Fabric Softener Research Paper Essay

Fabric softeners help keep clothes soft and colorful. While many people use fabric softeners while they do their laundry, most are unaware of the chemicals that softeners use. Many softener manufacturers do not go into detail about the compounds they use to help soften fabric. Unfortunately, many softeners are made from a wide mixture of chemicals that can have potentially hazardous effects on the human body over time. Read more: What Are the Dangers of Fabric Softeners? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7588099_dangers-fabric-softeners.html#ixzz2JhHu6n72 1. rritation * Fabric softener companies do warn that their products can cause irritation, especially the liquid versions, and advise that you do not allow any fabric softener to touch your skin or your eyes. Some of the chemicals used to create these softeners are caustic and can cause itching or burning problems when the products accidentally contact skin. Respiratory Problems * Other chemicals in fabric softeners can cause lung problems and more significant irritation if they are inhaled. Benzyl alcohol, a common ingredient, acts as an upper respiratory tract irritant, while other compounds like A-Terpineol and pentane can also cause lung damage. These chemicals can cause asthma, especially in younger children. * Sponsored Links * Cars For Sale Philippines Brand New & Used Cars For Sale At Sulit Cars Buy And Sell Philippines Cars.Sulit.com.ph Carcinogens * Carcinogens are compounds that have been linked to causing cancer. It is difficult to pinpoint the substances that can actually cause cancer, and those linked to sufficient evidence are often banned (like asbestos). However, other chemicals may have been linked to cancer in some studies but have not yet been examined thoroughly enough to determine a direct link. Chemicals like chloroform and limonene are known as carcinogens and show up in fabric softeners. Nervous System Damage * Many of the compounds that cause skin irritation or may increase the possibility of cancer can also have a cumulative toxic effect if they are accidentally ingested. Ethanol, camphor and linalool can all cause nervous system damage. So can the previously mentioned chloroform and A-terpineol. Toxin exposure results in symptoms including dizziness, nausea, headaches, numbness and pain in the neck and spine. Fabric Problems * Some fabric softeners use tallow, a waxy material that can help protect clothing and keep it from being damaged as easily by stains. However, tallow can also render towels ineffective at absorbing water; since tallow repels liquids, towels can struggle to perform their jobs in bathrooms and kitchens. Tallow is also dangerous for the dryer lint filter, where it can cause clogging issues. Chronic Maladaptation * The human nervous system develops a condition when constantly exposed to the toxic chemicals that fabric softeners leave in clothing, becoming chronically maladapted to their presence. The effect the toxins have on the nervous system, though negative, can create an addictive-type response when they are constantly present. The nervous system begins to expect the toxins to be there and someone affected may not associate problems with fabric softener products, even on a physical level. This problem is exacerbated by fabric softeners that impregnate fabrics and continue to release their compounds over a long period of time. Sponsored Links * Detergents Stabilize Membrane Proteins Zitterionic, Non/Anionic Detergents www.avantilipids.com * Head & Shoulders Eliminate Dandruff Effectively! Leave your hair fresh and cleansed headandshoulders.ph/benefits * Product Suppliers Connect with over 120,000 suppliers from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan www.hktdc.com * Read more: What Are the Dangers of Fabric Softeners? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7588099_dangers-fabric-softeners.html#ixzz2JhI4pf00 The Toxic Danger of Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets by SixWise.com Many people will remember a famous TV ad where a woman races to her washing machine, fabric softener in hand, only to arrive just as the wash ends. This woman who â€Å"e;forgot to ad the fabric softener†e; was actually doing herself and her family a favor. Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. And chances are thatthe staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets with scents like April Fresh and Summer Orchard add toxic chemicals to your laundry and, consequently, your body.| Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets: * Benzyl acetate:Linked to pancreatic cancer * Benzyl Alcohol:Upper respiratory tract irritant * Ethanol:On the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders * Limonene:Known carcinogen * A-Terpineol:Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage * Ethyl Acetate:A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list * Camphor:Causes central nervous system disorders * Chloroform:Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic * Linalool:A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders * Pentane:A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous? The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling — so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies †¦ hence the need for even more hefty fragrances. In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears people to fabric softeners and — like the clichà © wolf in sheep’s clothing — the real smells of the chemical-laced fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and be done with it. Are â€Å"e;Soft†e; Clothes Worth It? Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment. Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include: * Central nervous system disorders * Headaches * Nausea * Vomiting * Dizziness * Blood pressure reduction * Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract * Pancreatic cancer A 100% Non-Toxic, Economical Solution!The Static Eliminator’s woven sheets take static cling out, and soften fabric without any toxic chemicals whatsoever — plus they areincredibly economical, as one box can be used to maximum effectiveness 500 times! (Or go for the super-economical double-pack for 1000 loads!) * Completely Non-Toxic: The unique technology is based on the weave of the cloth so it is chemical-free! * Very Economical! Each box highly effective for 500 loads of laundry! (To do 500 loads with chemical based dryer sheets takes 13 boxes!) * 100% Hypoallergenic — Safe for infants, allergy sufferers, eczema sufferers, and the chemically sensitive * Softens Clothes & Eliminates Staticwithout any harsh toxins * Safe for Even the Most Delicate Fabrics * Works at Any Heat Setting , with any amount of clothing * Won’t Stain or Spot Clothing * Easier to Use & Reduces Waste: Unlike conventional dryer sheets that must be discarded, just leave the 100% safe polynylon Static Eliminator sheet right in the dr yer for load after load * Won’t Clog Up Your Dryer Vents because it contains NO chemicals!Learn More About Static Eliminator Now!| Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips Even if you don’t feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk.There’s really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they’re much more economical too: * Learn about Static Eliminator, a 100% safe, non-toxic dryer sheet system that is more effective at softening clothes and eliminating static cling but poses no risk to you and your family! This is one of the most highly recommended of all products we have reviewed, and you will find it is also extremely economical, too! * Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabric * Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to rinse to soften fabric and eliminate cling * Check out your local health food store for a natural fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead of chemicals It’s likely that fabric softeners and dryer sheets aren’t the only toxic products in your home. Many household products that consumers regard as safe are also full of toxic chemicals. Our past articles onPEG Compounds in CosmeticsandPhenols in Common Household Cleansersare two of the all-time most popular articles on SixWise.com and will make you more aware of the pervasiveness of harmful chemicals that can be eliminated from your home. http://shop.sixwise.com/thetoxicdangeroffabricsofteneranddryersheets2805.aspx The Hidden Life Of†¦ Laundry By Chris Borris Ah, clean! Fresh-smelling towels, chubby-cheeked cherubs snuggling into soft blankets that have been lovingly bathed in chlorine, benzene, formaldehyde . . . what?! That’s not part of the image, but it is the reality for the 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers. Plus doing our laundry burns through hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil and sends millions of pounds of chlorine into our air and water each year. But we don’t have to put our health—or the environment—at risk to get our clothes brighter and whiter. Recipes for homemade greener cleaners abound, and nontoxic, eco-friendly laundry products are no longer rare. Looking for the best of the conventional brands, on the other hand, isn’t always easy. Cleaning-product ingredients are considered â€Å"trade secrets,† so manufacturers aren’t required to list all of them on the label. (Environmentally friendly b rands often do list ingredients, since they have nothing to hide.) Philip Dickey, staff scientist at the Washington Toxics Coalition, advises consumers to look for products with specific, rather than general, claims: â€Å"90 percent biodegraded in three days,† not just â€Å"biodegradable†; â€Å"contains no phosphates,† not simply â€Å"environmentally safe.† Detergents and Bleaches: Thanks to activist efforts, many major makers of laundry products have reduced their use of phosphates, minerals that promote rapid (and ecologically dangerous) algae growth in lakes and streams. But the active ingredients in most detergents (called â€Å"surfactants†) are still derived from petroleum, so the environmental damage starts with drilling, spilling, and refining oil—and can end with toxic residues contaminating our water and soil. Artificial fragrances, bleaches, and other additives in these â€Å"spring fresh† brews can cause rashes and aggravate asthma. Avoid these dangers by cleaning the old-fashioned way : with plant-based, fragrance-free soaps (and non-chlorine bleaches). Dry Cleaning: Ever notice a harsh chemical smell clinging to your dry-cleaned clothes? That’s perchloroethylene, or â€Å"perc,† a solvent that can cause dizziness, fatigue, confusion, nausea, and skin irritation in high doses, and—for those exposed to it repeatedly—liver damage and increased risk of miscarriage. Our air, soil, and water fare little better than our bodies: According to Greenpeace, 10 percent of drinking-water wells in California are contaminated with perc. And incinerating the chemical along with other hazardous waste generates dioxins and other pollutants. The Federal Trade Commission is proposing changing â€Å"dry-clean only† labels to recognize alternative methods, including â€Å"wet cleaning,† a nontoxic, nonpolluting process that uses water and biodegradable soap. To find a wet cleaner near you, consult the Professional Wetcleaning Network (www.tpwn.net). Stain Removers and Fabric Softeners: They may make your clothes look and feel clean, but these products can leave your garments tainted by formaldehyde and irritating synthetic fragrances. Spot removers also contain the pernicious perchloroethylene. A healthier alternative is probably as close as your kitchen cupboard: Some swear by egg yolk and lukewarm water for coffee stains, or sour milk or lemon juice followed by a salt rub and sun-drying for rust. Home Safe Home author Debra Lynn Dadd favors an all-purpose mixture of borax dissolved in cold water to treat blood, chocolate, coffee, and mildew stains. Clothes can be softened by adding baking soda during the rinse cycle. Look for a fabric softener with a natural base (such as soy) rather than one made from chemicals. Washing: Why waste 40 gallons of water to do an average load of laundry? Front-loading washers use one-third to one-half the water and less soap than conventional top-loaders—and they’re gentler on clothes and wring them drier in the spin cycle, cutting dryer time and energy use. Although they may cost twice as much as conventional washers, Consumers Union estimates that you can earn the money back in as little as six years of savings on water and energy bills. (The EPA’s Energy Star program provides buying tips atwww.energystar.gov.) Use even less energy by choosing the cold-water cycle, reserving warm water for your grimiest duds. Since 86 percent of the energy consumed by a washing machine goes to heating the water, one household can eliminate 1,600 pounds of annual carbon dioxide emissions by washing in cold. Drying: The saints among us line-dry every load. The rest of us can make sure dryers are efficient, vented, cleaned, and kept in a heated space. Use the cooler permanent-press cycle, which takes advantage of residual heat. And try line-drying, at least in the summer: Not only will you prevent hundreds of pounds of CO2 from warming our planet, but your clothes will smell great, too. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200209/hidden_printable.asp

Hemingway’s Descriptive technique

The First World War wreaked more havoc and destruction than the world had ever seen before. All around them, people could only see death and devastation. The existing moral structure and value systems were coming crumbling down as men killed fellow men without so much as a second thought. This led to people questioning faith, religion, and the existence of God. They began to feel that if there really was a God, then surely he would stop the pain and suffering that man was facing at that time? A movement slowly began to sweep over Europe, where people began to re-think and question the very meaning of life. This school of thought came to be known as Existentialism. Very similar to Existentialism, was Modernism. The Modernists were people who revolted against the music, art and architecture of the times, and targeted mainly the classical and romantic strains of literature. They were people who were depressed and disillusioned by the militarism of the times, and challenged fundamental values such as progress and enlightenment. Like the Existentialists, they too did not believe in the existing set of rules and morals that governed society, and believed it was time for a change. Both of these concepts influenced Hemingway greatly, and we can see the effect of this influence clearly in his writing. The novel. â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† is narrated entirely from Frederick Henry's point of view. He has a very distinct way of describing things-short and crisp. Throughout the novel, though Henry is surrounded on all sides by death, destruction and the wreckage of war, never once do we see him dramatizing or romanticizing it. He has what one might call a â€Å"reporter's eye†-everything is portrayed as if being reported by a journalist, concentrating only on the concrete facts and nothing else. Hemingway does not give the reader the opportunity to pass moral judgement on any of the characters or situations, infact, Henry gives us a perfect 360 degree view of things, and the way in which he speaks of death and casualties with such practiced normalcy almost unsettles the reader. In this part of the novel, Hemingway also stresses on the differences that have grown between Rinaldi and Henry. Henry was injured and had to leave the front, which subsequently led to him spending time and falling deeply in love with Catherine. This episode in his life gave him the chance to change and grow as a person, he becomes more mature and very different from the Henry that we came to know at the beginning of the book. Rinaldi, on the other hand, remains the way he has always been, and seems to have grown embittered and hostile towards the war. â€Å"It is killing me,† he says. Of Henry he says, â€Å"you act like a married man,† almost accusing him of having changed. In this manner, Hemingway uses Rinaldi as a foil to bring out and emphasize the change and growth that has taken place in Henry. In Book Three of the novel, Henry and Catherine's romantic interlude has ended, and the focus shifts once more from love to war. It is once again Autumn, and â€Å"the trees were all bare and the roads were muddy;† Hemingway continues with his use of rain and water as a bad omen. Mud here also represents the unclarity and uncertainty of the times. Later, in chapter 28, mud acts as an antagonist of sorts, when the ambulances get stuck in it, and this leads to Henry shooting a fellow Italian officer. The contrast between the plains and the mountains, which Hemingway had established in earlier chapters, is laid out more explicitly here when Henry, while speaking to a driver named Gino, tells him that he does not believe that a war can be fought and won in the mountains. This establishes the mountains not only as a place of peace and tranquility, but also of refuge. Rain also seems to be ever-present during Book Three. In Chapter 27, it begins to pour, and this marks the beginning of the Italian retreat. By the evening, the rain turns to snow for a while, giving the men a glimmer of hope, only to start raining again. The reader is so tuned into the rain- death symbolism by now that when, over dinner, a driver known as Amyno says, â€Å"To-morrow maybe we drink rainwater,† we are left with a deep sense of foreboding and doom. Perhaps the most important bit of symbolism in the whole novel comes in Chapter 28 of Book Three. It is the climax of the novel, and the action is all downhill from then onwards. Here, Henry deserts the war at long last, it is something that has been in the pipeline for many a chapter. Chaos seems to be at large, as Henry witnesses Amyno being shot by a fellow Italian. As he says, â€Å"We are in more danger from Italians than from Germans.† Henry had never felt any duty or obligation to the Italian army, he always seemed to be isolated from the war, and so it seems as if all this time Hemingway was preparing us for this very moment. When Henry plunges headlong into the river, effectively abandoning the war, the reader is not shocked, and does not feel the urge to pass judgement of any sort, because he understands Henry's motives for desertion. His dive into the river is Hemingway's way of signaling a Re-Birth or Baptism of sorts, as when Henry comes out of the water, he is a changed man, who has made his own peace with the war. This is further exemplified when Henry says, â€Å"Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation,† Also, while Henry is clutching on to the piece of timber and floating down the river, we notice that though the entire novel up until that point has been entirely in the first person (â€Å"I†), the narration now shifts for a brief moment, and Henry begins to use the words â€Å"you† and â€Å"we†. The result of this is that the reader feels much closer to Henry, and gets a chance to put himself in Henry's shoes. Its as if Hemingway wants us all to be Fredrick Henry, if only for a moment. At the end of Book Three, we see Henry traveling in a train car used to transport guns, and thinking quietly about what he has just done, and about his love for Catherine. Again, Hemingway uses the second-person narrative, as Henry justifies his desertion to himself by thinking, â€Å"You were out of it now, you had no more obligation.† Thus, Hemingway effectively utilizes these various descriptive techniques and employs them to peel away the layers of glory and honour that surround the war, instead showing us the honest, brutal face of war. The novel reaches its climax in Book Three, and we see descending action from here onwards.

Cartoon Endorsement

Prepared by: Fariha Tazin, Lecturer, Faculty of Business Studies (Marketing) Proposed Title: CARTOON ENDORSEMENT: Efficacy on Kids Market Abstract: Kids are bombarded with various forms of promotional activities by marketers of food products. Today’s kids are very much aware of the fashion trend and who’s ever has taken them to market has been observed the marketing power of the popular cartoon characters. The purpose of this research study will be to find out whether cartoon strengthens children to buy more or not. Qualitative research approach will be used to carry out this research study.This study will set out to find the amount of influence that cartoon endorsers have on children. As there have been few academic literatures on the topic of the effectiveness and usefulness of cartoon endorsement in the field of advertising, It has been set as the main goal of this research studies to explore the weight of cartoon endorsement as a promotional technique in Bangladeshi markets. 1. Introduction: A child wakes up in his Disney character pajamas, rolls out of his Barney sheets, his toothbrush, toothpaste and perhaps even his soap covered in cute licensed characters.Gathering up his Pokemon cards and strapping on his Doraemon backpack, he heads off to school. But the Commercialism does not stop even in the schoolyard. Leveraging the endorsement of products by popular cartoons, as a marketing practice, is a common phenomenon. Cartoon endorsement concept has been derived from the idea of celebrity endorsement. The retailing segment is displaying immense business potential for these younger segments. Retailing for kids, be it branded or unbranded, has emerged as a tremendous market in Bangladesh.The kids retail market is immense, with a huge variety available in the clothing, accessories and footwear sections. Some of the products that are available in the kid’s accessories segment include fashion accessories, watches and even kids’ design er jewellery, not to mention toys, books, games, electronics, education aids. Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse and all the other staples of morning TV are part of the world’s greatest sales team — because when they’re on the package, kids start yelling for it. 2. Aim: to examine the effect of Cartoon endorsement on kids market. . Objective: a. To find out that whether there is a relationship between cartoon endorsement and the buying behavior of children. b. To analyze the benefits of having cartoon endorsement on products. 4. Research Questions: a. How retailers use cartoons on their variety of products? b. How kids respond to these endorsed products? c. How unbranded products are having benefited from this Cartoon endorsement of children market? d. Is there any negative outcome of this marketing that can badly affect children? 5. Literature Review:Advertisers often choose celebrities who are physically attractive allowing them to get benefit both from the statu s and physical appeal of different celebrities (Singer 1983). Most of the advertisements which get on air contain characters that are attractive. It has been observed that consumers often form positive opinions about such characters. Apart from this, it is seen that attractive communicators are doing well in changing the beliefs of the consumers (Baker and Churchill 1977; Chaiken 1979; Debevec and Kernan 1984) and increasing the purchase intents (Friedman et aI. 976; Petroshius and Crocker 1989; Petty and Cacioppo 1980) as compared to those characters that are unattractive. In one of the study by Story and French revealed that 75% of the purchase requests take place in a supermarket environment. 6. Methodology: The data will be collected using the questionnaires. For this purpose different school, neighborhoods and shopping malls will be visited to collect the data. This research will be conducted by taking the perspective of the parent’s that how they their children behaves when they encounter the cartoon endorsed product.The sample size for carrying out this research consisted of 50 respondents. 6. 1 Data Collection a) Primary Data Collection In this research study the primary data will be collected through survey questionnaires. For this purpose questionnaires will be distributed to those parents whose children lies between the ages of 3 to 8 years. So it is possible to define that age group of children who are dependent on their parents for buying decisions. b) Secondary Data Collection Secondary data will help us in determining the various dimensions of the variables under study.The secondary data for this research study will be collected from different journals, books, researches and websites. Mostly the data will be collected from previously published journals and researches. 7. Conclusion Young children, in particular, have difficulty in distinguishing between advertising and reality in ads, and ads can distort their view of the world. Additiona lly children are unable to evaluate advertising claims. Children represent an important demographic to marketers because they have their own purchasing power, they influence their parents' buying decisions and they're the adult consumers of the future.Marketer tries to draw children’s attention through various means like TV, Magazines, Stickers, etc. Obviously attracted children by the marketing practices; get adversely affected most of the time. I expect this research to contribute to debates of the idea will be to find out the relationship between the cartoon endorsement and children impulse buying behavior, more specifically that whether those products are bought more impulsively by the children which have their favorite cartoon characters on them.References: Edward Martin, â€Å"Cartoon characters influence kids† [online], Health Revelations, 2009-2010 [cited July. 16, 2010], available from World Wide Web: http://healthrevelations. com/2010/07/16/cartoons-endorse-f ood/ a. AsimTanvir, † IMPACT OF CARTOON ENDORSEMENT ON CHILDREN IMPULSE BUYING OF FOOD: A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE† The Institute [online], VOL 4, [cited JUNE, 2012], available from World Wide Web: http://www. ijcrb. webs. com. html b. Bellenger, D. N. , Robertson, D. H. & Hirschman, E. C. 1978. Impulse buying varies by product. Journal of Advertising Research. Vol. 18. No. 6, 15-18 c. Gardner, M. P. & Rook, D. W. 1988. Effects of impulse purchases on consumers’ affective states. Advances in Consumer Research. Vol. 15, 127-130 d. Bardia Yousef hakimi & Abed Abedniya & Majid Nokhbeh Zaeim . , â€Å"Investigate the Impact of Celebrity Endorsement on Brand Image† European Journal of Scientific Research, ISSN 1450-216X Vol. 58 No. 1 (2011), pp. 116-132,  © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2011, available from the : http://www. eurojournals. com/ejsr. htm e. Aaker, D. A and Myers, J. G (1987), Advertising Management, 3rd edition, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc

How Does One Create a Positive Organizational Culture Essay

How Does One Create a Positive Organizational Culture - Essay Example Positive culture has the potential of enhancing and improving the performance of given organization. It is mandatory for any visionary leader of given organization to identify and promote positive principles and conduct. Organizational leaders bear the greatest responsibility of determining the course of culture in their respective organizations. Leaders are the ones to identify, set, operate and promote the good cultures to guide the operations of an organization in a long time. In order to create and promote the positive organizational cultures, leaders need to be ready to make sacrifices and delegate some of their duties to their subordinates. They also need to think broadly and make elaborate consultations to avoid mistakes in making choice of particular organizational cultures. Creation and promotion of positive organizational culture does not happen ones nor in easy way, but relies on various processes of learning and adoption throughout the life of an organization. One of the critical stages in the running of an organization which is capable of shaping organization’s culture is recruitment (Burg & Mann, 2008, p. 7). Effective and well decided recruitment process is one of the tools that can help leaders to ensure positive organizational culture. To achieve this, leaders have to employ employees based on their individuals’ merits and qualification. This aspect will ensure recruitment of highly productive workers who work extra hard to ensure conformity and promotion of the organization’s culture and goals.... hat recruitment based on merit has the invaluable advantage of producing highly disciplined and respectful workers who are ready to engage in team work for the prosperity of the organization as opposed to self gain. More impressing about merit based recruitment ensures that selected workforce exhibit high levels of knowhow in their particular fields and may have appropriate capability to enhance innovation and creativity in the production processes. Creative and innovative production processes have the potential of fostering high job output that will automatically increase the profit margins of an organization. As indicated by Burg and Mann (2008, p. 10), employee orientation is another tool capable of fostering a positive culture when employed by organizational leaders. Employee orientation involves informing the newly recruited employees the code of conduct, rules and regulations governing the given organization and to which every employee must subscribe. To achieve this, organizat ional leaders have to introduce new employees to the existing ones to familiarize employees with each other and build confidence of interaction in the new recruits. This will help new employees to adapt quickly by learning prescribed organizational practices from the older employees (Flatt & Kowalczyk, 2008, p. 30). Dilley and Kleiner (1996, p. 5) do confirm that orientation has the potential of encouraging the spirit of consultation among the individual employees on misunderstood and challenging issues. Employee orientation in the new institution should also involve issuing of booklets exemplifying the accepted codes of conduct. Embedding posters depicting policies and procedures on the walls and notice boards in a given organization is one way of orientating employees to the cultures of

Portfolio to answers to four of the following questions Essay

Portfolio to answers to four of the following questions - Essay Example In some instances, the laws have mandated ethical conduct. For example, ethical conduct is vital for application of laws affecting employees, the federal regulations and the code of ethics. However, the law does not prohibit most of the acts that would have otherwise been condemned to be unethical, and vice versa. The law prohibits acts of some groups of people and, therefore, when organizing for an event it is relevant to do a background check on the laws that impact the industry. For instance, there are several laws that have been enacted to protect employees in the events industry against poor perception by the society (Knight, 2009, pp 108). These laws are protected by the department of Labor in the United States, and they directly affect the standards of the better part of the society. The events, planning and catering companies have set their own business code of ethics for their organization. Majority of the private companies and organizations in most of the instances establis h their own codes of ethics. These laws are written in a manner that can be understood easily. Although the government does not enforce the codes, the laws are enforced internally at the organization. The violation of the laws can lead to termination of the contract. However, some of believers of the company may not be perceived as ethical. For example, the corporate dress code is not defined by the ethical law as it is in the company’s code of ethics to determine the appropriate choice for their dress code. Sustainability has been on the rise in both its scope and use amongst the corporations for the past 25 years. There is a mounting pressure for companies to regulate the social and environmental impact of the events they organize. It is critical, therefore, to apply sustainability indicators to the events industry. Mitigations in place vary since companies differ widely. This is because events are unique, and occur in singular occurrences. These occurrences involve huge us es of resources that have to be managed over a relatively fixed period of time (Cook, 2009, pp 99). In addition, resources for facilitation of events require the acquisition and management in a temporal manner, which has huge impacts on the upstream effects on the availability of the suppliers as there is a limited time to earn the suppliers trust. Events are site specific and not operational specific. Therefore, events planners have a huge task of management of the resources. However, like other businesses, the events industry spans different sectors, which demand the implementation of guidelines to manage. Sustainability in the events companies falls under the categories of communication, food and beverages, procurement of the services, transportation and waste management. The events industry is regulated by the marketing and creativity strategies. Some of the clients budgets maybe big enough to accomplish their need effectively. It is relevant to do competitive analysis as the ev ent planning market is fierce: depending on the target of the corporate market. 4. Contract and agency laws Charity events form significant events organized in renowned hotels. The organization of the events involves a lot of planning and coordination to ensure that all the activities work hand in hand as suggested by the contract (Cook, 2009, pp 101). The contract sets out the details in clear terms. It also gives each of the party’

Personal Leadership statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership - Personal Statement Example By using these skills, characteristics and techniques, there is the ability to work more effectively with others in a company. There are a variety of benefits by looking at skills and characteristics of a transformational leader. If I focus on these attributes, then the openness, communication and the work as a team will be better to work with. This is combined with the ability for transformation to occur with openness and willingness to work with new ideas. With innovation and experimentation, there will be the ability to change the working environment and the approaches which are taken in the workspace. While this openness is important, I also believe it is important to create a sense of leadership by guiding and sticking with the goals and vision of the company. This is able to work as a guide while monitoring what types of innovation are used as well as what maintenance is required for the company. Mediating between these two aspects is one which not only provides transformation, but also offers guidance through various skills and characters that assists and supports the company. Gong, Y, JC Huang, JL Faith. (2009). â€Å"Employee Learning Orientation, Transformational Leadership, and Employee Creativity: The Mediating Role of Employee Creative Self – Efficacy.† The Academy of Management 31. Pieterse, AN, D Knippenberg. (2010). â€Å"Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Innovative Behavior: The Moderating Role of Psychological Empowerment.† Journal of Organizational Management 81

E-commerce Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-commerce Operations Management - Essay Example Since the first trimester of 2001 when the US e-commerce sales were $7931 million the overall sales increase by 242% six years later for a total $27,092 million online sales in the 1st quarter of 2007 (Plunkett Research, 2007). The largest retail firm in the world, Wal-Mart, caught on to this trend early and set up an internal and external ecommerce business infrastructure. This paper discusses e-commerce solution for customers and for internal business transaction by showcasing the capabilities of the multinational firm Wal-Mart Corporation. An electronic platform that allows business to interact with each other is a business to business network (B2B). A business to business application or e-biz is the exchange of products, information and services among business entities through electronic medium to achieve ecommerce transactions (Searchcio, 2001). The early emphasis of e-commerce was targeting business to customer transaction which has grown tremendously, but B2B have surprisingly become on the biggest forces driving the world ecommerce growth. B2B is a way to achieve significant savings in supply chain activities such as purchases and sales of product and services to other business partners. One of the simplest ways for other businesses to gain entrance into B2B networks is by utilizing the company home page as a portal for users to access a secured system to perform B2B transactions. Walt-Mart decided five years ago to convert their information system into a full B2B network to achieve greater efficiency in their relationships with suppliers and other vendors. The move was rapidly accepted by the business who are involve in business with Wal-Mart which enabled Wal-Mart to perform B2B transaction within a one year time span with 98% of its vendors (Zimmerman, 2003). Wal-Mart created its B2B application with the assistance of a software company called Coty. This firm provided the retail giant with the assistance

The History of the Computer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of the Computer - Term Paper Example The history offers chronological events as per the technological advancements commencing with the first computer to the recent computers that have been utilized progressively in the contemporary world. The technological advancements that transpired during the computer age have substantially influenced social and economic developments through faster undertaking of various tasks in dissimilar sectors. In the computer history, computers have various classifications as per evolution from large size to small size including various contributors to these developments. Classification of computers Computers are classified through utilization of diverse criteria with the classification centering on functionality and other related concepts. Computer classifications can be undertaken with regard to technology utilized, uses, capacity or size, period or computer era, operation principle or data types that they utilize (Raum 2). Technological classification This classification concentrates on the technological skills that allow the computer to perform certain functions. The initial classification was regarded as flesh where humans utilized their bodily parts to carry out computations. Wood later turned into a computing appliance with the initial utilization being in the design of abacus. Various scientific inventors then utilized metals in the development of early machines leading to the utilization of electromagnetic appliances in various machines by Zuse and other persons. Electronic rudiments were utilized in ABC and computers that utilized stored programs. However, this classification never considers developments that transpired recently with the development of fresh electronic devices that have considerably boosted computer advances. Classification by capacity Computers have become categorized in accordance to their capacity with the word demonstrating the amount of work as well as the information processing abilities. The operation of these computers can be established through the quantity of information contain within the memory, internal speed, quantity and variety of peripheral components, as well as, the quantity and variety of software present for utilization within the computer. In the initial period, capacity was established through physical size although this has noticeably changed in the recent time allowing smaller computers to have huge capacities. Presently, computer capacity is ascertained as per the applications that certain computer can contain instead of the quantity of information a computer can process. Under this categorization, microcomputers are considered, to contain the lowest capacity. Their memories were made through the utilization of semiconductors that were contained on silicon chips. The microcomputer was considered digital managed through utilization of stored program that made use of the microprocessor with programmable ROM and RAM. They had 4k-64k storage location and had the ability to contain miniature applicatio ns. Minicomputer was then developed in 1960 owing to the demand for computing appliances that could carry out tasks effectively and economically in comparison to large computers. Minicomputers possessed higher operating speeds and extensive storage capacities judged against microcomputers. In this era, operating systems were created in order to contain multiprogramming as well as virtual storage allowing

Alternative strategies for Ducati Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alternative strategies for Ducati - Essay Example Though Ducati products were well accomplished with technical excellence, as Professor Gavetti (2001) points out, the decision of the major shareholders to refocus on products other than motorcycles led way to the turn down of the company. The acquisition of Ducati by Cagiva improved the Ducati’s status in the market but eventually resulted in liquidity crisis which deprived the working capital funding of Ducati. As a result there was much delay in the payment as well as production. Ducati instead of widening its market to the production of variety of other products, it must utilize the technical excellence of its product lines for the manufacture of motor cycles. It must think of bringing up innovativeness in the design of motorcycles to attract and fascinate the customers. Women were found to contribute a major part of the customers for other motorcycle manufacturers like Harley. Hence, Ducati must pay attention to the choices of women and try to retain them as main customers . One of the key reasons for the under utilization of the Ducati’s potential and excellence was the lack of effective management strategies. Effective and well organized managerial strategies are recommendable for the development of any company and its trade. Thus Ducati must be directed by a dynamic and committed management in order to implement effective managerial strategies. The presence of a vibrant manger would eradicate the chaos and internal problems which were found to be significant barriers for the creative decision making. Identifying the real passion of people and implementing those in the production can be highly advantageous for Ducati in drawing the attention of customers and persuading them to buy the products. It is inevitable to focus on creating a good stature in the international market in order to grab the attention of customers because customer satisfaction is the ultimate objective of the modern market. As the competition is rising, Ducati must concent rate on building broader spectrum of customers by conducting effective market researches and thereby upgrading innovativeness in the production processes. According to Gavetti (11), Ducati adopted firm selection procedures and other control measures which resulted in the reduction of the number of suppliers; they hardly had any long term suppliers. Though this enhanced the quality and reliability of their products, it resulted in the increased maintenance costs. It is required to focus on the quality of products and at the same it’s important to maintain adequate number of suppliers. The choices of the sources of suppliers can be increased only by maintaining adequate number of suppliers. It is possible to choose the potential supply at affordable prices through the option of selection from a wide range of suppliers which would assist the company to increase the effectiveness of its operations. To conclude, Ducati should be up-to-date with the varying tastes and preferences o f the consumers and try to bring the identified needs to the product line. The major suggestions are listed below 1. In the given case, exhibit 5 represents that Ducati does not produce cruiser, touring or off-road bikes; instead, they mainly concentrate on bikes over 400 cc. It would only satisfy the interests of youngsters, and the majority public has been ignored. So, it is advisable that Ducati should enter the market of general types of motor cycles also. 2. Similarly, exhibit 8 indicates that sales of super-sport bikes do not show a noticeable upward trend. Hence, it is suggestible to make adequate modifications in this model after surveying consumers’

Battle of art and science Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Battle of art and science - Research Proposal Example Richard Dawkins, a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and an accepted science writer was also a professor at New College, Oxford. In 1982, his prominence was further accepted due to his contribution to the field with the theory described in his book The Extended Phenotype, that the phenotypic impact of a gene isn’t restricted to just the body of the organism, but was capable of spreading out into the environment, influencing other organisms as well. Dawkins, an atheist, cynic, methodical rationalist, and an advocator of the Darwin’s theory of natural selection was a loud critic of religion. Dawkins argued that a paranormal creator was non-existent and that belief meets the criteria of a delusion, a permanent misbelieve. Dawkins has established the foundation theory which was presented in the volume Adaptation and Natural Selection authored by George C. Williams's. He presented the term selfish gene as a means of articulating the gene-centric theory of evolution, which give out the idea that evolution, was best observed as acting on genes and that selection at the organism level almost never dominates selection based on genes. Dawkins was of the opinion that organism tries to evolve to capitalize on its inclusive fitness i.e., the numerous replicas of its genes passed on globally rather than by a certain individual. This led to populations being headed towards an evolutionarily stable approach.

Ensure Justice and Equity Essay Example for Free

Ensure Justice and Equity Essay On the one hand, fixed punishment will have a deterring effect on society. â€â€"Individuals knowing that they will be subject to a certain punishment if they are convicted with a given crime will reconsider committing this act in the first place. â€â€"This deterring effect also leads to social stability and security, through minimizing the number of crimes committed. â€â€"If people knew they would be able to convince the court or the jury of reason for having committed the crime they are accused of, penal decisions would be largely arbitrary. This would result into criminals getting away with their crimes and into a high level of injustice caused by the subjective approach of different courts。 In my opinion an intermediary position between both solutions is the perfect way to establish and ensure justice and equity. There have to be fixed punishment for all crimes. However, criminal laws have to provide for a minimum and maximum for the punishment and the laws also have to foresee certain cases of exemptions. An example for setting minimum and maximum penalties is Competition Law where a person being held liable of a crime under this law will be convicted to pay a fine, according to the harm caused by the violation and the profit gained by the violator through committing the crime. As for the exemptions, in some countries the law exempts thieves stealing food during a period of famine taking into consideration the distress and hunger. Also, a person killing in self-defense will be exempted from punishment.

Psychological Basis Of Behavior Essay Example for Free

Psychological Basis Of Behavior Essay Until recently the causes of psychological disorders were not so clearly defined. Then advanced imaging techniques made it possible to see various areas of the brain and pinpoint areas that control behavior. It has been long known that the brain uses chemical messengers called neurotransmitters for signaling during its various processes. Advances in neuromedicine revealed that a lot of neurological and psychological disorders have a basis in imbalances between various neurotransmitters in the brain. Diseases like Parkinson’s, Schizophrenia and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are only a few where administering drugs that controlled levels of various neurotransmitters in the brain could control the disease symptoms and in some cases even provide a cure. Indeed, it was the discovery of these pharmacological agents that led to the discovery of newer agents that could control various neurological disorders by manipulating levels of neurotransmitters. Development of various drugs for schizophrenia was done on the basis of the fact that they had the ability to block dopamine receptors. In addition it was noticed that there was also an increased number of dopamine receptors present in these patients1. Similarly, in patients who suffered form Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) an abnormality in the neurotransmitter serotonin was implicated and it was shown that drug therapy that did not affect 5-HT receptors was ineffective in the treatment of OCD6. Parkinson’s disease like schizophrenia also is due to an abnormality in dopamine levels but in Parkinson’s dopamine levels become depleted4. Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder caused by the depletion of dopamine produced in the substantia nigra, a part of the brain that is responsible for voluntary movements of the body11. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects 1% of the population. Its pathophysiology involves degeneration of substantia nigra. This portion is responsible for movements in the body. Various hypotheses have been proposed concerning the causes of the disease and include genetic factors, environmental factors and viruses. Amongst these genetic factors are considered the most important and mutations in various genes have been identified that are linked to Parkinson’s disease. Genes that have been implicated are PINK-1, DJ-1, and LRRK2 and it is thought that in addition to hereditary viruses and toxins are thought to cause theses mutations4. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by a fine pin-rolling tremor of the hands, rigidity, bradykinesia, an expressionless face called a mask like face and a parkinsonian gait characterized by small steps and reduced swing of the arms. Additional symptoms may be present and include difficulty in chewing and swallowing, depression, fatigue, dementia, speech problems, constipation, urinary problems and orthostatic hypotension7. Symptoms vary from patient to patient and can also have drastic emotional consequences for the patient. Diagnosis is often difficult as there are no tests available and is usually made on history and examination of the nervous system. Various treatment options are available and are mainly aimed at increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain. These include Levodopa, which is a precursor of dopamine and the nerve cells use synthesize dopamine. Other drugs like bromocriptine, apomorphine and pramipexole act by imitating the activity of dopamine4. There is no definitive cure for this disease and the treatment is only symptomatic. Adjuvant therapy may be given to relieve symptoms such as depression. Schizophrenia is another disorder that is caused by an imbalance between dopamine levels. The difference is that high levels of dopamine are found and the disease has mainly psychiatric manifestations. The cause of schizophrenia still remains unknown and this has been hampered largely by the different subtypes of the disease presenting a large variety of symptoms and involving different areas of the brain. It is also a feature of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease9. Schizophrenia is characterized by auditory and visual hallucinations, delusions in which the patient thinks that his thoughts are being controlled externally and paranoid behavior believing someone is poisoning him, disorders of movement, cognitive dysfunction and emotional symptoms such as lack of interest in surroundings and social withdrawal2. Newer research has suggested that people with schizophrenia may experience an inability to smell certain items suggesting a disorder in the orbitofrontal region of the brain and surprisingly this sensory deficit has also been found in patients with Parkinson’s disease10. Other studies indicate that abnormalities in the amygdalia a region of the brain dealing with psychological processes may cause schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders8. Though the cause is still doubtful it has been seen that schizophrenia runs in families thus suggesting a genetic factor. Environmental factors and trauma during birth have also been suggested as causative factors. In the past agents used to treat schizophrenia like chlorpromazine and haloperidol blocked both D1 and D2 receptors and caused extra pyramidal side effects2. But the newer agents like clozapine have a high affinity for D1 receptors and thus do not cause unwanted extrapyramidal side effects. Other agents that have fewer side effects are risperidone and olanzepine and are very effective in controlling symptoms. All of these agents act by reducing levels of dopamine in the brain thus enabling the control of symptoms. The genetic predisposition to schizophrenia is now widely known. Family history of mental ailments such as schizoaffective disorders, bipolar disorders and depression, are a very strong indication and predisposition to developing schizophrenia. However, complex researches in the pattern of schizophrenic disorders among monozygotic twins have not been able to establish the full authenticity of the claim. The scientists claim that schizophrenia has been associated with the â€Å"shy gene† or 5-HTT gene. Currently, having a schizophrenic geneticity is only the first link; further development is dependant on other factors as well. (Schizophrenia. com, 2007)12 Many claim that there exists a link between schizophrenia and the environment. This is based on the fact that increased risk of schizophrenia within families cannot be singly attributed to the cause of it alone. The environmental factors that are thought to play an important role in causing schizophrenia include psychosocial, biological and physical factors, which are in effect from birth till maturity. It is now claimed that the interaction of the genetic and the social or environmental factors are very important in the development of disease in schizophrenic patients. (Tsuang, 2001) Many of the environmental effects that come into play do so in preterm and in early childhood. The highest contribution seems to be the state of labor, for example, hypoxia, CNS damage RH incompatibility of the mother and child etc. Also, other prenatal factors may include maternal depression, bereavement and flood and famine. Rubella infections and infections of the CNS are also thought to play a very important role in the development of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia. com, 2007)12 Obsessive-compulsive disorder is another psychiatric disorder that has at its cause an imbalance between neurotransmitters. In this case the neurotransmitter is serotonin. The areas of the brain thought to be involved in this disorder are the basal ganglia and the frontal lobe6. People with OCD have obsessional thoughts and t he compulsion to carry out those thoughts repeatedly3. Patients often have an awareness of their abnormal thought patterns and are distressed by them but are unable to control them. Common symptoms are patients exhibiting rituals and having unwanted thoughts and behavior patterns. Patients may have unwanted thoughts of a fear of germs or hurting someone called an obsession and compulsions are the acts of carrying out those obsessional thoughts like repeatedly washing and cleaning or repeatedly counting or checking things over and over again3. Sometimes it manifests in conjunction with other psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression. It often resolves when these disorders are treated. It has also been seen with diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s chorea6. This disorder usually starts in adolescence and the patient is usually aware that he has some psychiatric ailment. The etiology is uncertain but Obsessive-compulsive disorder also has a genetic component. Though environmental factors are also a major cause, head trauma has also been implicated in certain cases6. Various treatment options are available including behavioral therapy. Drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors act by delaying the uptake of serotonin into the neuron and thus prolonging it’s action. This controls the deficiency of serotonin thought to be involved in causing obsessional symptoms. Drugs that are being used include fluoxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, paroxetine and clomipramine. Drug therapy used to treat other anxiety disorders is not effective in obsessive-compulsive disorder since it may not target the 5-HT receptors that are used by serotonin. Adams et al (2005)14 reported an up-regulation of serotonin receptors in caudate nuclei of OCD patients. Administration of SSRI drugs was tested in OCD patients. When untreated patients were compared with healthy normal individuals, it was found that cerebral 5-HT (2A) receptors binding were high in these patients. However, this difference was diminished when SSRI drug was administered to the patients. Different studies have reported that 5-HT reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are most successful in treatment of OCD (Mansari Blier, 2006). This suggests serotonin depletion may be a vital cause of this disease. Normally, serotonin is actively involved in moderating flow of messages from orbital frontal cortex to thalamus via caudate nucleus. Various pharmacological studies have suggested 5-HT concentration in OFC is regulated by 5HT2 like receptors. SRI drugs modify 5-HT receptors regulation of serotonin and hence mostly used in treatment of OCD (Mansari Blier, 2006)15. Delgado and Moreno (1998)16 also reported that these drugs binding potency is related to hallucinogens. Pitterger et al (2006) reported that drugs that reduce elevated glutamate levels in brain might be effective in treatment of OCD. Pitterger et al (2006)17 suggested antiglutamatergic agent riluzole (Rilutek) play vital role in reducing glutamate hyperactivity in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuitry. Conclusion Overall a link has been found among various mental illnesses. This is evident by the fact that obsessive-compulsive disorder may be present in people who already have Schizophrenia or Parkinson’s disease. This overlap suggests that similar areas of the brain are involved in the etiology of these diseases and also that similar neurotransmitters may also be involved. Also interesting is the similarity in the deficiency in the sense of smell in both Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. As research progresses and advanced neuroimaging techniques become available it will become possible to interlink these diseases to one another. Special areas of interest may be the basal ganglia and the amygdalia as they are seen involved in a variety of neurological disorders. Parkinsons disease is a neurological disease, having a progressive nature. There are certain peculiar signs and symptoms that a Parkinson patient presents with; these include tremor, rigidity, akinesia or bradykinesia. Etiologically, Parkinsons disease is found in 1% of the population above 60 years of age. The ratio increases in people above 70 years of age. Although, also found in women, predominantly affects male gender. The role of environment in causing Parkinsonism is worth mentioning. Carbon mono-oxide and manganese, apart from certain pesticides play the major role in causing the disease. Parkinsonism among old aged people is idiopathic, but familial inheritance can be possible. A lot is not known about the role of genetics and inheritance of this disease, but occurrence in younger ages carries a higher probability of familial inheritance. It has been found that schizophrenia and Parkinson disease may share similarity by showing dysfunction of the prefrontal cortical areas of the brain. Also, both these conditions are the result or excess of deficiency of the levels of dopamine, which in turn dictates the treatment plan for such conditions. Similarly, patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease may show the presence of obsessive compulsive disorders, and the severity depends upon the length of the disease progression. The relation between these three conditions presenting in close relation with each other raise many questions about the progress of each disease, and whether treatments of each condition contain treatments for others as well. (Maia, 2003)13

Teaching to Students of Different Learning Abilities

Teaching to Students of Different Learning Abilities Teachers in todays classrooms orchestrate instruction for students of various learning styles and ability levels. They make decisions based upon their knowledge of and experiences with the students, while incorporating theory and pedagogy as well as being cognizant of local, state and national policies and procedures. In this course, students will read, reflect and respond to information that is relevant to teaching in a mixed ability classroom. Students will design, prepare, analyze and reflect upon their instruction and upon their pupils responses to instruction. Participants will focus on understanding approaches for differentiating instruction in the classroom. Participants will: discuss the principles of Differentiated Instruction and how they apply to each individual student, learn effective strategies for managing flexible groups, and acquire ideas for providing students with a variety of options. Learning Outcomes: The student will be able to: Design lessons and materials based on differentiated instruction theory and strategies Examine his/her individual philosophy of education and incorporate principles of differentiated instruction Interpret state mandates, requirements and/or standards to develop lesson plans in accordance with these rules and regulations Prepare appropriate, differentiated assessments that correspond with explicit content areas and learning goals at various stages of instruction Analyze student learning needs to apply differentiated instruction methods when preparing lessons for Gifted and Talented students, English Language Learners, Bi-lingual students and Special Education students Describe major theories of learning that are relevant to the content of ones lesson plans and the selection of classroom materials Online Learning with Full Instructor Facilitation Our institution maintains an online platform that automatically grades student pre- and post-assessments, monitors their participation in the lecture, and awards them credit when they post in the discussion area. Instructors will monitor the progress and quality of work the students provide, including the threaded discussions, and will provide feedback and evaluate the midterm and final projects. Weekly Online Lecture Assignments: Week 1 Text Reading: Read Hall, T., Strangman, N., Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved [insert date] from http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstructudl.html Answer Questions (Open Ended) Briefly state your philosophy of education. How is it reflected in your lesson planning and teaching? Now consider the Hall, Strangman and Meyer article. How can you incorporate that information into your philosophy of education? Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lzzZbPN-8splaynext_from=TLvideos=QNXm4P0EbsM Differentiated Instruction: Some Ideas for the Classroom Clip 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkK1bT8ls0Mplaynext_from=TLvideos=QNXm4P0EbsM Assignment: Create a Think-Tac-Toe (T-T-T) lesson for use in your classroom. Provide a rationale for the educational choices you made in the design of your T-T-T. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 2 Text Reading: Read http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/Standards/5982TG_ModelsStandardsImplementation.pdf read pages 1-8 of this article Title: National Education Standards: Getting beneath the Surface. Policy Information Perspective, Author(s):Barton, Paul, http://www.ets.org Parrish, P., Stodden, R. (2009). Aligning Assessment and Instruction with State Standards for Children with Significant Disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 41(4), 46-56. Retrieved from ERIC database. Answer Questions (Open Ended): What did you learn about your states mandates, requirements and/or standards and how will this information drive your lesson planning and instruction? Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAMLOnSNwzA Dalton Sherman makes a keynote speech about educating students Assignment: Locate your states department of education website to review the mandates, requirements and/or standards for addressing the needs of special education students, English Language Learners, bilingual students, and gifted and talented pupils within a general education setting. Why should this drive your instruction or why not? How does what Dalton speaks about in Texas apply to your students and your teaching situation? Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 3 Text Reading: Read http://www.nsdc.org/news/jsd/stiggins202.cfm An Interview with Rick Stiggins, by Dennis Sparks, Journal of Staff Development, Spring 1999 (Vol. 20, No. 2) http://www.readingrockets.org/article/6016 Assessing Learning and Evaluating Progress By: Ann Bauer and Glenda Myree Brown (2001) Answer Questions (Open Ended) What is the relationship between pre assessment, ongoing assessment and post assessment? Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njeK8BGqJq0feature=player_embedded Clip 2: Office Chat with Sharon Russell Fowler regarding assessment in a mixed ability classroom Assignment: Choose a learning goal. Design three assessments, one for pre-assessment, one for ongoing assessment, and one for post- assessment of mastery of the goal. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Midterm Project Due Week 4 Text Reading: Read about Gifted and Talented and ELL Differentiation http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=660 Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom, Susan Winebrenner, Brooklyn, MI http://www.carolyncoil.com/ezine21.htm What is Curriculum Compacting by Carolyn Coil, Ed.D http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=387 NAGC Position Statement: Differentiation of Curriculum and Instruction Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ITZxENq3C Clip 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDJst-y_ptI Assignment: You have decided to use the Curriculum Compacting strategy in your classroom in order to meet the needs of your most able learners. Create a plan that identifies the topic to be compacted, the assessment and identification of targeted students and the alternate activities offered on the topic. Include a rationale that supports your decision to Curriculum Compact and how you will effectively infuse it into your classroom. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 5 Text Reading: Read 1 Read about Special Education differentiation http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=14hid=108sid=10da0a0a-a285-47c0-8bcb-68e34677c7b7%40sessionmgr111 Lawrence-Brown, D. (2004). Differentiated Instruction: Inclusive Strategies for Standards-Based Learning that Benefit the Whole Class. American Secondary Education, 32(3), 34-63. Retrieved from ERIC database. Text Reading: Read 2 http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/differentiationmodule.asp Select the Differentiation Strategies Chart Watch Video Clips Clip 1: Answer Questions (Open Ended) Goldilocks and the Three Bears can be used as a metaphor for guiding differentiated instruction. If instruction is too simple, students become bored. If instruction is too difficult, students become frustrated. How do you determine what materials and instructional methods are just right for each student in an inclusive classroom? Assignment: http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/differentiationmodule.asp Select Differentiation Scenario Using the strategies described and insight gained while reviewing the Differentiation Strategies Chart complete the task described on the Differentiation Scenario page. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 6 Text Reading: Read about Maslow, Dunn and Dunn, and Rimm: Read 1 http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htm A Theory of Human Motivation H. Maslow (1943), Originally Published in Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. Read 2 http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/863/884633/Volume_medialib/dunn.pdf Dunn and Dunn Read 3 http://www.sylviarimm.com/parentingarticles.html Read Rimms Laws and select one article from the Parenting Articles tab to read Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=72041title=Understanding_the_Basic_Needs_of_Children__ Answer Questions (Open Ended) After watching the video, describe the courage you needed to muster to become an educator? Think of one of your students and draw his/her circle of courage or circle of fear. List at least 2 factors in each quarter of the circle to support your selection of elements. Assignment: Create a three circle Venn Diagram in which you compare and contrast the Hierarchy of Needs, Dunn and Dunns Learning Styles, and Rimms Laws. Then select two points from each article that you recognize as being present or absent from your classroom. Cite evidence from your classes to support your ah-ha moment. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Final Project Due Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time If a student works ahead during the six week course they should still post every week for the automatic scoring software to count the postings. Students are reminded to check the announcement section of the discussion board frequently for items of interest from the faculty. Students are also reminded to use the email, not the discussion board, to ask questions or make comments directed to their facilitator. Methods of instruction: Percentage of Course Credit Video Lectures 20% Textbook/Articles Readings 10% Midterm project 25% Final project 30% Discussion Board interaction (weekly submissions) 10% Participation 5% Grading criteria/system and evaluation activities: A faculty member will be reviewing students answers and providing feedback. Students will be evaluated on their creativity and ability to incorporate techniques from the lecture into the discussion board, research papers, examples, lesson plans and teacher work samples. University Grading Criteria Grade Equivalent 97-100% A+ 93-96% A 90-92% A- 87-89% B+ 83-86% B 80-82% B- 77-79% C+ 73-76% C 70-72% C- 69% or below U Attendance/Participation It is expected that students will attend all instructional sessions, complete all required activities, and field assignments. Students who do not post in the discussion area during the first week of class AND do not notify the instructor in advance will be dropped from the course and may be charged a course drop fee. University Computer Lab/Library Services Please refer to Section VI in the Student Handbook. Disability Services Please refer to Section VII in the Student Handbook. Due dates of major assignments and projects: Midterm Project Due Date: TBA Final Project Due Date: TBA Midterm Project 1: Lesson Plan Activity Using the strategies, concepts and rubrics presented in the course, design a lesson to be taught in an elementary, secondary, or high school classroom. The lesson plan should include the following: Lesson Objectives Correlation with the most recently adopted version of your states content standards Prior Knowledge/ Understandings of Students: Explicitly note the differentiated instruction based upon the varying population in your classroom. Clearly state the basis of your differentiated approach i.e. ability, interests, language acquisition, reading levels, learning styles (or other) Activities: Explicitly note in the lesson plan how the activities connect to the approach you used to customize instruction Materials and Equipment (including technology) Assessment Method (for example, Rubric, Checklist, Anecdotal Notes, etc.) Prior to teaching the lesson, write a reflective statement that focuses on your lesson planning. You may choose to audio or video tape the lesson to assist you in your post teaching lesson analysis. Also, using the Peer Review Checklist template, select criteria to guide a colleague in analyzing your lesson plan. After teaching the lesson, write a reflective statement on your strengths, weaknesses and how you might modify the lesson plan to maximize student success the next time you teach it. An audiotape, if available, of the lesson should be made to assist you in your self-analysis. Using the Self-Peer Review checklist, have a colleague review your lesson plan and provide you with written feedback. You are also to complete the checklist. Discuss the feedback with the peer reviewer. Compare your self-analysis of your strengths and weaknesses with those of the peer reviewer and include your reactions to this comparison in your final reflective statements. Submit a copy of your lesson plan, your reflective statements, the Self-Peer completed checklist, and the comparison of the self analysis to the peer review, to the course instructor. The assignment should be a total of 9-12 pages in length and include 3-5 references. Use APA format: Use the standard Cover Page and submit to your course facilitator. All assignments are done in 12 pt. Times New Roman font and in APA, 5th Edition format. Add a Reference page that lists items of the authors works cited in your document. Use APA format for the items. INSERT Self and Peer Reviewer Lesson Plan Critique Checklist Scoring Rubric for Assignment Total Value: 100 Points Content of Paper Value: 70 points Copy of your lesson plan, your reflections, and the self and peer reviewer lesson plan critique checklist, and the analysis. Quality of Writing Value: 20 points Written work shows superior graduate quality in verbal expression, attention to detail, and correct application of the conventions of the English language. In students written work, paragraphing is appropriate with clear thesis statements and supporting details. Sentences are clear and concise. Students vary sentence structure making use of subordinate clauses. Transitional words and phrases are used effectively. Points and ideas are well organized. Word choice is effective. English language conventions are applied correctly (i.e. spelling, capitalization, punctuation, agreement, pronoun usage, sentence structure).   Format Value: 10 points Cover Page, Reference Page and where applicable, citations and references are used correctly and consistently, with clear efforts made to include a wide range of relevant works. For any work requiring citations, students refer to a wide range of suitable sources. All non original ideas are cited correctly and referenced in a reference list. All works in the reference list are cited in the text. Students  should follow the Writing Format and Style as required by their institution. Should the student not have a home institution, they will follow the APA Format and Style Manual, 5th Edition. Final: Assignment: Critical Issues Report The purpose of the assignment is to increase the knowledge base, add to the repertoire of reading theories, and increase skills of reflection and problem solving through research and reading on topics that are current, controversial, or significant in understanding the theories behind why some students do not achieve at a satisfactory level and why some students surpass the standards set. Select a topic that is personally intriguing and is addressed in the content of the course: Critical issues in special education theory and learning Maslows hierarchy of needs Sylvia Rimms approach to underachievers Opportunities for gifted students to be engaged in appropriately differentiated learning experiences Modified Dunn and Dunn model of learning styles Reasons for pre-testing Knowing how to choose appropriate assessments for evaluation and planning for instruction The Name Card Method for working in pairs Understanding how to work with Gifted Children Understanding how to work with special education children Read a minimum of three (3) reference sources on the selected topic. Write a 8  ½ page report that includes:  · Cover Page  · Introduction: Background Information (1 page)  · Body of Report (6  ½ pages) General review and summary of the articles content Personal reaction to the information that has been summarized with specific attention to synthesizing the ideas found in the research with course concepts and personal background experiences (personal reaction/critique/reflections) Complete responses to each of the following questions: (Elementary Education Competencies and Skills) How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of emergent special education techniques specific to the identification of concepts in the course thus far? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of the Maslow Hierarchy of needs, specific to the developmental stages and the syntactic, semantic, and graphophonemic cueing of the hierarchy? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of the process of constructing meaning from a variety of texts, specific to essential comprehension skills? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of gifted children? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of effective listening and viewing strategies? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of the nature of assessing? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of developing different learning experiences for each student? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge and improve your understanding of how to set up a classroom that will effectively meet the needs of all students? Conclusion (1 page): Recommendations for using your research and knowledge base gain from the course to this point.  · Reference Page: List of cited references, following APA format or format required of your institution. Scoring Rubric for Assignment Total Value: 100 Points Content of Report Value: 70 points Introduction, content review and summary, personal reaction/critique, responses to questions related to Elementary Education Competencies and Skills, conclusion (recommendations for using research in the classroom). Quality of Writing Value: 20 points Written work shows superior graduate quality in verbal expression, attention to detail, and correct application of the conventions of the English language. In students written work, paragraphing is appropriate with clear thesis statements and supporting details. Sentences are clear and concise. Students vary sentence structure making use of subordinate clauses. Transitional words and phrases are used effectively. Points and ideas are well organized. Word choice is effective. English language conventions are applied correctly (i.e. spelling, capitalization, punctuation, agreement, pronoun usage, sentence structure).   Format Value: 10 points Cover Page, Reference Page and where applicable, citations and references are used correctly and consistently, with clear efforts made to include a wide range of relevant works. For any work requiring citations, students refer to a wide range of suitable sources. All non original ideas are cited correctly and referenced in a reference list. All works in the reference list are cited in the text. Students  should follow the Writing Format and Style as required by their institution. Should the student not have a home institution, they will follow the APA Format and Style Manual, 5th Edition.

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Impact of Fate :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Oedipus The King and His Fate Oedipus The King, by Sophocles, is a play about how Oedipus lives up his fate that he will kill his father and marry his mother, both of which are extremely bad in the Greek society, even though he thinks he is getting away from it. Despite the Greek notions of supreme power of the gods and fate, Oedipus' downfall is primarily the result of King Laius' and his own actions and attempts to defy the gods, consequently Sophocles says that prophecies from the gods of someone's fate should not be ignored. Prophecies from the Oracle of Delphi are told to King Laius and Queen Jocasta, and to Oedipus. Sophocles says that prophecies from the gods of someone's fate should not be ignored when King Laius went to the Oracle of Delphi and received a prophecy that his child, Oedipus, was going to kill him and marry his wife, Jacosta. " Shepherd - No! No! I said it before--I gave him the child...It was the son of Laius, so I was told. But the lady inside, your wife, she is the one to tell you. Oedipus - Did she give it to you? Shepherd - Yes, my lord, she did...To destroy it...She was afraid of dreadful prophecies...The child would kill its parents, that was the story. Oedipus - Then why did you give it to this old man here? Shepherd - In pity master. I thought he would take it away to a foreign country-- to the place he came from. If you are the man he says you are, you were born the most unfortunate of men." (86-89) When King Laius heard this prophecy and returned to Thebes to tell of this prophecy to his wife, they planned to kill their child, but neither had the guts to do it. They had a servant shepherd bring their child to Mt. Cithaeron to kill it, but the servant felt pity for the child and gave him to a fellow Shepherd from Corinth in hopes he could take it to a foreign country to take care of it. Sophocles says that prophecies from the gods of someone's fate should not be ignored when he tells that when Oedipus was in the care of his foster parents, Polybus and Merope, he took a journey to The Oracle of Delphi without them knowing.

Intriguing Camera Work in Zeffirelli’s Film, Hamlet Essay example -- M

Intriguing Camera Work in Zeffirelli’s Film, Hamlet The three-dimensional camera work of Zeffirelli in Hamlet emphasizes the surveillance methods and intrigues carried out by the forces of good and of evil. In the opening scene, Elsinore Castle looms over the soldiers and people standing outside. The camera angle forces one to look up at the dark castle; then the camera surveys the people, revealing that the evil from witnhin the castle is not self-contained but looms over and affects everyone in Denmark. Inside the castle during the funeral, Claudius, the man who exemplifies evil, is focused on several times by the camera. The first picture of him is from a short distance, minimizing his presence. As the funeral proceeds, however, three closeups make him appear more evil for there is no sorrow in his face, only a scheming, hawklike look as he watches every movement of Gertrude and Hamlet. The closeups also bring him from a distant observer to one that is in control, having taken the place of King by ruline over his dead brother. As the King and Queen are sitting on the throne announcing their marriage, the camera gives a distant, roaming observer view by circling the room while continually having them, especially Claudius, as the focal point. This emphasizes once again that his evil ways are spread throughout the kingdom and aren't easily contained in one person or one location. There are several times in the movie when the camera shows surveillance done by Hamlet, who represents good, of those who are opposed to him. The action of focusing on Hamlet from his vantage point also emphasizes that he's one step ahead of everyone else because of his insight, and this also helps him in his cause. For example, when ... ...ly. This will be the final test in the war between good and evil, though Hamlet doesn't have the advantage this time of knowing the depth of the plot, despite his suspicions. After the fatally wounded Laertes points the finger at the king, Claudius, who has been a silent observer to Laertes' confession, backs up, trying to distance himself from being the focal point responsible for the evil that has taken place. However, he is unsuccessful, as a raging Hamlet follows him. The closeup of Hamlet killing the king twice amplifies his triumph. After the final closeup on Hamlet lying in Horatio's arms, the camera draws back to include the whole company of people looking on what has just taken place. The viewpoint might be seen as that of heaven, emphasizing that though in the beginning evil had loomed over the kingdom, now righteousness has been restored in Denmark.

Black vs. White and New vs. Old in Go Down, Moses Essay -- Go Down Mos

Black vs. White and New vs. Old in Go Down, Moses  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the novel Go Down, Moses, William Faulkner examines the relationship between blacks and whites in the South. His attempt to trace the evolution of the roles and mentalities of whites and blacks from the emancipation to the 1940s focuses on several key transitional figures. In "The Fire and the Hearth," Lucas Beauchamp specifically represents two extremes of pride: in the old people, who were proud of their land and their traditions; and in the new generation, whose pride forced them to break away from the traditions of the South. Lucas' background uniquely shapes him for this role. He represents the general sentiments of both blacks and whites because of his mixed heritage, and he represents the old and the new through his simultaneous pride in and rebellion against his blood relation to Lucius Quintus Carothers McCaslin. The new generation, both whites and blacks, rebelled against the respect older Southerners held for the land and tradition, although each rebelled for different reasons. As a sharecropper on Zack Edmonds' farm, Lucas displays his pride in his connection to Carothers McCaslin in a subtle, often unspoken manner. Yet this pride always exists parallel to his defensive pride in the black blood mixed with that white blood. Lucas credits the blood of Carothers in him as the source of the courage he needed to confront, and attempt to shoot, Zack Edmonds. But at the same time, the action that that courage initiated was an act of rebellion against what Lucas perceived as white oppression of his rights: Then, not rising yet, he took the cartridge from his pocket and looked at it again, musing--the live cartridge, not even stained, not corroded, the... ..., as they were no longer relevant to their world. All in all, Lucas Beauchamp's mixed heritage leads to opposing extremes of pride. Faulkner uses this duality to represent both blacks and whites in their transition from the old to the new generation. Lucas lives in the time after the emancipation, yet he has strong ties to the old traditions of the South because of the connections he has to Lucius Quintus Carothers McCaslin. Lucas' character thus represents the new, the old, the black, and the white. It covers the broad spectrum of mentalities of the South in the period which Faulkner treated in Go Down, Moses. Faulkner created a complex, viable character in Lucas to reveal the complexity and intertwining of all the different aspects of the South: racial and generational. Works Cited: Faulkner, William. Go Down Moses. New York: The Modern Library, 1995.

Network Programming Project Report

Project Report 1155028688 Wang Cong Overview This project is a practice of Windows socket programming. In this program we need to complete the following things: 1. Establish a TCP connection to the server. 2. Create a TCP socket listening on a port for the ROBOT program. 3. Create a UDP socket for receiving packets 4. Send and receive messages via TCP sockets 5. Send and receive messages via UDP sockets 6. Compare the throughputs in different buffer sizes. This program is programmed by C++. Program Design I defined the following functions to complete the tasks: void OnError () This function is used to print an error message and call WSACleanup(). It is designed to simplify the clean-up steps when error occurred. * SOCKADDR_IN *CreateSocket (SOCKET &s, u_short port, int type = IPPROTO_TCP, bool isServer = false) This function will create a socket for TCP/UDP connection Parameters: s—-Reference to the socket port—-The port on which to create the connection type—-Th e connection type(TCP/UDP) isServer—-Set it true to establish a TCP server socket and make it to listen from the port, and false to establish a TCP client socket.Return: return the SOCKADDR_IN pointer pointed to a SOCKADDR_IN object. NULL if any error occurred, and then the OnError() function will be called * Int sendTCP (SOCKET &s, const char *m) This function will send out a TCP message over the stream socket Parameters: s—-Reference to the socket m—-The message to be sent Return: SOCKET_ERROR if any error occurred. , else return bytes sent. * Int recvTCP (SOCKET &s, char *buffer, int len) This function will receive a TCP message from a stream socket Parameters: s—-Reference to the socket uffer—-The buffer to receive a message len—-The buffer length Return: SOCKET_ERROR if any error occurred or the buffer is a NULL pointer, else return bytes received These functions are designed in order to make the program more clearly. More detail is wri tten in the program. Bonus Part: Testing The Relationship Between Throughput And Buffer Size Figure [ 1 ] Testing On Localhost Figure [ 2 ] Testing On 100M LAN Figure [ 3 ] Testing On 802. 11b Wireless Network We can see the following conclusions from the figures above: 1.When testing on localhost, the throughput will increase when buffer size increases, and after a particular buffer size, the throughput will decrease 2. When testing on 100M LAN, the throughput will increase and approach the maximum speed(100Mbps) 3. When testing on Wireless Network, the throughput is relatively stable. Because the speed of wireless network is relatively slow. But the throughput is not reaching the highest speed, I think it is because of a higher delay than it was in LAN and localhost environment.

Old Age

| Old Age as a Time of New Opportunities| | | | | | The article â€Å"Old Age as a Time of New Opportunities (from the Foundation of Age)† by Betty Friedan opened my eyes to a perspective that I had never really thought about. It was about how old age is usually perceived as another step closer to death. In this article we are able to understand the perspective of an elder female. The female is 59 years old almost 60. She wants to go to Outward Bound which will give her the extreme outdoor experience.She goes with her friend Cecelia Herwich. They have to leave their city clothes and forget about who they were in the past and have to leave behind their professional role. When they arrive at the first campsite they are given their gear. They are given a backpack, poncho, sleeping bag, ground cloth, tin cup, spoon, water bottle, and iodine to purify it. They begin with a three mile jog up and down the road. She turned out to be the slowest because she had problems catching up wit h everyone else.That night they spoke about why they went. A woman named Ruth said she went because she wanted to do something exciting before she settled into a rocking chair. Another that was there was Earl. He said he was drawn in by the simple fact that it was dangerous because he would have to be there for ten days away from what he is used to and not knowing who else would be there along with him. After wards they mention that there are usually more men and that their expedition is the first to have more women involved.They stated that there are usually young men but not young women. Then they ask if women get more adventurous with age. I think that it is true that women get more adventurous the older they get. I think that this is true because they are afraid of retreating to nothing without feeling they did something that they have never tried before. They are afraid because they feel the vicious cycle of cleaning the house, taking care of the children, keeping up with husba nd and kids, etc.They are basically getting tired of the daily routine that they always have to put up with as regular house wives. Women feel they have been put down for too long so they want to do a change in their life. They want to feel that they did something different for once. I think that this would be an excellent topic to discuss in Sociology class. It is a good topic because it can be viewed in various ways. The different ways of viewing this article is interesting because everyone will most likely have a different way of perceiving it by the way their brain is functioning.

How is our current Economic growth compared to 30 years ago Essay

The year 1979 saw both external and internal conditions become difficult owing to rising inflation with end user prices increasing by 13%. The years 1979 to 1981 saw the US experience a double-digit price increase owing to global petroleum price increases, federal financial policies, plus the spending patterns of the government. The United States economic system started to take a descending trend. In order to manage such financial troubles, the administration of jimmy carter squeezed the national financial plans and implemented financial restraint (United nations, 2008). The administration as well declared short plus long-term energy regulations and attempted to control the financial climate. By mid 1900s, the US was a key end user of almost each significant industrial unprocessed material. Approximately 40 percent of the global total production of commodities was done in the US industries, even though American population was approximately 6 percent of the global total, with its total territory area being approximately 7 percent of total earth surface (Kubarych, 2002). United States production has gone on expanding recently, although at a more sluggish pace compared to other First World nations. THE United States by far surpasses each other country in the volume of her Gross national product (GNP) in unqualified terms. Unites states’ GNP experienced a growth rate of more than 300% ($3. 3 trillion) from 1970 to 1983. The year 1998 saw Americas Gross Domestic product (GDP) REACH $8. 5 trillion; per person GDP reached $31,500. 2002’s per person GDP mounted to $37,600, with national GDP amounting to $10. trillion. US Inflation in the 1990s was not significant as it was from the 1970s to 1980s. US rates are lower than those of many First World nations. From 1970 to 1978, for instance, end user prices rose by 6. 7 percent per annum (Sheikh, 1999). Following twenty years of financial prosperity, the US witnessed a financial decline in the 1970’s, an era famous for the unparalleled blend of stagnating economic progress plus inflation, which led to the development of the term stagflation. Overseas competitors within Europe and Japan confronted the world dominance of US manufacturers, whereas the 1973-1974 and 1979 petroleum crises eroded public trust in business and government institutions (Fisher, 2009). The mandatory Lockheed and Chrysler bailouts symbolized the tough changeover to a fresh economic period, characterized by the significance of the service segment and plus the growth of little business ventures. During the initial presidential tenure of Ronald Reagan, beginning in 1980 to 1984, America witnesses 2 harsh recession years succeeded by 2 strong recovery years. Inflation rates declined with many new job opportunities created. However, the early plus mid-eighties economic growth was accompanied by several shocking developments. National budget shortfalls, arising from spectacular military expenditure increases, and from increasing entitlement plan, for instance, Medicare and Medicaid, costs, averaged in excess of $150 billion per year. As at 1992, total shortfall amounted to $290 billion, in other words $1,150 per each American citizen (Marcy, 2008). Additionally, company debt increased spectacularly, and family borrowing increased twofold compared to personal revenue. The 1980s as well experienced banking crisis due to several factors including: problem lending to Third World nations; elevated interest and inflation rates; and speculative property market schemes that made many banks collapse when the early 1980s property market boom collapsed. The Ronald administration brought in Reaganomics in 1981, which were fiscally-expansive financial policies, thus reducing federal revenue levy rates by twenty five percent. Inflation reduced from 1980’s 13. 5 percent figure to a mere 3 percent in 1983 because of tougher control of interest rates and money supply by the Federal Reserve and a brief recession. Real GDP went on increasing and unemployment went on rising to peak at 10. 8 percent in 1982, and then fell to 5. 4 percent in 1989. The disparity between the wealthy and the poorest increased whereas the national debt tripled. In 1981 the national debt was $930 billion; it stood at $ 2. 6 trillion in 1988. The United States began to experience huge trade shortfalls (http://www. mofa. go. jp/POLICY/other/bluebook/1980/1980-1. htm). The beginning of deindustrialization from the late 60s to early 70s made income differentials rise to an all time high. However, consumers had a record ability to purchase quantities of commodities they never were able to purchase before. Due to the practice of US companies to outsource heavy engineering and manufacturing labor operations to less developed nations, income differentials rose dramatically. The US Gini coefficient in 2005 had increased from 1968’s 0. 386 to 0. 469. The difference between the wealthy and the impoverished grew larger by the close of the 1900s. The proportion of the national revenue appropriated by the wealthiest American household increased from 1977’s 18. % to 1990’s 24. 5%, whereas the proportion of the most poor dropped from 5. 7 percent to 4. 3 percent. Outside America’s trade circumstances worsened due to the development of a swelling trade shortfall by a combination of a passive American dollar and elevated foreign investment levels. The 1990s saw America plunge into an economic recession due to rising petroleum prices after Iraq invaded K uwait, reducing credit availability, and a steep interest rates rise (McConnell, Bruce, Flynn, 2006, 137). Output dropped by 1. 6 percent with 1. 7 million job opportunities being lost. Unemployment levels increased from 1989’s 5. 2 percent to 1991’s 7. 5 percent. As at 1998, unemployment rates had dropped to 4. 5% (Sheikh, 1999). The revival that commenced in 1991 launched a continuous expansion period, which boasted of being the 3rd largest, since the Second World War, in 2000. Actual GDP growth varied from 2 percent to 3. 5 percent; the figures for 1998 were 3. 9 percent. Following climaxing at 7. 5 percent, unemployment dropped progressively during the early and mid 1990s, dropping to 5. 6 percent by 1995, 5. 3 percent at the close of 1996, and remaining less than 5 percent in 1998. Inflation generally remained less than 3 percent past 1993/1994. The stock markets were exempted from being influenced by the restrained economic climate; they increased from 1995 to 1997 owing to reduced employment, strong company profits, and reduced inflation. Stock markets expansion had declined as at 1999/2000. The bipartisan balanced-financial plan, that was passed and ratified in 1997, was another reason for buoyancy. The scheme, merging spending and tax cuts over some 5-year duration, aimed to balance the national financial plan by the year 2002. The government, in 2001, predicted a $275 billion budget excess for the financial year ending 2001 September, a prediction that was soon reversed. At the dawn of the 21st century, substantial financial concerns, apart from the usual concern regarding how much longer the boom would last before ultimately collapsing, included America’s huge trade shortfall, the rising medical expenditures for aging citizens, plus the inability of the sturdy economic system to enhance the circumstances of the impoverished. Starting in 1975, household revenue gains were witnessed almost solely by the top 20 percent households. Nevertheless, towards the close of the 1990s plus early 21st century, productivity continued to expand, the job market was squeezed, and inflation remained comparatively low. Economic expansion halted by mid 2001, mainly owing to the conclusion of the extended asset boom, particularly within information technology sectors. The economic system suffered a recession towards the close of 2001, affecting the manufacturing and service sectors. The September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks on the US worsened the underperforming financial situation. 001 Mean real GDP growth increased by a mere 0. 3 percent. The economic system of the United states, which in the 1990s dictated worldwide economic progress, turned out to cause global financial decline in north America, Japan, Europe, southeast Asia, and Latin America. The economic system began a slow recovery in 2002; GDP growth estimates were 2. 45 percent. Scholars attributed such modest upturn to the capability of commerce think tanks to react t o financial inequities on the basis of real-time data, deregulation, plus creativity in product and financial markets. However, local confidence regarding the economic system continued to be low, and combined with key company failures, such as World Com and Enron, plus extra stock market limits, the upturn remained uneven and sluggish. Growth declined by the close of 2000, with unemployment rates rising to 6. 3 percent by July 2003. CPI rates of inflation dropped to below 1. 5 percent at the start of 2003. This raised anxieties regarding the possibility of deflation. There was also a significant increase in armed forces expenditure due to the 2003 Iraq war (http://resources. metapress. com/pdfpreview. xd? code=wr28t0l0n1187370&size=largest). After the Iraq war, consumer expenditure and stock values rebounded; housing market continued to be sturdy; inflation rates were low; extra tax reductions were enacted; the American dollar decreased in value on global markets; growth productivity was sturdy; and petroleum prices dropped (McConnell, Bruce, Flynn, 2006, 131). Due to such factors, numerous analysts forecasted a more positive financial situation come 2004. However, the national budget shortfall was predicted to amount to $455 billion in 2003, the biggest deficit ever recorded. The US economic climate was mainly shaped through private expenditure; the decline of private expenditure had a vital role in slowing down the gross national product growth rate. However, fixed ventures were as well already declining. Nevertheless, economic progress did not persistently decline in 1978; rather, it varied significantly from, one quarter to the next. Despite the fact that the rate of growth showed consistent patterns, the anticipated improvement regarding the US balance of payments was not realized. The year 1979 witnessed a sharp decline in car trade by America’s 3 main auto manufacturers, Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. This led to the dismissal of about 100,000 employees in the automobile industry. By 2002, the US economy had a number of weaknesses and strengths. The strengths were witnessed in: the housing market; automobile sales; imports, military expenditure; and inflation. Weak segments were: the labor market; trade fixed investments; construction; bank loans; and profits. Regarding strong points, the housing sector witnessed sturdy price rises, averaging approximately 7 per year. Reduced interest rates allowed households to re-fund mortgages and dispense some gains on homes. Credit card and car loan access was as well simple. Such extra monetary resources support sturdy consumption expenditure. Regarding automobile sales, owing to sufficient liquidity, consumers could capitalize on low-cost funding incentives and price reductions to purchase automobiles at prodigious rates. However, automobile firms were unable to earn much due to the existence of a highly aggressive environment where pricing supremacy was non-existent (Yellen, 2008). Pertaining to imports, much consumption emerged in form of increased import levels and current account and trade deficits. In defense expenditure, the increase in armed forces hardware, particularly aviation spare parts and airplanes added approximately 0. 5 percent to GDP expansion. Inflation was mainly caused by petroleum and housing prices. In 2002, labor market growth was minimal and new layoffs diminished. Unemployment rate stood at 6 percent. Regarding trade fixed investments; there was tremendous surplus capacity within a number of ultra-modern industry sections, particularly telecommunications apparatus. Senior managers further tightened investment budgets. In the construction industry, the drop in non-housing property development was catastrophic. Local government and state infrastructure programs were downsized due to budgetary constraints. Regarding bank loans, standards were tightened and costs increased, particularly for borrowers with little creditworthiness. Loan demands dwindled. Regarding profits, numerous industries were not making any profits (http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/Americas/United-States-ECONOMY. html). The US economy in 2008 shrunk at a 6. 3 percent yearly rate in the last quarter of 2008. Unemployment rates are increasing with about 13. million unemployed people, translating to an 8. 5 percent unemployment rate. This situation has worsened the home market problem. A recent Case-Shiller survey indicated that the decline in home prices increased in 20 surveyed city districts, declining nineteen percent per annum for the 3-month time period concluded in January 2009. Business owners have added to the problem by reducing expenses, especially the labor cost, and operating squeezed inventories, downsizing delivery lines, postponing all except the most compulsory capital spending, and generally evading risks in order to maintain business margins. The outcome is that the American economic system is static, with no new ventures and no gains (http://www. oecd. org/document/45/0,3343,en_2649_34573_38630765_1_1_1_1,00. html). The contraction of us overseas markets, that are essential to economic growth through the sale of high-value services and goods, is another negative development. The World Bank predicts that global economic systems will experience a 1. 7% decline in 2009, with international trade experiencing a 6. 1% decline. The Federal Reserve is taking radically proactive plus highly creative measures to reinstate credit market vibrancy and control financial decline. In about 1 year, the Federal Reserve has: set up a loan structure for main security merchants , adopting fresh types of guarantee for such loans; started exchange lines with 14 key trading partners , for example, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Bank of England, Banco de Mexico, Monetary Authority of Singapore, and Korean Central Bank , to offer such overseas central banks the capability to provide united states dollar financial support to organizations under their command ; developed facilities for backstopping financial market joint funds; started fresh mechanisms in conjunction with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. nd the Treasury to fortify particular banks’ security; carried out a key plan to buy business paper, which is a major element of the economic system; started to reimburse bank reserves interest; declared plans to purchase as much as $100 billion of Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan, and Freddie Mac direct debts, and then pushed up the amount to $200 billion; declared plans to purchase $500 billion worth of the mortgage-backed securities supported by Freddie, Ginnie Mae, and Fannie, then pushed the amount to $1. 5 trillion; declared and recently implemented a novel facility for supporting the provision of asset-supported securities guaranteed by learner loans, credit card loans, car loans, plus loans collateralized by the Small Business Administration; and commenced the procedure of buying as much as $300 billion worth of long-term Treasury securities to assist enhance private credit markets conditions. In addition, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered the federal funds levels to 0-1/4 of 1 percent. At the same time, the FMOC reduced the rates charged on banks when they borrow from FMOC’s discount window in order to reduce the credit cost to the economic system. Therefore, the balance sheet of the federal reserve has expanded to about $2 trillion currently, which ids in excess of twice the increase witnessed since its inception in 2008.