Does Ethnicity and Language to the Degree of Parent Involvement in Schools Essay

Many recent studies have indicated that parent involvement can make significant differences to outcomes at schools. Why some parents become involved more than others in their children’s education has been the subject of past studies, and ethnic minority status (especially Black and Hispanic) have been associated in the past with poor involvement compared to whites. But other studies have shown completely opposite conclusions i. e. parental involvement is higher in ethnic groups than whites. The critique: This questionnaire study of teachers and parents was a multi-dimensional investigation into the role of ethnicity in parental involvement in schooling found that Black parents perceive that they take a more active role in their children’s schooling than any other ethnic group. By contrast the teachers’ perceptions on the issue were drastically opposite – teachers reported much lower levels of alliance with Black parents than White or Hispanic parents. The fact that fewer than 4% of teachers in this study were blacks probably has been a significant factor in this regard. One of the main weaknesses of this study is a lack of verifiability – it was entirely based on questionnaires, without any involvement of students themselves. Secondly the fact that the population consisted entirely of low-performers may have introduced a source of bias in the study. There were also inadequate measures of ruling out the effect of other confounding factors e. g. education level, incomes of households which made it difficult to compare ethnicity properly. Finally, some ethnic groups returned more questionnaire than others, making it difficult to conduct a like for like study. Conclusion : More studies are needed, carried out in a more rigorous method, before the true effect of ethnicity on parental involvement with schools can be established.

Personality Development Analysis Essay

Personality development is among the important aspects of life that we have to go through to ensure a complete and healthy life mentally, physically and emotionally. In this paper the three major theories of personality development are going to be used to analyse an individual that has already been chosen. Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, and Freud’s theory of psychosexual development are going to explain the various traits of our character in an effort to try and further understand the human personality development. The character has been chosen from the television series ‘Scrubs’; he is Dr John Michael Dorian also known as ‘JD’. JD is a 32 year old medical doctor; currently he is the residency director at St Vincent’s hospital, a position he recently acquired. He can be classified as a genuinely good doctor; this is shown by his concern for his patients while he was working at Sacred Heart Hospital. His best friend is Dr Chris Turk who is the Chief Surgeon at Sacred Heart hospital. The two of them have been together for most of their adult life; it has been frequently been confused that they are homosexual because of the closeness of their relationship. JD has a son called Sam who he adores. He has a girl friend called Elliot also a doctor in private practice. His mentor is Dr. Perry Cox who is the current chief of medicine at Sacred Heart hospital. All of them have worked together for over 8 years; they all have various close relationships depending on their line of work, perceptions e. t. c. Lastly JD has been portrayed as a needy human being; this is shown by his sensitivity and neediness. He has been described as the neediest person in the hospital. According to Erickson’s Psychosocial Development theory, JD is in the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage. At this stage the main virtue is love and understanding. It is at this stage that one dares to experience relationships with other people. These relationships are therefore key aspects in ones life at this stage in life (Feldman 2005). When we look at JD, we see that he has a network of relationships that actually determine how well he works as a doctor. His relationship with Dr. Turk is of more importance. The call each other using pet names; brown bear and vanilla bear, this shows that they are both comfortable with each other. This relationship is also characterised with a lot of child like games and competitions. The two can therefore be considered as inseparable no matter what the circumstances (Dacey & Travers 2002). They depend on each other through thick and thin. There is also a lot of focus on JD career. He has been described as the residency director at St Vincent’s Hospital a position that he accepted because he would like to live near his son; he wants to spend more time with his on Sam. That is another relationship that dominates his life, in fact since both JD and Turk have children, when ever they get free time they spend it together with their children. This shows that the relationship between the parents and the children is healthy and will be healthy in the future, another characteristic that JD is in the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage. Unfortunately, JD has had a series of bad relationships with the opposite sex; this attributed to the fact that he is not emotionally healthy at that level, very small things with the opposite sex tends to bring out the worst in him. This is not for lack of trying but because as he defines it he self sabotages all his romantic relationships, a trend that can be seen also in his social life though with varying degrees. That is why he is mostly lonely (Dacey & Travers 2002). According to the Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, JD as a rational adult is in the Formal Operational stage. He is able to think rationally and therefore reach rational conclusions. He can speak eloquently and therefore an effective communicator. He knows the difference between right and wrong; it is part of the reason as to why he is a good doctors. According to JD patients need the extra attention so that they can heal even faster. This he reached despite constant ridiculing by his friends and at time even the doctor. But he still feels that it is right to spend sometime to know ones patient. Some of the skills that one acquires when at this stage have also been demonstrated; JD uses his deductive skills to diagnose his patients (Leifer & Hartston 2004). This also enables him to spend more quality time with his patients. It is the same reason as to why he is very much attached to the same patients. He is able to make rational decisions; seen when he decides to take another job so that he can spend more time with his son. This is particularly a hard decision because it means moving away from his best friend Turk. It means spending less and less time with Turk; many still don’t believe JD could make such a decision, but he does. This shows that he understands that in life one has to learn how to make rational decisions that will further enhance our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Being selfish is therefore a sign that all is not well. Life sacrifices have to be made so as to ensure that we are with those that we love and cherish. Such sacrifices come out of making rational decisions and although some may be sad, one has to look at the bigger picture. On the other hand JD is know for making the wrong decision despite knowing what the consequences are; he has an inner monologue that is constantly telling him what he should do but he always ignores this advice only to suffer the consequences latter (Leifer & Hartston 2004). According to Freud’s theory of Psychosexual Development, JD has successfully gone through the required stages that one has to go through to ensure that he is ready and complete for life. He is an adult and has therefore managed to go through all the processes as described by Freud; he is therefore at the genital stage. At this point in life JD is struggling to establish a balance between a lot of things going on in his life. He therefore reaches a decision that favours him moving a way from what he is used to so as to be with his son. He also makes a decision that involves him living with Elliot his girlfriend and eventually his wife. At this stage one tends to focus on the needs of others rather than their own needs and this explains why JD made such a selfless decision so that he can be with his wife and further enhance his career as a residency director. At his point in life one also tends to be attracted to the members of the opposite sex; the decisions at this point could be self serving or simply just wrong but a relationship borne out of such a decision in this stage rarely lasts as one discovered that they were only attracted to the person because of one thing, their sexuality (Feldman 2005). In an analysis of all the theories, then it is safe to conclude that JD is in fact a normal healthy human being compared to any standards. Despite a few flaws here and there, he is emotional stable and mentally sound. He is a hard working member of the community and in no way a perfect person. A balance is therefore necessary; a balance of all the elements of personality development. This balance means that one is tolerable and consequently of sound abilities. JD has friends and family around him who love him and appreciate him; his childish nature has been described as a very normally way to avoid getting overwhelmed since he is in a demanding career. The fact that he is father means that he is a man who will do everything to ensure that his son never lacks anything and hopefully. In conclusion the theories of personality are meant to try and establish criteria through which a human being develops; they try and explain why human personalities are different and at times we all happen to go through the same things in life. Psychosocial characteristics are meant to establish how and why a person relates to others the way they do. It explains person’s social characteristic within the social context. Cognitive development explains tries to understand how humans acquire knowledge and therefore deduces a person’s personality through this process of learning. In the end we have the psychosocial development that is mainly focused on the sexual drive in human beings and how people’s personalities develop as a result of undergoing these urges; a balance and control of these urges at different stages in life means that one will end up with a good personality. But in the end a balance of almost all elements remains desirable; depending on the theories a balance of all these attributes means that one is of good nature and therefore a good human being to be with. References: Dacey John S & Travers John F. (2002). Human Development across the Lifespan. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Feldman Robert S. (2005). Development across the life Span, Upper Saddle River, N. J: Prentice Hall. Leifer G & Hartston H. (2004). Growth and Development across the Lifespan: A health Promotion Focus. St. Louis, Mo: Saunders.

Organizational change in the public sector Essay

Organizational change in the public sector - Essay Example They bring sophisticated technology to cope with this competitive environment. It is said that there is no best way to manage the organizational change but public sector organizations must need some appropriate approaches to manage the organizational change to cope with the private sector organizations. Some people think that privatization is appropriate for organizational change but it is inappropriate for the public sector organizational change because there is lack of clarity in privatization. Structural and cultural changes are appropriate for public sector organizational change (Coram, Ron, and Burnes 2001) Weaknesses of Public Sector Organizations Public sector organizations are under pressure throughout the world for its less efficiency. Organizational change in public sector can be achieved through changes in men charged with leadership, personnel turnover, human resource management changes, procedure and structure change , way of communication, technology, methodology, shari ng cultural norms, training the employees. The changes in leadership personnel can have a negative impact (Karen Ann 259 page). When the change is implemented there might be some resistance occurred. There may be the conflict among the employees, owners and executives (Leigh, Karyn 2002). Mostly public sector organizations are vertically integrated. ... Strengths of Public Sector Organizations In the horizontal structure there are few positions are at top and the remaining people are the peers. This structure is more common in law, architecture and medical firms. Staff works in teams rather than according to the hierarchy. Few public organizations use divisional structure. In this structure functions and responsibility are assigned according to the territory basis. Examples The department of homeland security and the California energy commission are examples of public sector organizations that are operating under matrix structure. Matrix structure is a mixture of divisional and functional structure. These two departments use highly specialized employees and equipment, employees do the same task repetitively and they get specialize in that particular task. How changes are implemented in public sector organization Diagram (Dolan & Garcia, 2002) Organizational change in public sector can be done through a proper process. First of all o rganization must do its SWOT analysis. After doing the SWOT analysis organization see that where they are standing today and what they want to be in future. So there is a gap between the today and future. This gap can be filled by doing some proper changes. These changes can be Corporate values and norms Organizational structure and process Regarding the products and services (This is 100% UNIQUE) Result of organizational change Organization also sees that from these changes Who will be affected? What will be the cost? How much time is required to fulfill this gap? What will be the major focus areas during fulfilling this gap? Public sector organization can make changes in the organization through Information Communication Involvement Education and training

Economics - DQ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics - DQ - Essay Example The price in this setting is Pareto efficient which means that no one can be made better off without making anybody worst off. In the short run, some firms might gain and some loses but in the long-run a perfectly competitive market yields zero profit. The scenario is different from an imperfectly competitive market characterized by one or few number of sellers which gives the firms the ability to influence the pricing strategy. In this case, the customers are price takers as opposed to the perfectly competitive market where firms are price takers. In order to maximize profits, the firm set prices where marginal cost equals marginal revenue. Unlike in the perfectly competitive scenario, the firms in imperfect market have all the advantage of raising prices especially when price elasticity of demand for customers is less than one. A price discriminating monopolist is one which charges different prices to customers according to their willingness to pay. On the other hand, a normal monopolist is one that charges prices where marginal cost intersects marginal revenue. It should be noted that as opposed to a perfectly competitive market, monopolists are free to choose prices in order to maximize profits. A normal monopolist earns a much greater profit than a price discriminating one. It should be noted that monopolist gain profit through the deadweight loss which results in not producing at the maximum capacity. This deadweight loss is attained when price is set such that marginal cost equals marginal revenue. For a price discriminating monopolist, as the prices are individually charged according to the consumers’ willingness to pay, it will charge prices to the marginal customer similar to the prices and quantity of a perfectly competitive firm. In this way, the deadweight loss is eliminated from the pictures and the profits are not made. It should be

The Global Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Global Economy - Essay Example They demonstrate average volatility shifts of many prices of agricultural commodities and finds further support in implied volatility evidence. This happens against a backdrop of shifts towards global markets and market liberalization, as well as dramatic alterations within the energy sector with regard to bio-fuel production. One factor that affects the volatility of these agricultural commodity prices is trends (Cooke & Robles, 2011: 56). Long run decreases or increases in series volatility may occur. These can be accounted for by the inclusion of time trends in variables explaining volatility. Another factor is stock levels. As stock levels of various commodities drop, there is an expectation that volatility in prices of these commodities will also increase. Low stocks will lead to dependence, on current production, to meet consumption demands in the short term also increasing. Further yield shocks could portend an increasingly dramatic effect on the commodity prices. The yields f or particular crops will also drive a commodity’s price up or down. In relation to expectations, a large yield may cause prices to drop while a particularly low yield may result in an increase, in the price (FAO, 2011: p123). If the prices respond in a symmetrical manner to the yields, then no impact will be expected on the series volatility. If, however, a bigger yield impacts more on the prices, then volatilities will be positively related to yields while, conversely if lower yields have more impact on the prices than higher yields, then the volatilities will have a negative correlation to the yields. Another factor has to do with the transmission across prices. Positive transmission of price volatilities is expected across agricultural commodities. Global markets do experience international shocks that could influence the world demand for agricultural commodities with these markets also adjusting to policy movements, which may impact simultaneously on a number of commoditi es (FAO, 2011: p124). In addition, Volatility in a particular market may have a direct impact on another’s volatility where stocks are speculatively held. Exchange rate volatility is another factor that affects volatility of agricultural commodity prices (Hill, 2011: p33). Prices received by producers on deflation into the domestic producer currency may impact significantly on commodity prices at which the producers are prepared to sell. This is also extended to stockholders. Volatile rates of exchange significantly increase the risk inherent in returns. Therefore, it is expected that a positive volatility of exchange rate transmission could result in agricultural commodity price volatility. Oil price volatility is another factor with perhaps the biggest agricultural production shifts in the past decade, and one that is expected to continue, being the move towards the use of bio-fuels (Hill, 2012: p56). Recent empirical studies have suggested the transmission of prices betwee n sugar prices and oil. A likely link also exists between the costs of input and that of output. Freight costs, mechanized agriculture, and fertilizer prices all depend on the price of oil, which are transmitted to agricultural commodity prices. In light of the recent unprecedented volatility of oil prices, this volatility shows a potential to spill over into agricultural commodity volatility. For example, the sudden interruption of fuel availability during the Iraq war in 2002

HIV in Nursing Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

HIV in Nursing - Annotated Bibliography Example The study refers to a treatment program available to people with HIV in Uganda. Bakanda et al. (2011) have used data released by the AIDS Support Organization (Bakanda et al. 2011). The site of the above organization in Uganda has collected data addressing a series of issues related to HIV in Uganda, such as: the number of healthcare providers per patient and the number of patients who managed to follow strictly the guidelines of healthcare providers in regard to the HIV treatment program (Bakanda et al. 2011). The above data were used for calculating a range of ratios, aim to show that the number of healthcare providers working in this field affects the progress of the treatment provided to people with HIV. It has been proved that there is a close link between the number of healthcare providers involved in the program and the outcomes of the treatment. The particular study is quite important because of the following fact: it highlights the value of healthcare providers, including nu rses and medical staff of other duties, in facing HIV. It is assumed that by increasing the number of nurses working on HIV-treatment programs a state can increase its effectiveness in controlling the expansion of HIV across the local population. The financial aspects of such initiatives should be, however, taken into consideration. The study of Bakanda et al. (2011) reveals that the inability to locate adequate healthcare providers can result to the failure of a HIV-treatment program even if existing infrastructure is of high quality. A clinician-nurse model to reduce early mortality and increase clinic retention among high-risk HIV-infected patients initiating combination antiretroviral treatment Braitstein, P., Siika, A., Hogan, J., Kosgei, R., Sang, E., Sidle, J., Wools-Kaloustian, K., Keter, A., Mamlin, J. & Kimaiyo, S., 2012 The study of Braitstein et al. (2012) focuses on the following issue: can the use of nurses in promoting HIV-treatment programs cover gaps resulted by poo r resources in a healthcare setting? The specific issue seems to be of particular importance specifically in areas where antiretroviral treatment is available to people with HIV. Braitstein et al. (2012) aim to prove that even when the resources available for the treatment of AIDS are poor, still the success of the treatment provided to people with HIV can be successful under the terms that appropriate skilled healthcare providers participate in the particular scheme. Braitstein et al. (2012) have used a series of routine clinical data (Braitstein et al. (2012). The specific data have been analyzed using a retrospective analysis technique (Braitstein et al. 2012). The data are related to about 140,000 patients, adults and children, with HIV in western Kenya (Braitstein et al. 2012). The patients have participated in a program aiming to support the control of AIDS in the specific area. The programme, named as ‘Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare’ (Braitstein et al. 2012), has been established for monitoring the progress of the treatment of people with HIV in western Kenya. A ‘combination - antiretroviral treatment (cART)’ (Braitstein et al. 2012) has been provided to the members of the programme. It has been proved that the development of emergency-assessment clinics based on nurses can help towards the reduction

Globalistation and business enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalistation and business enterprise - Essay Example This in turn reduced aggregate demand of goods and services (especially luxuries or those with elastic demand) including housing units whereas demand of necessities remained same. In short, the prices of property units plummeted that adversely affected financial position of aforementioned actors. In short, they suffered huge losses and decline in wealth and signed bankruptcies and declared themselves as defaulters. This not only shattered consumer confidence across US but also in many advance economies and thus resulted in negative economic growth. The developing countries that are dependent on developed West for trade also faced the pinch of economic meltdown and contraction in advance economies. (Shah, 2009) Air New Zealand is top quality air travel services provider at affordable prices that also offers related services such air ticketing, customer handling and commercial cargo handling in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Asia Pacific and European nations. The company faces competition with major airlines such as Qantas, Virgin Blue etc. Indeed, it is a state-owned company as government enjoys more than 70% stake in Air New Zealand. (Web: Airnewzealand.co.nz) The airline mainly attracts customers from New Zealand and Australia since it offers innovative and differentiable services that in turn creates clear and unique image in the mind of customers. Quite unequivocally, the airline believes in flexibility and adaptability (McChesney, p.14, 2009) to macro environment changes in order to gain a competitive edge over its rivals. Indeed, the top management has adopted and implemented the principles of new workplace including team-building, continuous learning and experimentation, benchmarking etc. to become the most reliable air travel services provider. Air New Zealand has a fleet of 99 aircrafts, majority of which are purchased from Boeing for passenger services. The company received

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ASSIGNMENT - Research Paper Example Moreover, TCPD serves four districts of the Texas City. 1.B. The present Chief of TCPD is Robert Burby. Beneath the leadership and the direction of Police Chief, TCPD serves the Texas city with their primary objective which includes providing safety to the city people and reducing the crime along with creating a positive relationship within the communities among others. 1.C. Generally, the Chief rank is considered as the highest authority in the TCPD. With due consideration to this fact, it can be observed that in certain emergency situations the Chief Robert Burby takes orders or assistances from the Texas City Mayor Matthew T. Doyle and City Commissioners namely Mike Land, Dee Ann Haney, Thelma Bowie, Scooter Wilson and Dedrick D. Johnson, Sr. as well as Rick Wilkenfeld in order to take relative measures according to the prevailing situations. 1.D. Contextually, Robert Burby had been selected from outside of the department. This is because he had served several years in Law Enforce ment departments and also in the United States Air Force. He also served as a patrolman as well as was a member of 25th Judicial District Narcotics Task Force. He had served as the Chief of Police in City of Holy Springs, Mississippi before joining TCPD. A. The primary function of TCPD is to control or reduce the crime by keeping the police in the forefront of the community. Every officer is assigned to ensure a strong neighborhood vigil throughout the day of their service and to work as a crime stopper. 2 A. Is the law enforcement agency C.A.L.E.A. certified? If yes since what date? B. Is the law enforcement agency STATE accredited, if yes since what date? C. Sometimes only sections, like the communications unit, are C.A.L.E.A., if that's the case, then advise the details. 2.A. From the assessment of TCPD’s history it is revealed that the department is not certified under the C.A.L.E.A. 2.B. In the year 2004, under the leadership of the Chief Robert Burby, TCPD was honored b y the TCPA as the foremost Texas State Accredited Police Department. 2.C. TCPD’s none of the units has been certified under C.A.L.E.A. 3. A. Sworn personnel staffing number (How many sworn officers are there? - Do not give a phone number i.e. For example: MBPD has approx. 372 sworn personnel working. B. Civilian personnel staffing number- How many civilian personnel are there- for example: MBPD has approx. 249. 3.A. TCPD has 80 sworn officers who serve and operate the department’s operation or function. 3.B. TCPD’s force generally does not have any civilian personnel in the force. 4. Diversity- A. Provide the sworn personnel diversity total percentage? (example: 68% of the xxx agency or Dept. is classified as a minority). B. List either how many (actual number) or the percent that are White, African American, Asian, Hispanic or Latin, other, etc. 4.A. Approximately 30% of TCPD is classified as a minority. 4.B. White 63.77%, African American 30.28%, Asian 0.54% a nd Hispanic 4.44% along with others 0.58%. 5. Jurisdiction information (include ALL: square miles?, population?, type of areas and approx. percentage of each , i.e. residential 35%, business 65%, also type of community policed, i.e. tourist, seniors, etc.). Include any Major crowd drawing, famous landmarks, tourist locations. Like if you did,

That Which Is Accepted as Knowledge Today Is Sometimes Discarded Essay

That Which Is Accepted as Knowledge Today Is Sometimes Discarded Tomorrow - Essay Example For example, these days, men can assume the feminine roles in the house like cleaning and washing the dishes and doing gardening and the laundry. Women too have assumed roles that men once had like being a police officer or being a president. This is perhaps due to the change in the knowledge that the world has concerning gender roles for now we are in the times when women work more than the men (Barksdale). Moreover, in the field of psychology, there has recently been a deluge of new information on various topics that have once been considered taboos. These include mind power, yoga, mental telepathy, the Law of Attraction, and other rather novel lifestyles and alternative healing practices (Natalina). We see these things on TV all the time, and although our ancestors would have been disgusted, we rather feel fascination. Societies have also discarded as obsolete any concept that fostered discrimination. For example, society would usually not only frown upon but even ostracize homosexuals. However, nowadays, as homosexuality is not anymore a considered a disease, society has become more tolerant of homosexuals and the stigma has somehow waned. However, nowadays, we see gay bars and Gay Pride marches on the street, and some States and countries have even legalized gay marriage (Herek). Perhaps, the knowledge that has changed is not only the fact that homosexuality as a disease but also the idea that homosexuals are also human beings who deserve every right that heterosexuals enjoy. This sudden, revolutionary way of thinking may have also been brought about by the reading of literature that praised democracy and equality in society. Not only this, but perhaps society has also become more tolerant of children who answer their parents back. Nowadays, based on my experience, I see children answering their parents back whenever these children did not like what the latter said. Perhaps, this is a result in the change in knowledge

Roller-coaster of Emotions Essay Example for Free

Roller-coaster of Emotions Essay The plain was rich with crops; there were many orchards of fruit trees and beyond the plain the mountains were brown and bare (3) Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms. To the innocence of children fruit trees and plains is all they are aware of but in fact, what is beyond is what makes Ernest Hemingway want to explain, that beyond those plains there has been chaos and terrible deaths. After a scanning the entire landscape, the eyes can come across the true reality of the war, which made fruitless trees, beat up grounds, chaos, but also soldiers that have learned the true meaning of what war really is. Frederic Henry, the protagonist in Hemingways literary war novel, comes across the reality what life has to offer and overcomes many obstacles that changes him to become the person he ends up being towards the end of the novel. In his novel, A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway demonstrates that the destructiveness of war turns him from the naive solider, to the being in love, and finally to Henry the person that sees the world as a bad place that destroys a family. To begin with, Henry has no personal control with his temptations towards women, drinks excessively and simply has carelessness revolving him. The way that Henry enjoys obliterating war is being with women and drinking alcohol which lets him get away for a while. Henry has come across a person that cares for him and wants him to be on the right path, that person is the priest. Trying to get Henry out of his disastrous life, his friend the priest, recommends that Henry visits Abruzzi because it will let Henry become a better person. The priest comes across Henry and wants him to prosper and offers Henry to see Abruzzi and visit my [the priests] family at Capracotta (8), but instead the captain wins over Henry by saying, come one†¦ We go whorehouse before it shuts (9). Henry leaves that night with a simple good-night towards the priest and wonders off with the rest of the men. The reality of Henrys decision was that he wants to do what is right, but can never manage to do the prudent thing. Henry could have stayed home with the priest but instead his temptations leads him to the wron path. Later on that night Rinaldi asks Henry how the night went. Just like men talk Henry starts going on about how he had a beautiful time every where he went and Rinaldi is there to cheer him on. Rinaldi is almost the exact mirror image as Henry as they perceive women, Rinaldi confirms to Henry that in this town we have beautiful English girls. I am now in love with Miss Barkley (12). Henry’s main goal is to get pleasures that are easy and fast, he calls those strange excitement which shows that he has little or no ability to feel satisfied. Frederic Henry has not been able to find his inner self, he only knows what men in war like to do best; Henry drinks alcohol visits the whorehouses to substitute not being able to figure himself out. To come to a conclusion that the people that want to help him, Henry ignores them and shows this when he sat next to the priest and he was disappointed and suddenly hurt that I [Frederic] had not gone to Abruzzi. He had written to his father that I [Frederic] was coming and they had made preparations (13). This is significant because it shows that the help his close friend offers means nothing to him, he confesses that while going out it lets him get a grip of his emotions; something which he cannot do while sober. The way Henry sees things is that people settle for a small amount of pleasure instead of going the extra mile in order to get what they really want. When Henry starts changing is when he meets Catherine Barkley and his love towards her becomes a role in his transformation in his personality. Catherine at first is just someone that attracted Henry to her, her tawny skin and petite body was a reason why she caught his eye. He has found himself fallen for someone and is constantly wanting to be with her. He searches for her, but she was not in the garden and I [Frederic] went to the door of the villa where the ambulances drove up. Inside he saw the head nurse, who said Miss Barkley was on dutytheres a war going on, you know (22). Henry clearly knew that a nurse in war has a stressful duty and has hardly any time to spend time with their loved ones. Henry wants to be with her and no longer is going around with other women, he wants to be with Miss Barkley and he wants to go the extra mile to go in search for her, just to sound some time together. He is so eager to be with her that he goes the next evening to the hospital to see her but has to wait until she came down. While he sits down waits for her he sees every detail inside the hospital, something he never did before, there were many marble busts on painted wooden pillars along the walls of the room they used for an office†¦they had complete marble quality of all looking alike (28). He is patiently waiting for Catherine, meanwhile he is staring at his surroundings. He has changed into a different man than what he was before he met Miss Barkley. They see each other and she asks if he loves her, he replies with a yes but seems unsure of it. While they converse one thing leads to another and they begin kissing, Frederic sees that both her eyes are shit and thinks to himself, I did not love Catherine Barkley nor had any idea of loving her. This was a game, like a bridge, in which you said things instead of playing cards. Like a bridge you had to pretend you were playing for money or playing for some stakes. Nobody had told me what the stakes were. It was all right with me (30-31). At this point he just wants someone to play around with instead of learning the true meaning behind what love really is. Then becoming injured in war awakens Henry and love has put him to the test. I went out the door and suddenly I felt lonely and empty†¦when I could not see her there I was feeling lonely and hallow (41). His real emotions towards her start rising out when he sees that she can really take care of him by which he was injured terribly. Henry suddenly begins to be more aware of other people rather than just himself and it leads towards a step forward in his persona. The termination of Henrys transformation leads into the last words of the novel, he has come to love his Catherine but sees the world as someone that kills with no question. Everything Henry does now revolves around Catherine. His love for her grows as when he is away at the front lines. His uniform is now star-less because he wants nothing to do with war, the faded part of his uniform showed the stars had been removed. He then comes across charming people that not only offer him shelter, but also clothing. Theres a closet. Take anything you want. My dear fellow, you dont want to buy clothes (242) but Henry responds that he would much rather pay for the clothes. Henrys actions are now more powerful and also shows us that he has more responsibility in him, something that he really did not know how to do at the starting point of the novel. Being away from Catherine improves his ability to take action and make him into a better person that he can be. But later his dreams of Catherine being near him are coming true and has her near. While they are together in the hotel room Henry explains to Catherine that if people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry (249). He tries to convince himself that he will be all right since he has escaped the war, little did he know that he was not able to escape freely, but to find out that Catherine had died with the baby they had made together. Ever since then Henry is not able to become the person he had been wanting to be. He ends up being a lonely man, with no family, that sees the world and everyone in it, against him, and nobody there to guide him any longer. Catherines fast death concluded his idea on having that there is life left that war took from him. In conclusion, Ernest Hemingway shows us how war can basically destroy not only a family but also a person that is left without it. Hemingway has Frederic Henrys character to demonstrate that there is always a need to escape from the destructiveness of war in order to keep sanity in ones self. With Frederic Henry as Hemingways model, shows us that you cannot have a rainbow without a little bit of rain, which means that even though Henry was put into awful situations like death, he was able to find the person he was destined to become.

Heart, Cardiac Cycle and the Circulatory System

Heart, Cardiac Cycle and the Circulatory System (i)  Explain the function of heart, and the structure of arteries, veins and capillaries. The heart (left side) receives blood filled with oxygen (O2) which comes from the lungs. From there the blood is pumped throughout the body via the aorta and into blood vessels. On the right side is where the heart gets its deoxygenated blood (CO2) which in turn is then sent to the lungs for cleansing. (ivyroses.com 2016) Arteries are made up of 3 layers. The tunica interna is the inner layer. This layer is encased in connective tissue and elastic fibers. After that the next layer up is the tunica media. This thick layer consists mainly of smooth muscle. This layer supports the vessel itself and aids blood flow regulation. The outside layer is called the tunica externa. This layer is made up of connective tissue and elastic fibers. It has the ability to change and become looser connective tissue around the outside of the vessel. (training.seer.cancer.gov ND) Veins carry blood back to the heart. This blood is filled with CO2. The blood is then sent to the lungs for purification and then back to the heart to be sent around the body. The only veins which carry oxygen are the umbilical and pulmonary veins. Veins are like straws, they are small in structure. They have a dense outer layer which consists of connective tissue. Underneath that is the middle layer which is made up of smooth muscle and finally the middle layer which is made up of endothelial cells. (reference.com ND) Capillaries are tiny blood vessels inside the bodily tissues that carry blood from the arteries to the veins. They are more common in tissues like muscle tissues than in connective tissues. (biology.about.com ND) Arteries divide into arterioles. These arterioles branch off into the muscle where they reach the capillaries. A capillary bed is then formed. This is a network of capillaries which then carry blood to the veins. Capillaries also move gases in and out of themselves. These gases include oxygen and carbon dioxide. (teachpe.com ND) Like the lungs, capillaries are responsible for the process of diffusion. Oxygen separates from haemoglobin (found in red blood cells) and passes through the walls of the capillaries into muscle cells where it associates itself with the Myoglobin. This is the muscle cells version of haemogloblin. The oxygen is then used in aerobic metabolism to supply the muscle with energy. (teachpe.com ND) Cross section of an artery.   Ã‚    ©Google Images Cross section of a vein.  ©Google Images Cross section of a capillary.  ©Google Images (ii)  Explain the cardiac cycle and the flow of the blood through the main blood vessels by using the diagram. Blood is pumped around the body in stages, namely the diastole stage and the systole stage. In the diastole stage the atria and ventricles are relaxed and allow blood to enter via the vena cava in to the upper right chamber (right atrium). The deoxygenated blood is passed through a valve which prevents the blood from running backwards, into the lower chamber (right ventricle). After this, the blood is then pumped under extreme pressure from the right ventricle into the lungs by the pulmonary artery. (quora.com 2017) In the second stage oxygenated blood enters the left atrium. It then passes through a valve which closes over after the blood has passed through, preventing the said blood from running back into the atrium. Blood flows down into the left ventricle. It then goes to the aorta (main artery in the body) where it is pumped under immense pressure. Blood is pumped under high pressure to ensure it is sent to the rest of the body as it should do. (biology.about.com 2017) (livescience.com 2017)  ©Google Images Arteries Veins Capillaries Contain narrow lumens Contain wider lumens Have one layer of cells. Here diffusion takes place. They are the smallest of all the blood vessels. Blood is under high pressure Blood is under low pressure Takes blood from the heart Takes blood to the heart Take blood form the body and exchange nutrients, O2 and waste with tissues. Have more muscle/elastic tissue Have less elastic tissue They are oozy vessels that serve as links between arterial and venous systems Carries O2 rich blood (except for the pulmonary artery) Carries CO2 rich blood (except for the pulmonary vein) Has no valves (except for the semi-lunar valves in the aorta and pulmonary artery Has valves in main veins to stop waste materials returning to the tissues (iii)  Explain the term blood pressure and describe the role it plays in circulatory system. Describe the condition high and low pressure. When the heart pumps blood around the body the blood pushes against the wall of the blood vessels. The rate at which it pushes against the walls is called blood pressure. If blood pressure is high your arteries are put under immense pressure to deliver blood around the body. This may result in the person suffering a heart attack or a stroke. Symptoms of high blood pressure include tiredness, irregular heartbeat and difficulty breathing. Low blood pressure if left untreated can be life threatening. A reading which is less than 90/60 is deemed to be low blood pressure. Although the causes are unclear, it is thought that dehydration and serious medical disorders are among the causes of low blood pressure. (mayoclinic.org ND) What the numbers mean: A blood pressure reading is made up of two numbers, written as one over the other e.g. 80/120. The number at the top is known as the systolic blood pressure. This is the highest level that a persons blood pressure will reach when the heart beats. The bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure. This is the lowest level that a persons blood pressure will reach when the heart relaxes between every single beat. (bloodpressureuk.org 2008)  ©Google Images Section B Identify the main muscles groups within the body and interconnections between the muscular and skeletal system. (ii) Differentiate between the three types of muscles, Smooth, Skeletal, and Cardiac. Smooth Skeletal Cardiac Maintains flow of fluid in hollow structures Attached to the bone Only found in the heart Found in structures such as veins and arteries Relaxes and contracts Involuntary contraction Contract slowly Striated Features are endurance and consistency Arranged in bundles of muscle fibres. Contracts voluntarily Striated Have only one nucleus Soft and fragile Makes up the atria and ventricles Not banded Every fibre has lots of nuclei and is surrounded by a cover. Relaxes to fill the heart with blood Muscles work automatically Made up of cylindrical cells that made up fibres Never tires (Healdove.com 2016) (Class notes 2016 S. Curran) (training.seer.cancer.gov 2016)  ©Google Images (iii) Describe how the Skeletal and the Muscular System connect together to create the body movement. Movement in the body happens when the skeletal and muscular systems work simultaneously. The skeleton gives us shape and without it we would just be one big blob of skin. The main function of these two systems is bodily movement. (Class Notes.S Curran.2016) As well as joints, bones and muscles work hand in hand to form levers e.g. in the arm and the knee. (livestrong.com 2015) Tendons attach muscles to bones. This is allows bones and muscles to form such levers. (prezi.com 2010) Bones have the ability to hoard fat in their cavities which in turn can help store minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is a vital mineral because without it blood would be unable to clot and a lack of calcium would hinder bodily movement. (prezi.com 2010) Phosphorus enables the body to make protein which is necessary for growth and repairing damaged cells. (medlineplus.gov 2015) Section C Outline the composition of bone the structure of the long bone and explain the function of the skeleton Identify and describe the composition of the bone, joint types and the function of the skeleton. Outline the composition of bone the structure of the long bone and explain the function of the skeleton. The bone is made up of 3 layers periosteum, compact bone and spongey bone. Periosteum is a double layered tissue that covers the compact bone. It cannot be seen by unaided vision. Its an important layer because it holds cells called osteoblasts. These osteoblasts form new bones. The double layer also means that ligaments and tendons can anchor the bone. (healthbase.wordpress.com 2016) Compact bone accounts for 80% of the human skeleton. It forms around the spongey (cancellous) bone. The long bones of the body e.g. arm, leg etc. are primarily made up of compact bone. (britannica.com 2016) Cancellous bone is the spongey bone which is located at the end of each of the long bones and in the vertebrae of the spine. The cancellous bone contains pores as well as red bone marrow which is used to make red blood cells and stem cells which are then used to repair the bone if it gets damaged or broken. The spongey bone is much easier to fracture than the long bone because of its soft composition.  ©Google Images Functions of the skeleton: Protection the skeleton acts as a protector for major organs such as the heart and lungs which are protected by the rib cage and the breast bone. Storage bones store minerals such as calcium. If you consume too much of a particular mineral e.g. calcium, it can build up on the bone. Whenever the supply is low then the body makes up for it by drawing the excess minerals from the bone to build up the supply in the blood system. Movement bones along with muscles work together to make the body move. Form blood cells bone marrow makes red blood cells. On average 2.6 million cells are created per second. (Class notes unit 3 2016) Different types of joints and their functions. There are 3 types of joints: Synovial, fibrous and cartilaginous. Synovial joints are divided up in to 6 categories: Gliding joints, condyloid joints, saddle joints, hinge joints, ball and socket joints and pivot joints. Gliding joints allow for smooth rotation in different directions along a smooth surface. An example of this type of joint is the carpal joint which is located in the wrist. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Saddle joints are so called because they fit like a rider on a saddle. They are able to bend in several different directions without ever actually sliding. A prime example of a saddle joint is the joint at the base of the thumb. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Ball and socket joint This type of joint is usually found for example in the shoulder. As the name states a ball and socket joint is given that name because it is where one end of a long bone (ball) meets a socket. Ball and socket joints facilitate movement in several directions. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Condyloid Joints Unlike gliding joints condyloid joints have not got a smooth surface. Bones rotate past each other. Condyloid joints can be found in the wrist. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Pivot Joint This type of joint moves but there is no gliding movement. It facilitates turning moves without any bending sideways as such. An example of a synovial joint is between the first and second vertebrae of the spine. It allows limited movement while keeping the head in place. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Hinge Joints These are formed between 2 bones. A hinge joint allows us to extend (elbow, knee etc.) freely, bones do not slide past each other. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Fibrous Joints: These are generally immovable joints. There are 3 types of fibrous joints sutures, gomphoses and a syndesmosis. Sutures are the joints which connect bones in the skull Gomphoses are located between the jaw bone and the teeth. A syndesmosis joint is where a ligament connects two bones for example in the leg the tibia and the fibula. It allows for a very slight movement.  ©Google Images Label the main bone of appendicular axial skeletal. (see attached diagram) The main function of the skin, its structure and relationship between the skin, and circulatory and nervous system The Skin is one of the largest organs of the body. It is made up of three layers: The Epidermis, Dermis and the subcutaneous fatty tissue. As it has no blood vessels, the epidermis is dependent on the dermis to feed it nutrients and for disposing of excess waste. Epidermis  ©Google Images Keratinocytes is the name given to the wall of the epidermis. It produces keratin, a protein that protects the epithelial cells. The epidermis regenerates in orderly fashion by cell division of keratinocytes in the basal layer, with maturing daughter cells becoming increasingly keratinised as they move to the skin surface. (Dermnetz.org 2016) Keratinocytes are regenerated monthly. There are a number of cells within the epidermis: Merkel cells Merkel cells are cells found in the basal layer of the epidermis. (Dermnetnz.org 2016) These cells allow us to feel sensations such as pain, coolness, heat, numbness and to feel objects. These tiny cells can only be identified by using electron microscopy. They are most commonly found in the soles of the feet and the palm of the hand. Dermis  ©Google Images This is the second layer of the skin and is the biggest part of the cross-section of the skin. In the dermis there are many things such as nerve endings, sweat glands and blood capillaries. The Dermis is sub-divided into 2 sections namely: Papillary Dermis and the Reticular Dermis. Collagen, Elastic Tissue and Reticular fibres are present throughout the Dermis. Subcutaneous layer (c)Google Images The subcutaneous layer is an important line of defence, protecting the fragile organs and bones from outside forces, such as pathogens.(reference.com 2016) The Hypodermis or subcutaneous layer acts as a protector for organs and the skeleton against the elements. Like the other two layers, its thickness depends on where it is in the body. For example the subcutaneous layer on the eyelids would be thinner than on the skin around the soles of the feet. Its main function is to act as a temperature regulator. Functions of the skin: Protection: Melanin in the skin protects the body from harmful UV rays produced by the sun. Skin has the ability to protect organs and bones from exposure to the environment. It also can protect the body from bacterial infections. Temperature Regulation: When environmental temperatures are high, the skin releases sweat as a means of cooling the body down. If youre cold, blood vessels in your skin fill up with blood to generate heat. Immunity Some skin cells work with the immune system to fight against bacteria and viruses. Some bacteria live on the skin, this is normal as it is good bacteria. However if it gets in under the skin, it can cause infection such as cellulitis. Growth and Movement The skins elasticity allows the body to grow as we get older. Without it we would not be able to move freely, if at all. Excretion Skin helps to get rid of waste such as urea, sweat and carbon dioxide. Endocrine: when exposed to a small amount of UV rays, the skin produces Vitamin D. a chemical in the skin called 7-dehydrocholesterol reacts with the UV rays. Over exposure to UV can have dire consequences such as skin cancer, so exposure to the sun must be kept in moderation. Absorption: Skin absorbs oxygen and nitrogen. Some animals have no need for lungs because they can actually breathe through their skin. Water Resistance: Skin is covered by oils and nutrients which form a protective layer against water. (newhealthguide.org ND) The relationship between the skin, circulatory system and the nervous system.   Ã‚   All bodily functions are regulated by the brain via the nervous system. The brain sends messages to the rest of the body through nerves. Without it the circulatory system could not function. Cardiac functioning and transportation of fluid in the body is started by messages coming from the brain. The circulatory system is made up of arteries, veins, capillaries and other passages which are central to its functioning. The nervous system is made up of the spinal cord, brain and nerves. It controls what the body does. Signals are sent to and from the brain via the nerves to create proper functioning. A prime example of how these systems work together is in blood pressure and regulation of the heart rate. The vagus nerve regulates the pumping of the heart. Blood is pumped through the passages around the body and into the organs. Baroreceptors give the brain information about blood pressure. The brain can then make adjustments to how the heart pumps. It is because of this process that bloo d pressure is kept at a normal level. The nervous system has the power of bodily functions but it needs the circulatory system to relay the messages so that such adjustments can be made accordingly. (wisegeekhealth.com ND) The integumentary system (skin) works with the circulatory system. The skin contains networks of capillaries. This means that substances can enter the bloodstream though the skin and this is the reason why some medicines such as female contraception can be delivered in patch format. Neurons are contained within the skin to sense the environment. These neurons send signals to the nervous system such as touch and it begins action based on these signs. For example if you burn your finger, nerve cells send signals up your arm to the spinal cord and brain. Nerve cells in the brain interpret these messages as pain. Skin aids temperature regulation by way of changing blood supply patterns and by sweating which helps to cool the body down. (sciencenetlinks.com ND)  ©Google Images (iii) Using the table format give six examples of viral, bacterial, fungal skin diseases.. Viral Bacterial Fungal Flu Tuberculosis Nail Fungus Shingles Cellulitis Oral Thrush Viral Pneumonia Salmonella Athletes Foot HIV/AIDS Helicobacter Pylori Impetigo Chicken Pox Staph Infection Jock Itch Herpes Scarlet Fever Vaginal Yeast Infection (Healthgrades.com 2016) (Rightdiagnosis.com 2016) (Healthonline.com 2016) (Dermnetz.org 2016) Example of a Viral Infection:  ©Google Images Example of a bacterial infection:  ©Google Images Example of a fungal infection:  ©Google Images References: (Class notes unit 3 S. Curran 2016) Biology.about.com (2016) Phases of the Cardiac Cycle [online], available: http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/ss/cardiac_cycle.htm[Accessed 1st March 2017] Biology.about.com (2017) What Is a Capillary? [online], available: Bloodpressureuk (2008) What is blood pressure? [online], available:http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Bloodpressure [Accessed 15th March 2017] Bloodpressureuk (ND) What is blood pressure? [online], available: http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Bloodpressure [Accessed 19th January 2017] Britannica.com (2016) Compact bone [online], available: https://www.britannica.com/science/compact-bone [accessed 12th December 2016] Dermnetz.org (2016) Bacterial Skin Infections [online], available: http://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/bacterial-skin-infections/ [accessed 5th December 2016] Healdove.com (2016) The Differences Between Skeletal, Smooth Cardiac Muscles [online], available:https://healdove.com/misc/The-function-of-Muscles-and-the-3-main-types [Accessed 19th December 2016] Healthbase.wordpress.com (2016) Medical Tourism Blog, Surgical Tourism Blog, Overseas Medical Travel Blog [online], available: https://healthbase.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/composition-of-a-bone/ [accessed 12th December 2016] Healthgrades.com (2016) What are viral diseases? [Online], available: https://www.healthgrades.com/conditions/viral-diseases [accessed 5th December 2016] Healthline.com (2016) Candida Fungus Skin Infection [online], available: http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/ss/capillary.htm [Accessed 2nd March 2017] http://www.healthline.com/health/skin/candida-fungus#ReadThisNext0 [accessed 5th December 2016] Ivyroses (2016) The Functions of the Heart [online], available: http://www.ivyroses.com/HumanBody/Blood/Heart_Functions.php [Accessed 18th January 2017] Livescience (2016) Circulatory System: Facts, Function Diseases [online], available: http://www.livescience.com/22486-circulatory-system.html [Accessed 1st March 2017] Livestrong (2012) 6 types of synovial joints [online], available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/74183-types-synovial-joints/ [Accessed 4th January 2017] Livestrong (2012) 6 types of synovial joints [online], available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/74183-types-synovial-joints/ [Accessed 5th January 2017] Livestrong.com (2015) How the Skeletal System Works With the Muscular [online], available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/76374-skeletal-system-works-muscular/ [Accessed 4th January 2017] Mayoclinic (ND) Low blood pressure Hypotension [online], available: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/basics/definition/con-20032298 [Accessed 19th January 2017] Medlineplus (2015) Phosphorus in diet[online], available: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002424.htm [Accessed 4th January 2017] Newhealthguide (ND) Functions of the Skin [online],

I Am Ready for Law School :: Law College Admissions Essays

I Am Ready for Law School I began hallucinating early Thursday morning. My team and I were halfway finished with what our instructors dubbed "The Long Paddle," and I could feel my sanity slowly slipping away. A combination of severe sleep deprivation and extreme physical exercise can do that to you. I had not had more than three hours of sleep since "Hellweek" had begun on Sunday afternoon. As I looked around me, I contemplated the extent of my delirium. I was reasonably certain that the Statue of Liberty does not belong in San Diego, and I doubted that the tigers I could see racing along the river shore were real. My ears picked up the sound of our boat's leader having a heated argument with Jenkins, but Jenkins had quit the team two weeks ago. Looking around me, I felt reassured seeing the confused expressions on my teammates' faces. Even though I was stuck in a tiny inflatable boat with six potential lunatics, I at least knew that I was not the only one being affected by the exercise. Hell week. I had been through some incarnation of it during each year of my life, ever since peewee football. But no previous "hell" could compare to the punishment that the United States Navy dishes out during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training (BUD/S). Hell week marks the sixth week of BUD/S, and is a six-day celebration of misery designed to eliminate weak candidates. Only the strong can survive it. This year's week of torment was heightened by an untimely cold spell; more than two thirds of our original class had already quit. Running on soft sand beaches while wearing combat boots, getting a facemask full of salt water while lugging twin steel scuba tanks on your back, being soaking wet and covered with sand... these are enough to make most people question their desire to finish the program. But it was the cold that claimed the most victims. We shivered through the nights and well into the mornings, the chill of the air seeping into our very bones. Visions of hot meals and warm beds haunted us; we knew that ending the suffering and the cold was as easy as quitting the program. And quitting was so very east. Simply stand in front of your classmates and ring a silver ship's bell three times...

Luncheon At The Morning Glory Cafe :: Personal Narrative Technology Essays

Luncheon At The Morning Glory Cafe After I was given an assignment to research any issue involving the digital media, I began to investigate the controversy about whether copying and downloading information or music off the Internet was legal; and if it was not legal, what are the current regulations. The paper begins with a story that stages a meeting of all the researchers who had previously never met before. The purpose of the story is to familiarize the reader with the information. The next portion of the paper is analyzing the sources, with the last section discussing how I felt after the research and why. The Morning Glory Cafà © would be open soon. I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my keys. Soon I was cruising down the road in my yellow Beetle, singing at the top of my lungs to the Dixie Chicks. I had plans to meet some very important people at the cafe for lunch and I was speeding off to meet them. Working for the online periodical eCheck allowed me to meet interesting people and go to exciting places. Today I was not going anywhere out of the ordinary, just the coffee house I frequently visit. However, I would be meeting five authors there who had each done extensive research on the digital issues computers. ECheck publishes articles about those issues that affect today’s society and the people influenced by them. I had been assigned the issue of copyright laws and the legality of downloading music. The information I would receive today would be first hand knowledge, excellent for my article. I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity. Upon my arrival, I realized that I was not the last to show. Eric Boehlert strolled in moments behind me, appearing as though he had just rolled out of bed. His dark hair was tousled; his shirt wrinkled and not tucked in. He was laid back and smart, but from what I had heard, he was also absent minded. Despite his forgetfulness, Eric is an excellent writer for Salon, the online periodical he works for. Salon writes about every subject from politics to art and music. He has good insight into the world of controversial ideas, bringing out points that were not usually expanded upon.

Free Billy Budd Essays: Justice in Billy Budd :: Billy Budd Essays

Billy Budd - Not about Divine Justice and Human Justice Some have misinterpreted Melville's Billy Budd as a story about the distinction between divine justice, on the one hand, and human justice, on the other. Here's a summary of the "incorrect" reading that leads to this conclusion: When John Claggart falsely accuses Billy Budd of inciting mutiny, Captain Vere (whose name suggests "truth") arranges a confrontation between the accuser and the accused. When Claggart shamelessly repeats the lie to Budd's face and when Captain Vere insists that Budd defend himself and when Budd is struck speechless (if you like) and, therefore, STRIKES Claggart who falls down dead, Captain Vere suddenly has a problem on his hands, a problem he did not bargain for. You see, he feels that Budd is innocent but he also knows that he has killed a superior officer, an offense punishable by death. Here's how Melville presents Captain Vere's argument at the drumhead court: "How can we adjudge to summary and shameful death a fellow creature innocent before God, and whom we feel to be so? - Does that state it aright? You sign sad assent. Well, I too feel that, the full force of that. It is Nature. But do these buttons that we wear attest that our allegiance is to Nature? No, to the King. Though the ocean, which is inviolate Nature primeval, though this be the element where we move and have our being as sailors, yet as the King's officers lies our duty in a sphere correspondingly natural? So little is that true that, in receiving our commissions, we in the most important regards ceased to be natural free agents. When war is declared are we, the commissioned fighters, previously consulted? We fight at command. If our judgments approve the war, that is but coincidence. So in other particulars. For suppose condemnation to follow these present proceedings. Would it be so much we ourselves that would condemn as it would be martial law operating through us? For that law and the rigor of it, we are not responsible. Our vowed responsibility is this: That however pitilessly that law may operate, we nevertheless adhere to it and administer it. . . . "To steady us a bit, let us recur to the facts. - In war-time at sea a man-of-war's man strikes his superior in grade, and the blow kills.

Merchant of Venice

Alessandro Larosa How does Shakespeare present his ideas (themes, main points, the time, morality and reflection) within the merchant of Venice? Introduction – The play, the merchant of Venice, was written by Shakespeare. The play puts forward ideas and themes which are universal and relevant in today’s life. He uses techniques, dramatic techniques and context to showcase these ideas which form the plot, climax and conclusion of this remarkable play. Body – Justice Point: In Venice, 1596, the economic stability was dependant on foreign businessmen like shylock.The city has laws to protect their legal rights and it is how the two religions follow and obey these laws which separate them. Elaboration: In the context of Merchant of Venice, Jews believe in justice, and following the law and Christians are shown to have mercy. Shylock with his bond prepares to cut Antonio's heart, meanwhile the Christian court begs him and asks why he will not show mercy. Shylock repli es saying he doesn’t have a logical reason for why he hates Antonio but he insists on having his bond to for fill his revenge. Example: Shylock has a speech about the courts question. Quote: Tis mine and I will have it. If you deny me, fie upon your law— There is no force in the decrees of Venice. I stand for judgment. Answer, shall I have it? † Technique: Metaphor of the pound of flesh used: A pound of flesh is used as a metaphor for justice. Shylock has had his daughter taken away from him like a part of his flesh and he is simply getting it back, while filling his revenge he is also achieving justice within himself. Link: Shakespeare uses justice to make the play realistic; everything in life is controlled by laws. It is the scales of justice which separates the two religions. Wealth over love Point:In Shakespeare's plays he always has involved love. But what could be valued more than love, money. Shakespeare brings forward Wealth over love theme to the play t o create a sense that is the play about lovers and people having a happily ever after or about their personal wealth. Explanation: In the play Christians are noticed as being generous and selfless about their bank account whereas the Jewish people are portrayed as people who are uptight about their wealth and very protective of anything valuable to them. Quotes: Shylock has his daughter taken from him, as he sees it. She actually leaves to marry Lorenzo.When he looks around to find that she has left for Belmont with all of his wealth, he screams. ‘My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter! Link: Shakespeare uses this quote to confuse us. Is Shylock more worried about losing his wealth or of his daughter? Through this quote, Shakespeare also has us thinking another situation. Is this any different from the way Bassonio goes after Portia for her money. In both cases Shakespeare shows that h uman relationships are hard to tell apart from wealth. Appearance vs. reality Point:Another theme that is put forward by Shakespeare in the play is appearance vs. reality. This theme is symbolic of the most universal human problem in the context in The Merchant of Venice and in modern society. Explanation Shakespeare expresses this theme through a dead father of a living daughter Portia. There are three caskets, one gold, one silver and one bronze. The three of them are a game of chance, a gamble laid out in order to find the right suitor for Portia and her father’s wealth. One of the three contains a skull, a fools head and the last Portia's picture. Example. The outside of the gold casket promises, Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire. † It’s sounds good but it is a trick. Once opened it contains a skull with a smug message, â€Å"All that glisters is not gold. † The Gold casket and skull symbolise that appearances are often deceiving and huma n desire, such as wealth, can be dangerous. The inscription silver casket explains, â€Å"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves. † The inside contains a smiling face of an idiot and with a note that reads, â€Å"So be gone: you are sped. † Whoever chooses the silver casket is a fool who'll get what he deserves (a picture of another fool). Finally, the lead chest.The metal is used to symbolize inner beauty and modesty and contains a picture of Portia. The inscription is very significant, â€Å"Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath† The inscription is symbolic of marriage and reminds us of the fact that Bassanio's battle for Portia literally involves a man who must â€Å"hazard all he hath,† in marriage. Also in relation to Antonio, who risks his life to loan his best friend the money to woo his wife to be. Technique Shakespeare uses juxtaposition with the gold and lead caskets to create a visual representation of Appearance vs. Realit y. The lead casket is gold in disguise. LinkShakespeare expresses the theme through the characters and techniques in the merchant of Venice. The theme is used to engage the audience as we are eager to look behind disguises and find the reality of the characters and the events. Conclusion – There are many different themes in The Merchant of Venice which are moral values. To show mercy, to think twice about a book with a glistening cover and to treasure human relationships over the insignificance of wealth. Through the techniques and examples revealed in the Merchant of Venice Shakespeare displays ideas which are extremely significant from when it was first written to present. Merchant of Venice Alessandro Larosa How does Shakespeare present his ideas (themes, main points, the time, morality and reflection) within the merchant of Venice? Introduction – The play, the merchant of Venice, was written by Shakespeare. The play puts forward ideas and themes which are universal and relevant in today’s life. He uses techniques, dramatic techniques and context to showcase these ideas which form the plot, climax and conclusion of this remarkable play. Body – Justice Point: In Venice, 1596, the economic stability was dependant on foreign businessmen like shylock.The city has laws to protect their legal rights and it is how the two religions follow and obey these laws which separate them. Elaboration: In the context of Merchant of Venice, Jews believe in justice, and following the law and Christians are shown to have mercy. Shylock with his bond prepares to cut Antonio's heart, meanwhile the Christian court begs him and asks why he will not show mercy. Shylock repli es saying he doesn’t have a logical reason for why he hates Antonio but he insists on having his bond to for fill his revenge. Example: Shylock has a speech about the courts question. Quote: Tis mine and I will have it. If you deny me, fie upon your law— There is no force in the decrees of Venice. I stand for judgment. Answer, shall I have it? † Technique: Metaphor of the pound of flesh used: A pound of flesh is used as a metaphor for justice. Shylock has had his daughter taken away from him like a part of his flesh and he is simply getting it back, while filling his revenge he is also achieving justice within himself. Link: Shakespeare uses justice to make the play realistic; everything in life is controlled by laws. It is the scales of justice which separates the two religions. Wealth over love Point:In Shakespeare's plays he always has involved love. But what could be valued more than love, money. Shakespeare brings forward Wealth over love theme to the play t o create a sense that is the play about lovers and people having a happily ever after or about their personal wealth. Explanation: In the play Christians are noticed as being generous and selfless about their bank account whereas the Jewish people are portrayed as people who are uptight about their wealth and very protective of anything valuable to them. Quotes: Shylock has his daughter taken from him, as he sees it. She actually leaves to marry Lorenzo.When he looks around to find that she has left for Belmont with all of his wealth, he screams. ‘My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter! Link: Shakespeare uses this quote to confuse us. Is Shylock more worried about losing his wealth or of his daughter? Through this quote, Shakespeare also has us thinking another situation. Is this any different from the way Bassonio goes after Portia for her money. In both cases Shakespeare shows that h uman relationships are hard to tell apart from wealth. Appearance vs. reality Point:Another theme that is put forward by Shakespeare in the play is appearance vs. reality. This theme is symbolic of the most universal human problem in the context in The Merchant of Venice and in modern society. Explanation Shakespeare expresses this theme through a dead father of a living daughter Portia. There are three caskets, one gold, one silver and one bronze. The three of them are a game of chance, a gamble laid out in order to find the right suitor for Portia and her father’s wealth. One of the three contains a skull, a fools head and the last Portia's picture. Example. The outside of the gold casket promises, Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire. † It’s sounds good but it is a trick. Once opened it contains a skull with a smug message, â€Å"All that glisters is not gold. † The Gold casket and skull symbolise that appearances are often deceiving and huma n desire, such as wealth, can be dangerous. The inscription silver casket explains, â€Å"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves. † The inside contains a smiling face of an idiot and with a note that reads, â€Å"So be gone: you are sped. † Whoever chooses the silver casket is a fool who'll get what he deserves (a picture of another fool). Finally, the lead chest.The metal is used to symbolize inner beauty and modesty and contains a picture of Portia. The inscription is very significant, â€Å"Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath† The inscription is symbolic of marriage and reminds us of the fact that Bassanio's battle for Portia literally involves a man who must â€Å"hazard all he hath,† in marriage. Also in relation to Antonio, who risks his life to loan his best friend the money to woo his wife to be. Technique Shakespeare uses juxtaposition with the gold and lead caskets to create a visual representation of Appearance vs. Realit y. The lead casket is gold in disguise. LinkShakespeare expresses the theme through the characters and techniques in the merchant of Venice. The theme is used to engage the audience as we are eager to look behind disguises and find the reality of the characters and the events. Conclusion – There are many different themes in The Merchant of Venice which are moral values. To show mercy, to think twice about a book with a glistening cover and to treasure human relationships over the insignificance of wealth. Through the techniques and examples revealed in the Merchant of Venice Shakespeare displays ideas which are extremely significant from when it was first written to present.

Coral Reef Essay

Mr. KrupensHow Can We Preserve the World’s Coral Reefs Critical Thinking Questions and AnswersHow does the current state of the world’s coral reefs illustrate each of the six key themes of this book? Human population: With current state of coral reefs, we are definitely valuing the quality of life of a person living today because of the fact that coral reefs are indirectly, sometimes directly, destroyed by over fishing using the methods such as using dynamites or cyanides which causes corals to be destroyed and damaged. However we have to start thinking about the future generations. Sustainability: With current state of coral reefs, the persistence of these resources for future generations is more important because of the fact that coral reefs provide priceless economic benefits (worth $375 billion dollars) and it is slowly getting destroyed. Global Perspective: With current state of coral reefs, we have to value the environment of the entire planet otherwise numerous s pecies of sea organisms, such as fishes, will lose their home which may cause other predators to eventually die out too. This will cause domino effect just by coral reefs getting destroyed around the world, which will bring huge economic and environmental effect on human. Urban World: Both human creativity and persistence of certain endangered species are important because for sure human creativity can be used to save the endangered species. For example, using art to advertise- giving awareness about endangered species. Using science to create medications for endangered species. This means we can help save coral reefs by using human creativity. People and Nature: If people have altered the environment for much of the time our species has been on earth, the word â€Å"natural† can be referred to as places where it is undeveloped by human kind. For example, very deep in the ocean bottom. Science and Values: We need knowledge about our environment so human kind can last for longest period we can possibly stay on earth for, and in order to do that, we have to cooperate with our environment and we have to study our environment. What are the utilitarian, ecological, aesthetic, and moral justification for preserving coral reefs? Utilitarian justification: Coral reefs are associated to 1 million marine organisms. It  will help fisherman to be economically stable and healthy just by preserving coral reefs as well as merc hants who live off by tourists. Ecological Justification: Coral reefs are associated with 1 million marine organisms. Some of the marine organisms that are associated with coral reefs go directly to our stomach. In addition, reef fish constitute about 15% of the entire world wide catch. Aesthetic Justification: There is countless of tourists who appreciate the beauty of nature. Millions of tourists from around the world who flock to reef areas to fish, swim, dive, and enjoy their beauty. Moral Justification: Coral reefs has moral rights to not get destroyed and stay healthy because coral reefs that exist today are 5,000 to 10,000 years old. Also by taking the brunt of the force of waves, coral reefs protect coastlines from erosion, function that is estimated to be $50,000 per year, which may be more than some people’s yearly salary. They already are associated to millions of marine organisms too, so they definitely have their rights to not get destroyed or harmed. If Maitri were making his living by fishing rather than farming shrimp, how might he view the preservation of coral reefs? What ar rangements could be made to meet his needs but at the same time preserve coral reefs in his area? Maitri will definitely have positive instinct on preserving the coral reefs because coral reefs will soon provide his living. As said, coral reefs are associated with about 1 million marine organisms and 15% of the entire worldwide catch is reef fish. In order for him to meet his needs and preserve coral reefs is to limiting himself on the amount that his catching per year, but about to making living out of it. Also he should not use dynamite and cyanide methods to catch fishes. In addition, he should definitely be aware about not to destroy or pry apart the coral reefs while fishing in any methods that he choose to. What things can you do in your everyday life to contribute to the preservation of coral reefs? For me, as a student, all I can contribute to the preservation of coral reefs are to conserve water (less waste water dumped in ocean), reduce pollution (help reduce ocean warming), dispose my trash properly (no water is polluted), use only ecological or organic fertilizers (so ocean is not polluted), volunteer for a coral reef cleanup, practice safe and responsible diving and snorkeling (so no coral is harmed or destroyed), and especially spread the word.

Lotus Car Rental Alternative Fuel Assessment Essay

Introduction The creation of a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles would be a wise decision for the Lotus Car Rental Company. There are two major issues that are on the minds of people these days, the environment and money. By creating a fleet of alternative fuel based automobiles the Lotus Rental Care Company can help ease the fears of people in both categories. By having the ingenuity to have a fleet of alternative fuel automobiles; the Lotus Car Rental will set themselves apart from the rest of the rental car companies. Lotus Car Care will be the leaders in environmentally safe car rentals. The following research paper will discuss the background of this topic, the costs of working with alternative fuel automobiles, the technical aspects of alternative fuel, the environmental aspects of alternative fuel as well as discuss some recommendations for the Lotus Car Rental Company. Background The Lotus Car Rental Company is looking into adding a fleet of alternative fuel sourced vehicles to their supply. Alternative fuel sourced vehicles are classified as being resources other than petroleum. A few of these sources are produced here locally and some are derived from renewable sources. They often produce less pollution than does gasoline. (â€Å"Alternative Fuel Vehicles†, 2012). Hybrids are also considered to be an alternative sourced vehicle. A Hybrid vehicle is one that utilizes more than one form of onboard energy to achieve propulsion (â€Å"Edmunds.com†, 2009). Financial Feasibility Several factors influence the financial feasibility of adding alternative fuel vehicles to the fleet: vehicle cost, maintenance, advertising, and return on investment. Additional considerations include: market share, future growth, and implementation cost. The first consideration is the cost of adding hybrid vehicles to fleet inventory. Individual vehicle cost ranges from $23,000 to $37,000 and the models available include Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta, Lincoln MKZ, and Lexus ES300H (Almeida, 2009). Fleet costs would be less depending on number of units purchased and vehicle upgrades. Lotus Rental Car’s rentals fall into three categories: economy, mid-size, and luxury. Based on a cursory review of Lotus Rental Car’s primary income producers, the number of hybrid vehicles added should fall within the three to five percent range for each category. The initial outlay should equal or be less than the number of vehicles within each specific category that will be retired within the purchase year. For instance, if ten percent of economy vehicles will be retired then five percent of the new vehicles purchased will be hybrid. By timing the introduction of the new hybrid vehicles with inventory retirement the initial cost outlay will be mitigated. The anticipated maintenance costs will be similar to the previous year’s cost and no change is expected. Income from vehicles retired is expected to equal the same percentage as non-hybrid automobiles and will not constitute a negative financial impact. Advertising is a major consideration, although the cost is not expected to increase. Target markets will be in major cities where Lotus Rental Car’s already has a large presence. Urban centers with environmentally conscious drivers are the best place to begin a new hybrid product line. Adding information regarding the new line to existing websites provides maximum exposure with minimal cost. Other markets include environmentally conscious corporate businesses that already have a corporate account with Lotus. Market share and future growth is connected to advertising and return on investment. The implementation costs are minimal. The monthly return on investment is tied to advertising, environmental activity, and rental cost. Advertising includes national campaigns and local markets. The rental market incorporates online sales and local customers. The majority of travelers will book a rental vehicle prior to arriving at the rental company. Pricing will play an important factor in a rental commitment. Up-sale will increase income potential. Economy vehicles rentals begin at $9.99 and increase, depending on the current sales program. The cost may decrease, depending on the number of days booked, special pricing, and additional sale of navigation, XM radio, and infant seats. However, the average rental price for an economy vehicle is $29.99 per day and hybrid vehicles rent from $65.99 to $159 per day. The return on investment per day would range from $35 to $129. It is clear the automotive industry is offering a variety of hybrid vehicles in response to customer demand. The future of the automotive industry includes alternative fuel vehicles of all models. As the automotive industry embraces hybrid sales that increase their market share, so should the vehicle rental industry. Entry into a new product line will have higher costs than non-alternative vehicles until the product becomes well immersed into the market. In the case of hybrid vehicles it is prudent that Lotus Rental Car adds hybrid vehicles to their urban centers and joins the environmental movement along with major vehicle manufacturers. It is clear that as time passes, a portion of new business will gravitate toward rental car companies that offer alternative fuel vehicles. Lotus Rental Car company will lose future market share and the expense of entering the hybrid market will increase if Lotus Rental Car company enters the market after its competitors (Schueneman, 2009). Technical Aspects One of the many advantages of owning a hybrid vehicle is saving money at the pump. Unlike your standard gas running car, this on average would do about 21 mpg highway and city driving. Hybrids on average are doing 30 mpg highway and city. An article written on nationalgeographic.com it shows the actual fuel saving over a year span â€Å"The average American driver between the ages of 34 and 55 drives 15,291 miles annually. Divide this annual mileage figure by 21 miles to the gallon for the standard model, and you will find that you would buy about 728 gallons of gasoline a year. In contrast, if you divide the annual miles figure by 30 for the hybrid, you would determine that the annual gas purchase would be of about 510 gallons. You would save 218 gallons of gas a year with the hybrid. Multiply this by a conservative $3.50 a gallon for a dollar savings of $763. By selecting the hybrid over the standard model, you would make up for the $5,560 difference in sticker price in seven to eight years. Subtract the maximum tax incentive and you could recoup the $2,160 difference in less than three years. Thus, in this example, you would save money either by paying full price and driving your hybrid for more than eight years, or by driving it for more than three years with a tax credit.†(Nationalgeographic.com by Lynne Haley Rose). So although the price tag is little higher on hybrids you will easily make your money back in the gas savings. Most people may think,† Yeah, you save on gas, but don’t get the as much horsepower when you purchase a hybrid vehicle.† The idea of combining electric and gas does seem to leave much room for speed and maneuverability. This assumption is not true; yes hybrids do have smaller gas engines, but they make it up with their electric engine. Coupled with the gas engine, the electric engine can send power to various parts of the car, mainly the wheels. This is a very good advantage over standard horsepower, because it could actually supply more power to the car; which increases its speed. With all this talk about horsepower and speed, we begin to think about maintaining a hybrid car. Once again, just because it’s a hybrid doesn’t mean it’s more expensive. Most of the basic normal maintenance requirements like oil changes and tune ups cost about the same as standard cars. They even have their own perks. A standard car requires an oil change every 3,000 miles; whereas hybrids are every 6,000 miles. One of the most expensive items on a hybrid is the car’s battery; which can run you up to 3,000 dollars. Don’t let this number scare you, because these batteries have no real recorded life expectancy â€Å"a long time† is what I kept seeing in my research. As said in (8 Reasons to Buy a Hybrid Car) â€Å"There’s no difference between a hybrid and the gas-powered car parked in your garage — it can accelerate just as quickly and cruise just as fast on the highway, and it handles just as smoothly. Most important, hybrids are just as safe to drive.† (By Alan Rider Parents.com). Hybrids have come a long way since the first Prius 10 years ago. They’ve excelled in mpg, horsepower and style. There are a number of hybrids out there now and many styles to choose from in the standard and luxury lines. As far a comfortable ride, hybrids and standard cars are the same. Now, of course, if you go out and get a Lexus hybrid you’re going to have more luxuries than if you purchased a Toyota hybrid. Most cars you get know have all of the technical capabilities available and if they don’t they can be added. Technology will not stop growing and with that so will the new age of hybrids. Environmental Aspects Petroleum based fuels can create harmful emissions like carbon dioxide; nitrous oxides, and particulate matter, all of which degrade the environment (â€Å"5 things you need to know about alternative fuel vehicles,† 2008). These methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and other gasses are known as greenhouse gases. When these gasses build up they contribute to global warming. HybridCar.org claims that Hybrid vehicles produce 80 percent less greenhouse gases than conventional fuel based vehicles (â€Å"Hybrid Cars And Pollution†, 2005). Toxicity is another problem with petroleum fuel based vehicles. The producing of some forms of alternative fuels can create fewer toxins than those produced by traditional fuel vehicles. For instance, biodiesel is a fuel that is created from leftover vegetation like corn stalks. Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic which makes it safe for the environment. Noise pollution is also a form of pollution. Car engines can produce 110 decibels of noise, which is twice as loud as a normal conversation.. The noise will come from the fuel pump, pistons and compressors that create the combustion and cycle the fuel. Vehicles with alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen fuel cells will produce no sound or vibration as they require no moving parts to produce fuel. Recommendations The research has shown that a fleet of alternative fuel sourced vehicles would be the best idea for everyone involved. The positive feedback generated by offering this fleet of vehicles would be astounding. The market for rental cars with alternative fuel capabilities is very small and the Lotus Car Rental Company would have the market cornered. The cost of maintain a fleet of these vehicles are no different than that of petroleum fueled vehicles. The consumer that is able to rent these vehicles will also benefit by being able to save more money on energy for the vehicle. The environment will also benefit from this addition to the Lotus Car Rental fleet. The amount of pollution and emissions that can be cut back will be helpful to the surrounding community and the future generations to grow up in the community. Conclusion The creation of a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles would be a wise decision for the Lotus Car Rental Company. After conducting much research, the decision to incorporate a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles would be in the best interest of the public as well as the company. The research has shown the monetary benefits, the technical benefits as well as the environmental benefits of acquiring a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles. The benefits of having a positive company reputation are enormous. Having an environmentally friendly car rental company has the potential of being a lucrative decision. Living a green lifestyle has become an important thing in this day and age. The Lotus Car Rental Company will have cornered the market by having an entire fleet of environmentally friendly automobiles. References Alternative fuel vehicles. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml Edmunds.com. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/what-is-a-hybrid-car-how-do-hybrids-work.html Almeida, A. (2009, August 13). Average Cost of a Hybrid Car. Retrieved from CarsDirect: http://www.carsdirect.com/car-pricing/whats-the-average-cost-of-a-new-hybrid-car Schueneman, T. (2009, February 12). Enterprise Rent-a-Car Adds 5000 Hybrids to its Fleet of Fuel Efficient Cars. Retrieved from sustainablog: http://sustainablog.org/2009/02/enterprise-rent-a-car-adds-5000-hybrids-to-its-fleet-of-fuel-efficient-cars/ 5 things you need to know about alternative fuel vehicles. (2008, July). greencar.com, (), . Retrieved from http://www.greencar.com/articles/5-things-need-alternative-fuel-vehicles.php Hybrid cars and pollution. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.hybrid-car.org/hybrid-cars-pollution.html

School leadership and social justice: Evidence from Ghana and Tanzania

This paper will be a critical analysis of the quality and rightness of the methods of informations aggregation and analysis in the paper produced by Bosu et Al. ( 2011 ) . I will try to supply with logical thinking, an apprehension for the grounds of the methods used in the instance surveies analysed and do usage of literature to supply back uping and opposing positions on the informations aggregation methods every bit good as its analysis. The context of the paper is set in the African states of Ghana and Tanzania, both considered 'emerging and developing economic systems ‘ harmonizing to the International Monetary Fund ( IMF, 2010, p. 152 ) . Three instance surveies are scrutinised, each with the subject of educational leading with undertones of societal justness nevertheless it is non clear what the aims of the research workers are, which is critical in a instance survey due to their being â€Å" wide in nature † ( Best, 2010a, p. 1 ) . Each was an explanatory instance survey, look intoing the consequences of determinations made by school leaders based upon informations collected utilizing an etic attack. In each instance survey there is a reappraisal of an action research run, where the facilitator was the caput instructor of a school. Two of the caput instructors, both from Ghana, attended an action research workshop where they were introduced to research techniques, there is no reference of the history of the Tanzanian caput instructor, or if they had received similar preparation. There is no lucidity of the research workers focus, be it the difference that go toing the workshop makes to the effectivity of action research, the difference caused by lodgers or merely the end point of changing methods of action research. At this occasion I shall try to reexamine the informations aggregation methods of each single instance survey, reasoning by reexamining the informations aggregation by the research workers, of the paper as a whole. Case Study: School A – Gold coast This instance survey had the focal point of trying to cut down adolescent gestations of members of the school in inquiry. To accomplish this, the caput teacher attempted to derive information from the community. There is clear grounds of the usage of interview techniques, notably the caput teacher keeping a ‘discussion ‘ with the PTA which was a focus-group interview. A focal point group interview does look allow in this instance as they are designed to â€Å" explicate and understand, the significances, feelings, beliefs and attitudes that influence the behavior of persons who are assumed to portion a common civilization, job or issue † ( Best, 2010b, p. 23 ) which in this instance seems to be pertinent despite a deficiency of information as to who is invited to the PTA and if they do hold a cognition of the country to be discussed. Maxwell ( 1997 ) explains the importance of purposive trying – of which this is grounds – saying â€Å" peculiar scene s, individuals, or events are intentionally selected for the of import information they can supply that can non be gotten every bit good from other picks † ( p. 87 ) . There is no clear indicant of the construction, although utilizing the word treatment, one could determine that the signifier of an in-depth interview was taken where the caput instructor had compiled a list of the issues to be covered and the interview construction was of a guided conversation. The proclamation of progressive betterment in footings of Numberss of gestations, and in reading accomplishments by the caput instructor was followed by a announcement that the intercession was a success. There is besides an indirect suggestion by the research workers that all communities and schools can work collaboratively facilitated by the caput instructor to turn to societal justness jobs. This is clearly grounds of a authoritative characteristic of the literature and observations of school betterment, as evidenced by Coe ( 2009, p. 368 ) , with instructors frequently declaring: ‘My school was neglecting in A, B, C ways. We did X, Y, Z. Now the grounds of success is P, Q, R ‘ Coe warns against doing summing ups that what is observed in one school may needfully be true for another ( ibid. ) Case Study: School B – Gold coast This instance surveies focus was that of trying to cut down hookies of students who on market yearss absented from school to do money. Harmonizing to the baseline informations collected by the caput instructor, utilizing quantitative informations beginnings such as registries and text books, there was a clear group of male childs identified with low attendings and hapless public presentation, this is an illustration of secondary analysis, which harmonizing to Lewis ( 2003, p. 76 ) is analyzing a set of informations which was originally used for one intent with a different intent. There was a meeting between the caput instructor and a instructor to make up one's mind upon an intercession, there is no reference of the format of this meeting or how the format of the intercession was taken. It was concluded that a focal point group interview with the students followed by single interviews. The quality of this information is arguably high, harmonizing to Best ( 2010b, p. 23 ) the group in terview can potentially supply ‘deeper and richer ‘ informations due to the societal interaction and inquiring of the group members. As with School A this is grounds of purposive sampling. The usage of single interviews besides allows for personal issues to be expressed, which participants may experience uncomfortable with showing in the group environment. This is grounds of usage of method triangulation in that the caput teacher used two different informations aggregation methods on the same group of students in order to increase the cogency of the informations. An chance to roll up farther information arose from the meetings with the parents, enabling the caput instructor to foreground a group of three students every bit high hazard due to parental indifference with respect to their kids ‘s instruction. The intent of these meetings were clearly to educate the parents, nevertheless it seems unintentionally critical information has come from them. Due to the intercession the caput instructor provided informations for attending as being 100 % , with increased degrees in mathematics and English, collected from monthly trials. The quality of these trials could be questioned every bit good as the instruction methods used as there is no information provided. One could oppugn if these kids were taught specifically to execute in trials. The caput instructor took this farther roll uping informations on six of the male childs after graduation to junior high school ; the consequences harmonizing to the research workers were sustained. Case Study: School C – Tanzania The instance of the Tanzanian caput teacher differed from the old instances due to the deficiency of history in relation to their experience in action research. The caput instructor, look intoing the consequence of poorness and hard place environments on the schooling of the students, attempted to reply some inquiries. The caput teacher ‘sought information ‘ from instructors, the format of which is unspecified, nevertheless due to the anterior readying and clear apprehension of the inquiries needed replying it could be suggested that there was an interview, utilizing a structured or semi-structured method. In add-on informations was collected from quantitative beginnings including, day-to-day attending records and trial and scrutiny consequences, every bit good as qualitative beginnings like category assignments and prep. In uniting multiple methods a research worker must be cognizant of equilibrating differing theoretical backgrounds with any ascertained relationships be tween the informations sets ( Brannen, 1992, p. 33 ) . It is the position of Ritchie ( 2003, p. 38 ) that there can be benefit in tackling the two methods provided that the two informations sets can be described exactly. There may be biographical histories within the category assignments or the prep which can supply critical information and â€Å" sensitise a research worker to identify issues † ( Plummer, 2001, p. 130 ) . This is supported by Angell and Freedman ( 1953 ) who explain that this signifier of information has great value at the get downing phases of research instead than the terminal stages in order to derive an apprehension of an probe, which is reflected in the methodological analysis of this instance survey. They emphasise the value of the apprehension that this type of informations can supply with regard to the topic of probe ( p. 305 ) . Harmonizing to Best ( 2010c ) the dependability of this attack is questionable nevertheless utilizing a theoretical generalization the informations can be used to beef up the cogency of a chosen theory or in this instance the signifier of an intercession ( p. 5 ) . It is of import at this phase to underscore the obvious ethical issues in this instance, ab initio due to the nature of the survey, look intoing students personal lives, and secondly due to the aggregation of the biographical information of students. Interviews were held with the students separately, presumptively utilizing the same set of inquiries. If this was the instance it would be grounds of usage of informations triangulation by the research worker, in that the same informations aggregation method was used on legion respondents in an effort to increase cogency of the consequences. All students insisted they enjoyed school and they felt that they could â€Å" freely show their jobs to instructors who were comparatively more caring and considerate than many of their parents and defenders † ( p. 75 ) . One could oppugn nevertheless if the responses were wholly true due to the nature of the relationship between the students and the caput instructor and if the students would supply different responses to a alien. There is grounds to propose that interviewees are more willing to supply true replies to aliens, although this statement relates specifically to online scenes instead than in face to confront interviews ( Paine et al. , 2007, p. 533 ; Nguyen and Alexander, 1996, p. 104 ; Wellman and Gulia, 1999, p. 172 & A ; 178 ) . Harrison ( 2008, p. forty ) highlights the importance of the ‘subjective ‘ nature of informations aggregation every bit good as how the relationship between the research worker and participant may ‘impinge ‘ on its cogency. An intercession similar to that in School A was held, with fluctuating consequences, with students neglecting to go to and execute good in monthly trials. There is a clear contrast from the consequences of the old instance surveies, nevertheless due to the nature of the description of the instance surveies it is ill-defined what the cause of assortment in consequences is. The research workers attempt to salve some sense of achievement by underscoring the sense of authorization of the caput instructor, where due to the fortunes, it would be probably that many would experience helpless. Provided is no grounds of the authorization of the caput instructor after the completion of the instance survey, every bit good as a deficiency of grounds for the innuendo that the fortunes would most likely generate a sense of weakness, taking to inquiries of the quality of informations analysis displayed in this instance. In the chief the informations analysed was qualitative, which as Harrison ( 2008 ) notes, has a different attack to analyzing quantitative informations, although there are attacks which aim to accomplish a comparable ‘routinization ‘ ( that is a modus operandi of analysis ) ( p. 51 ) . Chiefly there is the method of analyzing the construction of the text and based on Glaser and Strauss ‘ ( 1967 ) propositions, the designation of commonalties and relevant theory ( p. 105-106 ) . Evidence of usage of this methodological analysis is present with the research workers placing typical instances in each of the instance surveies, doing comparings with literature and adverting the ascertained differences between the Westernised literature and African world. Second there is the method of nonsubjective hermeneutics ( that is the survey of reading theory ) developed by Oevermann et Al. ( 1979, in Harrison, 2008, p. 51 ) . It involves the reading of the motivations behind an action, with research workers adhering to two rules ( Soeffner, 1997, p. xiv ; Harrison, 2008, p. 51 ) . The research worker should bring forth a extremely extended reading, supplying all points of position that the information may stand for nevertheless improbable, and look into the motive behind an action extensively before supplying any sentiment about the information. There is grounds that both of these rules have been neglected to some grade by the research workers ; there is a mostly unbalanced penchant towards the positives that action research has provided in these instances despite its clear failure in the survey of School C of which there is small mentioned. There is besides grounds of the informations being used to suit the statement, with a clear anterior co gnition of practise in Ghana that relates to the research carried out. Decisions Although the fact-finding attack of the research workers is by usage of instance surveies, it is besides biographical in nature as there is a clear narration produced, reflecting upon the experiences of the caput instructors. All three caput instructors participate in action research that affects them straight, harmonizing to Erben ( 1993, p. 15 ) this is good pattern for a biographical research worker ; supported by Mills ‘ statement, as explained by Best ( 2010c, p. 7 ) that frequently ‘personal jobs are public issues. ‘ It is clear that the research workers feel they have obtained critical informations from the instance surveies that strengthens their stance on action research as a method of school betterment ( p. 75-76 ) . There is clear grounds of varied interview methods including single and focus-group interviews with varying construction, with more than one method used in the instances. One could propose that the rules of method triangulation could besides use for analyzing the usage of different interview attacks. Although there is fluctuation in the method of informations aggregation, the literature suggests that there are informations aggregation methods that were non utilised in this paper, such as questionnaires, ocular analysis ( exposure, picture, being present ) , on-line interviews or usage of informations analysis package to explain qualitative informations. It could be suggested that a more complete, higher quality of informations could hold been accumulated had there been more fluctuation in the techniques used by the caput instructors in the instance surveies, inquiries can so be raised about the quality of the action research workshop. Bearing in head the context of the instance surveies, it is apprehensible that in developing states, there may non be every bit much entree to computing machines and hence electronic mail, and that people may non hold every bit much clip to pass on informations aggregation because of a demand to be at work to do money. The information that was collected nevertheless was utile to each caput teacher, evidenced by a considered attack to each intercession warranting the information as appropriate for each instance. The decisions drawn by the research workers focus on the positives that action research offers, and the chances it offers, in these instances to the caput instructors, schools and communities ( p. 75-76 ) . The writers nevertheless are involved in the administration at the caput of the undertaking which has hereafter purposes to supply service in developing states ( p. 69-70 ) . The quality of the analysis is besides questionable, Harrison ( 2008 ) high spots two attacks to analyzing qualitative informations, and the research workers have merely displayed grounds of the usage of one of these. Although the intent of the probe clearly has value, covering with issues of societal justness, one could presume that the writers have non taken a entirely humanistic attack. Due to their engagement and the wholly affirmatory nature of the decisions drawn, it is right to oppugn the objectiveness of the research workers as there may be an component of politically oriented rating evident ( Best, 2 010d, p. 1-2 ) .