Plan of action for Eliazar Gomez Essay

Research has shown that shaking babies is the leading cause of infant mortality. In the United States, up to 1,400 children receive medical treatment after being shaken. Twenty-five percent of these die, while a majority of survivors have to cope with a lifelong vision problems and brain injury (First Statewide, undated). Debby Golonka, MPH, writing for BCB Health Guide, in its Web site, expounds that the long-term complications of the shaken baby syndrome may include seizures (uncontrolled muscle movements and unable to speak, see and interact normally), muscle spasticity that results in awkward movements, mental retardation, blindness or vision problems, delays in physical or emotional growth, learning and behavior problems at school. Vincent Palusci, MD adds that damage to an infant’s immature brain, with little stored information and developed capacities, will impair the brain’s adaptive abilities. Dr. Palusci cites an example that a child with severe vision-related problems will not learn by observing. Dr. Palusci also says that the development of language, motor coordination and balance will be adversely affected, requiring physical and occupational therapy, using a sensory-rich environment, in order to assist the child acquire the skills. Dr. Palusci also underlines the importance of building the child’s ability to be attentive. Dr. Palusci writes that therapists often work on one child to help him focus and further his attention span. Dr.Palusci also says that older kids with SBS may require special education and continued therapy. Plan of Action for Eliazar Gomez From his medical records, it seems that Eliazar may have shaken baby syndrome. It’s utterly important to ascertain for sure if he is mentally retarded. It is highly probable that Eliazar has problems with his social skills with fellow students and teachers, and communication skills (â€Å"just looking at you† might indicate that he didn’t understand what was being said). His being a busybody might indicate his short attention span. All of which are signs of mental retardation (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004). If Eliazar is determined to be mentally-retarded, he will need individualized help. One would need to work with Eliazar’s parents to come up with an individualized education program for him. Further, the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities writes in its fact sheet that teachers will do well to learn more about mental retardation, and the techniques and strategies one can employ to help mentally-retarded students. One also needs to get more involved by emphasizing the student’s strengths and interest, being aware of his educational goals. On the instruction side, the fact sheet suggests being as concrete as possible, giving less verbal instructions and doing more demonstrations (show a picture, or other visual aids). Longer tasks also need to be broken down into smaller steps. (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2004). References 2004. Mental Retardation Fact Sheet. National Dissemination Center for Children withDisabilities. Retreived on 28 March 2008. First statewide shaken baby prevention research project in US. EmaxHealth. Com Retrieved on 28 March 2008. Golonka, Debby. 2007. Shaken Baby Syndrome. BCB Health Guide. Retrieved on 28 March 2008. Palusci, Vincent J. 2004. Shaken Baby / Shaken Impact Syndrome. .

Sketches by Boz – Charles Dickens

Sketches by Boz â€Å"The Streets – Morning† The Victorian London streets is a familiar setting of Dicken's works with â€Å"Oliver Twist† and â€Å"A Christmas Carol† being some his most memorable works. In this passage Dickens offers the reader an alternative London, one without the energetic crowds but instead a much more disquieting place where the streets are dull and lifeless. We are met with a silent neighbourhood before the sun has risen and through the use of characters, setting and comparisons the reader receives a rich picture of the sunless streets.The passage begins with the introduction of the Victorian London scene on a summer morning. The reader is taken by surprise by the opening sentence where â€Å"The streets of London on a summer's morning† are described to be â€Å"most striking†. Dickens' interesting choice of words places the pre-dawn London scene in the summer, a time of warmth and sun, however we are offered a ninete enth century London that is typically portrayed with a bleak, grey backdrop.Few people roam this neighbourhood apart from those â€Å"whose unfortunate pursuits of pleasure, or scarcely less unfortunate pursuits of business, cause them to be well acquainted with the scene. † This leads to the belief that each summer's morning starts off like this, colourless and melancholy; the people who happen to be awake at this dreary hour are the rogues who remain. Each just as depressed as the other, and both's search for something more than the blind acceptance of a morose existence the cause of their endurance of this sad atmosphere.It is quiet with â€Å"an air of cold solitary, desolation about the noiseless streets† and the buildings are â€Å"quiet† and â€Å"closely-shut†. It is empty and through the buildings it is shown how lifeless the location is with everything closed off from the outside world, preventing any chance of exposure to the dismal air. Throug hout the day the roads are â€Å"swarming with life and bustle† the comparison of their appearance early in the morning is â€Å"very impressive†.The impression that they leave is one of sadness, something that one who has observed the area at each time will remember due to the vast differences. Dickens shows that this time of day is for the most unruly of people with the impoverished clearing out of the neighbourhood and â€Å"the more sober and orderly part of the population† not yet awakened. Emphasis is put on how miserable the roads are at predawn to the point they are practically uninhabitable, except by those with nowhere else to go.Dickens draws attention to the places where there would typically be masses of people; â€Å"The coach-stands in the larger thoroughfares are deserted; the night-houses are closed; and the chosen promenades of profligate misery are empty. † This creates an image of ghostlike platforms and buildings, usually brimming wit h life and movement during the day, now empty with even the degenerates tucked away. Despite the forbidding, dead mood that permeates throughout the area, the weather is still warm and humid; â€Å"a partially opened bedroom-window here and there, bespeaks the heat of the weather†.Through the hot weather, the atmosphere becomes tense and heavy, and with this tension there is â€Å"sickness† and the â€Å"uneasy† which contributes a feeling of claustrophobia to the passage, making the reader feel the discomfort of the scene. The Victorian London presented to the reader by Dickens is a grim and deserted place where few dare to walk the streets. The rich description of the scene places great emphasis on the lack on habitation and the grey city, and the depression within it before the sun rises.Dickens' use of language in this piece is memorable for his emphasis on several words and phrases, his literary techniques convey the dreariness of the passage and the street scene. The oxymoron of the words â€Å"unfortunate† and â€Å"pleasure† indicates the futility of trying to find happiness on a predawn London street through with the pursuit of pleasure still unpromising. Tautology places extra stress on words with the same meaning such as â€Å"cold, solitary, desolation† conveying to the reader the lonely frigidity of this area of London before sunrise.The awkward juxtaposition at the end of the first paragraph signifies the unease of one in the streets; â€Å"and over the quiet, closely-shut buildings, which throughout the day are swarming with life and bustle, that is very impressive†. With the unusual order of words the reader feels the discomfort that is present in the neighbourhood at this unpleasant time. A play on words with the drunken man who â€Å"staggers heavily along† with â€Å"the burden of the drinking song. † This can translate to the heavy burden of being drunk and having to find one's way home in such state. Dickens' clever phraseology is highly ffective, managing to send the message to the reader with out being too overt, allowing for the text to flow. Alliteration is ever present in the narrative with â€Å"the drunken, the dissipated and the wretched have disappeared† serving as a notable example. The harsh â€Å"D† sounds gives way to the austerity of the streets and slows down the reading of the sentence. Through the placement of â€Å"wretched† in between â€Å"drunken†, â€Å"dissipated† and â€Å"disappeared† focus falls on wretched, thus becoming the strongest word in the sentence to describe the usual patrons within this neighbourhood.Sibilance in the sentence â€Å"the stillness of death is over the streets† evokes the sensation of the silence in the London scene, with the central word â€Å"death† giving it an air of eeriness. The overall colour of the passage is sunless. It begins at predawn bef ore the sun has risen, creating imagery of darkness and changes very little as it progresses eventually leading to the â€Å"grey, sombre light of daybreak† and death is gives it's shade to the streets with â€Å"it's very hue† imparted to them.The colourlessness of the extract links back to the mood of the time, and it's solemn tone with the typical image of nineteenth century London easily visualised. Dickens' style and techniques build up the depression and add discomfort through repetition and the use of sounds and sentence structures, these subtle additions manage to express the solitude on this particular London summer's morning. Recurring themes of loneliness, poverty and vapidity carry the tone of this piece, through these Dickens' communicates the melancholy and dejection faced an hour before sunrise.The loneliness of the streets is continuously referred to with mention of it's situation during the day where it is â€Å"thronged at other times by a busy, eage r, crowd†. By contrasting alternative times Dickens shows the differences between dawn and the day, this relates back to the torpor felt before the sun has risen. When introducing the drunk and the homeless man, they are referred to as â€Å"the last†. The finality of the statement shows that these men are the final remnants of life on the street and when they retire to their hollows then there shall be nothing left but the cold misery.Destitution is conveyed through the â€Å"drunken man† and the â€Å"houseless vagrant†; one who's sorrows has made him look for pleasure in â€Å"the drinking song† and the other whom â€Å"penury and police have left in the streets†. The consonance in â€Å"penury and police† uses the sharp â€Å"P† to place significance on the two things that the beggar would fear the most. There is a pang of sympathy felt for him having to coil â€Å"up his chilly limbs in some paved corner, to dream of food and warmth† and one pities him even more to be left in the dreadful neighbourhood only finding peace when the sun is about to rise.However it further adds to the scene as he has become a part of it. Pre-dawn's remaining occupants are compared with the â€Å"more sober and orderly part of the population† confirming that they are on the lower end of the population, unfit to be seen by the light of day. A lack of life is evident in the location that Dickens illustrates. The â€Å"occasional policeman† is the last man standing, yet he is â€Å"listlessly gazing on the deserted prospect before him† unable to muster up energy to do his duty as he has been so swamped by depression, with no expectations for the rest of the day. A rakish-looking cat runs stealthily across the road†, changing the setting adding a brief flash of excitement. The cat is lively and cunning, he has retained his sense even in this dismal place. When compared with the lethargic polic e man and the uncoordinated drunk his wile is impressive and full of life amongst the somber scene. â€Å"The houses of habitation† present â€Å"no signs of life† another contradiction with even the place where people are living are inanimate.All is silent on this sad poverty stricken street and Dickens makes use of these features to bring out the crippling depression. â€Å"The Streets – Morning† by Charles Dickens presents us with a bleak London scene before dawn overwhelmed with wretchedness and misery. The cold tone and bleak setting described provides the reader with the image of an unhappy place void of any hope for it's inhabitants. Through comparisons and contrast of the lively crowd of the day and the grave souls before the sunrise the reader feels the melancholy of the Victorian street. Ilyana Bell

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Counterterrorism - Essay Example immediate measures at once to ensure that terrorism would not happen again, also, and the American government immediately implemented counter-terrorism precautions and laws that would aid them in their fight against terrorism. With this accord, the international community has find itself moving alongside with the American government in its campaign against terrorism. The American government, in connection of its campaign against terrorism and the people that were involved with the attacks, has tracked down the proprietors of the terrorist attacks in World Trade Center and Pentagon, the results of their investigations was that Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, was behind the terrorist acts. Soon enough, Bin Laden was named as the world’s â€Å"most wanted criminal† and the American government swiftly launch an attack on Afghanistan were it is believed that the Taliban government hides Bin Laden and the rest of the members of Al-Qaeda. The assault to Afghanistan, as it was called, soon took place and Afghanistan was under American government since then. Aside from this, the American government has convinced other government to pursue hostility against any one who will commit terrorist acts. Countries that are being aided by the United States of America and the country’s original allies (ie. Great Britain) quic kly joined the US in its fight against terrorism and soon afterwards, it seems that counterterrorism was newest trend of the new millennium. However, this paper will not focus its discussion on the attack in Afghanistan or on the war against Iraq; instead it will center on the discussion on the reaction and changes that occurred in the international community after the 9/11 incident. Also, not only will this paper will highlight on the changes outside the US but also the changes within the Bush administration and American government, especially on their immediate steps toward ratifying different laws about counter-terrorism and the

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Heroin Crisis Center Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Research Paper Essay Pharmaceutical Companies, Intellectual Property, and the Global AIDS Epidemic This case is provided at the end of chapter 3 of your text (Luthans and Doh). After reading the case, and performing research on the topic, answer the following questions: 1.) Do pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to distribute drugs for free or at low cost in developing countries? What are the main arguments for and against such an approach? 2.) What are the principal arguments of pharma companies who oppose making exception to IPR laws for developing countries? What are the arguments by NGOs and others for a differential treatment? 3.) What impact would you expect South Africas decision to levy duties on drug imports from Western nations to have on the international distribution of drugs to South Africa? 4.) In June 2002, the WTO extended the transition period during which least-developed countries (LDCs) had to provide patent protection for pharmaceuticals. In your opinion, do you think this is an appropriate change in policy, or a dangerous precedent? What could be some of the negative ramifications of this resolution? What about effects for other industries? 5.) Given the initiatives announced by global development and aid organizations and among pharmaceutical companies themselves, was it necessary to relax IPR rules in order to ensure that adequate supplies of AIDs medications would be available for distribution in the developing world? 6.) What role do MNCs have in providing funding or other assistance to international organizations such as the Global Fund? Present your answers using APA-format: Eight to ten pages, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font. Also, please be sure to cite all scholarly information paraphrased or quoted from your researched sources of information on the case topic. Finally, be sure to include a separate Reference Page on which you list all of your research information sources according to correct APA citation style, depending on the kind of source: book, chapter, published article, internet article, etc. Submit this assignment to your instructor in Learning Plan 6 via the Assignment Drop Box labeled Research Paper. This assignment is worth 275 points and will be graded based on the Writing Intensive Rubric. Be sure that your paper shows multiple revisions with improved focus and clear writing for a general audience. Please remember to check your paper against the criteria in the Writing Intensive Research Paper Rubric before submitting it (see link above in this paragraph). Also, please let your Instructor know if you have any questions at all regarding producing or submitting this Research Paper assignment as the course progresses.a

Impacts of Nuclear Energy on Global Business

Impacts of Nuclear Energy on Global Business 1. Background and Overview Tony Blair’s Labour government has finally decided to move ahead â€Å"with a vengeance† (Webster, 2006) with its’ plans for development of nuclear power, ending years of speculation on the issue. Work on the last nuclear power station started eighteen years ago in the UK on Sizewell B and since then there has been a complete embargo on any fresh initiative in the area. Things are now likely to change, much to the concern of environmentalists and anti nuclear campaigners. The use of nuclear power, for any reason, peaceful or otherwise, has always been looked upon with deep suspicion because of its inherent association with weapons of mass destruction and its ability to cause large scale destruction on a horrific and unimaginable scale. â€Å"Many analysts have attempted to explain the visceral hostility toward nuclear power, and the most common explanation is that people link nuclear power with nuclear weapons.† (Lorenzini, 2005) The reasons for this attitude are also justifiable as most scientific work in atomic radiation, atomic change and nuclear fission, be it in the USA, Nazi Germany or communist Russia, at least till 1956, was focussed primarily on the furthering of the atomic bomb. It was only after 1956 that the focus of nuclear technology shifted to the design of safe and reliable nuclear plants. The growth in use of nuclear energy for power entered a state of not just stagnation but moderate decline, world wide, in the late seventies and remained so until the turn of the century and the UK was presumably, but echoing global concern in the formulation of its energy policy. Very few reactors were ordered globally and the new reactors coming on line just about matched requirements. Global capacity increased by only a third in more than a decade. Even then, nuclear energy, from the 442 nuclear power reactors used in 31 countries, adds up to one sixth of the world’s electricity supply today. The growth of nuclear fuel as an energy source has been sluggish due to quite a few reasons, some of which now need rethinking in today’s grim geopolitical and environmental scenario. For more than three decades, energy policies in the United States and much of the Western world have been held in the ideological grip of a flawed concept: the notion that we can achieve sustainable energy by relying solely on conservation and renewable resources, such as wind, the sun, the tides, and organic materials like wood and crop waste. Born in the wake of the 1973 oil embargo and arising out of renewed commitments to environmental quality, this idea has an almost religious appeal. An unintended result is that the world has become ever more reliant on fossil fuels and therefore less able to respond to global warming. (Lorenzini, 2005) It has been the case of the pro nuclear power lobby, for many years now, that nuclear energy is a clean, economic and efficient way to generate power; ideal for continuous generation of medium and large scale electricity. In nuclear power stations, apart from the nuclear reactors, the rest of the equipment works similarly to those in coal or gas fuelled power plants. However, the cheaper and more widely available fuel used by these nuclear plants, compared to those fired by coal, oil and gas, makes the case for its’ wider use attractive. This is especially relevant today with oil hovering in the range of 70 to 73 USD per barrel, and gas from the North Sea wells beginning to run out. With the increase in greenhouse and emission problems and the uncertainty of fossil fuel supplies in a shifting and unstable political environment, the nuclear power option has definitely got itself a strong tailwind. The concerns of the anti nuclear campaigners focus on a number of worrying issues. Their first contention concerns the forecasted reduction of carbon dioxide emission from nuclear power plants; this to them is no more than blatant propaganda. In the US, where much of the worlds uranium is enriched, including Australias, the enrichment facility at Paducah, Kentucky, requires the electrical output of two 1000-megawatt coal-fired plants, which emit large quantities of carbon dioxide, the gas responsible for 50per cent of global warming. Also, this enrichment facility and another at Portsmouth, Ohio, release from leaky pipes 93per cent of the chlorofluorocarbon gas emitted yearly in the US. The production and release of CFC gas is now banned internationally by the Montreal Protocol because it is the main culprit responsible for stratospheric ozone depletion. But CFC is also a global warmer, 10,000 to 20,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide. (Caldicott, 2005) In addition, the environmentalists say that nuclear fuel cycle also consumes large quantities of fossil fuel, in the mining of uranium, in the construction of the reactor and its’ robotic decommissioning as also in the transportation and storage of radioactive waste. The use of nuclear fuel can lead to significant health threats from the unregulated emission of radioactive isotopes; which include Krypton, Xenon, Argon and Tritium and could cause long term physical harm to residents in surrounding and nearby areas. These releases are unregulated because the nuclear industry considers these particular radioactive elements to be biologically inconsequential. The transportation and storage of radioactive waste could also become a global security problem, if the use of nuclear energy is adopted on a wide basis. A completely new and potentially catastrophic dimension would be added to global security with the deliberate creation of new and potentially vulnerable targets for terrorist strikes. While the advanced nations would be able to shore up reasonable levels of security the same may not be true of the developing countries where weaker management systems could lead to grave risks; witness the variation in the effectiveness of different management sy stems in disaster control in the Chernobyl and Three Mile Island episodes. Nuclear proliferation remains a major issue. The USA is planning to go ahead with the selling of weapons grade nuclear fuel to India, (a non signatory to the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and a country with a history of surreptitious manufacture of nuclear weapons) for use in power generation. If it is India today, can Pakistan be far behind? The prospect of an atomic bomb capable Pakistan getting access to Yellow Cake, an intermediary for the production of enriched uranium, is a frightful thought; enough to send shivers down the spine of the developed world. The energy crisis enveloping the globe has a number of dimensions, all equally worrying. The availability of fossil fuels is reducing sharply because of resource depletion, price spikes and geopolitical reasons. Greenhouse emissions of carbon dioxide are leading to global warming with far reaching ecological effects that could one day threaten the existence of the world. The development of renewable energy sources, wind and solar, once touted as the best solutions, have been largely unsuccessful and remained in the realm of experimentation; useful only in small isolated pockets. In this situation, while nuclear energy does appear to have most of the answers, the concerns of the environmentalists and the anti nuclear campaigners also remain very valid. 2. Impact on Contemporary Business Organisations The UK has always been in the forefront of development of nuclear technology. The work carried out by British scientists in the 1940s was renewed after the war and it is pertinent to recall that the world’s first nuclear power reactor started in the UK in 1956. Twenty three nuclear reactors power the country’s nuclear plants, leading to the generation of a total of 75 billion kWh of electricity, a fifth of the country’s requirement. However, all but three of these plants are scheduled to close by 2020, with consequent effects on the economy and operations of contemporary business organisations. The major dilemma for business and economy is to find alternative sources for energy, nuclear or otherwise to fill this expected gap in energy production and to provide for increased needs. 2020 is not so far away. The other major factor staring British economy in the face is the prospect of importing 90 % of its gas requirement by 2025. The country and its economy is looking at a huge energy deficit, an issue that will need resolution in the very near future. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has, in a widely publicised call in April this year, asked the Government to clarify its’ stand on longer term carbon emission policy to enable low carbon emission sources like nuclear fuel to play an important role. The CBI has also stated very categorically that nuclear power is the only proven low-carbon technology able to deliver consistent supplies of electricity on a large scale. The advantages of stable operating costs, the availability of nuclear fuel from politically stable countries and the ability to store uranium are practical reasons to work towards the development and commissioning of more nuclear plants. In addition, the operating costs of nuclear power are stable because the cost of fuel varies between only 5 and 10% of total operating costs. The cost of building nuclear power plants, as of now, is far more than that of conventional oil, gas and coal fired plants. Operating costs are however not just lower but also expected to be stable and independent of recurring political upheavals. Two factors are however set to change these circumstances. The cost of fossil fuel, especially oil is on a sharp upward path, threatening to throw all cost projections out of gear. The expected depletion in gas resource and consequent compulsion to buy increasing quantities from outside is also going to come with its own consequences, increased costs definitely one of them. While manufacturers of nuclear power plants are working on reduction of capital cost, a â€Å"significant increase in the price of natural gas could make new nuclear plants economically competitive even without further reductions in their capital costs.† (Taylor, 2004) The CBI in its statement of April also stated that companies would seriously consider investing in new, capital intensive nuclear plants, subject to the introduction of a correct non-discriminatory policy on carbon emission; beyond the present policy which is unclear after 2012. Intense concern about the current situation also made it say that â€Å"an energy policy based on crossing fingers and the use of the prayer mat is not acceptable†.(Nuclear Power in the United Kingdom, 2006) Contemporary businesses, not just in the UK but across the globe are wrestling with an energy crisis, the widespread usage of fast depleting fossil fuels, rocketing oil prices currently resting in the low 70s (USD per barrel), and the continuous spectre of carbon dioxide emissions and global warming. The real advantage of nuclear energy is its potency. One pound of uranium contains the energy equivalent of roughly one million pounds of coal. Such potency means that nuclear powers energy potential is vast, clearly sustainable as a long-term resource. It also means nuclear’s environmental impact is inherently low. With so much energy coming from such a small volume of material, producing nuclear fuel requires much less exploration, mining, transportation, and collection, with all their attendant environmental problems, than do fossil fuels. For example, a 1,000-megawatt nuclear plant requires one refueling per year, whereas a similarly sized coal plant requires 80 rail cars of coal per day. (Lorenzini, 2005) The gridlock appears to be slowly tightening with nuclear power possibly the only solution to the intensifying problem. 3. Likely Future Scenario The future scenario in use of fuel for energy and its development is probably going to move in reasonably predictable directions. All across the globe, awareness on global warming and its possibly devastating repercussions has heightened considerably. Every natural calamity, be it the Tsunami in Indonesia, earthquakes in Pakistan, the arrival of the Katrina in the United States or the melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas finds an immediate media connection to carbon dioxide emissions, the greenhouse effect and global warming. This phenomenon, coupled with the instability of supply and the rising cost of fossil fuels is going to lead to an expansion of nuclear power both in the USA and the UK. Governmental restrictions on use of nuclear power are slowly being dismantled as governments across the globe see the advantages of going nuclear for power generation. Along with increase in nuclear power generation, governments across continents will try to develop renewable energy sources for power generation. Renewable energy has not really made much headway despite concerted efforts in the last thirty years. Nearly 90 % of the global energy production is obtained from fossil sources and most of the rest comes from nuclear power. Wind and hydro energy can be harnessed only in suitable locations that have access to huge amounts of rainfall, fast flowing rivers or conditions suitable for setting up wind farms. Countries with access to fossil fuels, oil, gas and coal will of course continue to depend heavily upon these sources for power. However, the threat of emissions and consequent ozone layer depletion will nudge all countries towards the development of alternative sources. The rising costs of oil, essential for vehicular and air transportation will lead to its curtailment for use as as fuel for all but essential reasons. Renewable sources will of course fill a part of the yawning power gap which appears to be looming on the horizon but nuclear power is also very much a part of the final answer. It is the one energy source that today combines the benefits of displacing the use of fossil fuels, minimising pressure on land, avoiding resource depletion and restricting harmful emissions. The UK and the USA, both countries with over regulated nuclear power generation environments will necessarily open up their laws to ease the setting up of newer power facilities, based on nuclear fuels. The building of nuclear energy capacity necessarily comes with the enormous added responsibility of ensuring public health and safety, involving first, the storage and containment of harmful waste material and second, the prevention of dangerous nuclear material going into the hands of rogue states and terrorist organisations. Contemporary business organisations will need to survive in similar circumstances for the next few years until additional nuclear and renewable energy facilities are set up. This is essentially going to be a slow, expensive and careful process and the period of infrastructure build up will be open to all the risks that exist today, namely uncertain supplies and skyrocketing prices. It is only with the spread and extensive use of nuclear power on a global basis, the establishment and strict enforcement of protocols for responsible and peaceful use of nuclear energy and the rooting out of rogue states and terrorist organisations that businesses will be able to witness and take advantage of stability in supplies and cost of energy, free of the worry of a global environmental threat from emissions of harmful gases. 4. Summary and Way Forward In the UK the 2006 review of the energy policy has put development of nuclear energy firmly on agenda and public opinion is also now veering towards its use. It has been determined that all the new plants will have to be built by the private sector with internalised waste and decommissioning costs. All barriers that threaten to slow down investment will be looked at very carefully, without compromising public safety; new and speedier licensing procedures will also be considered. The use of nuclear fuel for energy is gaining ground globally after years of stagnation but some of the old concerns still remain. Environmentalists and anti nuclear campaigners have a number of worries, most of which concern safety, the prevention of hazards from nuclear plants and the misuse of nuclear fuel by rogue states, international criminals and terrorist organisations. While their strident objections to the theory of nuclear energy being much cleaner and â€Å"greener† than energy derived from fossil fuels could be taken to be substantially incorrect, it would be presumptuous to brand all their worries about safety and the possibility of nuclear proliferation as facile and alarmist. Many of these concerns are still valid and do need attention. The two major areas that demand consideration are the disposal of nuclear waste and the reprocessing of spent fuel. The sustainability of nuclear power, the ability to make it work for long time frames and to think of it as a real long term solution to the global power issue depends upon obtaining an acceptable and workable solution to the problem of managing nuclear waste. Nuclear wastes are classified differently from other toxic residues and need to be kept safely for thousands of years, whereas the timeframe for non radioactive toxics of between 50 to 70 years is far less. Work is needed in this area on two fronts, the carrying out of continuous scientific research, needing significant governmental and institutional funding to find a solution to the storage problem, and a fresh look at regulatory laws to assess whether they can be revisited without compromising safety. Reprocessing relates to the process in which plutonium and uranium are chemically separated from spent fuel for reuse, as is done in France. Reprocessing allows for more complete usage and tapping of the energy potential of nuclear fuel and makes waste management easier, reducing both bulk and long term hazards which could arise from the waste. However, the separated plutonium could create a potential nuclear threat, if it finds its way to the wrong hands, and again will need very careful security. After years of stagnation, the several demands of the twenty first century have combined to make the world seriously think of the need for nuclear power. The increase in demand for power and electricity in the developing world, the sharply eroding global resources of fossil fuels, the continuing global geopolitical instability, the skyrocketing prices of oil and gas, and the need to severely restrict carbon emissions are forcing nations to turn towards nuclear fuel for release from their energy worries. The need of the moment is to think and to cooperate in this global mission. As Paul Lorenzini states: The most critical step is to build a consensus among energy planners and policymakers that sustainability as a policy goal should include nuclear power. Bringing nuclear power back into the mix for energy planning means shedding ideological biases. It means openness of thinking to resolve the tension between the human desire for modernization and the global need for sustainability (2005) References Caldicott, H, 2005, Nuclear Power is the problem, not a solution, Common Dreams News Center, www.commondreams.org/views05/0415-23.htm Clapp, R. W., 2006 Nuclear Power and Public Health. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(11), 720+.Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5012166072 [27 Aug 2006] Lorenzini, P., 2005, Spring. A Second Look at Nuclear Power: By Overlooking Nuclear Power in the Quest for Clean Energy, We Are Condemning Ourselves to a Future of Increased Fossil Fuel Use. Issues in Science and Technology, 21, 31+. Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5009414160 [27 Aug 2006] Nuclear Power in the United Kingdom, 2006, World Nuclear Association, www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf84.htm [27 Aug 2006] Taylor, J. J. (2004, Spring). The Nuclear Power Bargain: The Potential Benefits Are Enormous If We Can Continue to Make Progress on Safety, Environmental, Fuel Supply, and Proliferation Concerns. Issues in Science and Technology, 20, 41+. Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5006170378 [27 Aug 2006] Webster, P, 2006, Britain goes nuclear to beat energy crisis, Times Online, www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2184192,00.html [27 Aug 2006]

The Trojan War :: essays research papers

The Trojan War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Trojan War took place in approximately the 13th century. The ancient Greeks defeated the City of Troy. The Trojan War started after an incident at the wedding feast of Peleus, the king of Thessaly, and Thetis, a sea goddess. All the gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympus had been invited except Eris, the goddess of discord. Eris was offended and tried to stir up trouble among the guests at the feast. She sent a golden apple inscribed â€Å"For the most beautiful.† Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed the apple as their own. Paris judged the quarrel and awarded the apple to Aphrodite because she had promised him Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. Helen was already married to Kin Menelaus of Sparta but when visited by Paris, she fled with Paris to Troy. Menelaus organized Greek war against Troy to get Helen back. The Greeks battled for ten years but could not defeat Troy. The fall of Troy occurred when the Greeks built a large hollow horse and placed it outside the walls of Troy. The Trojans took the horse inside and thought the had won the war and the horse was a gift from the Greeks. Later that night, the Greeks stormed from the horse and opened the gates to allow their fellow warriors in and the Greeks conquered the City of Troy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Greece was the birthplace of Western civilization about 2500 years ago. Greek civilization consisted mainly of small city-states. A city- state consisted of a city or town and the surrounding villages and farmland. The Greek city-states were independent and quarreled often with one-another. These city states established the world's first democratic government. The Greeks believed that certain gods and goddesses watched over them and directed their daily lives. Families would try to please these gods by offering sacrifices, gifts, and ceremonies. Greeks flocked to oracles to consult priests and priestesses to answer questions and fore-tell the future. Greek men enjoyed drinking, talking, and dancing at parties. They also like sports and religious festivals Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are the most important Greek philosophers. Socrates taught by carefully questioning his listeners to expose the weaknesses of their ideas and arguments. Plato explored such subjects as beauty, justice, and good government. Aristotle summed up the achievements of Greek philosophy and science. His authority on many topics remained unquestioned for more than 100 years Most Ancient Greeks were suspicious of philosophers and their theories. They continued to believe in superstitions and in myths. In 399 BC, an Athens jury sentenced Socrates to death for showing disrespect to the gods.

Gay and Lesbian Marriage in America :: Same-Sex Marriage

Marriage, as both a legal institution and as a social tradition, has always been at the heart of the building blocks of American society. Throughout U.S. history, it has generally been understood, both legally and socially, as a monogamous union between two persons of opposite sexes. However, as the gay and lesbian liberation movement gains increasing exposure and influence, the topic of same-sex marriage has been brought to discussion. In the following pages, the legitimacy of same-sex marriages/partnership will be discussed, as well as the best means to achieve such an end. For the purpose here, the diction â€Å"marriage† and â€Å"union† are used interchangeably, although one might argue that to all but the most zealous, the idea of a same-sex union is more acceptable than gay marriage because it does not as directly confront the traditional definition of â€Å"marriage†. Socially, the institution of marriage offers both dignity and validation to the two parties involved as a sign of their mutual commitment to each other. This paper's predominant focus is on the legal aspect of marriage, along with the legal benefits and responsibilities that are associated with one's marital status (though excluding for the most part the child custody/adoption issue, which is another battle in itself as it involves both a third party and minors). Proven inequality in these areas can and should be addressed by changes in public policy. Cultural intolerance and private discrimination, on the other hand, cannot. There are several arguments against legalization of same-sex marriages, specifically: 1. That homosexual behavior is fundamentally immoral or blasphemous because it does not lead to procreation and/or is condemned by religious texts. 2. That same-sex parenting is necessarily detrimental to child development. 3. That same-sex marriage will further undermine the already crumbling traditional heterosexual marriage as an institution. All of these arguments, however, can be unequivocally refuted. It is obvious that the strongest opposition against gay marriage legalization comes from the Christian Coalition, which supposedly represents the silent â€Å"Moral Majority†. As the name indicates, at the heart of such a group's rhetoric is the Holy Bible, although their position is not far away from those of the more orthodox Muslims and Jewish religious organizations. However, crucial distinctions must be drawn between the concepts of religion, morality, and legality: what is compatible with religion is not necessarily so with morality, and what is legal is not necessarily moral. Adultery is listed as equally a sin as homosexuality in the Bible (both punishable by death), yet it is not a legal offense.

1776 by David McCullough Essay

Revered historian David McCullough covers the martial side of the historic year of 1776 with trait insight and an enthralling description, appending new research and an innovative standpoint to the foundation of the American Revolution. It was a tumultuous and bewildering time. As British and American officials fought to make a negotiation, incidents on the ground escalated until war was unavoidable. McCullough writes gaudily about the depressing conditions that herds on both sides had to bear, embracing a bizarrely ruthless winter, and the job that luck and the quirks of the climate played in assisting the regal forces hold off the world’s supreme militia. He also successfully discovers the magnitude of enthusiasm and troop self-confidence – a knot was the same as a triumph to the Americans, while anything other than crushing victory was off-putting to the British, who projected a quick finish to the combat The redcoat withdraw from Boston, for instance, was principally mortifying for the British, whereas the negligible American win at Trenton was overstated regardless of its partial strategic importance. In his latest book, †1776,† David McCullough wields on this significant year the narrative gifts he is expressed in such fascinating accounts as †The Great Bridge† plus †The Path between the Seas.† As a olden times of the American Revolution, it is an improbably abridged volume: critical developments leading to the insurrection like the Stamp Act, which occur to fall external the boundaries of Mr. McCullough’s strict time outline, are not observed, and succeeding episodes of the war (which would keep on after the Trenton-Princeton crusade for an added half-dozen traumatic years) are overlooked as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Quantities of the strongest courses in 1776 are the illuminating and well-formed descriptions of the Georges on either sides of the Atlantic. King George III, so often represented as a shambling, haughty fool, is given an additional attentive treatment by McCullough, who reveals that the king deemed the settlers to be ill-tempered subjects without valid gripes – an outlook that led him to underrate the will and aptitudes of the Americans. Now and then he seems dazed that war was even obligatory. The great Washington meets his substantial status in these pages, and McCullough hinges on private association to balance the man and the fable, disclosing how severely concerned Washington was about the Americans’ chances for success, regardless of his public sanguinity. Perhaps more than any other man, he recognized how providential they were to simply carry on the year, and he gladly places the responsibility for their fortuity in the hands of God in lieu of his own. Enchanting and terrifically written, 1776 is the work of a skilled historian.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   †1776† is least valuable, nevertheless, at conveying the interior of most war narratives: combat. The initial, and best, hundred pages focus on the cordon of Boston, an overwrought but almost bloodless issue. When the action transfers to New York, the narrative sagged. McCullough writes with great lucidity regarding the composite tactics between Manhattan, Long Island and Westchester County in the summer and fall of 1776. But when battle blasts, the action turns out to be hindered in stock images. ‘1776† is even so an emotive and sensible work, reminding us that it’s armed forces rather than †tavern nationalists and turbulent politicians† who have constantly paid the price of American optimism and determined its victories. Works Cited McCullough, David, (May 24, 2005), 1776, Simon & Schuster ISBN: 0743226712.

The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating Essay

We have all heard the expressions â€Å"you are what you eat† and â€Å"an apple a day keeps the doctor away.† Turns out these expressions hold more truth than we’d probably like to admit. With so many delectably refined, enriched, neon colored, pseudo foods out there, our brains are more confused than ever before. Today, food is specifically formulated to hit all the right spots on our tongues; also, its being reinforced with chemical additives that stimulate our appetites through receptors in our brain, much like opiates. Then, its all wrapped up in carefully designed, brightly colored packaging, so how could we resist? Not to mention this food is cheap! If you’re on a budget you might be in the crosshairs of the mean machine I’m calling modern food. It’s getting increasingly difficult to see past all the pizzazz, and divert our attention back to plain old, dingy apples, or murky green spinach. I’d like to spill the beans, so to spea k, about how I came to believe that modern food is deceiving us and exploiting our weaknesses. Before I had my children I was aware, to some extent, that the food I was attracted to, and ate regularly wasn’t the best. It can be very difficult to weed out the ‘bad eggs’ of the bountiful grocery store shelves. A pivotal point in my nutritional pilgrimage was when I found out I was carrying my first son. I started reading about nutrition and learning how the systems of the body digest and use the foods we eat. I began by reading articles on the Weston A. Price Foundation website, whose proclamation is: â€Å"Restoring nutrient-dense foods to the American diet through education, research and activism.† I learned that I had an opinion about nutrition, and that I didn’t agree with a lot of the guidelines set for us. I discovered that the largest section on the American Food Pyramid, reserved for 6-11 servings, belonged to grains. Eating this quantity of any one type of food each day is alarming in itself. I decided to look into the topic of grains i n particular. I read the book â€Å"Wheat Belly† by author, William Davis, a renowned cardiologist who noticed the adverse effects that modern day wheat is reaping on our bodies. This book is an alarming read. It basically states that modern wheat is actually a product of genetic tinkering and agribusiness and not the wheat our grandparents ate. This â€Å"wheat† is highly toxic and should be completely removed from our diets. I  decided to use this new perspective of food to my advantage, and ultimately to the benefit of the bun I had in my oven. With all this nutritional information and a baby on the way, I could no longer deny that I needed to change my diet. Even still, I would have never guessed how difficult this change would be. I was about to be served a huge slice of humble pie. It would seem that modern agriculture and big business did not want me to know what was in my food. Standing in the grocery store isles reading the back of packages was tedious, but crucial. I practically had to learn a new vocabulary to dissect the 15 letter terms on the ingredient lists. I must have missed the lesson in school on Mono- and Diglycerides: The most common emulsifiers, and Xanthan Gum: The most common stabilizer and thickener. Since these ingredients are abundant in prepared foods, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to throw them a bone early on, with a lesson on additives. Can you imagine a nursary rhyme filled with words like Thiamin Mononitrate, Benzoate, and Hexametaphosphate? The story of Hansel and Gretel stumblin g upon a house made of Monosodium Glutamate. The Cookie Monster chomping down on some yummy, crunchy, calcium chloride. This brings me to my next bone of contention with modern food, one that has become especially prevalent in teaching my children proper nutrition. Why is it necessary to dress up the boxes of terrible foods with cartoons my children recognize? It feels slightly like an ambush to me. It’s come to the point where taking my kids to the store has become dreadful because every turn they want Dora this, and Spongebob that. The natural, instinctive attraction to healthy foods is being ripped from our children as a result of targeting and over marketing. That adorable rabbit on the box of cereal is pulling more Trix on me than I would have ever guessed. Amply informed, we decided to change our eating habits as a family. We started full force, because lets face it, there is no easing into a change like this. I gathered my groceries and we began our health experiment. We didn’t consume any gluten, we amped up our fats, we ate tons of meat and dairy, and we plied on the fruits and vegetables. I got creative with snacks and meal plans to keep from feeling repetitive. The first few weeks  were hard; I’d pick up a cracker, and right when I’d go to take a bite, I’d realize that I wasn’t supposed have it, so I’d put it back. Although, there were many more times that I would actually take a bite, and then end up having to abort that mouthful, mid-chew. With all big adjustments, the beginning is the hardest. Days went by, then weeks, and this became less of a stumbling block and more second nature. Beginning this endeavor with hopes of avoiding certain substances, we didn’t anticipate the other benefits that would ensue. We showed noticeable weight loss, increased stamina and energy, mind clarity, and drastically improved digestive function. We might as well have hit the wellbeing jackpot. Our pocketbooks, however, would reflect a significantly less profitable state. We were learning just how expensive keeping stocked on perishables, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy could be. This is where, I believe, the American food system has deeply failed us. You can buy an overflowing cart of prepared foods for about $100 and have it last over a week, but the same amount of healthy food would cost well over $200, and possibly last that long. Why should the low income families be forced into buying imitation food? We all know that this is more than an epidemic in America, where every year more people die from diet related complications than car crashes, alcoholism, and dr ug use combined. Children are being born with new age conditions. Childhood obesity and diabetes has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. How could that not be diet related? It is almost inconceivable that there could be such a simple fix to these enormous problems. It doesn’t involve depriving ourselves of delicious foods, its more about avoiding toxic chemicals and genetically engineered ingredients hiding in our food. Whether it is an obvious, 15 letter ingredient like those mentioned previously, or a seemingly innocent grain, like the toxic GMO wheat; We need to understand what we are consuming and ultimately nourishing our bodies with. There is an expression I like that does a good job summing up, â€Å"You can be well fed and malnourished at the same time.†

Bias in Historical Description Essay

The article reviewed was Behan McCullagh’s Bias in Historical Description, Interpretation, and Explanation in which he gave a brief but thorough outlook on the manner to which historical accounts are peppered with biased analysis and his opinion on how historians would be able to diminish, if not fully obliterate, from the nature of recounting past events. Why History is Biased McCullagh started of his piece by constructing four reasons as to why he thought that historical writings are mainly biased. His first reason was that he believed historians misinterpreted evidences without properly asserting the truth about its justification. His second reason was that information may already have been omitted by historians in compiling such past accounts that cater to make their views balanced. The third reason was that he deems general description of any historical information may include certain facts that are possibly false due to the uncertainty of most available sources. Lastly, his fourth reason was in reference to causal explanations, concisely described in the article as events that substantially modify the likelihood of the event, which are usually focused on a few important causes that renders a misleading point of view in the reader’s comprehension of the process of events (McCullagh, 2000). McCullagh voiced out that historians who often make mistakes in incorporating biases in their interpretations are typically motivated rather than accidental. He also noted difference between personal and cultural biases, delineating that the latter is far more difficult to be rectified than the other as it is ingrained, yet maintaining that historians must still try to do away with personal bias. He then goes on to further illustrate the concept of bias in historical accounts (McCullagh, 2000). The concept of Bias in Historical Accounts: McCullagh elucidated on the point that historians choose subjects which are of interests to them, inevitably providing a more partial basis to their interpretation of historical information. Consequently, historians are said to be products of their environment or culture, which will naturally hold general notions about the past. Thus, written accounts by historians are subjected to the availability of information gathered and on the decisions made through constant debates on what gets included and what should be disregarded. Such process is said to most likely offer misleading descriptions of historical accounts that have a particular cause (McCullagh, 2000). However, McCullagh has held that preconceived notions about a historical subject that are not biased could be observed in occurrences that involves transformation within a country’s economy as well as social structures. Biases are only attached when selective causes are highlighted while others of equal importance are disregarded (McCullagh, 2000). The perception of biases in constructing history should be avoided as according to McCullagh it provides a deceptive account of the historical subject which may cause misunderstandings and unnecessary negative consequences in conflict-driven situations. McCullagh presented three reasons as to why there are some who think that there is no way to evade the prospect of bias in historical accounts. First was that the interests of historians are automatically considered in determining the historical importance of a subject, the information extracted and the word preferences to use. The second was that preconceptions of historians and their contemporaries have biased point of views and the third one is the reiterated thought that historians have ingrained cultural beliefs and principles (McCullagh, 2000). Overcoming Personal Bias: McCullagh presented his opinion on how historians could be able to avoid injecting biases in interpreting historical data. He stated that historians should be committed to standards of rational thinking that would bring about a justified description of the past. One way to impose this is through peer reviews so as to motivate historians to follow certain acceptable guidelines in rational inquiry. The role of the historian is an important factor in maintaining social responsibility and creating a fair account of historical events (McCullagh, 2000). He denotes that multiplicity in perspectives is another way to produce rational historical inquiry as it presents different views of witnesses which melds relevant information into one account (McCullagh, 2000). McCullagh also pondered upon the notion that for people to prevail over biases, historians must accept that historiography is limited within itself and that the end of the discipline should also be considered in interpreting the past in a postmodern view (McCullagh, 2000). Reference: McCullagh, C. B. 2000. â€Å"Bias in Historical Description, Interpretation, and Explanation. † History & Theory 39(1): 39 – 66.

How Children with Special Care Needs Fared Essay

Question #1: Academic Source This research study is from the â€Å"American Journal of Public Health†, Volume 103, and Issue 6. It was published online on April 18, 2013. The authors are, Reem M. Ghandour, D.Ph., Holly A. Grason, MA, Ashley H. Schempf, PhD, Bonnie B. Strickland, PhD, Michael D. Kogan, PhD, Jessica R. Jones, MPH, and Debra Nicholas, MD. This study was printed from the Rock Valley College’s online database. The title of the study is â€Å"Healthy People 2010 Leading Health Indicators: How Children with Special Care Needs Fared†. I pick this study because I am studying to be a pediatric nurse, so children greatly interest me. In high school I had the pleasure to work with about 15 different special need children. It was a really great experience to be able to work with these children since every single one of them was nothing alike. Each had their own unique way of communicating with me. I picked this study because it related to my past experience with children with special nee ds. Question #2: Sociological Theories This study forces on the Interactionist Theory more than the other two theories. This is because in this study it forces more on a group of people, meaning it make is a micro level analysis. The study forces on two groups, Child with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) and children without Special Health Care Needs (SHCN), and there interactions with their family and with themselves. With the Functional Theory, it could force on this study saying that with society support and working together and putting the right influences on these children then maybe there would be the problems that we are seeing. We need to provide a stable and safe environment for these groups of people and in time the problem will go away or be lesser then what it is now. However, with the Conflict Theory, it could just forces on how the society and environment has nothing to do with how these children health turn out. That there has to be someone in every level for it to stay balanced. The Conflict Theory is about the differentials in society such as gender, race, education, children with special health needs would be part of this. The struggle the have to go through and what their family has to go through to be able to make it in their class. Question #3: Variables This study doesn’t clearly state a hypothesis; however it does say, â€Å"the goal of this study was to provide a systematic assessment of key national health objectives, traditionally tracked for the population as a whole, but rarely reported or summarized for CSHCN using data from the NSCH† (e2). The independent variables for this study would be physical activity, mental health, environment quality and also access to health care. Even though the hypothesis doesn’t state all of the individual variables as such but it does state is as the overall well-being of the children being studied, there are the children with SHCN and then there are children without SHCN. The dependent variable would be the outcome of the children such as, being overweight or the use of tobacco, their social abilities, sexual behavior, injury and violence. Question #4: Operational Definitions The independent variables are clearly measured in this study. It says â€Å"Children were defined with SHCN if they experienced at least 1 of the 5 consequences associated with a chronic medical, behavioral or other health conditions that lasted or was expected to last at least 12 months. These consequences fell generally into 2 categories: (1) ongoing use of or need for medical, mental health, educational or other health-related therapies, including prescription medications, (2) functional limitations that prevented the child from engaging in age appropriate activities† ( e2). Question 5: Generalizability The generalization of this study was the leading indicator to how children with special health care needs are fared; these are children from just a few months old all the way to age 18. There were 12,820,481 samples from children with special health care needs and 56,916,484 samples from children with no special health care needs in 2003; in 2007 there was 14,136,454 children with special health care needs sampled and 59,622,162 children without special health care needs sampled. There is a huge difference in the number of samples between the two. It should have been a little bit more evened out to get the best results of them both. Question #6: Sample The sample in this study was both random and purposive. It was random because of the type of survey that was used. There was a â€Å"random-digit-dial and a population based telephone survey that fielded through the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey mechanism†. Tis study was made random because it wasn’t based on gender, race, age, or background of the interviewee. However, what makes it purposive was that it only was studying a certain age group, children under the age of 18, with parent consent. That was what the study was basic on along with the randomness of the survey. Question #7: Research Under the size of the study I believe that a quantitative approach to the study was the best way to go. Surveying would be the best considering the about of children in a given area and also the fact that they are children, when they are meet with an unusual situation they may tend to act differently than they would have in the daily living, and also the parents may not have been comfortable have someone question or watching over their children for a research project. So in this study I believe that the authors did they correct approach with going with a survey method. It is less costly and can reach a bigger group of people then with the other methods.

Bronx Tale Questions

From A Bronx Tale You can be anything you want to be. Remember the saddest thing in life is wasted talent. You can have all the talent, but if you don’t do the right thing, nothing happens. But when you do the right thing, guess what, good things happen. ***** Mickey Mantle don’t care about you, so why should you care about him? Nobody cares. ***** Trouble is like a cancer and you got to get it early. Nobody cares. Worry about yourself, your family, the people who are important. **** The people in the neighborhood who see me every day who are on my side, they feel safe because they know I’m close. That gives them more reason to love me. But the people who want to do otherwise, they think twice and that gives them more reason to fear me. It is better to loved or feared? It’s nice to be both, but it’s difficult. But if I had my choice, I’d rather be feared. Fear lasts longer than love. The trick is not to be hated. *****I tell your son to stay in school and go to college. You don’t understand – it’s the clothes, the cars, it’s the money, it’s everything – I treat him like he’s my son. He’s not your son. He’s my son. ***** Sonny’s right. The working man is a sucker. He’s wrong. It don’t take much strength to pull a trigger but try to get up every morning day after day and work for a living. Let’s see him do that. And then we’ll see who’s the real tough guy. The working man is.Your father is the tough guy. ***** They don’t respect him; they fear him. There’s a big difference. You want to be somebody? Be somebody who works for a living and takes care of his family. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent. ***** Don’t blow it, son. These people will hurt you, son. Don’t waste your talent, son. Be careful, C. Don’t lose it, C. Keep your head, C. ***** Don’t you trust anybody? Tha t’s a terrible way to live. For me, it’s the only way. Not for me, not for me.

Business Financing and the Capital Structure Essay - 1

Business Financing and the Capital Structure - Essay Example Working capital is expressed as the difference between the short term assets and the short term liabilities. Inventory turnover, accounts payable, accounts receivables are considered for working capital management by companies. Financial instruments used as marketable securities to park excess cash The financial instruments used to park excess cash by corporations are bonds and debentures. These are marketable securities as it is possible to convert these securities into cash at any point of time due to large number of buyers available in the market. Raising business capital using both debt and equity options in today’s economy Raising business capital is a crucial aspect of decision making by the companies in today’s economy in the context of global economic slowdown. The options for raising business funds are debt financing and equity financing. A corporation may choose to adopt debt financing by acquiring loans from the market. In debt financing, the corporation woul d need to pay regular interests till repayment. However, the corporation has the opportunity to reduce interest payment by available tax shields. Debt financing may be adopted as it does not dilute the ownership structure and decision making of companies. Another option of equity financing by corporations may be used to raise capital by share issues. The cost of equity financing is the payment of dividends to the shareholders (Glen and  Pinto, 1994, p.28). Although the ownership structure is diluted, the corporation also has the opportunity to the share the risk of investments. The profits earned from the investments are also shared among the shareholders of the corporation. Seeking capital from a foreign investor: risk and rewards Business may seek to raise capital from a foreign investor by entering into strategic alliance and joint venture with the foreign investor. In order to gain competitive advantage in the market that would not have been possible through the use of individ ual resources and capabilities, corporations decide to share the technologies and expertise of the foreign investor through strategic alliance. The risk of the business is also shared apart from the rewards and profits of the joint business. The risk attached to the raising of capital from foreign investors includes losses due to mismatch of mutual interests in long term prospects. Due to unexpected changes in the international economy, foreign investors may realize losses and loose interest in the local markets. An example of changes in world markets may be due to fluctuation of the currency conversion rates. This would lead to liquidity crunch for which the consumption level in the economy would fall. Due to this risk factor, the productivity of the corporations would fall leading to fall in profitability of the corporations. Common stocks versus bonds: Historical relationship between risk and return, diversification through portfolio formation The historical relationship between risk and return of an investment could be explained by the theory of risk-return trade off. Higher the amount of risk incurred in an investment, higher would be the expected return. On the other hand, a risk-averse investor would like to incur low risk for which the return would also be moderate.

Methodology Proposal about Government intervention in Global Economy Essay

Methodology Proposal about Government intervention in Global Economy - Essay Example This paper intends to study in detail the reasons why and effects of governments’ intervention in the world economy. Introduction We first study the methods that the governments have in the past intervened. Research studies indicate that governments adopt various methods to intervene in economic performance dictated by the nature of intervention. History shows that the interventions have been directed by the world economic forces such as the recessions, booms, debt crises among others. However, we shall note that the disparity also arises from the generational change. Most of the interventions methods that governments adopted in the early regimes after independence have changed as the economies mature. Moreover, a defense is noted in the economic intervention mechanisms by the governments in the developed economies as opposed to the mechanisms adopted by the third world economies. Research studies reveal that much of government intervention in the growing economies revolve aro und boosting the economies, while in the developed economies are mostly interested in stability as well as growth. Mechanisms adopted by governments are in essence directed to offering cover to their economies against economic forces from outside or well too to regulate the internal economic performances of their countries. ... Economic partnerships Normally, the government and the private sector run as distinct identities as regards the business environment. Moreover, different governments run distinctively in economic matters though at times circumstances require collective working in order to realize set goals. The government of a state may join hands in economic dealings through what is called partnership moreover; one government may enter into formal arrangement with other governments to serve together economically. These partnerships dictate the economic environment of a state or an economic block. Small economies such as are the African countries are the best examples of economic partnership. They form economic blocks such as the south-south through which they stand to negotiate their deals in the global economic front. However, such partnerships always face the challenge of specialization. However, it is a challenge because majority of young African economies over-specialize in their mode of product ion. Agriculture is the basic example in this (OECD, United Nations OSAA, 2011, 6 of 14). Diversification Governments have the sole mandate of dictating the means of production within a country. Specialization policies as against diversification policies dictate that an economy relies on specialized sector of production within an economy. On the other hand; diversification entails policies that encourage various modes of production as against only one. Through this therefore, a government is able tgo influence her economic performance as well as the performance of her trade partners even within the global market. The government intervenes into the economic performance of a country through such policies that encourage diversification as against specialization. Government spending The

Answers to Cases Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Answers to Cases - Case Study Example The armed force and militias systematically loot several minerals and raw materials including coltan from eastern part of Congo. They utilize this profit for their operation funding. Stakeholder Theory Approach This case study is all about the Coltan conflict in Congo. A particular business firm can address to the views or opinions of several stakeholders linked with a specific issue through stakeholder approach. Stakeholder theory approach helps an organization to manage and control several critical conflicts and issues. There are two kinds of stakeholders, such as non-market stakeholders and market stakeholders. This part of the report will discuss about the contribution of these two categories of stakeholders. In-Market Stakeholders In this specific case; employees, customers and suppliers are considered as the in-market stakeholders. Employees of an organization are considered as the important stakeholders of an organization. It is important for the organizations to maintain heal th and safety standards of the employees. However, this coltan conflict in Congo can force the employees to raise their voice against the management, but several regional and political conflicts are the major reason behind these issues. Customers are the other important stakeholders. High consumption volume and numbers measures the growth and profitability of an organization within this industry. Loot and smuggle of this coltan raw material by the Congo’s militias stopping the global electronic organizations to meet market demand. Supply chain system of Congo is very much complex due to internal regional conflicts of the country. Suppliers can be considered as other major stakeholder within an electronic industry. Local, regional and global traders are trying to maintain effective supply chain despite the impossible sourcing of coltan raw material. Non-Market Stakeholders With respect to the case, communities and government are considered as the non-market stakeholders. Commu nities like NGOs, group of electronic firms, electronic industry citizenship coalition collaboratively tried to develop conflict-free assessment programme to help the global organization to avail conflict free raw materials. On the other hand, role of government of Congo is not impressive since last four decades. They should review and control the conflicts during the starting phase through strict administrative action. However, government and several organizations are collaboratively trying to ban the conflict. Stakeholder Map Coltan conflict in Congo affected the global electronic supply chain. The country was suffering from several regional conflicts after Second World War. Coltan is a key raw material that is utilized in the manufacturing process of several electronic goods. Congo is the major sourcing country of coltan. Militias and armed force of Congo generally loot and smuggle this coltan and make huge profit. Government of the country failed to take strict actions against t hese issues. This conflict affected the supply chain and social life of the workers. Lack of machineries and poor workplace environment can result serious workplace hazard. Looking into these matters, government of Congo and several electronic

Newspaper article that is relevant to the economics concepts Essay

Newspaper article that is relevant to the economics concepts - Essay Example Together with other legislators they want this figure to rise to $10.10 per hour. It is argued by other economists that this will interfere with the market since the new wages will not be in line with the market demand and supply forces that are outlined in the diagram below (Jekin, 2001). According to this diagram, the supply and demand of commodities have a direct impact on the price of the commodity. In this case, the goods in question will be the labor. In regards to the law of demand, when there is an increased supply of a commodity the demand for the product is expected to drop. The demand for products is highest when the supply of a given product is quite low. In this situation, people are willing to pay an extra amount so as to get the product since it is not readily available. Therefore the low rates of minimum wage can be attributed to the fact that there are many laborers who are ready and willing to work at that wage and therefore the industries should be left to decide the minimum wage (Gale, 2009). However, when the president increases the minimum wage, there will be two effects. One of which is that industries will not be able to pay people the expected amount and therefore will have to lay off workers. On the other hand, the increase in the minimum wage is likely to attract more people to these jobs. Both of these instances will result to an increase in the supply of labor. According to the law of supply, when the supply is high, the demand is low and this pushes the price of the service much lower so as to increase uptake. However, when the demand and the supply curves cross is where there is an equilibrium point (Jekin, 2001). As illustrated in the diagram above, an increase in the minimum wage is likely to result in a shift in the labor supply curve. A shift in the labor curve results to an increase in workers in the market. This increase in the amount of laborers will lead to a decrease in the

Carrefour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Carrefour - Assignment Example The other smaller stores include supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations. The first store was opened in 1997, in Lodz. It also has a mobile service known as Carrefour Mova (Hoovers, 2015). The hypermarket structure has contributed immensely to the success of Carrefour. The company deals mainly with grocery and retail items. The items are as follows; clothing, household items, hardware, perishable and non-perishable food items. The business networks of Carrefour include convenience stores, hypermarkets, online stores, discount stores, supermarkets and electronic commerce. The Carrefour hypermarkets offer a range of services which include: financial service, ATM, parcel holding, Carrefour optical, shopping center to name a few. Carrefour also faces stiff competition in this competitive industry of grocery and retailing from other businesses either locally or internationally based. These competitors include: convenience stores, Wal-Mart, Ahold, Auchan, Tesco, Aldi and grocery stores. What differentiates these chains is their marketing plans strategy. Thus, this report will analyze the strategies it has employed in venturing in this new foreign market, and that has enable it compete favorably and continue making profits. Also it will include a SLEPT analysis of how marketing mix elements and management issues influence its successful productivity (Businesscasestudies, 2015). The major strength of Carrefour is that it is a hypermarket store well stocked with diverse goods and services, and it is well-known globally. The creation of its brand name products is a probable weakness that Carrefour faces. This is because it is a tradition of customers to the belief that own-branded products are inferior and hence lose trust in the company. Carrefour has potential opportunities for exploring its online stores and expansion in overseas markets. Carrefour also experiences enormous threats and challenges such as it creates

Financial report analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words - 1

Financial report analysis - Essay Example The public limited company is traded at Australian Securities Exchange. Billabong International Limiteds core business is the marketing, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of apparel, accessories, eyewear, wetsuits and hardgoods in the boardsports sector under the Billabong, Element, Von Zipper, Honolua Surf Company, Kustom, Palmers Surf, Nixon, Xcel, Tigerlily, Sector 9, DaKine and RVCA brands. Major competitiors for the firm include Addidas, Nike, Puma and Ripcurl. The company has approximately 6000 staff worldwide and its shares are publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Billabong Internationals products are licensed and distributed in over 100 countries (in approximately 11,000 doors), of which the major revenue sources are through wholly-owned operations in Australia, North America, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Brazil. The products are distributed through specialised boardsports retailers and through the Companys own branded retail outlets. T he Companys brands are marketed and promoted internationally through its association with high profile professional athletes, junior athletes and events. Billabong is Australia’s largest surfwear manufacturer with product categories spanning into Garments, Accessories, Collections and Wetsuits; and is country’s largest. In 2010, as a result of international and regional economic crisis, foreign currency fluctuations, increased competition (growth of vertical private label brands) and supply chain pricing pressure.

THE FIELD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE FIELD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING - Term Paper Example In this respect, some of the main constructions that civil engineers deal with include buildings, dams, roads, bridges, shipping canals and airport runways just to mention a few. History and Major Civil Engineering Projects The history of civil engineering and its close relative, architecture, can be traced to the construction of the Egyptian pyramids between 2700 and 2500 BC. Other ancient constructions include the Parthenon, the Appian Way, and China’s great wall. Mordern day contributions of the discipline include the world’s tallest building (Burj Khalifa), the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Dynamic Tower and Empire State Building in the US. Training and Qualification Civil engineers normally go through intensive training in order to be equipped with valuable skills and practical knowledge of how to accomplish various tasks and solve specific problems. Training of civil engineers involves learning of English (language), mathematics, social studies, history, physics, chemistry and drawing and design. There are different alternative routes that one may follow to achieve formal recognition as a civil engineer. An individual may take a diploma in the course and later proceed to get a degree. Alternatively, one may study for a degree in the field directly.

The Simpsons Analysis Essay Example for Free

The Simpsons Analysis Essay The animated sitcom The Simpsons subverts our views about a nuclear family. Instead we learn by watching a dysfunctional family. We see the ups and downs and humour of family life in various episodes and typical family situations. The Simpsons to some degree follow the conventions of a stereotypical sitcom. I will be analysing the episode Bart gets an F to support my thoughts. In this paragraph I will be referring to what a sitcom is, how it has changed throughout the years and why sitcoms are so popular. A sitcom is a 22 minute long show, which presents the viewer with a world within the show. A sitcom also follows the narrative structure of orientation, complication, resolution, evaluation and re-orientation. The creators of The Simpsons satirize stereotypes to create humour. In the 1950s sitcoms, the families would get along, listen to each other, take care of each other and they would be smartly dressed at all times. However, after the 1950s it all seemed to change: no-one would get along, they will always argue, the mother and father would always fight and they would do whatever they wished. Sitcoms are very popular as they provide us with entertainment including laughter, which helps people get away from their daily routine life. Sitcoms provide us with entertainment for all ages and typical family situations. I believe sitcoms are popular because they are humorous and give us an alternative to our lives. The nuclear family and the dysfunctional yellow-skinned, four-fingered Simpson family are shown through the opening of The Simpsons. We are firstly introduced to Bart, the most confrontational, funny, naughty and disrespectful kid in school. We see him in school; however, this is dysfunctional as he is in detention writing on the board I will not teach others to fly. This shows us satirise as a normal child will not be that often in detention. The creator also changes the quotes of the writing to show that he is in detention all the time. Secondly, we are introduced to Homer; the clumsy, dumb and often drunk father, who is at work. This is typical of a dad, but then it is subverted when he is shown carelessly working in the power plant. Next is Marge, the hard working, sensible, caring mother who is shopping and losing her child, Maggie. Maggie is the 3rd child, who is a dummy sucking 1-year-old. And finally, Lisa, the brainiest gifted child in the school. We see her playing an instrument in school. However she is playing her own tune. By watching the opening sequence we know that the situations that occur in the Simpsons are subverted. Through the opening sequence we see some stereotypical behaviour as well as some subverted behaviour. In the episode Bart gets a F, we can tell from the title who the episode is based on and a bit about the plot. Through the episode we get to see the orientation (the 1st shot and 1st character introduced), the complication (problem that arises), the resolution (how the complication is resolved), the evaluation (how the family come together) and the re-orientation (how it is back to the way it started). We firstly hear the voice of Bart and see the setting of the school, so we straightaway know it is based on Bart (orientation). The main plot is after failing a history test, Bart strikes a deal with Martin Prince to make Martin cool in return for tutoring Bart, if Bart doesnt improve, he will be held back in his grade (complication). Bart successfully transforms Martin from the clever, caring, sensitive, high-quality boy into a rude, playful naughty and regular kid, bur Martin fails on his side of the bargain and Bart is once again in danger of failing. After an all-night study session, Bart still fails but he manages to impress Mrs. Krabappel with his grasp of history (resolution) and she gives him a D-minus. Homer is proud to hang this grade up on the fridge (evaluation). After the excitement, Bart kisses the teacher and then after realizes what he has done and starts to spit on the floor with disgust (re-orientation). In this episode we see both sides of a traditional family and a dysfunctional family. Expectations of characters are satirised. An example of this is the parents. We expect the parents to praise, support, care and teach their children. But in The Simpsons we see the parents encouraging their son not to study. They show that they have no faith in Bart as they call him Dim. We see the same situations occurring to different characters, for example the teacher. The expectation of the teacher is satirised as we expect teachers to be understanding, helpful, caring and faithful to their students. This is again satirised when the teacher quotes, I thought youd be used to failing. This shows us she has no faith in her pupil, Bart. In this episode of The Simpsons we see typical stereotyped situations satirised and changed according to characters and their beliefs. The Simpsons fulfils various stereotypes of a sitcom genre but generally subverts them. I will examine the extent to which they do this by referring to the episode Bart gets a F. The first situation that occurs is when the psychiatrist comes to talk to the parents about Barts grades. It is satirised as we see Homer not listening and not paying attention. They show this as they quote, bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. Another stereotypical situation that occurs is when the family sits down to eat dinner and father and son sit down to watch TV, but the stereotypical situation is satirised as Bart wants to study but Homer encourages him to watch TV with him. We wouldnt expect a father to act the way Homer does. Additionally we see the father putting his son to bed but this is then again is subverted as we hear Homer call his son Dim. We would not expect a father to say this to his child. As a result, we see stereotypical situations that are subverted. The Simpsons uses various comic devices to create humour. The also uses different comic forms. They would use parody, gags, comedy of the absurd and slapstick. A good way in which they create humour is by satirising situations where the way we expect people to act is changed. They also satirise stereotypes. In The Simpsons the audience can predict what is going to happen next. The audiences are interested in the Simpsons as it exaggerates the animation. The Simpsons have four fingers and they are yellow skinned. The characters of The Simpsons create humour by using repeated catch phrases, example Doh! Dont have a cow man! We find the various actions of the characters humorous, as they are well known for example Homer strangles Bart when he is frustrated. Overall, I believe The Simpsons are popular because of all the types of humour used during the episodes. This humour appeals to a wide range of audiences. The Simpsons is a very popular and well-known sitcom. The appeal of the Simpsons is greatly due to the fact that it appeals to all types of people. People of all ages find humour in it because of the fact that the characters never grow older, the use of flashbacks and flashfowards, the variety of episodes and the characters always turn back to the way they started. A reason why we can tell it is a true sitcom is because they always have a complication that occurs which is later resolved. The Simpsons as a sitcom, is well known worldwide. It is broadcast in 100 countries. The influence of The Simpsons has created programs like South Park, Ren and Stimpy and Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The Simpsons are not a stereotypical family, they are dysfunctional and are satirized, and this is the main reason why they have remained so popular.