Poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Poem - Essay Example The author of the poem (Merlin) applies the technique to point out that the contest was not fair, probably rigged and whichever decision Paris makes leads to the destruction of the city of Troy. Accordingly, Merwin’s point is to demonstrate the idea that human beings are naturally imperfect and avoidance of self-destructive conduct is not an easy task. The imperfection and self-destructive trait is an essential component of human behavior that makes their actions exciting and unpredictable. The self-destructive behavior is an essential factor that implores individuals to seek redemption after the consequences of their actions. The poem ends with a picture of Helen picking up a yellow flower with roots that relieves pain. The essence is that humans often bring pain and suffering on themselves but the grief prompts compassion that upholds unity. The yellow flower is an indication of human’s effort to relieve anguish and pain. According to Brunner (1991), the implicit metaphor in the heading â€Å"the Carrier of Ladders indicates a change in Merwin’s attitude and orientation. Apparently, only humans are capable of carrying ladders, and their aim to climb or rise to a new level, even if such people are not aware of what they will find the level of elevation. Accordingly, almost of the poems in the volume build from such premise. Similarly, there are those who regard reading the works of Merwin as being similar to reading a puzzle and it is normally beneficial to put an effort to grasp the bottom line of the author’s logic. The carriers of ladders reminds one of the old Icelanders’ Edda Kennings, who authored the objects in a roundabout, and playful manner. However, Merwin applies the approach to an individual’s spiritual and emotional life, with popular themes being loss, isolation, and death (Brunner 1991). The critically applauded

Chp 26 dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chp 26 dis - Essay Example This is because the lawnmower by Sears was a non-inventory collateral because the debtor (Cosmo Fiscante) retained the good. This therefore automatically perfects the PMSI of Sears and hence the Sears have the legal obligation to regain the lawnmower and take it back and not the other creditors who claim it. A Purchase Money Security Interest (PMSI) is a type of legal guarantee for a seller against other creditors in case the debtor becomes bankrupt or is unable to meet his or her obligation. The PMSI is only considered valid if it is perfected by the seller. Perfecting of the PMSI depends on whether the good sold is an inventory or non-inventory collateral. Inventory collateral has to be followed by a notification to the debtor in order for the PMSI to be considered perfected. In the case of non-inventory collateral, no notification is required and once the good is given to the debtor, then the PMSI is considered to be perfected (Miller and Jentz,

Knowing your Audience Paper and Communication Release Essay Example for Free

Knowing your Audience Paper and Communication Release Essay When a company needs to pass information to another organization or a group of people it is very important that the company knows their audience. If the information is regarding a disaster, it is even more important to make sure the company knows their audience. One example of a company needing to know their audience was the Chilean copper mine in South America. On Thursday, August 5, 2010, A collapse of one of the shafts in the Chilean copper mine left 33 workers trapped approximately 300 meters underground. At once, rescue efforts began but just two days later another collapse in the mine halted the efforts of the rescue crews for many hours (Weik, 2010). In such a disastrous circumstance, the company would need to take great care in how the world found out about the disaster. If not done properly then the companies audience, the world, would view the company is a much worse light then if they had properly released the information. There are two ways in which the company would be releasing information. The first would be to the families of the workers and the second would be to the other employees and then to the press. The representatives chosen by the company to handle these releases will have to take great care in how it is done to keep the reputation of the company intact, while making sure that all information is truthful and accurate. This disaster affected many people. Not only did the collapse affect the 33 miners that were in the mine, it also affected the families of those workers. The families were in agony while they waited to hear if their loved ones would make it out alive. It is the mining companies responsibility to make sure the family member are aware of everything that is happening and what is being done to get their loved ones rescued out of the mines safely. This communication process is more important than anything being told to the other workers or the press. Not knowing your audience in this first step could prove disastrous overall for the company. Once the families have been informed it is important to let the fellow co-workers know what is happening. Many of the men trapped would have friends who also work for the company and they would want to know what is happening. By making sure the other employees know about what is happening, the company can try to keep them from saying too much to news reporters and it will help ease their minds. Once the employees have been notified, make it clear that all information to the press needs to come from the company. When something is said to an audience that was not properly prepared for that audience, it could have disastrous results. Through the press the company will next have to handle the communication on an international level. Because the mine company was global they were on the world stage. The company owned mines in many other parts of the world, not just in South America. In a situation like this one, rumors began to fly without much hesitation and although rumor control was important with the company, it is impossible to stop. Another aspect of communication that was not very publically known was the communication with the investors, owners and stockholders of the company. It is very important to keep this audience informed with what was going on because if information was withheld then it could potentially cause a panic. Once in panic mode, the investors could damage the company more by stopping funds, dumping assets and plunge the company into bankruptcy. Money is very important to investors and when they receive news about their investments, good or bad, it weighs heavily on how they will react. For the good of the company’s future, it was very important that they inform this group personally and not let them hear it from the news organizations covering the story. There are many different ways to deliver communications like the ones previously reviewed. When speaking to the family members of the workers it is best to do so face to face so they feel important about where they stand in this type of situation. Calling with the information on the phone would seem impersonal and would give the families thoughts that they are not as important. An example of this would be when monetary damages were to be paid to the families of the workers; many family members who were not known to the company came forward looking for money (Prengaman, 2010). Whenever a company needs to approach an audience it is vitally important that the company knows who the audience will be and that they tailor their communications to that audience. In the communication should be all the details that can possibly be put in and the company needs to be as truthful as possible. Waiting a long time before a communication is released could also damage the situation further. The best possible way to assure the communication is effective is to deliver it in the best format to the audience (Cheesebro, O’Connor, Rios, 2010).

Analysing SME Policy in Ireland

Analysing SME Policy in Ireland Social Network Analysis CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Research Design The proposed design for this study is a flexible mixed-method design making use of both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis in order to understand and later analyse policy implementation networks for MSEs in Ireland, particularly concerning those in the Dublin 15 area. This approach was required for two reasons: 1) time and resource constraints; and 2) the literature reviewed for this research indicated that such an approach would provide better answers to the questions being asked. As shown in Table 1 below, this method was also important to establish the complimentary nature of the methods being used for the enquiry. For example, qualitative methods were required initially for content analysis of documents produced by the European Commission and the Dept. of Trade, Enterprise and Employment. However, a quantitative approach is given to the treatment of the relationships under investigation namely, mandatory and voluntary cooperation for policy implementation. Therefore, the following steps were taken for this particular research:- 1. Internet research for qualitative content analysis and name generation of policy actors and policies being made at both European and Irish levels; 2. Short open-ended qualitative interview with a major policy actor in Ireland for name generation of policy implementation actors; 3. Quantitative data collection and non-random sampling and estimate number of start-up companies in the Dublin 15 area; and 4. Data collection and analysis using Social Network Analysis methodology for all names generated to measure the effects of mandatory and voluntary cooperation among policy actors. Patience A follow-up interview with a key informant on the network composition and to confirm that the relationships drawn on the literature for policy implementation indeed existed in the manner they were in the questionnaire. In this case, a Head of Small Business Unit in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment could confirm the relationship among the actors in the network from an ‘ego’ perspective and pros and cons for this approach will be discussed further in the methodology chapter. The table below gives an illustration of the design being used and it follows the design approach suggested by Creswell et alli 2003:- Table 1 – Sequential Research Design Implementation Priority Integration Theoretical Perspective Sequential – Qualitative first Quantitative At Data Collection   and Interpretation Explicit With Some Combination As mentioned earlier, this design draws on Creswell’s (2003) work about various research design approaches – with special attention to the use of mixed-methods in the human sciences. A rather overt and systematic use of the methods have grown in popularity and it is evidenced in the work entitled Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social Behavioral Sciences, launched in 2003 by Abbas Tashakkory and Charles Teddlie and from which Creswell derives most of his useful explanations on the advantages and weaknesses of such a design. In a flexible design, the researcher is given a greater freedom to change research questions as the research progresses since she would be rigidly attached to one philosophical paradigm or the other, but would find relevant to include those that make sense to the enquiry as it evolves. On the other hand, making use of both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis – whether they take place sequentially or concurrently, allows for a richer understanding and, hopefully, explanation of the problematic under investigation. Details of the methodologies and paradigms they are associated with are dealt with in the Methodology chapter. For this section is imperative now that the researcher makes the esteemed reader aware of the possible biases and the actions taken to deal with them. Bias statement It has been argued that bias is when systematic random or non-random errors are not accepted or acknowledged by the researcher at any point of her work, such as in the design, measurement, sampling, procedure, or choice of problem to be studied. Bias is also related to the accuracy of the information produced and reliability and validity may also be sacrificed, though not necessarily. Hammersley and Gomm (1997), however, assert that nonfoundationalist realism is rather appropriate for it neither relies on foundational epistemology nor it does on relativist and standpoint theory and its aims are to favour the production of knowledge rather than one’s political or personal agenda. According to these authors, foundationalism makes bias a rather evident matter in a research once the researcher’s ideological commitments are indentified as affecting research procedures hence compromising outcomes expected credibility. But bias is not as straightforward as foundationalists, according to them, would like it to be. In a nonfoundationlist realistic perspective, social researchers are not part of the phenomena they want to describe or explain nor can they construct phenomena through their accounts, but merely account for these realities and be judgemental of the influence that what they understand for established knowledge can have on their accounts of social r eality. (1997) In this research, in a foundationalist perspective, the biases that could possibly compromise the commitment with knowledge production is that:- 1) the researcher is a micro-entrepreneur from the vicinities; 2) her commitment with epistemological views of policy networks as ineffective given the predominant hierarchical structure and political agendas; 3) Snowball sampling technique may introduce bias for it may not represent a good cross section of the population investigated; and 4) Questionnaires sent to MSEs were not returned for reasons which will be explained in the Methodology chapter. This can also lead to incorrect conclusions. However, this is not an action research and the methodologies applied for enquiry on policy implementation networks aim to control for bias arising from the researchers’ own point of view regarding cooperation for the benefit of Small and Micro Enterprises in Dublin 15. Moreover, from a nonfoundationalistic realism view point, efforts were consciously made in order to avoid that knowledge so far taken as established in the field of cooperation among actors in policy networks compromises the knowledge produced by the evidence on cooperation among actors in this research. Taking the above into consideration, one of the methodologies used is a qualitative approach considering respondents’ representations of reality through a qualitative content analysis and qualitative techniques in social network analysis. Once data were generated, they were treated by using quantitative data analysis techniques and were converted into algebraic formulae reflecting responses given, i.e. whether a relation exists or not between two actors or more and if it is reciprocal one is a matter of replacing YES and NO answers, or in this case BLUE and RED arrows, for 1 and 0, respectively. This is not to say that social network analysis will serve as a complete assurance for validity and credibility, as questionnaire return rates and responses can indeed compromise it. It is hoped, however, that the weaknesses evident on this work are rather derivative from the very limited time afforded to Taught Masters students, effectively from May to August 2009, than from research bias. 1.2 Justification This work has a scientific and practical relevance and they are equally important as it is hoped that its findings and conclusion will not just add to the scientific knowledge but also reach the actors involved in policy implementation for micro and small enterprises in Ireland as well as those concerned with aspects of economic development. In the scientific sphere, this study will be initially guided by O’Toole’s (1997) work stressing the increasing complexity of networked settings in the public administration where he also urges for more empirical research to be conducted in order to comprehend the impact of such settings on policy implementation. This is also Blair’s (2002) views in his work on implementation networks in which he infers that complex systems formed by actors both coming from both the public and private sectors are assumed in now-a-days public administration. According to Blair, this will help measure the level of direct action by the government so to assess the complexity of such networks and he goes on to borrow from Alexander (1995) the concept of compulsory and voluntary links as the essence of policy implementation systems. Further to such concepts, the focus of this study is on mandatory and voluntary cooperation amongst MSEs stakeholders both in the public and private sectors. Having it all said, measuring service integration among agencies is not the objective of this study. Instead, it will try to leverage on social network analysis practice and theory to measure centrality, closeness, structural holes and brokerage (Freeman 1979; Burt 1995 and 2005). Other theorists, especially those whose studies are within social network analysis (Simmel 1995; Wellman 1983; Hanneman 2005), and regarding the bureaucratic aspect of the public administration (Weber 1978 and Blau 2006) and the (potential) social capital resulting from networks (Bourdieu 1986; Putnam 1995; and Fukuyama 1996) will also be used in the hope to complement existing literature on the topic. The above will, indeed, guide this study all the way through. 1.3 Chapter Outline CHAPTER III: LITERATURE REVIEW Defining the size of a business This research does not aim to be seen under the umbrella of business studies, but a sociological study of cooperation among policy implementation actors for policies in benefit of micro and small businesses in Ireland. Nevertheless, it is found pertinent to use business literature in order to outline the most commonly used definitions of business’ size according to factor inherent to its life cycle. The literature on organisation life cycle (OLC) has been found to be the most appropriate to define the size of a business. However, it is important to note that professionals used to working with businesses may find their own ways of defining business’ size and may as well widely disagree from the scholarly models created and widely used to date. The traditional models for sizing a company were given mostly in the 1980s first through conceptual works and eventually through empirical research which attempted to establish the phases of an organisation according to the environmental issues it faced throughout its existence (Rutherford et al. 2004). The literature consulted for this section has shown that one of the models that has been most cited and used as a reference is that created by Miller and Friesen (1984) whereby the organisation life cycle was divided into five phases: birth, growth, maturity, revival and decline (1984: 1162). These phases can be summarised according to the age, size and growth rate of the organisation. In summary, these phases were the birth phase for small companies, the growth phase for medium-sized companies, the maturity phase for larger organisations, the revival for very large and finally the decline phase for market size companies. The latter phase is linked with the decline in innovation and with environmental factors such as market dry-up. Meanwhile the earlier phases of the business are linked with the most innovative, although unstructured, stages of the organisation (1984: idem). Figure 2 below exemplifies the above:- Figure 2. Organisation life cycle (OLC) and its expected size per phase. The head count for the traditional models is shows as 0-4 persons employed in the birth phase, then 5-19 employees in the medium-sized firms and finally above 20 in the larger ones (Huang and Brown 1999 cf. Rutherford et al. 2004). Weaknesses of this model have been pointed by more recent works (Stubbart and Smalley 1990; Tichey 1980 cf. Rutherford, Buller and McMullen 2004) which took different views and approaches to establishing the different phases an organisation goes through. Other works making use of open-ended choices rather than forced-choice methods to identify an organisation’s problems according to its size, have found that obtaining external financing, internal financial management, economic environment and regulatory environment are problems often experienced by organisations in their start-up and growth phase (Terpstra and Olson 1993 cf. Rutherford, Buller and McMullen 2004) Taking definition from a different angle, the authors Rutherford et al. (2004) infer that other models have been created to overcome the weaknesses presented in previous models and the model by Kihenen (1990), which makes use of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in order to depict rather realistic stages of an organisation given a series of other factors not limited to age, size and growth rate and it is similar to a cluster analysis and named as self-organising map (SOM). This model, different from traditional models, including the model created by Miller and Friesen (1984), does not force firms to fit into predetermined groups but allows for stages to fall into categories given by the data under study (2004: 328). Nevertheless, the traditional model remains imperative throughout their work and so it will throughout this work. The reason is twofold: a) the traditional definitions have been confirmed through empirical work and across countries; and b) it is assumed here that the proble ms faced by an organisation in each phase of its existence can be logically linked with the needs of these organisations for growth. Hence, policy-making and implementation, as it will be demonstrated later on, is more likely to follow traditional models than novel models. Though this is not to say that new findings on an organisation’s functioning will not be appreciated by policy actors. Moreover, taking into consideration the criticism on the traditional models it is therefore acknowledged that the adoption of traditional model is merely as starting point for reference given the insufficient time for the maturing of this study. Table 3 below shows the most common problems in organisations given their size and phase found by traditional models which have also been confirmed by more current studies utilising different organisational typology techniques:- Table 3. Problems helping establish the size and stage of an organisation. Problems Stage/Phase Headcount Newness, obtaining external finance, internal finance management, unstructured, informal, product development, economic and regulation environment, weak client base, owner/manager dominated. Birth/Start-up (Small firms) 0-4 employees Production efficiency and effectiveness, human resources management and re-organisation, economic and regulation environment. Growth (Medium-sized firms) 5-19 employees Maintaining growth momentum and market position, economic environment, production stagnation and lack of innovation, and employee retention. Stability/Maturity and Decline (Large firms) 20+ employees Source:Miller and Friesen 1984; Kazanjian 1988; Terpstra and Olson 1993 and Huang and Brown 1999 (cf. Rutherford et al. 2004). Conceptualising the phases and problems of organisations will help us understand the policies made in benefit of micro and small businesses in the European Union. However, a point in time must be made regarding the micro-enterprises that may not fit into the typology above given the ethos of their existence. In Europe, the crafts industry is within the definition for micro-enterprises as well as entrepreneurs in the rural areas. However, one should also consider the large number of self-employed professionals such as plumbers, carpenters, painters and also accountants whom may never expand their business, formalising it into a company hence adhering to the organisational life cycle above. Nevertheless, they too generate employment and tax revenue on top of their networked oriented business behaviour hence contributing to the country’s economy but as well as for social and local integration in Europe (European Commission’s SME Portal Observatory Report of European Enterprises 2003/7). Given the above, the needs for micro and small enterprises will vary according to their problems and other human aspects inherent of the cultural and social settings and mindset businesses are found. These settings have been acknowledged by the European Commission in providing assistance to groups widely seen as minorities in large scale businesses, but forming a large number among micro and small entrepreneurs, namely women and immigrants. The Concept of Policy Implementation Networks In policy network theory, implementation networks have been categorised and conceptualised mostly according to the context in which they have emerged in order to either reduce transaction costs or resolve problems effectively. Such a context will determine the resources and power that members will share on their way to achieve their shared goals or resolve their common problems (Provan and Milward 1995 and Bozer 1996). The subject of context is here defined as the ethos and habitus of policy implementation networks in general and they will be explained later on in this chapter. Modern states are now dealing with problems of greater complexity and this requires a superior level of negotiation and public participation in order for services to be delivered to the public as effectively as it is possible. For this reason, O’Toole (1997) asks researchers and public administrators to take networks more seriously and calls for a whole research agenda on the effects they have on hierarchical structures common to public agencies and ultimately affecting policy making, implementation and evaluation (O’Toole 1997; Provan and Milward 1995, 1998 and 2001; Bolzer 1996; and Sandstrà ¶m and Carlssson 2008, among others). The last decade saw a particular growth in research interest on policy implementation networks. Most of the work produced, once satisfied with the working concepts and theoretical frameworks on the subject, now concentrates on measuring implementation effectiveness from different angles and using different methods (idem). While O’Toole (1997 and 1999) remained mostly in the theoretical field hypothesising on management action in hierarchical structures (O’Toole and Meier 1999) and Bozer (1997) strived to conceptualise networks as forms of governance, others like Blair (2002) took the empirical road either by putting to test models created by O’Toole and Meier (1999) or utilised Social Network Analysis in order to analyse networks for what they really are, social structures with interdependent interests (ibidem). As to the initial theoretical framework for policy implementation networks, O’Toole and Meier (1999) created models for managerial action in public administration taking into account the prevailing hierarchical structure of public agencies. For them, networks are of great help to public servants and they see the two structures, linear and non-linear, as poles of a continuum related to buffering in the interests of stability (1999: 510). However, it is important to note that the emphasis of their work is on improving hierarchical systems rather than replacing them for networks since the authors see the informal and inconsistent nature of networks as a weak structure for buffering environmental issues common to policy implementation or service delivery while they also believe that a hierarchical system can maximise management resources more than networks as the latter demands more of such resources in order to maintain reciprocal ties. Though, they do acknowledge that not all networks have inconsistent relationships and have achieved stability by sharing a consistent policy agenda away from a hierarchical habitus, e.g. US farmers’ network, borrowing the term in italics from Tocqueville (2004: 329). Blair (2002), on the other hand, deals with empirical quantitative research on policy implementation in the field of economic development by studying the so-called Enterprise Zones in Southern United States, very popular in the 1990s, especially during Reagan’s second term in presidency. He makes use of policy tools theory and methodology while also drawing from O’Toole and Meier’s (1999) conceptual framework and models for public management in policy systems to formulate his three major hypotheses that aim at measuring the level of direct government intervention in service delivery systems for Enterprise Zones in distressed areas. The first hypothesis states that less government direct intervention means more complex implementation networks, while the second hypothesis continues from the first by asserting that less government participation also means that more actors are involved in implementation, especially private and non-profit organisations. Finally, the third hypothesis, which will later provide the most confounding findings, posits that the private sector takes a greater role in implementing programs in economic development policy networks (2002:170). The first two hypotheses were validated by the findings and agreed with the theoretical concept framework by O’Toole and Meier (1999) on the structure of new policy implementation systems. However, the third hypothesis for which he expected a negative correlation between private and public participation in implementation, he, in fact, obtained a positive one. His findings indicated that the more active is government intervention in the EZs investigated, the more participative businesses were in implementing the programs. However, this finding, according to Blair, does not contradict what had been theorised by O’Toole and Meier’s (1999) (cf. Blair 2002), but he classifies O’Toole’s (1997) system as the old implementation system and the later as the new system. Although policy tools theory is one good way of measuring government intervention in economic development, other approaches may also provide fruitful findings and ways of analysing policy implementation networks. Bozer (1997), for example, explains that policy networks are conceived as a particular form of governance in modern policy systems (Kenis and Schneider 1991; Kooiman 1993; Mayntz 1994, cf. Bozer 1997). In fact, she notes that their main focus is on problem-solving and not on intermediating interests. Any cooperative game members play in order to negotiate strategies to arrive at a solution and based not only on mutual goals, but mostly on communication and trust while acknowledging that their values, ideas and identities are essential to the network. Therefore, Bozer understands:- Policy networks as ‘webs of relatively stable and ongoing relationships which mobilise and pool dispersed resources so that collective (or parallel) action can be orchestrated toward the solution of a common policy’ (Kenis Schneide 1993: 36 cf. Bozer 1993:5). A policy network includes all actors involved in the formulation and implementation of a policy in a policy sector. They are characterised by predominantly informal interactions between public and private actors with distinct but interdependent interests, who strive to solve problems of collective action on a central, non-hierarchical level. (Bozer 1997: idem) She asserts that scholars whom have dedicated their work to see these network members as rational actors, following a horizontal self-coordination, may forget to include some of the main aspects making for such networks in the first place. For Bozer, looking at the intermediation position that networks can have, one may realise that policy-making can be ‘blocked by dissent’ and create what she sees as the ‘bargaining dilemma’ (or prisoner’s dilemma) where ‘defection from cooperation is more rewarding than compliance for a rational actor, owing to the risk of being cheated’. (1997:4) The exception exists when ‘bargaining is voluntary’. As approaches to research change over time and so do concepts and theoretical frameworks on policy implementation networks. Though, most references analysed for this work, showed that there is more of a convergence of knowledge on the topic rather than any radical change. It was noted, however, that works on the subject matter have become more and more empirical and it was found that using structural analysis has proved rather fruitful for a much needed progression on studying it. Aside policy tools, strategic decisions and interest intermediation to share resources and increase productivity and effectiveness, networks are social structures where norms are created and crystallised or otherwise and as such they must be analysed for their properties, the opportunities (advantages) and constraints (disadvantages) that these properties can originate. In other words, since networks are dynamic social structures, the questions asked, either to understand their modus operandi or more so to measure their effectiveness, refer to how actors organise themselves to problem-solving and what are the properties that this can originate. This seems to be the approach taken by a recent study on four policy networks in the educational system in Sweden by Sandstrà ¶m and Carlssson (2008). They acknowledge the organisational roots of policy network theory and from which important concepts have emerged, such as advocacy coalitions, implementation structures, iron triangles, issue networks, policy communities, and subgovernments (Sabatier Jenkins-Smith 1993; Hjern Porter 1993; Jordan Schubert 1992; Heclo 1978; Jordan 1990; Rhodes 1990; cf. Sandstrà ¶m and Carlssson 2008). Nevertheless, their research is justified by the reasons mentioned earlier, being a lack of substantive empirical work using the methods of social network analysis to study policy networks, since only network theorists in different disciplines (Sociology, Political Science, Business Administration etc.) have been interested in the social capital derived from network properties and which is capable of evaluating outcomes and performance. The authors concluded that their theoretical and methodological approach, as aforementioned, proved fruitful for the understanding of policy networks as a structural process where heterogeneity and centralisation are beneficial to network performance whereas structural holes (poorly or non-connected actors) should be avoided when the objective is to achieve efficiency (2008:517). In this view, concepts and knowledge generated by their study converge with those generated by previous works mentioned earlier in a complimentary manner. Evidently, there are several theoretical and empirical works making valuable contribution to the conceptualisation and setting an ever richer theoretical framework to rely on. However, given the short time given for this research, we will settle for what was seen as some of the most useful works with which to begin with. The ethos and habitus of policy implementation networks After contemplating some of the most prominent and recent concepts and theories on policy implementation networks and having touched on the subject of context, we now proceed to further the discussion on the latter beginning with seminal works on bureaucracy, the original ethos of public policy making and an aspect of the context which policy networks can be found. After that it will be discussed the idea of habitus as conceived by Tocqueville on his work about the associational ability of North Americans in the United States of his times. Beginning with the former, Max Webber interpreted the bureaucratic organisation by using terms such as money economy (for its existence), but also stability and rigidity as forming the ‘mechanised bureaucratic apparatus’ while emphasising its ‘technical superiority over every other form’. (1978:345-50) In parallel to contemporary public administration systems, the bureaucratic systems conceived by Weber had similar reasons to evolve and proliferate, being the always increasing complexity in administration, pressure from interested parties for social policy and willingness by the state to increase efficiency while reducing transaction costs. Still according to Weber, authority and hierarchy are also essential to the universe occupied by the public office. However, networked systems, although still embedded in bureaucracy, being hierarchy its essence, would not posses the same strictness and uniformity. As we have seen earlier, this is not to say that todayâ⠂¬â„¢s public administration cannot achieve stability through ways other than hierarchy. (O’Toole and Meier 1999) However, it is well known that Weber came from a rather theoretical perspective, which is the opposite of Peter Blau’s (1963) case, whom has written an entire book on the American bureaucratic system as a result of his ethnographical work in the 1950s. For Blau, this type of social organisation could not be defined merely through hypotheses, but was rather the subject of empirical investigation. Moreover, he opted to see bureaucracy as an orchestrated effort of public officials to ‘transform exceptional problems into routine duties of experts’. (Hughes 1951, cf. Blau, 1963:251) In fact, Blau acknowledges that the bureaucratic system in Germany during Weber’s times were very different from the same system on Blau’s times, especially if we consider they also refer to different countries, hence of different cultures. Even if we accept that expertise, or specialism, has been the raison d’à ªtre of public administration (again, for transaction cost reduction and efficiency’s sake), social interaction among servants are always changing and recurrent cooperation among workmates and just not friends would help contribute to the emergence of the new ethos of policy implementation networks. (Blau 1963:259; Bozer 1997) Therefore, one can hypothesise that repeated social interaction among individuals within the same group or organisation will lead to cooperative behaviour and as Bozer (1997) has inferred, such interactions combined with the notion of good communication

Hamlets Procrastination :: William Shakespeare Hamlet

"To be or not to be", is Hamlet's most famous quotation. Hamlet is the protagonist of Shakespeare's. His father, king Hamlet, killed by his own brother, Claudius, then Claudius marries king Hamlet's wife, Gertrude, and won the kingship. Prince Hamlet who suffers from Oedipal Complex, felling in love with his own mother and considering father as a rival to his love, can't make his mind whether to kill his uncle and take his father's revenge or not. And ask this question from himself, because in one hand he knows that if he kill Claudius, his companions will kill him, in other hand his father's ghost appears to him and ask him to kill Claudius. He was in a dilemma. Hamlet's tragic flaw is his procrastination, Hamlet procrastinated only because of his fear of intimacy with his mother, he knows that Claudius was the only person separating him and Gertrude. Now this question would come to our mind that why does Shakespeare give so much prominence to the delay without clearly presenting th e reason for it? James k. Lowers in his Tragic Heroes argues that "Shakespeare's tragedy is a work of surpassing interest and genius, and the tragic hero is universally attractive and fascinating" (12). We must keep two things in mind. First, Shakespeare makes it clear that Hamlet is acutely aware of a delay. Second, Shakespeare also makes it clear that Hamlet himself is not sure why he delays. At the end of the eighteenth century, Goethe in Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship proposed that Shakespeare means, in Hamlet, to "represent the effects of a great action laid upon a soul unfit for the performance of it"(152). Hamlet is not sure about ghost?s says, he wants to reveal the fact, and prove his father's innocence, because his ghost said to him that Claudius kill him to gain king ship and his queen. From the religious point of view we can consider him as a religious man, we can disgust that he put off taking revenge, because in Christianity taking revenge is forbidden. He put off killing his uncle 3times as Jesus was put off 3times for crucifixion. At the beginning of the twentieth century, A. C. Bradley proposed another reason for the delay in his Shakespearean Tragedy Bradley argued that ?Hamlet's delay is the result of a melancholic state of mind, brought on by the death of his father and the hasty remarriage of his mother.

The Lost Iago in Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Othello essays

The Lost Iago in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s Othello the sinister nature of the ancient casts a pall of uneasiness over the narrative of the play. How can the evil influence of one character be so pervasive? Let us in this essay probe his character and find answers to our questions.    In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne exposes Iago’s inability to praise women when Desdemona asks him how he would do it:    Iago’s worry that he cannot do what Desdemona asks implies that his dispraise of women was candid and easily produced, while the praise requires labour and inspiration from a source beyond himself. His insufficiency is more surprising because elsewhere in the play Iago appears as a master rhetorician, but as Bloch explains, ‘the misogynistic writer uses rhetoric as a means of renouncing it, and, by extension, woman.’ (163)    First of all, Iago’s very words paint him for what he is. Robert Di Yanni in â€Å"Character Revealed Through Dialogue† states that the evil antagonist reveals his character quite plainly through his speech:    Iago’s language reveals his coarseness; he crudely reduces sexual love to animal copulation. It also shows his ability to make things happen: he has infuriated Brabantio. The remainder of the scene shows the consequences of his speech, its power to inspire action. Iago is thus revealed as both an instigator and a man of crude sensibilities. (123)    And looking within Iago for the cause can yield the answer that the ancient is psychologically sick. In Shakespeare’s Four Giants Blanche Coles comments on the mental illness that appears to afflict the despicable Iago:    When such old time critics as H. N. Hudson, who wrote ne... ...o: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from â€Å"The Noble Moor.† British Academy Lectures, no. 9, 1955.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.

Green Engineering

Date 11/17/11 | | Name: Manuel Tejada Activity: Sustainable Architectural Design Course: Materials and Processes (CD220) Instructor: Paul Debashis Green engineering is a much-needed approach to transform existing engineering disciplines and practices to those that promote sustainability. The concept of sustainability is to develop and implement technologically and economically viable products, processes, and systems that meet the needs of humanity, while protecting the environment.Green engineering is governed by the following principles: Use the least amount of energy to achieve any given task. Generate as much energy as possible using renewable resources. Generate the least amount of pollutants and by-products during energy generation. Use renewable and biodegradable materials to a maximum extent for building structures and fabricating products. Reduce waste during construction and fabrication. Design structures and products to maximize their life spans and minimize maintenance.De sign for easy deconstruction and facilitate the reuse of components and materials from obsolete structures and products in new construction and fabrication. Make the least impact on the environment. The obvious question is: Why are these principles not followed? The answer is: Because of economics, convenience, ignorance, and affluence, with economics playing the major role. For example, thermal power plants are still a more economical source for electrical energy compared to solar energy.However, the depletion of raw materials and the cost of controlling pollution and by-products are resulting in a steady increase in the cost of electricity produced by thermal power plants. This, in combination with the improved efficiency of solar cells, is making solar cells a viable alternative. In the area of energy production, the fraction of energy produced by renewable resources is still very small. The popular sources are coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear. Hydroelectric power plants are a long-standing renewable source.The growing sources of energy production are solar and wind. Fossil fuels generate carbon dioxide and large amounts of residues, such as fly ash and bottom ash. Philosophically, most of the energy we are using came from the Sun. For example, coal, oil, oil shale, and tar sand were produced over millions of years from forest growth. If we could harness solar radiation, then most of the world's energy needs could be met. To achieve this, the efficiency of solar cells has to be increased considerably.It is estimated that the Sun provides about 120 quadrillion watts of energy daily, while worldwide consumption is about 13. 5 trillion watts per year. In the next paragraph I will present the proposed of solar panels for a small business in Dominican Republic (Karina supermarket), which spends about 2160 kwh every month (0, 35 usd/kwh) $ 756 us monthly. For this project we are going to use solar panel that contains 4 cells, and each of them can produce 0. 45 volts and 100 milliamps, or 45 milliwatts. Each cell measures 2 inches by 0. 5 inches.In other words, with these solar cells you can generate 45 milliwatts in one square inch (6. 45 square cm). For the sake of discussion, let's assume that a panel can generate 70 milliwatts per square inch. To calculate how many square inches of solar panel you need for a Supermarket, I need to know: * How much power the supermarket consumes on average. * Where the supermarket is located (so you can calculate mean solar days, average rainfall, etc. ). This question is possible to answer because I have the specific location in mind.Considering that in the tropics the days are longer and the sun shines more. We'll assume that on an average day the solar panels generate their maximum power for 6 hours. Now we are going to do some calculation of how much solar electricity I need to power this supermarket. This means that what I would be powering with solar electricity are things like the refrigerator, the lights, the computer, the TV, stereo equipment, motors in things like furnace fans and the washer, etc. Let's say that all of those things average out to 3000 watts on average.Over the course of 24 hours, you need 3000 watts * 24 hours = 72,000 watt-hours per day. From our calculations and assumptions above, we know that a solar panel can generate 70 milliwatts per square inch * 5 hours = 350 milliwatt hours per day. Therefore you need about 205,000 square inches of solar panel for the supermarket. That's about 5 solar panel that measures about 285 square feet each one (about 26 square meters). The cost for each unit, including battery bank and installation $16,000-$20,000 us. Now we are going to compare the annual cost of both system solar panel Vs regular energy.Solar Panel Total energy peer year: (2160kwh/m) (12m) = 25,920kwh/y Total installation cost: (5panel) (20,000us) = $100,000us Total cost kwh: Total cost/Total energy peer year = $3. 858 us/kwh Regular energy Total ener gy peer year: (2160kwh/m) (12m) = 25,920kwh/y Total Cost: (25,920 kwh/y) (0, 35 usd/kwh) = $9,072 us Assume no change in the cost of the electricity and base in the calculation, this system will likely pay off in about 11 years. The average lifetime of solar panels is 40 years, so your investment will reap about 3 times the initial cost.

Equality & Diversity Level 2 – As3

NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 3: Working or Learning in a Place that Promotes Diversity 1. In relation to your chosen workplace / place of learning, provide examples of policies / codes of conduct that encourage and / or protect equality and diversity. My chosen workplace to study place a lot of emphasis on complying with Equality and Diversity, they not only have a comprehensive policy setting out their aims and what they wish to achieve with the implementation of the Policy but they have extensive Codes of Conduct for staff and partners to follow.Their policy sets out what they wish to achieve, examples being:- The firm are committed to developing a culture which values and respects people from all section of the community and the contribution each individual can make to the work of the firm. The firm aims to ensure equality and diversity objectives are incorporated and become an integral part of governance, management and the duties of every employee. The Policy also goes on to provide definitions for staff of different types of discrimination, explaining in very detailed terms exactly what the firm feels falls into each category, these include:- Bullying & Harassment ? Dignity ? Prejudice Further, the Policy also provides how a complaint is dealt with, by whom and the timescales involved. In terms of the Codes of Conduct every employee is provided with a copy that they must read and retain. The company have implemented a system whereby the final page is signed by the employee and returned to the Equality & Diversity representative so that the company has a record that everyone has seen and read the document. The Code of Conduct sets out:- Also read: Equality & DiversityUnder Awareness – Staff will be tolerant of individuals needs and cultural differences, help; to provide a pleasant working environment,. Have empathy, support and understandings for individual needs and cultural differences, be receptive and adaptable to change, be professional when deal with clients, colleagues and third parties, respect confidentiality, respect the feelings of others and do not stereotype, make assumptions or pre-judge based on someone’s appearance or culture.Further staff will not discriminate directly or indirectly against someone’s age, gender, sexuality, religion, race, special needs or culture. Under Accessibility – staff will respect, understand and meet the needs of different cultural beliefs, be adjustable and adaptable, be aware of your language (both verbal and body) when you are dealing with clients and colleagues, be aware of different meanings according to culture and to offer help with commun ication and translation (braille, audio or interpreter).The Codes of Conduct have further headings with similar statements including policy and Support to assist staff in fully understanding the entire policy and it definitions. 2. In relation to your chosen workplace / place of learning, describe what is expected of members of staff who have specific responsibility for equality and diversity. Include information about their job titles and describe their responsibilities. In my chosen workplace there are two members of staff are responsible for ensuring our Equality & Diversity Policy / Code of Conduct are complied with.This role is covered by a Senior Partner and the Office Manager (terms Equality and Diversity Representatives by the firm) who ensure that the Policy / Code of Conduct is up to date and that they are up to date on the Law / Regulations including Law updates, case Law and advances in enforcing Policies. Should there be a breach of the Policy either the Partner or Offi ce Manager are responsible for ensuring this is investigated fully and fairly on behalf of either staff members or clients whom feel a potential breach may have occurred.They are also responsible for providing all staff with on-going training either via conferences in the office, outsourced conferences or memo based updates. 3. Describe what is broadly expected of all staff in relation to equality and diversity. All staff are expected to treat everyone appropriately regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion, sexual orientation or marital status. They also expect that all staff engage in developing a culture which values and respects people from all sections of the community and the contribution that each individual can make to the workings of a firm.All staff are further expected to have a good awareness of the Code of Conduct and abide by the same throughout their role, specifically expecting all staff to be tolerant, provide a pleasant working enviro nment, be receptive and professional, respect others feeling and confidentiality and not to stereotype or pre-judge. All staff are expected to make themselves aware of the Policy and adhere to it at all times to ensure that each and every aspect of the firm complies with Equality and Diversity to the highest possible standard.All staff are also expected to ensure that breaches or potential breaches are brought to the Partnerships attention quickly so that investigations can be put into place. 4. Based on the work you have done in Question 1 – 3, write a short summary of what you have discovered in terms of the organisation’s work on equality and diversity. Within my workplace the Equality and Diversity Policy / Code of Conduct is thought of as pivotal to the firm. Great pride is taken in the fact the firm have such a comprehensive regulation system and great care is taken by the Partners to ensure that at every opportunity Equality and Diversity is considered.The compa ny have a Equality and Diversity Board , including partners, staff representatives and external service providers, who meet once a month and discuss any issues that may have been raised, whether these be complaints, alleged breaches or simply comments from individuals with regards the Policy (wording etc) or any other issues. The minutes from the meetings are published and a copy placed in a centralised folder with additional copies being sent to all staff via email so that everyone can be kept up to date.Furthermore periodically quizzes are sent round to staff (including partners) with ten questions asking for multiple choice answers to be completed. The Equality and Diversity Representatives make this fun by awarding prizes to the winners but if somebody fails to grasp the quiz additional fact sheets and work is undertaken with that person to ensure the Representatives are confident they appreciate what Equality and Diversity is and why it is held in such high regard at the office . 5. Describe how equality and diversity is monitored within your chosen place of work / learning.The staff with conduct of the Equality & Diversity Policy in the office (Partner and office manager) monitor equality and diversity. They are responsible for monitoring Recruitment and selection processes, promotion and transfer, training, terms and conditions of employment, work live balance policy, grievance and disciplinary procedures, resignations, redundancies and dismissals. Furthermore reviews of the policies are conducted regularly with the help of external experts who ensure that the policies incorporate the most up to date Law and Case law to ensure proper compliance. 6.Prepare a short report on how your chosen place of work / study promotes (communicates) policies and practices for equality and diversity to employees and external stakeholders (such as customers and the community). Provide specific examples. The company has many ways in which it tells external people of the eq uality and diversity policy. It is included in the firm’s website under a separate tab which explains in general terms our policy, advising those who read that we run in accordance with the policy and confirming that a full copy of the policy is available should they wish to read it, free of charge on request.Furthermore our Twitter and Facebook accounts give general information but if the policy changes or is affected by any legal changes these are specifically documented via updates. Internally quizzes are held to help staff keep updated and also regularly memos or training seminars (by internal and external agencies) are also conducted. 7. Describe the organisation’s punishments or sanctions for any breach in the policies / codes of practice / guidelines where equality and diversity are concerned.Individuals are expected to report all incidents of harassment, bulling or discrimination to their head of department, staff partner or manger. In return the company promis e to ensure all complaints are dealt with confidentially and with sensitivity ensuring that investigations are swift and discreet. Anybody who is found to have been acting in contravention to the Code of Conduct or policies or any member of staff that allows a breach to go ahead by turning a blind eye or encouraging the same will face formal disciplinary action.The firm has several outcomes for an investigation via disciplinary action. If a complaint is upheld the offender will be sat down and confidentially spoken to about their conduct and told the behaviour will stop. This will be recorded but taken no further so long as there is no repeat. The second step could be mediation where the offender and victim with a natural member of staff are given the opportunity to sit and discuss the matter. If they do not want to do this face to face a letter exchange will be agreed and monitored.Again the process will be recorded and documented. If the above steps cannot be completed or the brea ch is too serious formal disciplinary procedures will commence in line with the companies normal disciplinary procedures. This takes the form of a disciplinary meeting whereby the offender can put forward mitigation or defence and then the disciplinary partner will decide the next course of action – this can be verbal warning, written warning, suspension or dismissal – again depending on the seriousness of the breach and / or the offenders past disciplinary record.Throughout all of the above the victim is kept informed and the victim can ask that a certain procedure be undertaken – ie: if they do not want a fuss they can ask that instead of disciplinary a warning is given to the person or they can refuse to undertake mediation because they are concerned it will not work or has not worked in the past. If the complaint is not upheld a meeting will be had with offender and victim individually to advise them of the reasons why and the outcome confirmed in writing to them.As in all disciplinary matters if either party is unhappy with the outcome grievance procedures can be commenced, this being done by requesting the same within 21 days of the formal decision. 8. Describe why the creation and maintenance of an environment that promotes and ensures equality and diversity is desirable. Describe the advantages for the organisation and provide examples. The advantage for ensuring Equality and Diversity are complied with within an organisation in the most basic sense is a better place to work.It builds a fairer environment for both staff and the public whereby they know that their views and rights, no matter their personal circumstances, will be dealt with properly and without prejudice. Ensuring prejudice does not â€Å"creep in† to a workplace is essential as prejudice breeds discontent and can cause severe upset to individuals or groups of people. The workplace has people from any cultural and economic backgrounds and therefore enforcing g ood equality and diversity practices means that a happy and social workplace develops. . Describe the consequences for your chosen organisation of failing to create and maintain a diverse and equal environment. You should consider aspects such as: †¢ Legal †¢ Economic †¢ Social Should the employer not create and maintain a proper Policy / Code of Conduct the consequences can be far reaching. A firm known to not comply with any policy could lose clients or professional contacts as they do not wish to engage with a firm that does not comply with Equality and Diversity.This could mean lost revenue and it could also mean that filling staffing positions is harder as people may be cautious of working for someone who would not support them if their rights were breached. Again legally a firm could be pursued via employment law and sued if a complaint via the tribunal was upheld whereby somebodies rights were breached or could be breached and there were no safeguards to protec t them.

Fast food †Hamburger Essay

Fast food can be defined as any food that contributes little or no nutrient value to the diet, but instead provides excess calories and fat. Nowadays, there are millions of fast food restaurants in the world that offers their costumers plenty of different meals with a special price. Fast food can be a good way to save time ,but it is not the proper way for nutrition. Researchers found that eating fast food meals more than twice a week was associated with double the risk of abnormal glucose metabolism. Also, those products cause a great gain in weight and may cause many heart diseases. Burgers, French-fries, soft drinks are just a few examples of junk food. Fast food refer to any poor nutrition food that is easily prepared. Fast food may includes chips, hot pies ,pasties, sandwiches, burgers, croissants, kebabs, pizzas, chicken, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks. ORIGIN OF FAST-FOOD The ‘fast’ in fast food is there for a reason. It is designed to serve the customer as quickly as possible. In order to do this, fast foods are highly processed with standardized ingredients, cooking and production methods. History Indian fast food The fast food industry in India has evolved with the changing lifestyles of the young Indian population. The sheer variety of gastronomic preferences across the regions, hereditary or acquired, has brought about different modules across the country. Popular formats of fast food business in India have the following features in common: * Wide opening on the road side * Easy to maintain and durable decor * A cash counter where food coupons are sold * A food delivery counter which invariably is granite topped. Additional counters for Ice Creams, Chaats, Beverages etc. * A well fitted kitchen located so as to be visible to the customers * Tall tables, usually of stainless steel, where one can eat while standing * A drinking water fountain adorned with a water filter * Rust-proof and non-breakable crockery Food courts Another concept of fast food that is becoming popular is that of Food Courts. It is like putting together a number of Darshinis serving different cuisines under one roof. Here also one has to purchase coupons and collect the food from one of the several counters. Each one of these counters serves specific variety of food and may be owned by different individuals or caterers. Food Courts are normally located on much bigger premises and may provide seating facility in addition to the stand and eat arrangement. Typically one entrepreneur owns or takes on lease the entire premises and promotes the place under one name. He then lets out individual counters to different independent operators to offer different menu. Internal competition is avoided by not allowing more than one counter to offer similar food. Several international fast food chains like Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s and Barista Coffee have their outlets in major cities. Cafe Coffee Day, again a brainchild of Bangalore based businessman, is the only Indian chain which boasts of hundreds of outlets and is present across India. But then it is classified more as a coffee shop than a fast food place. Varieties of food offered The kind of food they offer as of date could be just anything and everything. Preference of the local population and the location of the outlet influence the menu more than anything else. Some of the popular dishes offered at Indian fast food outlets are: (Most preferred in Mumbai city) 1] vada pav 2] dosa 3]samosa 4] pav bhaji 5] chat: pani puri, ragda pattice, bhel etc. 6] sandwich 7] pizza 8] burger & chips 9]Frankie & rolls 10] hot dogs etc.. Disadvantages of Fast Food Although it is convenient, fast and tasty, the many disadvantages of fast food should discourage people from indulging in eating this type of fare on a regular basis. Unfortunately, marketers target the youngest of the population, enticing our next generation to eat unhealthy with dire consequences ahead of them. Fast food is a relatively new interference in our dietary habits, having only been popular for about the past 60 years. Coinciding with the rising popularity of the automobile, fast food restaurants are believed to have originated in California to take advantage of a growing population of mobile individuals. The preface of the industry was a sound one, and a plethora of businesses offering a diverse assortment of foods served quickly and with few frills soon emerged across the United States. The main principle behind fast food is that the food is served fast, hence the name. Eating on the run has become a familiar and all too convenient course in the busy lives of people in the United States. Whether the food is hamburgers, chicken, pizza, Mexican fare, fish or salads, there is generally something on the menu for each member of the family for a fraction of the cost of preparing it homemade. Added to these attributes is the fact that this food does indeed taste delicious. The disadvantages of fast food, however, greatly outnumber the convenience, availability and speed of the fare; especially when the indulgence for the food occurs on a regular basis. Fat is probably the number one issue with fast food products. Considering the fact that the average human should have no more than 65 grams of fat each day, choosing a value meal at a fast food restaurant that includes a large hamburger, a large order of French fries and a beverage which combined contains at least 63 grams of fat is an obviously unhealthy choice for a meal. Unless each of the remaining two meals consumed that day were totally lacking in fat, these numbers would soon add up to extra unwanted pounds. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a fish or chicken sandwich would be a better choice, even though these foods are touted as being healthy. Many of the fish and chicken offerings at a fast food restaurant have a higher fat content than is found in a hamburger purchased at the same joint when breaded and fried. The calories consumed in a fast food meal are equally as damaging to our health. Unless our energy output is greater than the calories we take in, our weight begins to edge up the scale. As excess fat accumulates on our frames, it begins to take a toll on our heart, blood pressure and blood sugar. Most kids need only 2,000 calories per day, while adults require even less. Yet just one fast food hamburger can carry up to 750 calories, not to mention the French fries which carry at least another 350 calories. More and more children are beginning their lives obese because of poor food choices and lack of exercise. Another disadvantage of fast food is the breakdown of family life. A family together in the kitchen, preparing dinner, is an opportunity to bond and communicate. Eating on the run means less time spent around the dinner table, where the day’s experiences are shared with other members of the family. Fast food is certainly an occasional fun treat, and there are healthy menu choices. Sadly, too many people visit too often, with unwholesome results and bad habits setting the stage for health disasters for our young people. What is fast food and why is it so popular? Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and usually inexpensive. You can buy fast food just about anywhere that sells food and snacks. Vending machines, drive-thru restaurants, and 24 hour convenience stores are probably the most common places to find fast food. It’s so popular because for under $5. 00 you can usually get a filling meal. However, fast food is inexpensive because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat, refined grains, and added sugar and fats, instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

My Personalized Nutrition and Exercise Plan Essay

My current health problem that I am experiencing is my weight problem. I weigh one hundred and ninety pounds. I am unhappy about it and I also cannot afford to buy new pants due to my big size. A lot of the women and a few of the men in my family do suffer from being overweight or obese. Currently I am not obese but I am overweight for my age and height. I am five foot four and my healthy weight is between one hundred thirty pounds and one hundred forty pounds. Being overweight has affected me by lowering my self esteem and has pushed me into a weird sort of depression. Being down and depressed in not who I am and not someone I want to be. Making healthy choices now and changing my situation will help me greatly with not only my physical health but also my mental. Today’s insurance companies are not realizing that mental health is just as important as physical health. My realistic nutrition plan for me is very simple. Stop eating junk foods and stop drinking soda. Discontinuing the consuming of soda is not a hard thing for me to do as long as I get some caffeine throughout the day. In the morning I leave earlier for work so I can pick up a coffee and a blue berry muffin from a coffee house. Then for lunch at work I eat fruit and drinking juice or water. I work in a grocery store, so it is easy for me to find and obtain healthy foods and drinks, but it is also very tempting to grab that candy bar at the check-out. For dinner it varies since then I am at home, but I watch that I only eat once and I do not for back for seconds. The motivation for me not to grab that candy bar or any other truly unhealthy food, is that I am simply tired of being overweight. Motivation was a hard thing for me to do since I do not have a problem with what individuals think of me. I have already started this diet and I have already lost some weight, since it is simple it works for me and I do not have the feeling that I am getting stressed out by what I cannot have. My recommended amount of calories for me to consume a day going by my age and sex, is between 1,600 and 2,200 calories a day depending on my level of activity. My realistic exercise plan includes doing two sets of ten crunches and running on my elliptical for ten minutes. At work I break down our deliveries which can be a hard task depending on how heavy the boxes are. When we get a typically truck there are usually about one hundred fifty pieces on it. Half that is lunch meat, a quarter of it is meat that comes in already packaged and the other quarter is the meat that the butchers cut up for steaks and roasts. I cannot lift the boxes that come for the butchers but I do lift all the other stuff. Lunch meat consists of taking a box off the pallet and putting it on a cart. Do that about fifty times and that feels just like a workout, so I do feel like I do get exercise at work as well as at home. That may seem small and not a lot of exercise, but I am out of shape and I lose interest very quickly with working out. So this is a way where I am baby stepping my way into it and it does not take a lot out of me. When I do not feel strain from doing those exercises then I will increase my number of sets and I will run five minutes more. According to the mypyramid plan, I am in good standing with my work out plan. It is not an aggressive one but it works for and I am seeing results. When I feel like I can push myself I do try to do more. My goals for achieving my weight loss and a more healthy lifestyle is by eliminating foods that are basically junk, like chips, candy, greasy fast food, and soda. That alone is not enough because I also have to begin consuming foods that are healthy. I already love fruits and some vegetables, so switching to those foods will be easy. Instead of snacking on some chips I can get some baby carrots and snack on those. Another healthy switch that I make is instead of going to the deli at my work and getting fried chicken I go to produce and get a fruit cup, and I avoid the bakery. Beginning to eat healthy is not very difficult for me since I do like many healthy foods, stopping eating the junk is hard for me. I am getting my daily fruit servings at work and at home by eating fruit cups which are low in calorie, and I also keep some bananas and oranges in my kitchen. So my four goals for my nutrition is to make sure that I do not eat junk regularly, that I keep track of my calories and that I keep in mind what my goals are. Goal one, to make sure I eat my daily recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. My actions to make sure I reach that goal everyday is to eat a fruit cup at work and when I get home eat a piece of fruit. To make sure that I get my servings of vegetables is to make a can or corn or green beans ith my dinner, if I want to snack then eat some baby carrots. Goal two, make sure to eat breakfast. Breakfast is the first meal of the day and it is also what starts your metabolism for the day as well. When you do not eat breakfast the slower your metabolism works throughout the day. On days I have to work I stop by a coffee house and grab a blueberry muffin and a coffee for my breakfast and when I do not I eat two bowls of cereal for my breakfast. Goal three, to make sure I do active things at home and that I do cave to my cravings for junk food. I put those two together under one goal because I can balance it better that way. Whenever I crave junk food I get up and do something to take my mind off of it. Clean the house or run a couple minutes to get it off my mind. It is a great plan since my house stays clean and I get to expel some energy. Goal four, to not look at the scale more than twice a week. This goal my seem weird and off since I am trying to lose weight and be healthy. I find that because I am trying hard to lose weight that looking at the scale everyday would be what I should do, but if I look at it and I do not see what I think I should see I may lose motivation. Losing motivation to stay healthy and lose weight would very bad since I am overweight as it is, being one hundred eighty seven and I am a short five foot four. On to the setbacks or any hang-ups that might come along. I find that I do love chocolate and my cravings go nuts around the female time of the month. What I can do to help avoid the craziness is to make sure that I buy one pint of ice cream and that is all I have to make it last the week. Since the servings for one of those is typically run between 2-4 servings I will not eat way too much of it and probably only consume half a serving or less. I know that is cheating on my diet, but I feel like I would talk myself into binging and that would be worst than spreading out a couple servings of ice cream over the week. The one main motivation that I have for keeping true to my goals is that I simply cannot afford my bad habits anymore. Funny how that can be, but I cannot afford to keep buying new wardrobe every time I gain some weight. Clothes are expensive and I work a miminum paying job, so I find it difficult to have to keep paying a lot of money for things I cannot afford. My other motivator is that I am tired that when I climb the stairs I get winded, and since those stairs are to my apartment I am reminded every day. So I have every day reminders when I get to the top of the stairs tired or when I cannot get my jeans to fit right. I am not someone who is looking to lose some vanity pounds and I am also not looking to have a perfectly flat stomach, I am simply looking to slim down a bit and look healthy. How I will judge success is by how my body feels, I have been on my diet for a week know and I have already lost four pounds, before I wrote this paper I was already doing what I said for about a week. During that week I lost four pounds bring me down from one hundred ninety one pounds to the one eighty seven that I am now. The potential risks of me conintuing on the path that I was the next step, obesity. With mainly my fat being around my middle that increases my chances of having heart problems, high blood pressure, and many other awful problems that were avoidable if they were caused by me being obese. Since I am not conditioning or heavily exercising, I could keep this plan through my age with changing a few things depending how my health is through my life. When I grow older I will have to make sure that I get more calcium due to the fact that when I age my bones will be just as old and will need help and assistance in keeping their strength. Making sure I am getting enough fiber to keep my digestion, since I have noticed in my family we develop digestion issues, but usually everyone has digestion problems and their metabolism starts to slow down when we age. The changes in the weather will slightly affect my exercise plan more than anything. During the summer I can go swimming and take walks more often. The winter is so cold and that takes away both swimming and walking outside. Since I am starting my exercise and diet plan in the winter I will not be strayed due to the fact that I have to remain inside all of a sudden. I started doing my diet and my exercise plan during the winter. I am more active during the warmer months so that will help when it comes to me staying healthy and keep the calories burning. The only thing I see stopping me from keeping the weigh off is if I become pregnant, which I do want very badly. If I become pregnant I will have to increase my calorie intake to about 2,800 to help keep me and the baby healthy. Increasing the amounts of food I eat does not mean I get to eat whatever I want to have. Increasing the healthy foods I eat will help me staying on track with my diet and also give the baby healthy sustenance. Being pregnant will affect my exercise plan, instead of running on the elliptical I will take walks and instead of crunches I will focus more on dancing lightly. When I imputed dancing lightly in the mypyramid plan it was the activity that I did that burned the most calories and it is the one that would affect the baby less.

Davy Crockett essays

Davy Crockett essays In this biography I will be discussing the life of David Crockett also known as Davy Crockett. Im going to be talking about his birth in the Tennessee Mountains all the way to his death in the Alamo war. Crockett was the fifth of nine children and the fifth son born to John and Rebecca Hawkins Crockett. The Crocketts were a self-sufficient, independent family. Crockett was born August 17, 1786 in a small cabin on the banks of the Nolichucky River, near the mouth of Limestone Creek in Tennessee. Growing up Davy lived a rough childhood as his dad failed at being a farmer, a mill operator, and storekeeper. Their Crockett family then fell in debt and Davy was forced to work. His father put him at work driving cattle to Virginia when he was 12 years old. When the summer came that year Davy was enrolled in school, he spent 5 day in school then got in a fight with one of the school boys and he played hooky for several weeks later. Later on his father found out about his hooky playing and Davy got scared and ran away to escape punishment by father. This "strategic withdrawal," as Crockett called it, lasted 2Â ½ years while he worked as a wagoner and day laborer and at odd jobs to support himself. When he returned home in 1802 he had grown so much that his family did not recognize him at first. When they did, he found that all was forgiven. Davy was now fifteen years old and approaching six feet in height. In those days a boy either worked for his father or turned over his pay if he worked for others. His father then had Davy work for some of the men that his father owed money too. He was to work on a farm for the men at what ever they needed done. He often borrowed his employer's rifle and soon became en expert marksman. From his wages he bought new clothes, a horse and a rifle of his own. He began to take part in the local shooting contests. At these contests the prices often were quarters of ...

Giving Directions in Chinese

Giving Directions in Chinese Some of the most important vocabulary to prepare before going to a Mandarin-speaking country is phrases and words for asking directions. Especially when traveling through a Mandarin-speaking country, you will need to be able to ask for and understand directions. Here is a quick crash-course in understanding directions in Chinese including a vocabulary list and sample practice dialogues. This Mandarin Chinese lesson comes complete with audio files to help you with your pronunciation.  Audio files are marked with ââ€" º Turn è ½â€° (traditional form) / è ½ ¬ (simplified form) ââ€" º zhuÇŽn: turnÃ¥ ¾â‚¬ ââ€" ºwng:  toward Right / Left / Straight Ã¥  ³Ã‚  Ã¢â€" ºyà ²u: rightÃ¥ · ¦ ââ€" ºzuÇ’: leftÃ¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥  ³Ã¨ ½â€° / Ã¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥  ³Ã¨ ½ ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€" ºwng yà ²u zhun: turn rightÃ¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥ · ¦Ã¨ ½â€° / Ã¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥ · ¦Ã‚  Ã¨ ½ ¬ ââ€" ºwng zuÇ’ zhun: turn left ä ¸â‚¬Ã§â€º ´ ââ€" ºyÄ « zhà ­: straight aheadç› ´ ââ€" ºzhà ­: continuouslyä ¸â‚¬Ã§â€º ´Ã¨ µ ° ââ€" ºyÄ « zhà ­ zÇ’u: go straight aheadç› ´Ã¨ µ ° ââ€" ºzhà ­ zÇ’u: go straight ahead Status åˆ ° ââ€" ºdo: go to / reachedÃ¥ ¿ «Ã¥Ë† °Ã¤ ºâ€  ââ€" ºkui do le: almost arrivedÃ¥ Å" ââ€" ºtà ­ng: stopåˆ °Ã¤ ºâ€  ââ€" ºdo le: have arrivedÃ¥ ¥ ½ ââ€" ºhÇŽo: okayÃ¥ ¥ ½Ã§Å¡â€ž ââ€" ºhÇŽo de: okay Landmarks ç ´â€¦Ã§ ¶  Ã§â€¡Ë† / ç º ¢Ã§ » ¿Ã§  ¯ ââ€" ºhà ³ng lÇÅ" dÄ“ng: traffic lightè · ¯Ã¥  £ ââ€" ºlà ¹ kÇ’u: intersectionå… ¬Ã¥Å"’ / å… ¬Ã¥â€º ­ ââ€" ºgÃ… ng yun: public parkç  «Ã¨ »Å Ã§ «â„¢ / ç  «Ã¨ ½ ¦Ã§ «â„¢Ã‚  Ã¢â€" ºhuÇ’ chÄ“ zhn: train stationè »Å Ã§ «â„¢ / è ½ ¦Ã§ «â„¢ ââ€" ºchÄ“ zhn: bus stationæâ€"…é ¤ ¨ ââ€" ºlÇš guÇŽn: hotel Example Dialogue 1 è «â€¹Ã¥â€¢ Ã¤ ½  Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã© â€œÃ§  «Ã¨ »Å Ã§ «â„¢Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥â€œ ªÃ¥â€¦â€™(traditional form)è ¯ ·Ã©â€" ®Ã¤ ½  Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã© â€œÃ§  «Ã¨ ½ ¦Ã§ «â„¢Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥â€œ ªÃ¥â€ž ¿(simplified form)QÇ ng wà ¨n, nÇ  zhÄ « do huÇ’ chÄ“ zhn  zi nÇŽer?Excuse me, do you know where the train station is? çŸ ¥Ã© â€œÃ£â‚¬â€šÃ¤ ¸â‚¬Ã§â€º ´Ã¨ µ °Ã¥Ë† °Ã¤ ºâ€ Ã¨ · ¯Ã¥  £Ã¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥  ³Ã¨ ½â€°Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ§â€º ´Ã¨ µ °Ã§ ¶â€œÃ© Å½Ã¥â€¦ ¬Ã¥Å"’ç„ ¶Ã¥ ¾Å'Ã¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥ · ¦Ã¨ ½â€°Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ§  «Ã¨ »Å Ã§ «â„¢Ã¥ ° ±Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©â€š £Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ§Å¸ ¥Ã© â€œÃ£â‚¬â€šÃ¤ ¸â‚¬Ã§â€º ´Ã¨ µ °Ã¥Ë† °Ã¤ ºâ€ Ã¨ · ¯Ã¥  £Ã¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥  ³Ã¨ ½ ¬Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ§â€º ´Ã¨ µ °Ã§ » Ã¨ ¿â€¡Ã¥â€¦ ¬Ã¥â€º ­Ã§â€ž ¶Ã¥ Å½Ã¥ ¾â‚¬Ã¥ · ¦Ã¨ ½ ¬Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ§  «Ã¨ ½ ¦Ã§ «â„¢Ã¥ ° ±Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©â€š £Ã£â‚¬â€šZhÄ « do. YÄ « zhà ­ zÇ’u, do le là ¹ kÇ’u wÇŽng yà ²u zhuÇŽn. Zhà ­ zÇ’u jÄ «ng guà ² gÃ… ng yun, rn hà ²u wÇŽng zuÇ’ zhuÇŽn. HuÇ’ chÄ“ zhn jià ¹ zi n.I know. Go straight and turn right at the junction. Go straight through the park and turn left. The train station is right there. Example Dialogue 2 我å · ²Ã§ ¶â€œÃ¥Å" ¨Ã¦â€"…é ¤ ¨Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¤ ½  Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥â€œ ªÃ¨ £ ¡Ã¥â€¢Å Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥ · ²Ã§ » Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¦â€"…é ¦â€ Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¤ ½  Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥â€œ ªÃ©â€¡Å'å•ŠWÇ’ yÇ  jÄ «ng zi lÇš guÇŽn. NÇ  zi nÇŽ lÇ  a?Im already at the hotel. Where are you? 我åÅ" ¨Ã§ ´â€¦Ã§ ¶  Ã§â€¡Ë†Ã¥ Å"ä ºâ€ Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã¤ ¹â€¦Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¨ ¦ Ã¥Ë† °Ã¤ ºâ€ Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥Å" ¨Ã§ º ¢Ã§ » ¿Ã§  ¯Ã¥ Å"ä ºâ€ Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã¤ ¹â€¦Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¨ ¦ Ã¥Ë† °Ã¤ ºâ€ Ã£â‚¬â€šWÇ’ zi hà ³ng lÇÅ" dÄ“ng tà ­ng le hÄ›n jiÇ”, kui yo do le.I have been waiting for the traffic light for a long time, almost there. Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã£â‚¬â€šHÇŽo.Okay.

How to Write a Body Paragraph of an Essay - Paperell.com

How to Write a Body Paragraph of an Essay How To Write A Body Paragraph Of An Essay: Guidelines And Example What Is A Body Paragraph Of Essay?Although people engage in writing this sort of texts regularly, starting from the elementary school, not everyone has a clear understanding of how it should be written even when they are in college or university. This is due to some specific requirements that it has. One of the main issues with writing such a task, is associated with writing its body, which is the main part of any essay. It consists of a topic sentence, other supporting sentences, and the conclusion – each of these parts has its own meaning and should be emphasized well to create a proper paragraph for the body of an essay. Each idea that you present in your essay should have its own body paragraphs. You should also make transitions between them to move logically to other paragraphs because it helps you to develop a good structure of the whole essay. You can read examples of other papers to learn how to write it. Each student can download samples of academic papers with a spec ific subject to understand how to write a sentence in an appropriate format and create a body paragraph of the essay based on its topic. If you learn to write such fragments of your paper, it will be easier for you to write more and more complex and difficult papers. That is why the understanding of the paragraph structure is crucial for your further learning. If you don’t know how to work on this part of a paper, you can order an essay online and get the result you need. You should know your topic and all the requirements before making such orders.Writing A Body Paragraph Accordingly To RequirementsThe process of writing this fragment should start from its planning. You should define the main parts of your paragraph and then write each of these parts as needed. You can write less or more sentences, depending on how crucial is this fragment for your essay. The body paragraph structure consists of the main point, supporting sentences, and transitions to the thesis statement an d other parts of a paper. This is a simple structure that you can use in different papers. The main point is the sentence that describes the idea and your position about it, this sentence should clarify what you are going to tell and present your thesis in an understandable way. Supporting sentences should provide evidence, facts, and explanations for your thesis. They let readers learn your position better and get arguments that convince them. You can write many supporting sentences if needed. In a conclusion of a paragraph of an essay, emphasize the significance of previous sentences, you are also able to make transitions to your thesis or other parts of your paper if it is necessary. This section example will help you to write a body paragraph and make it interesting for your readers. After taking a look at it, you will have an idea of how it should look. Make sure you understand the meaning of each part to make the section logically consistent and readable. You should also check if you have any requirements given by an instructor for the size and structure of these elements. It will be helpful if you are going to buy custom assignment or write it in very short terms.Useful Tips On Writing Body ParagraphsStart with reading an essay paragraph example. Read as many samples as you can to understand the proper structure and formatting. It is recommended to read essays that are similar to your assignment and have the common subject of research. Check that each idea is represented in its own section because it’s hard to explain two or more ideas in a paragraph so you should write more sections if needed. It helps to make your paper much easier for readers. You need to arrange your thesis, evidence, and thoughts to the usual body paragraph outline. You should not only present your evidence. You also need to explain it and show its connection to the main idea and thesis. You should also show the significance of presented information in the context of your re search, it helps to convince readers that your paper has the meaning bigger than they thought. It is also recommended to read the text after writing. If you think that specific parts don’t sound right and don’t make logical transitions, you should work more to make them more readable and understandable. You should also learn to work with other parts of an essay. Present figures and tables if needed, make quotes to credible sources and cite the sources that support your theory. Each section of your paper should be written properly. It should include an essay introduction, table of contents, the main body, list of references, additional sections, results of your research, and all other chapters.Essay Body Paragraph ExampleIn the first book of Harry Potter saga, the portrayal of Hagrid character by J. K. Rowling can be misleading for many readers. His initial confrontation with the protagonist is rather scary because readers don’t know the true personality of Hagri d at that moment. The description of the long hair and wild, tangled beard of Hagrid may convince readers that it is an evil character of the story. What does it mean? Readers of the book start thinking that Hagrid is rather a frightening person and it will grow as the book continues. Readers see it from a point of view of Harry, who is anxious when meeting Hagrid with no information on the true personality of this character. This initial description is contrasted much by a true character of Hagrid. In the following chapters, readers understand that Hagrid is a good man that helps Dumbledore and main characters in their efforts to do things right. It shows that the initial appearance can be misleading. We don’t have to judge a person by it. Our attitude towards different characters can change much with each following chapter. It works not only for this children saga but also for other literature, movies, and series.

Blue Velvet - Film review essays

Blue Velvet - Film review essays I have to admit that Blue Velvet was my first Lynch film. Having watched his Twin Peaks television series however, I was vaguely familiar with his style and penchant for weirdness. The film did indeed live up to the wierd stereotype. What starts of as a typical story of tragedy in a small town family sinks, first slowly, then quickly into a web of corruption, sexual deceit and murder. In the end the only conclusion that I could draw was that Lynch is trying to show that even the picture perfect idealism of small town America has a hidden air of depravity and malevolence to it. I thought the mis-en-scene was very purposeful. Lynch uses various background colors to enhance the displayed mood or demeanor of a particular character (for example -the stark blues and purples in Dorothy Vallens room). I also liked the eccentric way in which Lynch zooms in on a colony of seemingly voracious insects to create a symbolic parallel to the twisted reality he creates in the rustic community of Lumberton. Where I feel the movie succeeds is in its usage of random quirkiness that sends the viewers on hopelessly unexpected, and confounding tangents. I found this very refreshing, for it reminded of how blinkered I have become in terms of the expectations I have and the assumptions I make about a particular story. The entire series of interactions between Jeffrey and Sandy are irrelevant, yet delightfully compelling to the viewer. The actors emotions ran the gamut from the tacit, to the cliched, to the deranged. Dennis Hopper is the dramatic standout; he casts a scary image even while kissing another man. . Kyle Maclachlan goes overboard in his attempt to appear spaced out and quirky. On the whole, i admire "Blue Velvet" for its originality and aesthetic originality. But, it also has the tendency to push its creative boundaries to ludicrous extremes on occasion. ...

Slash and Burn Agriculture Explanation

Slash and Burn Agriculture Explanation Slash and burn agriculture is the process of cutting down the vegetation in a particular plot of land, setting fire to the remaining foliage, and using the ashes to provide nutrients to the soil for the  use of planting food crops. The cleared area following slash and burn, also known as swidden, is used for a relatively short period of time, and then left alone for a longer period of time so that vegetation can grow again. For this reason, this type of agriculture is also known as shifting cultivation. Steps to Slash and Burn Generally, the following steps are taken in slash and burn agriculture: Prepare the field by cutting down vegetation; plants that provide food or timber may be left standing.The downed vegetation is allowed to dry until just before the rainiest part of the year to ensure an effective burn.The plot of land is burned to remove vegetation, drive away pests, and provide a burst of nutrients for planting.Planting is done directly in the ashes left after the burn. Cultivation (the preparation of land for planting crops) on the plot is done for a few years  until the fertility of the formerly burned land is reduced. The plot is left alone for longer than it was cultivated, sometimes up to 10 or more years, to allow wild vegetation to grow on the plot of land. When vegetation has grown again, the slash and burn process may be repeated. Geography of Slash and Burn Agriculture Slash and burn agriculture is most often practiced in places where open land for farming is not readily available because of dense vegetation. These regions include central Africa, northern South America, and Southeast Asia. Such farming is typically done within grasslands and rainforests. Slash and burn is a method of agriculture primarily used by tribal communities for subsistence farming (farming to survive). Humans have practiced this method for about 12,000 years, ever since the transition known as the Neolithic Revolution- the time when humans stopped hunting and gathering and started to stay put and grow crops. Today, between 200 and 500 million people use slash and burn agriculture, roughly 7% of the world’s population. When done properly, slash and burn agriculture provides communities with a source of food and income. Slash and burn allows people to farm in places where it usually is not possible because of dense vegetation, soil infertility, low soil nutrient content, uncontrollable pests, or other reasons. Negative Aspects of Slash and Burn Many critics claim that slash and burn agriculture contributes to a number of persistent environmental problems. They include: Deforestation: When practiced by large populations, or when fields are not given sufficient time for vegetation to grow back, there is a temporary or permanent loss of forest cover.Erosion: When fields are slashed, burned, and cultivated next to each other in rapid succession, roots and temporary water storages are lost and unable to prevent nutrients from leaving the area permanently.Nutrient Loss: For the same reasons, fields may gradually lose the fertility they once had. The result may be desertification, a situation in which land becomes infertile and unable to support the growth of any kind.Biodiversity Loss: When plots of land area are cleared, the various plants and animals that lived there are swept away. If a particular area is the only one that holds a particular species, slashing and burning could result in extinction for that species. Because slash and burn agriculture is often practiced in tropical regions where biodiversity is extremely high, endangerment and extinctio n may be magnified. The negative aspects above are interconnected, and when one happens, typically another happens also. These issues may come about because of irresponsible practices of slash and burn agriculture by large numbers of people. Knowledge of the ecosystem of the area and agricultural skills may provide ways to practice slash and burn agriculture in restorative, sustainable ways.

Take Time to Wrap Up the School Year in 3 Steps

Take Time to Wrap Up the School Year in 3 Steps By the time any school year winds down to a close, the last thing any teacher wants to think about is the next school year. Unfortunately, the end of the school year is also when a teacher has the most information about how to make the transition into September much smoother. So, how to make the best use of this information? Teachers should try to spend time -a few hours on each of the following categories- at the end of this year because time invested now  could yield positive results in the next school year. #1. Spend Time Cleaning Up and Cleaning Out Before a teacher leaves for the school year, he or she could take a picture of the room (maybe from several angles) and post these pictures on the bulletin board for the custodial staff to see. This will make sure the room is organized and ready for students in the next school year.   Teachers should box supplies and clearly labels them so materials can be located quickly.( NOTE: Painters tape is more easily removed than other kinds of masking tape if furniture is marked.) In cleaning out, teachers and staff should follow the following guidelines: Remove the materials that were not used this year.Go through files and purge what is outdated. Remove  items that are irrelevant Remove saved items that â€Å"might†¦Ã¢â‚¬  be used. Do not keep those unused items inherited from teachers who came before...and do not feel guilty. #2. Spend Time Reflecting on Goals: If the teacher evaluation program (EX: Danielson or Marzano) has a self-reflection requirement, then much of this effort is already done. A teachers self-reflection can help him or her to focus on what areas might need attention in the next school year. If there is no self-reflection, teachers can still review the following questions in order to draft a goal or set of goals for the coming school year: How can I improve on writing this same or a similar goal for next year?What new ways could I use to measure this same goal or a new goal?Can I use different groups to make growth more visible?What could be the next step after meeting this goal?What single factor was most helpful with my goal this past year?What single factor caused problems with meeting my goal this past year?How can I improve my use of time in meeting a future goal? #3. Spend Time on Preparing Special Events Teachers can do a little pre-planning during the summer to alleviate the stress of planning special events (field trips or guest visits-in person or virtually) for students during the school year. Contacting locations or guest speakers in advance of the school year will help provide the school office personnel the time to plan for logistical support (transportation, permission slips, substitutes, video chats) well in advance, especially when the school calendar is being created. Special events are what students remember about the school year, and a little planning in advance can make the effort for all stakeholders worthwhile. In spending a few hours at the end of the school year on each of the three suggestions above, teachers can leverage their experiences of this past school year in order to make positive steps towards making the next school year experience even better.