was never my intent to offend them as a family. And yet it seems that they intended to incriminate me as a family so that I know next time that even If I think I belong, I don’t. The behaviors that came out in my partner were those that were very much sided with his kin. I remember sobbing and asking to leave and asking my partner to take me home, to which an abrupt and rude response of â€Å"NO!† was shouted in my face. I don’t think that my partner and I are very sound as a couple. The proof of this is in Gottman’s four horsemen of the apocalypse. This is how we spoke that night – Complaining/criticism : â€Å"Partner- my brother is right you should have kept your mouth shut, it wasn’t your place to say that to us about our mom. Plus if you wanted to say something you should have said it later.† Me: â€Å"How can you say that to me? After all, you have told me a lot about your mom! We have had endless conversations about your mom. How could you not even protect me? How can you think I deserve to be talked to like that?† Contempt: Partner- â€Å"Well Neha, it’s not hard when you fuck up like you do all the time. You were just trying to get drunk , everyone kept asking me is Neha drunk?† Me: â€Å"No I am not drunk! I was buzzed, but that went away real fast when you brother screamed his head off at me. Also I most the people at the place had divulged in a bottle of alcohol by themselves by the point dinner was served. So who was saying that to you? Are you sure they just weren’t drunk? Because as far as I know your brother had been drinking since noon and he sure was.† Defensiveness: â€Å"Partner: â€Å"Whatever, Neha. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I’m done talking about it. Thanks for saying you’re sorry I guess.† Me: â€Å"Wow! So now that I am asking you things that you don’t have the answer to you are just going to cut me off like that?† Withdrawal: Partner: â€Å"Whatever, I am not falling for your games I’m fucking tired I’m going to bed.† Me: (sobbing and wondering how I ever got to be so helpless) â€Å"Why are you doing this to me? Do you even love me? How can you just go to bed when i am sitting here in pain?† I don’t know what lies in store for my partner and me. We are the epitome of the volatile attachment theory. That being said, I think sometimes we forget who we are as individuals in our relationship. I would like to get us some help and I think we both love each other enough to do that soon. Still though, sometimes it so difficult to let go of someone you love. Logically, I know the four horsemen of the apocalypse entered my relationship a long time ago. For some reason, though so did the 3 angels of resurrection. Let me further clarify what I mean and introduce to you â€Å"Neha’s theory on the 3 Angels of Resurrection: 1) Utter trauma/loneliness causes bouts of faith (loved one dying /fighting for life, break ups with husband/boyfriend.) 2) Instant faith causes relief (prayer, calling to any higher power other than you.) 3) Relief from life is sedation (relief- also spells sticking to what we know – begging or pleading for a boyfriend , fear of losing a loved one and wanting to control it. So we can stick to that relief we all want from the situation.) How this applies to me: My partner and I fight. We break up, and instant faith for me kicks in. I say mantras in my head thinking maybe he’ll change his mind. The very notion of obsessively praying to anything spells relief and soothes me in a dishonest way. And there you have it, I feel sedated. I start to think â€Å"well things can be different.† Why not, right? We are just as good as our thoughts right? If I lose him, then I lose control over my life. I must do all that I can to save it. After all, it’s just a stupid fight. Gottman has done remarkable work and I can apply his theories to my life. But I can also apply mine. It would be silly and obtuse to think that my theories can even compare to Gottman’s, however they are mine and someday I will refine them. As educational as this has been, I still believe we have a ways to go when it comes matters of the heart. Research Papers on John Gottman’s workThree Concepts of PsychodynamicComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoCapital PunishmentThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseTrailblazing by Eric AndersonResearch Process Part OneRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenHip-Hop is Art

The Glass Menagerie, a Play by Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie, a Play by Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie  play is a melancholy family drama written by Tennessee Williams. It was first performed on Broadway in 1945, meeting with astounding box-office success and a Drama Critics Circle Award. The Characters In the introduction of The Glass Menagerie, the playwright describes the personalities of the drama’s main characters. Amanda Wingfield: Mother of two adult children, Tom and Laura. â€Å"A little woman of great vitality clinging frantically to another time and place...†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Her life is paranoia†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"Her foolishness makes her unwittingly cruel†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"There is tenderness in her slight person†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Laura Wingfield: Six years out of high school. Incredibly shy and introverted. She fixates on her collection of glass figurines. She has â€Å"failed to establish contact with reality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"A childhood illness has left her crippled, one leg slightly shorter than the other†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"She is like a piece of her own glass collection, too exquisitely fragile†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tom Wingfield: The poetic, frustrated son who works at a mindless warehouse job, supporting his family after his father left home for good. He also serves as the play’s narrator. â€Å"His nature is not remorseless†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"To escape from a trap (his overbearing mother and crippled sister) he has to act without pity.† Jim O’Connor: The gentleman caller who has dinner with the Wingfields during the second part of the play. He is described as a â€Å"nice, ordinary young man.† Setting The entire play takes place in the Wingfield’s meager apartment, located next to an alley in St. Louis. When Tom begins narrating he draws the audience back to the 1930s. Plot Summary Mrs. Wingfield’s husband abandoned the family â€Å"a long time ago.† He sent a postcard from Mazatlan, Mexico that simply read: â€Å"Hello – and Good-bye!† With the absence of the father, their home has become emotionally and financially stagnant. Amanda clearly loves her children. However, she constantly reprimands her son about his personality, his fledgling job, and even his eating habits. Tom: I haven’t enjoyed one bite of this dinner because of your constant directions on how to eat it. It’s you that makes me rush through meals with your hawk-like attention to every bite I take. Even though Tom’s sister is painfully shy, Amanda expects Laura to be more outgoing. The mother, in contrast, is very sociable and reminisces about her days as a southern belle who once received seventeen gentlemen callers in a single day. Laura has no hopes or ambitions for her future. She quit her typing class because she was too shy to take the speed exam. Laura’s only apparent interest seems to be her old music records and her â€Å"glass menagerie,† a collection of animal figurines. Meanwhile, Tom is itching to leave the household and seek adventure in the wide-open world, instead of being held prisoner by his dependent family and a dead-end job. He often stays out late at night, claiming to go to the movies. (Whether or not he watches the movies or engages in some sort of covert activity is debatable). Amanda wants Tom to find a suitor for Laura. Tom scoffs at the idea at first, but by evening he informs his mother that a gentleman caller will be visiting the following night. Jim O’Connor, the potential suitor, went to high school with both Tom and Laura. During that time, Laura had a crush on the handsome young man. Before Jim visits, Amanda dresses in a beautiful gown, reminding herself of her once-glorious youth. When Jim arrives, Laura is petrified to see him again. She can barely answer the door. When she finally does, Jim shows no trace of remembrance. Out on the fire escape, Jim and Tom discuss their futures. Jim is taking a course on public speaking to become an executive. Tom reveals that he will soon be joining the merchant marines, thereby abandoning his mother and sister. In fact, he purposefully failed to pay the electricity bill in order to join the seaman’s union. During dinner, Laura – faint with shyness and anxiety – spends most of the time on the sofa, away from the others. Amanda, however, is having a wonderful time. The lights suddenly go out, but Tom never confesses the reason! By candlelight, Jim gently approaches the timid Laura. Gradually, she begins to open up to him. He is delighted to learn that they went to school together. He even remembers the nickname he gave to her: â€Å"Blue Roses.† Jim: Now I remember – you always came in late. Laura: Yes, it was so hard for me, getting upstairs. I had that brace on my leg – it clumped so loud! Jim: I never heard any clumping. Laura (wincing at the recollection): To me it sounded like thunder! Jim: Well, well, well. I never even noticed. Jim encourages her to be more self-confident. He even dances with her. Unfortunately, he bumps a table, knocking over a glass unicorn figurine. The horn breaks, making the figurine just like the rest of the horses. Surprisingly, Laura is able to laugh about the situation. She clearly likes Jim. Finally, he declares: Somebody needs to build your confidence up and make you proud instead of shy and turning away and- blushing- Somebody ought to- ought to- kiss you, Laura! They kiss. For a moment, the audience might be lured into thinking that everything will work out happily. For a moment, we can imagine: Jim and Laura falling in love.Amanda’s dreams for Laura’s security coming true.Tom finally escaping the â€Å"trap† of family obligations. Yet, a moment after the kiss, Jim backs away and decides, â€Å"I shouldn’t have done that.† He then reveals that he is engaged to a nice girl named Betty. When he explains that he will not be back to visit again, Laura bravely smiles. She offers him the broken figurine as a souvenir. After Jim leaves, Amanda scolds her son for bringing an already-spoken-for gentleman caller. As they fight, Tom exclaims: Tom: The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I’ll go, and I won’t go to the movies! Then, Tom assumes the role of the narrator as he did in the play’s beginning. He explains to the audience how he soon left his family behind, running away just as his father did. He spent years traveling abroad, yet something still haunted him. He escaped the Wingfield household, but his dear sister Laura was always on his mind. The Final Lines Oh, Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be! I reach for a cigarette, I cross the street, I run into the movies or a bar, I buy a drink, I speak to the nearest stranger- anything that can blow your candles out! For nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura – and so good-bye†¦

10 Helium Facts - Atomic Number 2 on the Periodic Table

10 Helium Facts - Atomic Number 2 on the Periodic Table Helium is the second element on the periodic table, with atomic number 2 and element symbol He. Its the lightest noble gas. Here are ten quick facts about the element helium. Check the full listing for helium if you would like additional element facts. The atomic number of helium is 2, meaning each atom of helium has two protons.  The most abundant isotope of the element has 2 neutrons. It is energetically favorable for each helium atom to have 2 electrons, which gives it a stable electron shell.Helium has the lowest melting point and boiling point of the elements, so it only exists as a gas, except under extreme conditions.  At normal pressure, helium is a liquid at absolute zero.  It must be pressurized to become a solid.Helium is the second-lightest element.  The lightest element or one with the lowest density is hydrogen. Even though hydrogen typically exists as a diatomic gas, consisting of two atoms bonded together, a single atom of helium has a higher density value. This is because the most common isotope of hydrogen has one proton and no neutrons, while each helium atom typically has two  neutrons as well as two protons.Helium is the second-most abundant element in the universe  (after hydrogen), though it is mu ch less common on Earth.  On Earth, the element is considered a nonrenewable resource.  Helium does not form compounds with other elements, while the free atom is light enough to escape Earths gravity and bleed out through the atmosphere. Some scientists are concerned we might one day run out of helium or at least make it prohibitively expensive to isolate. Helium is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and inert.  Of all the elements, helium is the least reactive, so it does not form compounds under ordinary conditions. In order to bond it to another element, it would need to be ionized or pressurized. Under high pressure, disodium helide (HeNa2), the clathrate-like titanate La2/3-xLi3xTiO3He, the silicate crystobalite He II (SiO2He), dihelium arsenolite (AsO6 ·2He), and NeHe2 may exist.Most helium is obtained by extracting it from natural gas.  Its uses include helium party balloons,  as a protective inert atmosphere for chemistry storage and reactions, and for cooling superconducting magnets for NMR spectrometers and MRI machines.Helium is the second-least reactive noble gas (after neon).  It is considered the real gas that most closely approximates the behavior of an ideal gas.Helium is monatomic under standard conditions. In other words, helium is found as single atoms of the element.Inhaling helium temporarily chan ges the sound of a persons voice. Although many people think inhaling helium makes a voice sound higher, it doesnt actually alter the pitch. Though helium is non-toxic, breathing it can result in asphyxiation due to oxygen deprivation. Evidence of heliums existence came from the  observation of a yellow spectral line from the sun. The name for the element comes from the Greek god of the Sun, Helios.

Impact of social media on the growth of the fashion industry in Dissertation

Impact of social media on the growth of the fashion industry in Nigeria - Dissertation Example This group of consumers prefers to use Facebook only (55%), and only 27% have Twitter account, while 18% of respondents use both social media tools. The results demonstrated that the local fashion brands have not as strong and effective marketing strategies in terms of social media usage. Also, the research has shown that 41% of respondents do always review social media pages of fashion brands for discounts, while 23% of respondents prefer to read reviews before shopping for clothes online or even before going to the fashion store. However, according to the study carried out by the researcher where he has been analyzing the level of activity of Nigerian and UK-based Nigerian fashion brands at social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, it has been found out that the majority of 45 Nigerian fashion brands did not use full potential of the social media opportunities. The research has also shown that some of the Nigerian fashion brands in addition to Facebook and Twitter d o use other social media platforms to interact with their customers, followers, fans and subscribers. These sources included fashion brands blogs, Tumblr, Youtube, Pininterest, Instagram, Ijaw girl, and even LinkdIn. Based on the result of the findings, it was recommended that the Nigerian fashion brands and retailers ought to adopt experience of international fashion brands and focus their digital marketing strategy on the following key social media areas: personalized shopping experience, user-generated content, strategic use of discounts, focus on niche communities, and interaction through mobile applications. Key words: Social media, fashion industry, consumer behaviour, Nigeria Introduction â€Å"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months† – this ironic and brave definition of fashion belongs to famous Oscar Wild. If seriously, Feldenkreis et al (2005) describe the basics of the fashion business as a set of activities, i ncluding: design and creation of a line; sampling process with drawing the design, picking materials, designing graphics, embroidery and other components if needed; preparation of the blueprint of the garment from size to all measurements; and demonstration of it to the fashion industry. Usually, this process takes one year after which new fashion models would be available for retail (Feldenkreis et al. 2005). However, with the increasing use of social media globally this process goes through the various changes and provides both fashion producers/distributors and fashion consumers with new opportunities. Various social networks, blogging, video blogging, podcasting - all are the social media tools used to empower and enable conversations digitally (Brogan, 2010). More detailed description of what the social media was described by Poynter (2010, p. 182), who listed such examples of it: blogging, micro-blogging (e.g. Twitter), social networking (e.g. Facebook, Mixi, Cyworld), Wikis ( e.g. Wickipedia, the collaborative encyclopedia), social bookmarking (e.g. Delicious and Digg), photosharing (e.g. Flickr), voice networking (e.g. Skype), video sharing (e.g. YouTube), music

Management - Employee Participation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management - Employee Participation - Essay Example Importance of Employees’ Participation One of the most important forms of employees’ participation is teamwork. According to Hodson and Sullivan (2012, p. 421), work groups have been instrumental in increasing an organization’s production for many years. Work groups consist of individuals with shared goals, who try to accomplish their goals through the development of efficient and effective organizational structure. Every work group should consist of approximately eight to ten workers who are assigned the same task. In most successful organizations, managers use employees’ teams to improve the quality of working life through the reduction of work intensity and pressure. When employees work in groups, their tasks and responsibilities, cease to feel like chores. This is because they complete tasks early; furthermore, work flows because the workers help each other (Hodson & Sullivan 2012, p. 421). The workers feel valued in high performing teams; thus, increa sing their commitment to the firm. Such teams are more productive making them contribute to the increase in the overall production of an organization (Wheelan 2010). As a means of forming the winning teams, the leaders in organizations should introduce training sessions where workers learn how to work effectively in teams. In some firms, teams are given names and the team members wear T-shirts that have their team names printed on them (Wheelan 2010). In addition, group work as a means of employees’ participation helps in increasing the performances of organizations because they promote proper use of resources. Teamwork enables the corporate leaders to allocate resources appropriately, which include the workers and other material things. Proper allocation of resources increases the performances of businesses since it helps in reducing the organization expenses through wastage. Teamwork increases the innovativeness of workers in a firm since members are always free to share th eir ideas enabling them to study new things from other affiliates. The teams also house many individuals from different backgrounds who have different ideas. The new ideas that will upgrade the team production are shared through the interaction of the members from different backgrounds. The implementation of some of the new ideas in the firm increases the production of the whole organization (Adair 2010). Moreover, teamwork makes the problem-solving process to become faster. Adair (2010) indicates that the various ideas presented by the team members enable the production of creative solutions. During problem solving, team members should be allowed to brainstorm since it helps in uncovering many answers. Teamwork increases corporate performance by upgrading the quality of work. It increases employees’ commitment because in teams, members feel like they are part of it. This enables them to own a project. Even if a task is hard, team members will always encourage each other to p roduce quality work compared to when managers dictate the work. Furthermore, teamwork develops synergy because of joint forces; thus, increasing business production (Adair 2010). Suggestion Schemes Suggestion scheme is a form of workers participation, which gives employees chances to present their ideas. Some organizations have suggestion boxes where employees put their written suggestions. To

Professional development & critical reflection Essay

Professional development & critical reflection - Essay Example †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demonstrate a critically reflective understanding of a range of social and individual factors which can affect children’s and young people’s well-being and development inside and outside of the school/setting; †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Show understanding of how to identify these factors in relation to particular children/pupils; 2. Ensure that you demonstrate detailed knowledge & understanding of key concepts and theories, through clarity or writing and that you are aware of and demonstrate the provisional nature of knowledge 3. You need to show evidence of a general critical approach building on your use of appropriate literature, by your individual judgement and reflection. Look at the title and the criteria more carefully Agreed Provisional Mark – may be subject to change until confirmed by the appropriate assessment board First Marker’s Name Second Marker’s/Moderator’s name, where appropriate A copy o f this sheet must be retained with the coursework item. Professional Development & Critical Reflection Introduction This paper, by reference to a case study of Child A and the relevant literature provides a critical reflection of the social and individual factors that can influence a child or a young person’s welfare and development both at school and outside of school. Likewise, this paper will demonstrate an understanding of how these factors are identified by reference to specific child or student. In doing so, this paper will illustrate knowledge and understanding of the primary concepts and theories. Child A Background Information Previous school assessments and my own assessment reveal that Child A is a 7 year old male student who is repeating the first year because of learning difficulties. Two years... This paper, by reference to a case study of Child A and the relevant literature provides a critical reflection of the social and individual factors that can influence a child or a young person’s welfare and development both at school and outside of school. Likewise, this paper will demonstrate an understanding of how these factors are identified by reference to specific child or student. In doing so, this paper will illustrate knowledge and understanding of the primary concepts and theories. Previous school assessments and my own assessment reveal that Child A is a 7 year old male student who is repeating the first year because of learning difficulties. Two years of review reveals that Child A’s primary language is English. He has language-based difficulties, numbers-based difficulties and poor motor skills. Child A’s language-based difficulties are manifested by the fact that he has a tendency to write letters of the alphabet and numbers in reverse. He also freq uently confuses capital letters with lower case letters. Observations/assessments also reveal that Child A is introverted and does not socialize with other children. In fact, Child A has been described as a loner. In addition, Child A has difficulties with cognitive functioning in that his attention span is quite short and he has difficulty going from one task to another. He requires simple and differentiated instruction and adult supervision in order to get him to focus and complete tasks. Visual aids are also required to engage Child A in classroom learning and instruction.

Comparing two electroinics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comparing two electroinics - Essay Example Therefore, this paper aims at contrasting the two devices in order to make a good decision of the favorable electronic to buy. The both devices have similar Bluetooth capabilities, memory, and hard drive (Miser 5). They have internal wireless LAN cards of 802.11, with the same speed at ay given distances, although the MacBook has connections that are more reliable. In addition, the Vaio sonny consumes a lot of power, as compared to Apple Mac book pro since it has NVIDIA Card that generates a lot of heat. Fortunately, Vaio sonny has two graphic cards NVIDIA and Intel while Apple Mac book pro has only Intel GMA 950. In terms of software comparison, the Vaio sonny uses Windows XP while MacBook have both OSX10.4.8 through a BootCamp And can be set to boot with Win XP. The OS X is more stable that Win XP (Warren, web). In conclusion, if I were to select one device from the two, I would buy a MacBook since it is more favorable to my requirements. It will be supportive to my travel since it saves energy, have connection that is more reliable in many environmental areas (Barr 10-30). The selection is guided by my purpose for the device, although the Vaio Sony has more features than MacBook, but is unfavorable for travelling

Write a essay about those questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Write a about those questions - Essay Example Except for the congenital syphilis, syphilis occurs in four distinct stages. In the initial primary stage, there is formation of a sore which is a small, round and firm referred as chancre that occurs at the site of infection. Chancre usually occurs 21-90 days after infection. The ulcer usually disappears and secondary syphilis sets in. This is evidenced by skin rash which do not itch at soles and palms. Symptoms associated with secondary stage syphilis include headache, swollen lymph glands, sore throat and tiredness. In the latent syphilis no symptoms are evident and the disease progresses to the tertiary stage. Failure to treat syphilis may lead to the complicated tertiary stage which affects almost all organs of the body including the brain, nervous system and heart. Late syphilis presents with mental illness and neurological failures. The diagnosis of syphilis maybe by examination of a chancre by a health worker and laboratory tests confirmation for the disease. Antibiotics especially penicillin are used in treatment of syphilis especially at the primary stages. Syphilis that has affected the neural system may be treated by intravenous injection of penicillin. Prevention of the disease is by avoiding contact (sexual contact) with infected individual and avoiding sex partners. Protected sex may also minimize chances of infection (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 1). The bacterium Nesseria gonorrhoeae infects the potential victim through the genital tract, mouth and rectum. Transmission of this bacterial disease is through sexual intercourse with an infected partner oral, anal or vaginal. The bacterium has its reservoir in infected humans. Symptoms of this STD include discharge in both men and women though some infected individuals may not present with any symptoms. These symptoms are evident after 2-10 days after sexual intercourse with an infected individual. In women possible symptoms

Financial Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Financial Planning - Essay Example There may be some additional cost attached with the purchasing of house is that cost of furniture fixture, electricity cost, maintenance cost and cost of decorating the house. The use of credit card incurs some cost as interest rate. As the interest rate in the credit card is very high like interest rate on the credit card of Shawn is 18% and Mary is 15%. The use of other means of payment like cash payment reduces such costs involved. Thus, they need to reduce the usage of credit cards in borrowing goods and services because the high rate of interest leads to increase in their expenses in the income expenditure statement. For this reason, if they reduce the usage of credit cards then they will be able to save the amount of interest. Shawn wants to sell off his truck any buy something new. From the primary consideration of buying vehicles, it can be said that buying new vehicles is always good though it costs high but the quality of the vehicle is brand new and Shawn can easily repair or maintain the car from the company service center if it’s new. However, if he wants to buy a used vehicle then the cost will be low as after one-year usage of any vehicle, its cost decreases. However, here he needs to consider two things- one is that the age of the vehicle. He should not purchase too old vehicle, which is having low cost because it might not be in a good condition. Second is that only age of the vehicle cannot be the measurement factor for the condition of the vehicle depends on the Km. it has run and depending on the miles or Km it can be decided that whether the vehicle is in good condition or not. Some other consideration in the purchase of a used truck is the property transfer cost and the service it w ould incur to make the used truck running and in a good condition. If the costs involved are much larger or near to the cost of a new truck, he would purchase the new one. Nevertheless, buying an old truck

Write a essay about those questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Write a about those questions - Essay Example Except for the congenital syphilis, syphilis occurs in four distinct stages. In the initial primary stage, there is formation of a sore which is a small, round and firm referred as chancre that occurs at the site of infection. Chancre usually occurs 21-90 days after infection. The ulcer usually disappears and secondary syphilis sets in. This is evidenced by skin rash which do not itch at soles and palms. Symptoms associated with secondary stage syphilis include headache, swollen lymph glands, sore throat and tiredness. In the latent syphilis no symptoms are evident and the disease progresses to the tertiary stage. Failure to treat syphilis may lead to the complicated tertiary stage which affects almost all organs of the body including the brain, nervous system and heart. Late syphilis presents with mental illness and neurological failures. The diagnosis of syphilis maybe by examination of a chancre by a health worker and laboratory tests confirmation for the disease. Antibiotics especially penicillin are used in treatment of syphilis especially at the primary stages. Syphilis that has affected the neural system may be treated by intravenous injection of penicillin. Prevention of the disease is by avoiding contact (sexual contact) with infected individual and avoiding sex partners. Protected sex may also minimize chances of infection (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 1). The bacterium Nesseria gonorrhoeae infects the potential victim through the genital tract, mouth and rectum. Transmission of this bacterial disease is through sexual intercourse with an infected partner oral, anal or vaginal. The bacterium has its reservoir in infected humans. Symptoms of this STD include discharge in both men and women though some infected individuals may not present with any symptoms. These symptoms are evident after 2-10 days after sexual intercourse with an infected individual. In women possible symptoms

The Relationship Between Alexander and the Great General Hephaestion Essay Example for Free

The Relationship Between Alexander and the Great General Hephaestion Essay Alexander III of Macedon, or better known as Alexander the Great was king of Macedon, a state in northern Ancient Greece. He was born in Pella in 356 B. C. and was tutored by Aristotle until the age of 16. By the age of 30, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas. He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history’s most successful commanders. Alexander was an outgoing charismatic man, who had many friends, but his dearest and closest friend and confidant was Hephaestion. Hephaestion, son of Amyntor, was a Macedonian nobleman and a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He was born in Macedonia in 356 B. C. He was a member of Alexander the Great’s personal bodyguard, which then he went on to command the Companion cavalry, and was entrusted with many other tasks through Alexander’s ten-year campaign in Asia. Apart from being a soldier, engineer and diplomat, he corresponded with the philosophers Aristotle and Xenocrates, and supported Alexander in his attempts to integrate Greeks and Persians. Their relationship lasted through Alexander’s becoming of king, through the hardships of campaigning and the flatteries of court life, and their marriages. In all that Alexander undertook, Hephaestion was at his side making their friendship a working partnership. They worked well together making Alexander trust him and rely on him. When Alexander had to divide his forces he trusted Hephaestion with half of his men knowing that in him he had a man of unquestionable loyalty, who understood and sympathised with his aims, and above all, who got the job done. Hephaestion played a full part in Alexander’s regular consultations with senior officers, but he was also the one whom Alexander would talk to in private, sharing his thoughts, hopes and plans. Curtius states that Hephaestion was the sharer of all his secrets. At Alexander’s first wedding Hephaestion was the torch bearer (best man). This showed not only their friendship but also Hephaestion’s support for Alexander’s policies, as Alexander’s choice of an Asian bride had not been a popular one. When they returned to Persia Hephaestion was officially titled Alexander’s second in command. Hammond sums up their public relationship well: â€Å"It is not surprising that Alexander was as closely attached to Hephaestion as Achilles was to Patroclus†, and â€Å"At the time of his death Hephaestion held the highest single command, that of the Companion Cavalry; and had been repeatedly second in command to Alexander in the hierarchy of the Asian court, holding the title of Chiliarch, which had been held by Nabarzans under Darius. Thus Alexander honoured Hephaestion both as the closest of his friends and the most distinguished of his Field Marshals. It has been said that as well as being close friends Alexander and Hephaestion were also lovers. It cannot be proved that they were lovers as none of the ancient sources states this in so many words. However, Arrian describes the occasion when Alexander and Hephaestion publicly identified themselves with Achilles and Patroclus, who were acknowledged, by Plato and Aeschylus among others, to have been lovers. It happened at t he begging of the campaign in Asia when Alexander led a contingent of the army to visit Troy. He laid a wreath on the tomb of Achilles, and Hephaestion laid a wreath on the tomb of Patroclus, and they ran a race, naked, to honour their dead heroes. Robin Lane Fox, writing in 1973, says: â€Å"It was a remarkable tribute, uniquely paid, and it is also Hephaestion’s first mention in Alexander’s career. Already the two were intimate, Patroclus and Achilles even to those around them; the comparison would remain to the end of their days and is proof of their life as lovers, for by Alexander’s time, Achilles and Patroclus were agreed to have enjoyed the relationship which Homer had never directly mentioned. Nothing shows better the nature and length of their relationship than Alexander’s overwhelming grief at Hephaestion’s death. As Andrew Chugg says, â€Å"†¦ it is surely incredible that Alexander’s reaction to Hephaestion’s death could indicate anything other than the closest relationship imaginable. † Arrian says that Alexander â€Å"†¦ flung himself on the body of his friend and lay there nearly all day long in tears, and refused to be parted from him until he was dragged away by force of his companions. Arrian also said that Alexander, after Hephaestion’s death, described him as â€Å"†¦ the friend I valued as my own life. † In conclusion Alexander and Hephaestion’s relationship was extremely close. They may or may not have been lovers but the friendship they shared was one of a kind. Their tutor, Aristotle, described such a friendship as â€Å"†¦ one soul abiding in two bodies†. Paul Cartledge describes their closeness when he says: â€Å"Alexander seems actually to have referred to Hephaestion as his alter ego. † They truly were soul mates and had one of the strongest relationships in history.

The Positive Behavioural Support Education Essay

The Positive Behavioural Support Education Essay The last twenty has seen the emergence from Applied Behavioural Analysis of Positive Behavioural Support.ABS was Established in the 1960s as a science which produces behavioural changes from its learning principles. They are then systematically applied in order to bring about behavioural changes which are socially important (Cooper. Heron Heward,1987).In the late 1980s and early 1990s PBS was being developed using methods and concepts in a generalised concept of strategy of support and intervention from ABA. This strategy was intended to reduce behavioural problems and enhance a persons quality of life ( E.Carr et al.,2002).PBS owes a lot of its methodological, conceptual and technological roots from ABA, and so is indebted to ABA for this and this is well understood (E.Carr et al ., 2002).A lot of behavioural analysiss who are conspicuous contributors in ABS initially trained in ABA and they still maintain very close links with ABA.PBS is still in terms of data required and the for mation of new theoretical frameworks as it tries to establish it self as a fully distinct science in its infancy. Although due to the unique and substance of PBSs critical features it warrants a separate identity (E.Carr et al.,2002;Dunlap,2004).The links are vital and numerous between ABA and PBS ( Risley,2003).At an individual level is the debt that PBS owes to ABA at its most oblivious especially in the direct intervention practices at procedural level. With the use of the principles of instrumental methods , the use of stimulus control and positive reinforcement. And even extends to intervention technology and the considerable assessments that were developed by the ABA, in the early years. This technology includes contingency management, antecedent manipulations, refined strategies of instruction, Functional assessment and functional analysis.PBS have also adapted times series designs and methods of direct observations which are used extensively in ABA. While PBS embraces perspe ctives and traditions beyond ABAs, its service delivery is indisputably similar (J.Carr Sidener,2002;Dunlap,2004;Wacker Berg,2002).In 1968 the Journal of Applied Behavioural Analysis was founded. With its founding editor Montrose Wolf 1968-1970, and Todd Risley as editor 1972-1974,these two editors were responsible for the innovative and dynamic characteristics that were in that journal. And were in turn with their colleges were largely responsible for the shaping ABA as a discipline. Through their own research publications and the early years at the Journal of Behavioural Analysis, Risley and Wolf led the way in the development of the model of action oriented field research (Fixsen Dunlap,2004).This model is based on experimental methods and rigorous measurements, a great deal of this models uniqueness is associated with these seven appealing characteristics. 1.To solve serious human problems with a complete focus on practical solutions. 2.Messages from research should be direct and simple, Quest for Parsimony. 3.Solutions identified in research should benefit individuals in life altering ways, or large portions of society in a quest for meaningful impact. 4.Obliging research design to conform to situations and to putting solutions before the strictures of the science. 5.Recognise that in anolog contexts solutions are not real solutions in real human problems, ecological validity. 6.Having a commitment to collaborate with the community, colleges research participants and students in understanding that solutions and ideas are communal and a social phenomena. 7.Ideas are more important than any ideology. With this model of applied research the message is clearly that its important to be completely open to hopefully useful perspectives, and to be restrained by disciplinary and conceptual insularity is counterproductive. Wolf and Risley with the use of these seven characteristics in applied science, enabled them to answer critical problems.Strenghthen the vigour and potency of interventions, by the development of the achievement place group home model. And with the idea of social validation. Wolf with his colleges changed the previous restrictions of hard direct observation data (Wolf,1978).The achievement place group members with the use of systematic consumer imput to supplement the usual evidence .Where then able to refine the residential service model, and also able to replicate their findings successfully many times due to its robustness (Fixsen,Blasà ©,Timbers Wolf,2001).Without the use of social validation data this scaling up would not have been possible. Risley although a founding member of ABA showed the same ability to move beyond his disciplines limitations in his quest for answers to critical questions. Risley with Betty Hart (Hart Risley,1995) used unconventional descriptive statisti cs and data collection techniques to produce very important findings, associated with the development of young childrens language. Risley also conceived of behavioural support happenings at a larger life arrangements level. With interventions being formulated on whom and where a person on a daily bases interact with. And what they do in terms of play, work and social commerce (Risley,1996).The scientific precepts of ABA did not foresee the conceptualisation, but it shows the spirit and dynamic model of action oriented problem solving of Wolf, Risley and others created in the 1960s and 1970s.The cornerstone of PBS is the life arrangements approach by Risley. The experimental analysis of behaviour and the scientific techniques of behaviour by the early founders of ABA provided a valuable service (Sidman,1960;Skinner,1953) in the field of real human problems. Some of the founders of ABA created a dynamic and creative model of problem solving field based research, by going beyond the th is act of tranlation.whilst at the same time maintaining the many benefits and scientific orientation that were produced by early ABA. By creating additional strategies or adopting some, to defeat barriers in their way that were diminishing their effectiveness or understanding. Risley and Wolf are oblivious examples although there are and were others. The techniques and methods of ABA are essiential.But the pioneers that used the dynamic problem solving approach in ABA has also been adopted by people in PBS and should be maintained by them in order to help find new solutions that affect human well being. There is mounting concern over the challenging behaviours displayed by the numbers of young children in early childhood settings (Squires Bricker,2007).Behaviours such as tantrums,biting,yelling,hitting,withdrawal or noncompliance. Which are major barriers to effective social networks and their development of social compliance (Campbell,Specker,Burchinal,Poe The NICH, Early Child Care Research Network; Dunlap et al.,2006;Wood,Cowan Baker,2006).A childs typical development consists of these challenging behaviours in the early years, for instance a two year old child will yell when refused a biscuit or sweet. A three year old child will take a toy and then hit the other child. But these behaviours should then diminish as the child develops emotional and social regulation, language and their skills at cognitive problems increase (Campbell,1995;Tremblay et al.,2004).Approximately 10% of children continue in their preschool years to exhibit these challenging behaviours (Kuperschmidt,Br yant Willoughby,2000).This figure rises if the children are from low income families (Qi Kaiser,2003).For children who exhibit severe and/or sustained challenging behaviours the outcome is bleak. Challenging behaviours long term negative outcomes may not be limited to and can include social rejection, drug abuse, academic failure and the commission of crime in adulthood (Patterson, Reid Dishow,1992). The development pathway that leads to anti social behaviours and social conduct disorders has been shown by research to be established in the preschool years (Webster-straton,2000).Young children who are at risk of displaying patterns of challenging behaviour in preschool have a need for early intervention. In America there is such a federally funded programme called P.L. 99-457 which came about in 1986.This is an early childhood special education service or intervention. In where a child is at risk or has disabilities. But this service are not always provided for all of the chidren, who display emotional and/or social behavioural problems. Due to idiosyncrasies with the lack of assessment methods and/or systematic screening (Conway Brown,2004;Powell,Fixsen,Dunlap,Smith Fox,2007).These services when they are provided have been reactive rather proactive (Conway brown,2004).Interventions have been based on a response to a single childs disruptive behaviour. Without taking steps to reduce the likelihood of other children in the classroom developing challenging behaviour patterns. Whilst this is important for remedying severe problem behaviour in one child, it does little to reduce similar patterns of behaviour in other children. as it doesnt address their needs.Families,researchers and preschool teachers are looking for the implementation of a research based comprehensive intervention programmes. To prevent the emergence of problem behaviours by young children (Gillam Shaber,2006;Joseph Strain,2003). Preschool teachers however continue to voice the opinion tha t a childs challenging behaviour is their biggest concern (Alkon,Rambler MacLennan,2003;Joseph Strain,2003) In a recent report (Gilliam Shaber,2003) demonstrated that teachers do not have the support for early interventions that they need. The figure that rates for expulsion in preschool children are 3.2 times higher than for school age children shows this (Gilliam Shaber,2006).Child expulsion rates dropped though when preschool teachers had access to mental health consultants who are based in the classroom. These rates dropped specifically if this support was available on an ongoing bases. Other research has also supported these results, that it is important to have access to mental health specialists and the support they offer to preschool teachers. As the teachers try to manage social emotional development and challenging behaviours of young children 9Alkon et al.,2003;Duda,Dunlap,Fox,lentini Clarke,2004). A Consultant will work with a teacher in consultation for preschool children, in order to strengthen teaching strategies. With the use of environmental arrangements that are associated with childrens emotional functioning and social skills (Dougherty,2000).In a comprehensive multi systems level approach, the consultant may also work with other service related personnel and administrators. In a system level approach such as in procedures and policies for example, teachers schedules, data management and referral practices. This can help support the assessment, identification and the prevention of and intervention for challenging behaviours.Teachers,young children and early childhood service delivery arrangements can benefit from a fully comprehensive system wide model. That involves consultation in order to prevent challenging behaviour by young children, through preventative support. Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is one such multi comprehensive approach which is team based. That sh ows promise and has been well tested especially in preschool settings (Conroy Brown,2004;Fox,Dunlap Powell,2002).PBS is a multi system wide model used in the reduction of challenging behaviours. The PBS model consists of three levels of prevention and intervention, within a programme setting or a school setting, depending of the needs of the children (Carr et al.,2002).At the first level of prevention all the children are provided with a predictive and safe environment. The focus being on trying to build relationships which are positive (Fox,Dunlap,Hemmeter,Joseph strain,2003).The physical design of the classroom also gets attention, the schedule which is followed regulary.Then there is also verbal interactions with the families, children and other teachers (Fox,et al.,2003).Along with this the children are shown clearly defined expectations. Such as the use of listening ears, safe hands and the use of quiet voices inside. These techniques are taught specifically in a large group instruction class, such as circle time (Stormont et al.,2005).These are often displayed on posters placed in the classroom walls for the children and others to look at and refer too. Then these may become classroom rules, normally there would be three to five classroom rules with accompanying posters or pictures. Which is the recommended amount, then normally every day the children are especially taught these expectations with nonexamples and examples of rule following behaviours (Stormont et al .,2005).At the second level of support which involves targeted interventions of a small group of children, who have displayed some deficits in challenging behaviours and/or social skills (Howken Horner,2003).In a classroom of young children, the programme consists of small group activities such as buddy or peer group programmes. Or strategies that are implemented by the teacher, that are used throughout the day. For instance by offering support by the teacher to the child when they are usi ng self regulation strategies (Fox et al.,2003). And in the low risk group, for children who display low intensity behaviours. Second level strategies operate in the most efficient way with small groups of children. It is at the tertiary or top level of intervention, where children are not responding to preventive attempts. Or who display severe and/or chronic challenging behaviours is individualised interventions offered. These individualised interventions should be culturally and socially appropriate, practical and come form Functional Behaviour Assessments FBA (Lewis Sugai,1999,Sugai et al.,2000).Another key feature of PBS can include the use and formation of leadership teams. Who should use in order to monitor progress data based procedures (Albin,Lucyshyn,Horner Flannery,1996).This team should consist of assistant and lead classroom teachers,families,mental health specialists, related service personnel and administrators. All of whom should work frequently with preschool teac hers to support childrens emotional and social development. The procedures used to collect data must look at the organizational structure, that is the routines and schedules that they use (Fox Little,2001;Stormont et al.,2005).PBS is a model that has a continuum of supports such as the first, second and then tertiary or top levels of prevention and intervention. Research seems to show that it needs at least 80% implementation to be effective (Scott Martinek,2006).What this means in effect is piecemeal or partial implementation may put the whole programme at risk. And its effectiveness to make targeted change and then to maintain this change over time. In conclusion looking at the research PBS can offer real help and support for the children displaying this challenging behaviour. Their teachers and importantly the families as they try to cope with this, in what can be a very disruptive and hard to deal with problem behaviour. But like every thing in this current climate, its trying to find the necessary resources for programme. which is going to be a major set back for any school that wants to implement this programme. Especially as the programme needs at least an 80% implementation rate to be fully effective.

Food Irradiation Essay -- essays research papers

Food Irradiation: Solution to Hunger or Killer Mutagen? People all over the world are starving for fresh, uncontaminated food. Insects, pests, and invisible microorganisms are not what the public want to find on their dinner plates. Throughout history, life has depended on ways of treating food to reduce or destroy these naturally occurring harmful contaminants and to enable foods to be stored after harvesting so that they can be saved for use at other times of the year. With increasing populations and the growth of cities, it is even more important to be able to preserve food so that it can be transported over considerable distances and stored for long periods before it reaches the consumer. The relentless pressure to supply safe foods to mass markets has led to major contamination problems arising in recent years. The food industry has responded by developing new methods to treat food, such as food irradiation. To some in the food industry, irradiation is a wonderful new technology that could solve many contamination problems without any apparent effects on the treated food. To the consumer, it is a new process that has unknown threats and benefits. Currently, 37 countries, including the United States, permit the use of irradiation and approximately 25 actually use it. Irradiation will remain an expensive and little used technology until there is general acceptance of irradiated foods by consumers. The modern food industry has to make certain choices as to how and when it treats food during the food production cycle. It can start by reducing the level of microorganisms and pests in food by using chemical treatments and pesticides during growth. For this to be effective the food must then be protected against fresh contamination during transport and storage. An alternative approach is to do very little to the food as grown and harvested, but to treat it nearer to the point of consumption. This is common with herbs and spices. The food industry will tend to choose the way it deals with contamination based on the economics of each case, in other words, the cheapest way possible. Even where food is produced relatively close to the point of consumption, it may have to be treated because contamination is inherent in the production process. This is why milk has to be pasteurized. Pasteurization is the most effective way of killing microorganisms with m... ...where the greed of people like Gustavus Swift turned meat-packing plants into death traps and sold ground cardboard, rats, and fingers to the public as ‘fresh meat’ while sweeping the floors of the plant to recover the sliced-off bits and package them as potted meat. Clearly the food industry is driven by capitalism, and not by concern for the consumer, and although I am wholeheartedly in favor of capitalist businesses, I do think federal regulation needs to come into play not just in the United states, but in other countries where most of the people have no legal recourse at all if they fall ill or die as the result of unclean food. Education of the consumer is the key to this problem, as is objective research. Governments around the world should be made to adhere to guidelines recommended by people whose main concern is the safe and healthy production of food, instead of the cheapest way to produce it, or what would be best for the businesses already irradiating fo od, as is the case for the federal government. Without measures taken during all aspect of food production to ensure cleanliness, the consumer is doomed to a lifetime of choices between dirty food, and dirtier food.

Macbeth: Shakespeare’s Two Key Motifs Essay example -- weather, blood,

The play â€Å"Macbeth†, by Shakespeare, contains many motifs. Two very powerful motifs that Shakespeare illustrates in this play are blood, and weather. Blood is important because it shows that this play is violent, and the blood physically shows that these characters in the play are warriors. Weather plays an important role because it usually foreshadows events that are about to take place. For example, a storm usually foreshadows terrible things, like death and destruction. A major motif in â€Å"Macbeth† is blood. Blood is talked about everywhere in Macbeth. Blood is found when Macbeth kills his own relative, King Duncan, in order to gain power and to become the king himself. After Macbeth carries out Duncan’s murder, he is crowned King of Scotland. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s murderous journey begins, the death toll rises; and with each death, the amount of blood on Macbeth metaphorically and literally increases. Guilt starts to control Macbeth. When King Duncan is killed, Macbeth is convinced that â€Å"all great Neptune’s oceans† would not wash the blood clean from his hands. Guilt is eating away at Macbeth, and his desire and ambition for power is what leads to him to carry out many more murders. Blood is found several times in the text: â€Å"may thick my blood†, â€Å"the sleepy grooms with blood†, â€Å"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?†, â€Å"Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm excite the mortified man.† Blood appears in â€Å"Macbeth† in two ways: It appears in the text, and it also appears literally, due to the many deaths in the play. In a lot of ways, blood symbolizes a person’s bravery. For example, In Act I, after the battle, Duncan asks the wounded sergeant, "Wh... ...re. Another Major motif in the play is weather. Sunshine and clear skies are not discussed at all in the play. Shakespeare wanted to create a dark and gloomy background. Most of the descriptions about the weather indicate storm-like conditions such as rain, thunder, and lightning. The three witches are also associated with the weather motif. Right before the first scene of the play, it is stated in the text: â€Å"Thunder and lightning. Enter three witches.† Thunder and lightning usually represents an unnatural presence. Shakespeare wrote this play with intention on giving the reader this lesson. Too much greed can consume you and make you do something that you will possibly regret. Works Cited http://intensivemacbeth.wikispaces.com/The+Motif+of+Blood http://www.studymode.com/essays/Blood-Motif-In-Macbeth-64386.html http://britlit4.wikispaces.com/Macbeth+Motif-+Blood

Tips for a Career: Financial Analyst and Financial Engineering

If you are one of those persons who thought that you have to be an engineer by profession and academic background to be a financial engineer, you are under the wrong impression. If you are very good in mathematics and would like to take a de route to your attaining success in life without losing your flare for math, this is where you should be, and this is a tip for a career. How much can you earn? It depends on you. A wizard can earn to his heart’s content it looks like because financial engineering deals with predictive modeling in investment and  financial analysis.Now you can guess why the investors and financial institution’s chief executives wish that they had paid more attention to their math classes. If you are a young aspiring person yet to bloom here are some tips for building a lucrative career for yourself. If you would like to make it all the way to the Wall Street lucrative jobs and be there offering advice on one what to buy or when to buy, or, what to sell and when to sell, or, go to top in investment banking a financial analyst career can help you get there.Just imagine if you can do the modeling and are also very efficient analyst you could be walking on the golden path laughing all the way to your bank Don’t wonder why I have combined these two. I see analysts with weakness in model building and custom software generation today. Similarly I also see that quite fewfinancial engineers  are not comfortable with the analysis part. Therefore, there can be bright future including entrepreneur possibilities for a person who develops expertise in both areas.If you are an ambitious person interested in this line read on these tips for a career in this field. Current total employment potential for financial advisor’s career is well above 200,000 with a predicted growth of 41 percent. What is financial engineering? Financial engineering is involves application of financial theory, the methods of financing, and tools of ma thematics, computation and the practice of programming to achieve the desired end results. Financial engineering can help create new and enhanced products out of existing financial instruments.Financial engineers can help create the most effective bundles out of products and investment portfolios out of existing  investment alternatives  and their predicted outcomes and associated risks. Thus if an investment company or wealth management bank wants to advise its clients, it needs financial engineering due to the multi various investment alternatives available. Similarly if an insurance company wants to know what is the best way to put two or three types of insurance covers and sell as a brand both to increase sales and profits financial engineer can help.Sounds exciting? Yes, it is, a financial engineer can earn millions if he or she gets commissions. What is financial Analyst Financial analysts keep themselves up to date with macroeconomic environment and also analyze the balan ce sheet and other relevant information related companies to write reports and give advice on buying and selling of stocks, or future financial strategies companies should adopt, or make investments that they can make. They usually specialize in some area depending on the organization they work for.They may be working for bank, buy side or sell side investment companies and insurance companies and investment banks Tips for a career- the qualification required for a career as financial engineer or Financial Analyst The diversity is quite high. After an undergraduate degree with a good grade point one can work for MBA with financial engineering as one specialization, or a Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) or MA in Mathematical Finance or M. SC in Financial Engineering. It would help a lot if you have taken enough mathematics and computer courses.In some schools the term  computational finance  is also used to denote financial engineering. You have to be cautious in making the right choice and you need to be pretty clear on whether you would like to work for an industry or get into academics. To be in academics you will need a PH. D too. This is not to imply that PH. D is not useful for industry jobs. For example a Hedge fund financial engineer in a trading firm job needs would be like knowing C++, SQL, Linux and Unix high frequency high frequency automated trading.He will be responsible for trading strategies and algorithm enhancement. He should define and implement data collection and acquisition matter. He should perform statistical analysis and optimize innovations and enhancement to trading models. He should be able to write functional requirements for  software developersand collaborate with software developers. Tips for a career as financial analyst Normally  MBA  in finance from a reputed university would be a good to start.However Chartered Financial analyst certificate (CFA) could be great asset if not essential. For anyone not comfortable with all the technical aspects the CFA program uses it would better to start with series & and series 63 exams. These programs need sponsorship from a company that is NASD member or self regulatory organizationhttp://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/General_Securities_Representative_Exam In addition to MBA finance or MFE it would be advisable to get a CFA, Chartered Financial analyst certificate.Another program of use may be the certified International Analyst program offered by the Council for Portfolio Management and research offered by the Association Certified International Analysts, Zurich, Switzerland (links below) There are also programs offered by JP Morgan’s chase’s finance division for under grad degree holders and Deutsche bank analyst type of programs. Generally these are targeted at undergrad degree holders with finance and accounting majors.Best Graduate Programs offering Master’s degrees and Doctoral degrees in Financial Engineering As mentioned above the diversity is quite high in the degree though there is a good overlap in the curriculum. The choice would depend on the reputation of the school and your planned career that is teaching, industry or banking career. The duration of the program is also different and range from 1 year to 2 years. The tuition can vary from about $74,000 for 1. 5 to 2 year program to $37,000 to $ 44,000 for one year programs. The schools given below also have excellent MBA programs with Finance specialization.The top ten lists for General Management and other specializations may be different USA programs Carnegie Mellon University Columbia University Princeton University Stanford University University of Chicago New York University University of California Berkeley Boston University Georgia Institute of technology North Carolina University University of Illinois Urbana University of Michigan Claremont Graduate School Rutgers University University of Southern California Kent State University Purdue Univer sity Best Programs outside USA Imperial College, London, UK Warwick, UKKing’s college, UK Birkbeck, UK City,UK ICMP reading Leeds University, UK Leicester University Liverpool Manchester Oxford University Hongkong University Hongkong Nan yang technical University, Singapore National University of Singapore Dublin University EDHEC France Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, Switzerland Frankfurt school of finance Germany Tilburg University Netherlands Indian Schools Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) Indian Institute of technology (IITs) IFMR Chennai Indian Institute of Capital Markets Mumbai, former UT I Institute of capital markets PG DiplomaIndian Institute Of Capital Markets. (Formerly UTI Institute of Capital markets), P B No:99, UTI house, plot no:82 Sector-17,vashi,Navi mumbai-400705. Phone:022-27892815/16 Salary ranges for Financial engineers In USA Financial engineer salary at level is about $63000 to $101,000 Financial Engineer salary is about $86,000 to 116, 000 Manager Financial engineering salary is in the range $144,000 to 156,000 In UK is about pounds 38,000 Salary ranges for Financial Analysts holding CFA certification USA Portfolio Manger $80,000-$149,000 Financial Analyst 48000-$73,000Senior Financial analyst $66249-$96000 Financial securities investment analyst $ 67000-97000 Chief Financial Officer $100,000 – $ 198000 UK Pounds 36000 With pounds 40000 Australia Financial Analyst, A$ 60,000-80,000 Financial/ securities/investment analyst A$ 50,000 – $ 90,000 India Financial analyst Rs 269,000 – Rs 700,000 Senior Financial analyst Rs 500,000- Rs100,000 Financial/securities /investment analyst Rs 500,000 – Rs 100,000 Common Employers Trading houses, Corporate Finance Divisions, Banks, Insurance Companies Tips on Career planning In financial engineeringYou need to be clear in goals. The Master of Finance program and financial engineering are not same. There is heavy math, C++ use and Monte Carlo in financ ial engineering. This is not done in finance programs. Some of the applied math programs are now financial engineering programs. Putting it simply, Mathematical finance is theoretical, quantitative finance is program oriented and financial engineering seems to fit in between, Thus you could be fine for teaching with mathematical finance but not for trading firms and industry.In teaching too you may experience limitations. The program designers don’t readily see the difference. Best is to compare the courses. In India it is best to do it in best Business schools preferably IIMs. In my view IIM Kolkata has perhaps the best program. Indian School of Business offers some executive programs for those unable to get into the best financial engineering programs because of lack of adequate experience, or commerce background it may better to join IT company or consulting company and enter banking and capital markets domain.Alternately one can try brokerage and trading firms and may be you will make it to Wall Street to earn the big bucks. The path is hard and needs lot of dedication and hard work. Good luck. I would recommend financial engineering programs for engineers and anyone with strong math background. If you are a typical commerce graduate you might find it hard and it may be advisable to stay on the financial analysis side with proper certifications and a well designed specialization based on where you want to work, like the sell side or buy side and trading or investment banking.For anyone planning to continue as financial analysts and depend on ready software packages MBA finance and certified financial analyst should be adequate. Certified public accountant or Chartered accountancy with CFA may work but it’s not the best. For someone who likes to have full flexibility in developing IT for financial analysis and be well rounded with plans for a IT start up, a combination of MFE with CFA can do well. These are essential tips for a career as a fin ancial analyst or financial engineer Useful links ttp://gmatclub. com/forum/2009-best-financial-engineering-math-finance-ranking-86796. html http://www. global-derivatives. com/index. php/further-education-othermenu-36/55-quantitative-masters-programs-complete-list#Australasia links for CFA program in USA and India http://ace3levels. com/_mgxroot/page_10737. html http://www. cfainstitute. org/about/locations/asiapac/Pages/cfa_institute_in_india. aspx CIIA Switzerland:  http://www. cpmrindia. org/welcome_message. asp India:  http://www. cpmrindia. org/ciia. asp