Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Nutrition - Essay Example Based on what the experts say about it, nutrition therefore is not just a mere concept, but it has significant value associated with it that could aid in the measurement of the nation’s well-being of its people. It is a concept that could provide value and elaborately depict the social and political aspects of a nation. For instance, it could help gauge the level of food distribution in both advanced and impoverished countries based on their economic and political considerations. It could also depict the prevailing socio-cultural trend and value of food in a nation. Thus, nutrition is something that does not only involve the basic or vital nutrients of the food, but on other significant issues associated with the country’s social, political and economic growth and development (Cullather 338). In other words, what the experts are simply saying about nutrition is something tantamount to understanding the wellbeing of individuals and their nations. In the case of Nick Cullather and his article â€Å"The Foreign Policy of the Calorie†, the said author responds to the traditional view of looking at the concept of nutrition. By incorporating the idea about â€Å"calorie†, Cullather gains enough amount of evidence to suggest how nutrition may be used to potentially understand and gauge the nation’s administration and distribution of foods. In other words, he is responding to how hunger can be potentially quantified. On the other hand, C. Gopalan and Bani Tamber Aeri with their article â€Å"Strategies to Combat Under-Nutrition† are not actually focusing on the measurement of the country’s level of under-nutrition, but instead on creating essential strategies to help fight the problem with insufficient food supply with the right nutrition to every table. Thus, these experts respond to the prevailing problems about food hunger and food quality in the world and in finding ways on how to

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Internet and the Human Society Essay Example for Free

The Internet and the Human Society Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The growing developments that technology and communications have taken so far have been an essential part of the growing system of technological applications. Along with the technological advancements, the social living of humans also is further enhanced. Both economic and social lifestyles were advancing but there was no rest in incurring the best possible progress that the developers of technological systems wanted. With the introduction of computers to the society, the easier way of living and completing everyday tasks has become a trend for many industrial workers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With the introduction of the computer technology to the human society during the 19th Century, the works or the tasks of people have been further created with ease. With the implementation of computer systems within the existing systems of completion for human tasks, the jobs of people, which can be merged with technological arrangements, were enhanced to becoming easily completed. Today, 95% of the whole population of man all around the world utilizes the computer systems for their everyday application. Even ordinary appliances are now compiled with complex operating systems based upon computer arrangements to be able to meet the best possible performance that they could render the human society. (Tanenbaum, 2006, 15)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, even more complex role is played by the application of operating systems in the daily dealings of people has been introduced. With the development of the communication systems such as the internet, learning from home, using top of the art facilities and technologies became possible for many students who cannot attend universities because of some unavoidable circumstances. Through the existence of the emerging technological innovation on communication and information transfer, everything became possible and available through the Internet. As of the present situation, there are still other innovations that have been affected by the developing Operating Systems. The world trade systems has become more easy for the traders since the Internet systems allow them to connect with others easily and effectively transact with their business partners abroad. (Tanenbaum, 2006, 19)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The introduction of the Internet systems to the world has been noted as one of the most successful breakthroughs that has been attempted, pursued and now fulfilled by the merging of science and technology in increasing the capability of human communication in connecting people together from a worldwide perspective. Years before the said introduction, people simply depended on snail mails and telephone calls to be able to communicate with their loved ones abroad. It could also be remembered that people who had lesser financial resource also have lesser chances of actually meeting foreign friends. Now, all those situations have already changed. The connection of people to people actually managed to step forward to the next level. Most likely enough, the situation of connecting humans from the different parts of the world has already been revolutionized through the development and continuous advancement of the Internet Systems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, the entire human systems now mostly depend on the said global connection. Economic and political arrangements are now much more effectively done through the adaptation of the said systems with the arrangements of the Internet instituted within the said human engagements. Overall, seeing the said progress on the positive side would actually suggest the fact that internet arrangements have actually brought the whole human society into the new age of communication and information burst out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, seeing the balance of the said technological and communication system, it could be noted that the other side of the coin suggests the opposite of the Internet’s positive effects on the human community. There exists several informations that are not necessary to be known by the human society yet they are much accessible for the society such as pornography and fraud. Primarily, fraud actually is noted as one of the most impacting disadvantage of the internet towards the human society. Certainly, there is a certainty that makes this particular act [fraud], a matter of attention among the different sectors of the society. The said fraudulent scams actually made the possibility that at least half of the population in the human community believe that there is a reason that internet systems may not be that advisable for constant and easy public access as some of its systems only victimize technology-fearful individuals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is the very reason why it is important to understand how the said fraudulent scams actually affects the development of the people in the human communities. It is certain then that these scams should be identified and modified as well to be able to meet the needs of recognizing which kind of procedures are needed to be able to treat this particular disadvantage brought about by the said scams. Internet and the Human Community   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Humanity has always been in constant and insatiable quest for learning and scientific knowledge to use for the betterment and development of their present lives. All the scientific innovations that have been discovered in their quest are then applied in practical usage thus creating the technological advancement system in the humanity. Thus, this new trend of technological development has been created continuously improving the lifestyles and practical processes in the society in almost every aspects of living. However, one social dilemma has been encountered in the course of integrating computing technology in the common practices in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The digital divide is mainly the problem arising from the incorporation of computing technology to the society due to the unequal distribution of technology’s access in the public.   Because of this problem, some parts of the society are being left out causing social stratification, technological illiteracy, and unequally distribution of information. If the present society really desires to improve the lifestyles of the public as a whole, the problem of digital divide must be properly addressed thus ending the said division in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the problem of digital division brought about by unequal access to computing technology post threats to the progress and development of the society as a whole, government and other technological corporation have already started programs and projects to address this dilemma. From their studies and researches, they have determined that to make technology virtually accessible for the public in every level, they must create two major social movements. First, is that they must create community-oriented programs which will promote opportunities for easier access for the public. In addition, this design solution will make technology access truly inclusive by eliminating social and cultural diversity such as lack of education and media illiteracy. Second is that, community technology models must also be created to be use by local public groups to strengthen neighborhoods, educate youth, promote economic development, connect individuals to the social and economic life of the community, and increase participation in civil society (Ba, 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, continuance of the application of these concepts is being hindered by great social and cultural obstacles. Some of these hindrances are the inadequate technology infrastructure in the society, which includes geographical problems regarding the coverage of the technology scope and the limited acquisition ability of the local public for the technology and hardware because of its cost. Another is the cultural barriers regarding the worldwide scope of computing technology thus limiting the access of some of the culture groups to the general technology network. Nevertheless, technology is flexible and adaptable thus it can be adjusted to better suit the needs of even the smallest social groups for technology to be made accustomed to their specific needs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, computing technology has many advantages and benefits many for the betterment and advancement of the lifestyles and practical processes in the society making it very much valuable for the public. For the public to benefit for this technology, it must be made generally accessible for every people who wish to incorporate the computing technology in his or her lives. The end the dilemma of digital division, technology must be made to be suitable adaptable for the society for it to be able to bridge the gap across the humanity. The Computer and Internet systems that affect the Commercial Developments Spamming in the electronic world is defined to be the abusive and detrimental use of the electronic messaging system. This malicious act has been considered at the present to be a form of violation and an illegal act because of its adverse effects to the electronic media mainly in the massive network in the internet. At the present, many nations have already passing bills and legislation to illegalize this electronic action and large software companies have been developing anti-spam programs to combat and prevent the surge of this unwanted action. However, the number of spammers around the globe is still increasing and the influences of their actions are still being felt in the internet world thus slowing down the efficiency of the electronic processes within the internet society. The problem of spam in the present has been greatly manifesting in the field of unwanted e-mails containing marketing and publication propagandas of profit-oriented business entity.   Flagrant abuse of electronic media is still widely surging thus, society must implement an iron-hand approach in dealing with spammers to halt down their business. Spamming has been an inexpedient act in the electronic world flagrantly using and hacking any available information in the web. This act is originally been created as a form of propagating business thus making it as a form of marketing for commercial entities. In the said aspect, the general theme of spam media is to communicate commercial advertisements and propagandas to attract consumers however, this ideal nature is being crafted away in the present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Presently, spam now is becoming an obnoxious way of selling and pushing commercialism way to consumers in the electronic world. In ethical aspect, unsolicited or unwanted emails need not to be pushed through anymore however, abusive people still continues to strongly implement this approach thus harming already the electronic world of media in the internet. Large Internet Service Providers are already expressing resentment against this form of marketing because it is already abusive in its form and it is slowing down the information trafficking system in the web. Unwanted mails and solicitations should not be implemented anymore but it is still repetitively done by internet spammers thus wasting significant internet resources on the process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another unethical aspect of internet spamming   is that the people who practice this approach results to illegal hacking for them to acquire the personal information of their victims.   Because of this, spammers worldwide have indeed questioned the security integrity and reliability in the internet. Another is that electronic spamming have also becomes a tool for the promotion illegal business transactions such as fraud businesses and money scams. With the use of the spamming network, practitioner of illegal acts have acquired significant electronic capabilities to enticed more victims   in the present. Because of these reasons, spamming has become an illegal and wrongful act affecting the world of electronic media in harmful manner thus, a strong response must be implemented to satisfactorily address this problem. Recently, Microsoft has apprehended the Scott Richter, the self-proclaimed spam king in the web for his illegal act of hacking people’s personal information and sending out unwanted and unsolicited emails of all nature to them continuously.   Because of this, it has been determined that the actions of Richter have wasted internet companies significant electronic resources and consumer’s money on fraudulent and fake businesses. Thus, to ensure a satisfactory solution for this problem, the electronic corporations have aimed removing the ability and resources of their apprehended spammers to halt their illegal activities. Indeed, the present electronic society has been implementing an iron-hand approach in dealing with internet spammers whose activities have affected the internet world in a negative aspect. Aside from spamming, there are also other systems of internet fraud that actually serve as a dilemma in the Internet servicing industries. The said systems of fraudulent scams include: (a)Pharming and Phishing These terms are based from the agricultural terms â€Å"farming† and Fishing†. However the process of the said internet computing actually involves an engineered system in redirecting the surfers into fraudulent sites that actually serve as swindling sites that make users pay or either their computer systems be infected by several computer viruses. (b)Vishing It is the technological process that makes it possible for hackers to attain personal informations of several internet surfers. This then results to identification stealing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These major processes of internet fraudulent systems actually affect the views of the people with regards the developing systems of the communication technology hence resulting to other’s fear of the said internet progress in the human society. Many among the modern population are then hesitant to try the said modernized approach of technological communications. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   True, internet has revolutionized the different systems within the human society. The impact of the said worldwide connection has actually made it possible for humans to reconnect with each other through a simple click of a button. Certainly, many would agree that people and their lives have been advanced towards massive progress through the said technological and communication innovations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, the disadvantages of the said systems actually count as important as the advantages. Most of the time, the fraudulent systems that are presented to the society actually affects an amiable number of the human population in becoming fearful with the said innovative designs prompted by the internet. It should then be noted that these fraudulent systems simply brings about problems only when people have lesser acts towards the precautions that they know they have to take into consideration whenever they are using the internet. References: Deitel, Harvey M.; Deitel, Paul; Choffnes, David (2004). Operating Systems. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-182827-4. Silberschatz, Abraham; Galvin, Peter Baer; Gagne, Greg (2004). Operating System Concepts. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. ISBN 0-471-69466-5. Tanenbaum, Andrew S.; Woodhull, Albert S. (2006). Operating Systems. Design and Implementation. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-142938-8. Piazza, Peter. Filtering out problems: e-mail spam and scams often infuriate corporate computer users. A surprisingly easy and effective solution, however, is the e-mail clients filter feature. Security Management. American Society for Industrial Security. Volume 46, Issue 9, page 36. September 1, 2002. PlanetMagpie. Learn More About Spam. PlanetMagpie. 2006. http://www.planetmagpie.com/support/spam-info.aspx. December 8, 2006. Wikipedia. Spam (Electronic). Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_%28electronic%29. December 8, 2006. Wilson, Jamie Johnson, Bobbie.   He sent 38 billion emails and called himself the Spam King. Then Bill Gates went after him. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. August 11, 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1546744,00.html. December 8, 2006. Ba, Harouna. What is the Digital Divide? The Digital Divide. Volume 1, Number 2. http://tcla.gseis.ucla.edu/divide/politics/ba.html. 2001. Reeves, Byron Nass, Clifford. The Media Equation: How People Treat Computers, Television, and New Media Like Real People and Places. Cambridge University Press. New York, NY, USA. 1996. Warschauer, Mark. Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide. The MIT Press. 2004.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Tunnel Vision In Reading :: essays research papers

Reading involves translating symbols and letters into words or sentences. Anderson defines reading as a process of constructing meaning from a written text. We indulge in reading for many different purposes, be it survival, leisure or occupational. In a way, reading serves as a kind communication between the writer and the reader. The writer encodes what he or she wishes to convey while the reader decodes according to his or her own perception. Johnson quotes â€Å"A young man should read five hours in a day, and so may acquire a great deal of knowledge.† However, there as several problems which hinders the reading process, one of them being ‘tunnel vision’. This is a condition experienced by most readers especially beginners. This is because they lack ‘non visual information’ when trying to digest certain texts. Non visual information is what is stored in the brain, prior knowledge or specific information which will enable the brain to associate with whatever is received through the eyes thus bringing comprehension to the reader’s mind when reading a text. The inability of the brain to use this information due the over-load of visual information, will cause it to take more time to make decisions on what are seen. For example, a student unfamiliar with certain words in a purposely distorted text may have to take a few seconds longer to recognize them rather than familiar words which only require a single glance. Tunnel vision also occurs when readers are asked to read texts that are written in a language they do not know or a writing system they can’t discern. As there is no non-visual information what so ever in that particular language and writing system, they will not be able to read the text, let alone understand it. For example, a Malay student will have a serious problem if requested to read a passage in Russian! There are also cases when texts written in readers’ first language fails to enlightened them. This is because they have no prior knowledge on the ideas or facts written. A student majoring in Arts will have problem comprehending a text written on Chemical Engineering and vice versa. This inevitably causes ‘tunnel vision’ to resurface. They could go on reading till the last page of the text without understanding the content. Tunnel vision slows down the reading process, as readers are unable to identify or interpret any part of the text.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Mental Health Court Essay

Mental health courts are a resource given to prisoners who would normally be put in prison if they had not decided to join this special program. Mental health court is a court run program by the district attorney’s office in some counties. This program is based off of traditional court room structure but is also paired with community services. Mental health courts solve a lot of different problems within our criminal justice system. The first problem it solves is the systematic problem that we have with putting seriously mentally ill offenders in prison instead of putting them in a mental hospital or going through a mental health court program to help them deal with their illness. This gives the offenders the ability to learn how to handle their illness and stay on track to getting their life back together (Thompson, M., Osher, F., & Tomasini-Joshi, D. ,2008). People who work in the mental health court systems take the time out of their day to really take a critical look at th e issues that offenders with mental illnesses face in the criminal justice system. They help craft new ways to deal with these offenders for example with some people you need a more hands on approach in their treatment program and a soft guiding hand, but with other individuals you need to have a firmer no nonsense approach to make them realize that this is not a game but rather an opportunity to get their life back together. The mental health court really gives offenders the ability to work on major mental illnesses while working on taking care of legal issues. This is a very important step in the criminal justice system, because many individuals only committed these crimes due to the fact that they were off their medication at the time the crime occurred (Thompson, M., Osher, F., & Tomasini-Joshi, D. 2008). Mental health courts are very similar to a drug court that you would see. Mental health courts are more of a relaxed dynamic compared to your traditional court room setting. Mental health courts typically meet once a week on a specific day and at a specific ti me. Before the mental health court the case worker, probation officer, judge, and many other people apart of the mental health court process meet to discuss each individual before they see them that day. They spend this time making decisions on what to do with certain individuals who aren’t complying with the terms and also how to keep encouraging everyone who is doing a great job in the program. Mental health court is defiantly more of an encouraging environment for offenders than a traditional court room setting. You have a lot of people who truly want to rehabilitate these offenders and give all their effort to do so. Mental health court is a program that is voluntary. Offenders must opt-in to mental health court to receive the treatment that he/she wants to receive. Some places give the offender the ability to observe the mental health court process while they decide if they want to participate. Although many apply for mental health court not all are accepted into this pr ogram. In order to be accepted into mental health court you have to have had an evaluation with a psychiatrist and have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Every court varies and because of the extensive amount of disorders in the DSM which as of this year is now 800 pages long not every disorder is accepted as the right diagnosis for mental health court. While I am talking about this section I am going to use York County as an example for what is expected of someone in mental health court and what diagnostic criteria you have to meet. To be accepted into the York County mental health court you must meet the diagnostic criteria which means you must be diagnosed with a major Axis I diagnosis, which includes disorders like Bipolar Disorders, Major Depressive Disorders, and Schizophrenia. PTSD is usually only excepted when you are a veteran and then you would not go into the mental health court but into the veteran’s court that they offer. Other disorders besides these can sometimes be acceptable but they have to come with substantial evidence that it impaired their judgment. At York County an exclusion from the mental health court would be if you had any previous charges they are not resolved in other states. Not every charge is allowed to enter into mental health court some examples of that are murder, any sexual charge, any violent offense (example aggravated assault), and anyone who is classified as a violent offender. Although these crimes are excluded under the conditions under certain circumstances they might allow one of these charges to enter into mental health court. Along with a list of certain circumstances to get into mental health court York County also provides a list of prohibited medications in the treatment court so people are aware of the rules before entering. The mental health court at York County has three phases for the offenders and has listed what is expected of them and what the possible sanctions if they do not follow what is required of them (York county mental health court manual, May, 2005). I stated earlier how most mental health court programs are for a yearlong and can change depending on what happens with the offender and the treatment courts position. From being able to have the opportunity to work and observe the mental health court process I learned a lot. York Counties mental health court is not like most according to the research that I found. The treatment court there is mandatory for everyone to attend for 18 months which is why there are the three phases of this program. I think that 18 months is a great reasonable time for someone to complete this program and truly get everything they need out of it. Before you enter York Counties program besides the mental diagnosis you also need to plead guilty to all the charges that have been brought up on you. It is very important for the offender before entering the program to recognize what they did was wrong and that they need to own up to what they have done. The offender has to sign many papers including the contractual agreement saying that they are committing to program for the designated 18 months and they will comply with the entire requirements or face the sanctions that are listed in the manual. Towards the end of completion offender visits become less at York County and then if they are cleared they do not have to come back till graduation day. York County took graduation very seriously because it gave the offenders a sense of accomplishment and sometimes for some of them it was the only time in their lives that they had finally finished something. I was lucky enough while interning there that I was able to go through the end part of the mental health court journey with some people and see them graduate. Overall I feel like York County likes to give an approach of a soft but firm stand point in the treatment court. Everyone who worked there was dedicated to helping the offenders live a mentally better life and stay on track after they graduate (York county mental health court manual, May, 2005). The plea structure of mental health court is very different than the typical plea agreements you see in a regular court system. When you are accepted into mental health court the prosecuting attorney will then proceed to freeze the charges that you are currently charged with. If you have been charged with a felony typically if you complete the mental health court and do everything you were supposed to do the felony will be reduced into a misdemeanor. If you have been charged with a misdemeanor they the charges against you after successful completion will then be dropped from your record (The Proliferation of Mental Health Courts). Mental health courts like I had stated earlier do not typically take violent offenders or certain charges and this is why mental health court is sometimes longer than the actual time they would have served for just the crime. The treatment time in mental health court is usually around a yea r although it can be extended for a period of two years. The court has the right to extend the treatment of the offender if they deem it to be something that is absolutely necessary for them to do in order for the offender to have the opportunity to fully get what they need out of the program. Like I had stated earlier they are required to attend mental health court often and one of the reasons for this is so the judge can monitor them along with the other court personal. Along with attending mental health court they are required to attend all other programs and meet with their probation officer on a consistent basis in order to be in compliance with terms of the treatment court. Overall if they attend what they are supposed to over time the amount of attending the treatment court will lessen towards the end of their treatment. The amount of time that the offender spends in treatment court should not go over the maximum time they would have spent in prison or on probation for their crime (Thompson, M., Osher, F., & Tomasini-Joshi, D. 2008). Mental health courts often reach out to other resources in the community to give the offenders the ability to continue on their path to recovery after the treatment court ends. They provide resources like counseling services after, group meetings to keep them on track, and job placement to keep them an active and productive member of society. All of these resources give the offenders the ability to keep on track an d give a smoother transition back into the community. I think that this is almost if not more important than the treatment court itself. So many times we see that these offenders end up recidivating because they are put back in the same situations that they were in before without any resources to keep them on track. Community resources are a really good thing that the courts do and hopefully continue to do in the future with these courts (The Proliferation of Mental Health Courts). The short term goals of mental health court would be to help offenders get into treatment for their mental illness and reduce the amount of people that we currently have incarcerated. Usually each mental health court has its own set of goals specifically designed for them but they usually fall into basically the same thing. Some of the long term goals for mental health courts is to increase the public safety by hopefully reducing the crime and recidivism rate with the offenders, to encourage treatment amo ng the mental ill community within the criminal justice system, lessening the cost on the community by using the corrections institutions, and overall improving the quality of life for the population of mentally ill people in the criminal justice system (Mental health courts a primer for policy makers and practitioners, 2008). Mental health courts have many benefits to the community and the criminal justice system. Overall in most areas they have been decently successful. Down at York County District Attorney’s Office with my experience in mental health court many people completed the program, but sometimes it really depended on the drive the own individual had to really change their life and turn it around. They contribute to the cases moving faster through the criminal justice system, help the communication between the criminal justice community and mental health communities, and help the offenders with true mental illnesses learn how to deal with them. Mental health courts have had good support from the community and funding which makes this program possible. I do believe that these courts are a great asset to the criminal justice system and help the community with mental illness. So many of the state hospitals in Pennsylvania have closed it has created a large amount of the prison population with mental illnesses not receiving the proper treatment for their disorders. I believe that mental health courts are a great way to reduce the prison population and give people who truly need those resources the opportunity to get them. Each and every county is working hard to serve the offenders the best they can in this court. The idea of treatment court has room for a tremendous amount of gro wth and I only see it becoming an even better system in the future of our criminal justice system. In conclusion from the research that I conducted I found that mental health courts that took a softer approach on their offenders and led them the right way with a gentle hand were more successful. Building relationships with the offenders during this process is just as important as them following through with the proper treatments. Holding them accountable and guiding them are two of the most important components from what I observed. Like I had stated earlier mental health courts have a bright future in our criminal system and seem to do more good for society than harm. References Mental health courts a primer for policy makers and practitioners. (2008). The Proliferation of Mental Health Courts. Center for Court Innovation. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Sept. 2013 Thompson, M., Osher, F., & Tomasini-Joshi, D. (2008).Improving responses to people with mental illnesses: The essential elements of a mental health court. What have we learned from evaluations of mental health courts?. (N.d.). York county mental health court manual . (May, 2005).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Pal Laurence Dunbar Essay

?Reflection I read the story and I learned that how the author is great writer to get readers involve deeply. He described his feelings and motives using his characters from each levels in their environment. It made me think about the discrimination through his narrative. I liked how the author made the story occurred with the daring whisper that Josh has heard. In my opinion, this kind of deep thoughts can be told to the readers in different way of writing, but how the author used this â€Å"fiction† writing made readers more involved and it was impressing for me. Pal Laurence Dunbar’s opinion about the way of the culture of Southern society has reflected on the story very well, so I was able to understand about it clearly. He mentioned the ideas through Mr. Lecker and he made an ironical believes. Intention was very real and explained very well with few words that have put between characters’ captions. I liked the part and caption how Mr. Lecker stated about Josh â€Å"usually intelligence in a slave meant discontent; but not with Josh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In my opinion, this explains the author’s real pleading opinion about the slave. I read the story and I learned that how the author is great writer to get readers involve deeply. He described his feelings and motives using his characters from each levels in their environment. It made me think about the discrimination through his narrative. I liked how the author made the story occurred with the daring whisper that Josh has heard. In my opinion, this kind of deep thoughts can be told to the readers in different way of writing, but how the author used this â€Å"fiction† writing made readers more involved and it was impressing for me. Pal Laurence Dunbar’s opinion about the way of the culture of Southern society has reflected on the story very well, so I was able to understand about it clearly. He mentioned the ideas through Mr. Lecker and he made an ironical believes. Intention was very real and explained very well with few words that have put between characters’ captions. I liked the part and caption how Mr. Lecker stated about Josh â€Å"usually intelligence in a slave meant discontent; but not with Josh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In my opinion, this explains the author’s real pleading opinion about the slave. I read the story and I learned that how the author is great writer to get readers involve deeply. He described his feelings and motives using his characters from each levels in their environment. It made me think about the discrimination through his narrative. I liked how the author made the story occurred with the daring whisper that Josh has heard. In my opinion, this kind of deep thoughts can be told to the readers in different way of writing, but how the author used this â€Å"fiction† writing made readers more involved and it was impressing for me. Pal Laurence Dunbar’s opinion about the way of the culture of Southern society has reflected on the story very well, so I was able to understand about it clearly. He mentioned the ideas through Mr. Lecker and he made an ironical believes. Intention was very real and explained very well with few words that have put between characters’ captions. I liked the part and caption how Mr. Lecker stated about Josh â€Å"usually intelligence in a slave meant discontent; but not with Josh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In my opinion, this explains the author’s real pleading opinion about the slave. I read the story and I learned that how the author is great writer to get readers involve deeply. He described his feelings and motives using his characters from each levels in their environment. It made me think about the discrimination through his narrative. I liked how the author made the story occurred with the daring whisper that Josh has heard. In my opinion, this kind of deep thoughts can be told to the readers in different way of writing, but how the author used this â€Å"fiction† writing made readers more involved and it was impressing for me. Pal Laurence Dunbar’s opinion about the way of the culture of Southern society has reflected on the story very well, so I was able to understand about it clearly. He mentioned the ideas through Mr. Lecker and he made an ironical believes. Intention was very real and explained very well with few words that have put between characters’ captions. I liked the part and caption how Mr. Lecker stated about Josh â€Å"usually intelligence in a slave meant discontent; but not with Josh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In my opinion, this explains the author’s real pleading opinion about the slave.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Managing for Sustainability

Managing for Sustainability Introduction This assignment is a critical reflection essay whose aim is to demonstrate a critical understanding of stakeholder engagement and to develop an informed interest concerning a complex sustainability issue through an experiential stakeholder engagement activity.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Managing for Sustainability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The essay is based on the production of Coal Seam Gas (CSG) in the State of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia and how stakeholder dialogue activity might be a useful tool in pursuing CSR in the CSG industry. The stakeholders include industry employees, farmers and land owners, miners (Eastern Star Gas, Santos, and Dart Energy), NSW government, environment-green and NSW local community. The essay starts by exploring the concept of corporate social responsibility based on the recent literature from various sources, then goes on to explain how the various stakeholders may team up, through dialogue to purse and enhance a sustainable corporate social responsibility. The discussion draws heavily from the stakeholder dialogue, and represents the point of view of the community members. Corporate Social Responsibility This concept is generally used to refer to the relationship between businesses and their environment. All businesses operate in social, political, economic, and natural environments. The concept therefore takes into account how businesses interact with these environments, either positively or negatively. The topic of corporate social responsibility can be broken down into four main components namely the ethical, economic, philanthropic and legal components (Aras and Crowther, 2010). The ethical component of corporate social responsibility comprises the requirements or expectations of any business by the society. Such requirements or expectations include things like doing what is just, fair and right, using the law as the basis of organizational behaviour, avoidance of questionable practices and doing business in a manner which is above the minimal requirements (McWilliams, Siegel and Wright, 2006. pp. 1–18).Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This component is one of the most crucial aspects of CSR because it influences the philosophy of corporates which determines the extent to which they engage themselves in activities which do not generate profits for them. The ethical climate in corporations constitutes adherence to principles of ethical behaviour and conduct, both within and outside the corporations. It also constitutes how corporations relate to their internal and external environments. The ethical climate therefore touches on things like working environment, safety of the employees, care and conservation of the environment and practices which promote the i nterests of the consumers like adhering to the rules of manufacturing of products and putting the correct ingredients of products during packaging as well as disclosing full details of the costs of any project implemented within a community setting (Harrison, 2007. pp.371-384). For many corporations, the ethical component of corporate social responsibility appears to be more deterministic than it is a matter of choice, that is, the ethical conduct of corporates touches on decisions which the corporates must make on how to relate with their employees, clients and the general business environment. The nature of these decisions only allows for the executives to make them (Beets, 2004.pp.193-219). What this means is that the corporate executives make decisions in a unilateral manner, without factoring in the views, interests or concerns of all relevant stakeholders. When this happens, the corporate executives conduct themselves in a biased manner, where they prioritize profits at the ex pense of safety of people (both employees and the general population) and the environment, a concept referred to as utilitarianism. In corporate ethics, utilitarianism is about considering several courses of action, considering the costs involved and choosing the course of action which produces maximum good for the maximum number of people, irrespective of the negative effects of the maximisation of the good, in this case, profits (Britannica Educational Publishing, 2011). In some cases, this utilitarian cum capitalistic line of thinking is extended to the employees, by requiring them to abide by the utilitarian philosophy or quit, a concept referred to as deontology.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Managing for Sustainability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The deontological principles require employees to perform their duties as per the given instructions, leaving no room for them to give their opinion regarding the consequences of their actions as they perform their duties. According to the utilitarian corporate chiefs, if employees do otherwise, it not only amounts to unethical conduct but also to gross misconduct, which may warrant suspension without pay (Britannica Educational Publishing, 2011). The other perspective to corporate ethics is the decision making model, which begins with clarification of the issues on which ethical decisions are to be made. After doing the clarification, what follows is the evaluation of the clarified decisions, which paves the way for arriving at a precise decision on the most appropriate course of action. The decision is then implemented with modifications coming after the implementation (Marshall, 2007). This model is more or less similar to the normative approach (utilitarianism and deontology) to ethics in that during the implementation stage, the guiding principle is mainly the maximisation of profits and minimisation of the costs. This is done mainly with a view of ensuring that the corporations realize their objectives with the use of the minimum resources possible. The decision making model, same as the normative approach exclusively involves the corporate leaders with the employees playing insignificant or no role in the same. According to Lock the Gates Alliance, Many of the corporations which deal with CSG in NSW have been operating under the influence of the normative ethics, which comprises utilitarianism and deontological approaches to corporate ethics. For instance, the production of CSG generates a lot of water as a by-product. This water is very toxic both to the human and aquatic life.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After the extraction of the CSG in form of methane, most of these corporations just transport the water by road using tankers which are not properly sealed thus leading to spillage. Once this water lands on the ground, it not only interferes with the respiratory systems of people who are near, but it also leads to permanent destruction of soil fertility (Cleary, 2011.pp.115-120). It is not that the corporates do not have the capacity and capability to dispose the water in a proper manner but what is there is that the corporate chiefs channel the funds intended for such purposes back to the business as capital, which is used to purchase more equipment, pay for labour or compensation of the displaced landowners. This is purely a utilitarian way of operation, whose sole interest is the maximisation of profits. The Lock the Gate Alliance reports indicate that the employees of most of the corporations which deal with the exploration and exploitation of CSG in NSW are not a happy lot. Thi s is because the corporates sometimes force them to work for long hours without adequate safety equipment like gloves or masks, which puts their health at stake especially due to the inhaling of the toxic fumes of the CSG. These employees are not supposed to report safety concerns, say for example the linkage of the toxic water produced after the extraction of CSG. Those who dare reporting are threatened with termination of their contracts. This is what is referred to as deontological principle of corporate ethics, which oblige employees to focus on rules and directives in their job irrespective of the effects of the rules and regulations to themselves and to the environment (Cleary, 2011.pp.115-120). The economic component of CSR comprises taking care of the interests of the shareholders, investors and customers, profit making and maximization, the minimization of the costs in undertaking the business and the formulation and implementation of strategic policies which propel busines s forward (Clarkson, 1995). Most of the corporates which deal with CSG extraction in NSW do not take care of the interests of the stakeholders, especially rural communities and farmers. According to an article written by Bronwyn Herbert of the ABC news, there is a growing discontentment by the rural farmers with the manner in which the miners, especially those interested in CSG conduct themselves. These farmers, through the NSW farmers association are now calling for the government to enact a legislation to give them veto powers to land access (Herbert, 2011).The only thing which the corporates can be given credit for is the development of policies which propel their business forward in total disregard of the interests of the stakeholders. The legal component comprises the respect and compliance of the business to laws such as environmental laws, consumer laws, laws which protect the employees, as well as the respect of contractual and warrants agreements between a business and its clients or employees (Aras and Crowther, 2010). Most of the corporations which deal with CSG extraction in NSW are not in compliant with the rules and regulations of human and environmental safety. What they do is that they sometimes collude with some law enforcing agents and get away with their gross misconduct as far as adherence to environmental rules and regulations is concerned. Finally the philanthropic component entails basically giving back to the society by the business. Businesses may do this in a variety of ways like establishing or supporting programs which directly benefit the society like health, education, and cohesion programs as well as programs which boost harmonious living of people of diverse backgrounds (Blowfield, 2005. pp. 515–524). Most of the corporates dealing with extraction of CSG are rarely involved in any acts of philanthropy. They merely use the media to make the impression that they are seriously committed in giving back to the community, but t here has never been a proper audit of what tangible activities they have undertaken on purely philanthropic grounds. In fact, majority of them treat the compensation given to the land owners as philanthropic acts, arguing that the compensations are far beyond the actual amounts which they should give. This is hypocrisy of the highest order. How stakeholder dialogue activity might be a useful tool in pursuing CSR in the CSG industry in NSW In NSW, the CSG industry is a very crucial as well as a sensitive one to the various stakeholders. It is important to mention that these various stakeholders have different interest, views and perspectives regarding the generation of petroleum using CSG. On the part of the mining companies led by Eastern Star Gas, Santos, and Dart Energy among others, their priority is maximisation of profits irrespective of the side effects of their business to the people and the environment (Daniel, David and Chris, 2010, pp. 299-312). On the part of the governme nt, its priorities may be the protection of the citizens, but it’s equally interested in the generation of revenue from the CSG industry. The land owners and the communities in general have their priorities being the protection of their health, land security and compensation issues (Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, 2009). Due to these varied interests, the conceptualization of CSR is different among these stakeholders. This calls for a dialogue among all of them, so as for them to reach a compromise position. This dialogue generated CSR should be a product of give and take, in which the stakeholders must be willing to compromise some of their passionate priorities for the sake of those of the other stakeholders (Fraser and Barrett, 2010). For instance, the mining companies must be ready to fully abide by the NSW Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991, which requires that all mining companies must disclose the full details of the nature of the mining projects and their impacts on the environment. According to the Lock the Gate Alliance, some of the companies have been reported to be applying guerrilla tactics to win the confidence of land owners and local communities in acquisition of land for exploration and exploitation of CSG (Wildcat Publishing Inc, 2009). In the dialogue, the government on its part should push for full enforcement of rules which govern the exploration and exploitation of products like CSG. It should come up with new pieces of legislation to hold the companies fully responsible for the effects of CSG on the environment and their mitigation. The government should also engage researchers to evaluate the production of CSG and come up with recommendations on whether it is economical for the State of New South Wales or not (Martin, 1986). The local communities must be informed about the mining of CSG and how it affects them. They should seek information from experts regarding the compensation issues as well as how the pr ojects may impact on their lives in terms of pollution, displacement and exposure to chronic illnesses (Standard and Poors Corporation, 1988). All these propositions can however best happen in a dialogue setting, in which all stakeholders would air their passionate concerns, which should then be analysed and harmonised to inform the corporate social responsibility for the CSG producing companies. Results from the dialogue would ensure that all the stakeholders reach a consensus on the way forward (Durie, Williams and Mcmullan, 2001). The results would also ensure that the CSR agreement arrived at is a sustainable one because it would be a result of a wide consultation of all relevant stakeholders, as opposed to the current situation, whereby CSR is defined from the perspective of the companies which produce CSG, with little or no adherence to the rules and regulations governing the health of people and environmental safety (Standard and Poors Corporation, 1988). Reference List Aras, G Crowther, D. (2010). A handbook of corporate governance and social responsibility corporate social responsibility series. Farnham GU9 7PT: Gower Publishing, Ltd. Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.(2009).The APPEA journal, Volume 40, Issue 1. California: Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. Beets, S.D.(2004). Critical Events in the Ethics of U.S. Corporation History.Journal of Business Ethics Volume 102, Number 2, pp.193-219. Blowfield, M. (2005). Corporate Social Responsibility: reinventing the meaning of development?. International Affairs. Volume 81, Issue 3, pp. 515–524, May 2005. Britannica Educational Publishing. (2011).Thinkers and Theories in Ethics. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Clarkson. M.B.E. (1995). A stakeholder frame work for analysing and evaluating corporate social responsibility. The Academy of Management Review Vol. 20, No. 1, Jan., 1995. Cleary, P. (2011).Too Much Luck: The Mining Boom and Au stralias Future. Chicago, IL: Black Inc.pp.115-120. Daniel M.F., David, B., and Chris , M.J.(2010). Managing the cumulative impacts of coal mining on regional communities and environments in Australia. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal,Volume 28, Number 4, December 2010 , pp. 299-312. Durie, R.A., Williams, D.J., and Mcmullan, P.A.(2001).Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies. Collingwood VIC 3066: Csiro Publishing. Fraser, A., and Barrett, B.(2010). ‘LNG wells threaten Murray’. Available from  https://www.aph.gov.au/ Harrison, E. (2007). Estate Planning under the Bush tax cuts. National Tax Journal, 60(3), pp.371-384. Herbert, B. (Monday, September 12, 2011). NSW farmers call for power to veto coal seam gas explorers. PM ABC News. Martin, H.(1986).Australasian coal mining practice Issue 12 of Monograph series Australasian coal mining practice. Golden, CO: Australasian Institut e of Mining and Metallurgy. Marshall, J. (2007). An Ethical Decision-Making Model. The Ethics Scoreboard, ProEthics, Ltd. McWilliams, A., Siegel, D.S., and Wright, P.M.(2006). Corporate Social Responsibility. Strategic Implications Journal of Management Studies Volume 43, Issue 1, pp. 1–18, January 2006. Standard and Poors Corporation.(1988).Standard and Poors register of corporations, directors and executives, Volume 1, Part 1. Jamestown, ND: Standard Poors Corp. Wildcat Publishing Inc.(2009).The Oil Gas Year Australia 2009. Beverly Hills, CA: wildcat publishing.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Rosa Parks

Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913,in Tuskegee,Alabama to James and Leona McCauley.At age two her family moved to Pine Level,Alabama,to live with her maternal grandparents.Her mother,a school teacher ,taught Rosa at home until age eleven when she moved to Montgomery to live with her aunt. She enrolled in a private school,the Montgomery Industrail School for Girls,where she cleaned classrooms to pay her tuition.Later she attended Booker T. Washington High School but was forced to leave to take care of her sick mother. In 1932 she married Raymond Parks, to whom she would remain married until his death in 1977.Though Raymond had very formal education, he was self-taught and supported his wife’s desire to return to school to receive her high school diploma, which she did in 1934.Mrs.Parks worked as a seamstress at a Montgomery department store in 1955.On December 1 of that year she boarded a city bus and set in a row at the front of the â€Å"colored† section.The whites only section in the front of the bus filled up and a white man was left standing. The bus driver demanded that Mrs.Parks and three other patrons in the colored section give up their seats so the white man could sit.The other three people moved but Mrs.Parks had been pushed around enough and refused to yield her seat.She was arrested when the bus driver contacted the police and filed charges against her.Four days later she was found guilty of disorderly conduct and the Montgomery bus boycott began.Over a year later the city was served with papers declaring segregation of bus bus service unconstitutional. The next day Mrs.Parks boarded a bus and for the first time was allowed to sit in any unoccupied seat.Her ordeal however was not over.She had lost her seamstress job and was unable to find work.Her family was harassed and threatened.In1957,she moved along with her mother and husband to Detroit where In 1965 she joined the s... Free Essays on Rosa Parks Free Essays on Rosa Parks Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913,in Tuskegee,Alabama to James and Leona McCauley.At age two her family moved to Pine Level,Alabama,to live with her maternal grandparents.Her mother,a school teacher ,taught Rosa at home until age eleven when she moved to Montgomery to live with her aunt. She enrolled in a private school,the Montgomery Industrail School for Girls,where she cleaned classrooms to pay her tuition.Later she attended Booker T. Washington High School but was forced to leave to take care of her sick mother. In 1932 she married Raymond Parks, to whom she would remain married until his death in 1977.Though Raymond had very formal education, he was self-taught and supported his wife’s desire to return to school to receive her high school diploma, which she did in 1934.Mrs.Parks worked as a seamstress at a Montgomery department store in 1955.On December 1 of that year she boarded a city bus and set in a row at the front of the â€Å"colored† section.The whites only section in the front of the bus filled up and a white man was left standing. The bus driver demanded that Mrs.Parks and three other patrons in the colored section give up their seats so the white man could sit.The other three people moved but Mrs.Parks had been pushed around enough and refused to yield her seat.She was arrested when the bus driver contacted the police and filed charges against her.Four days later she was found guilty of disorderly conduct and the Montgomery bus boycott began.Over a year later the city was served with papers declaring segregation of bus bus service unconstitutional. The next day Mrs.Parks boarded a bus and for the first time was allowed to sit in any unoccupied seat.Her ordeal however was not over.She had lost her seamstress job and was unable to find work.Her family was harassed and threatened.In1957,she moved along with her mother and husband to Detroit where In 1965 she joined the s... Free Essays on Rosa Parks Rosa Parks: The Great Influence â€Å"To this day I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom." (Blum. 2002, March). Rosa Parks said this in an interview in March in the year of 2002 and she has truly meant this for the past eighty-nine years she has been alive. She has truly been an influence on the creation of equality between African Americans and all other races. Through her actions in the Montgomery bus boycott (1955-1956) she was able to help bring attention to the wrong that was being done and she was able to give attention to other leaders, like Martin Luther King, Jr., who eventually had a huge influence in the African American history. Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her mother was a schoolteacher and taught her at home until the age of eleven. After home schooling, she attended Montgomery Industrial School for Girls and then Booker T. Washington High School. These schools were both for African-American students only. The way she was living her life, she became used to obeying the "blacks only" and "whites only" rules of the segregation laws. Although she obeyed them, she found them quite humiliating and very unjust. When Rosa’s little brother, Sylvester, was born, her father left them because he was cheated out of his land by a white man. Their father left them and moved to another town and Rosa, her mother, and her brother went to live with their grandparents in Pinelevel, Alabama. The farm land their grandparents owned in Pinelevel was very small, but it kept everyone fed. When Rosa came close to graduating, she dropped out. As stated in the Diversity Folde r, in 2000, Rosa was assumed to have dropped out of school in order to obtain a job. She felt as if she needed to help support her family and provide a sense of higher income for them, being that her father ... Free Essays on Rosa Parks Rosa Parks as a Hero There are heroes all around us, but only a few truly stand out as genuine saviors. There are those who came, who saw and who conquered. Only few, out of so many, can show their heroism and bravery, with only their heart and soul. There’s one lady who showed her heroic destination, by only standing up for what she believed in, her name is Rosa Parks. Rosa parks is important to our life with all the hatred, racism and segregation that keeps the human race separated. She’s a woman who helped us become one, and equal, for what she did, risked her life, but made her stronger and those around her stronger. She made people believe that the heart can accomplish anything, and in her case, freedom and non-segregation was needed. It was the year of 1956, where the Montgomery Bus Boycott was started by the actions of Rosa Parks and her fellow freedom riders. She gave momentum to the civil rights movement by refusing to give up her seat on a public bus. By not giving her seat up, our civil rights are now stronger and more loyal. Because of one simple choice, that could have been lethal, Rosa Parks was legendary for her civil disobedience. Many thought she was crazy for her actions, many thought she was startling, but she was just a tired lady, coming home from a hard days work, who needed a resting, peaceful bus ride home. Instead, she runs into conflict between the white race and their beliefs with the ‘Negroes.’ She could have stood right up, and follow her demand, just like the rest of her people, but instead she chose what many people would have never done. Rosa Parks not only stood up for herself, but for the entire black race, and that’s what makes her a true hero. A hero because she was noted for feats of courage and nobility of purpose, a hero because she was noticed for her special achievement and daring actions, a woman filled with love and belief, that one day her people would be free. If not... Free Essays on Rosa Parks Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegge, Alabama on February 4,1913. Two years later in 1915 Rosa moved to Pine Level, Alabama with her family. They lived in Rosa’s grandparents farm where there were cows, chickens, fruit, and nut trees. Also that year Rosa’s brother was born, Sylvester. Her mother Leona was a school-teacher. Her father, James McAllen was a carpenter and a house builder. He frequently moved around to find work. While Rosa was growing up she hardly saw him. During Rosa’s childhood discrimination against African Americans was strong. Black and white people was segregated. They were kept apart on streetcars, trains, parks, drinking fountains, churches, hotels, theaters, and restaurants. Even the US military was segregated. Basically in all public places blacks were judged by the color of their skin not by their character. The whites had the most advantages. One evening on December first of 1955 Rosa was sitting in the front of the colored section of a Montgomery bus, and the white section was filled, so by law Rosa had to give up her seat to a white man. But she didn’t move. The driver of the bus, James Blake said to Rosa, â€Å"Let them have those front seats.† She didn’t get up. She was tired of giving in to white people. â€Å"I’m going to have you arrested,† he told her. â€Å"You may do that,† Rosa answered. Then two white policemen came to arrest her. She asked one of the officers, â€Å"Why do you all push us around?† He answered, â€Å"I don’t know, but the law is the law and your under arrest.† She was found guilty in court. After this very important event of Rosa’s life, African Americans in Montgomery refuse to ride on public buses. They found other ways to get to where they had to go. Many walked as far as twelve miles. The bus boycott was led by Dr. Martin Luther Kin...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Pipefish Facts and Information

Pipefish Facts and Information Pipefish are slender relatives of seahorses. Description Pipefish are a very slender fish that has an amazing ability to camouflage, blending in expertly with the slender seagrasses and weeds among which it lives. They align themselves in a vertical position and sway back and forth among the grasses. Like their seahorse and seadragon relatives, pipefish have a long snout and bony rings around their body and fan-shaped tail. Rather than scales, they  have bony plates for protection. Depending on the species, pipefish can be from one to twenty-six inches in length. Some even  have the ability to change color to further blend in with their habitat. Like their seahorse and seadragon relatives, pipefish  have a fused jaw which creates a long, pipette-like snout that is used for sucking in their food.   Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Gasterosteiformes Family: Syngnathidae There are over 200 pipefish species. Here are some that are found in United States waters: Common Pipefish  (Northern pipefish)Chain PipefishDusky pipefishBay Pipefish Habitat and Distribution Pipefish live in seagrass beds, among Sargassum, and among reefs, estuaries and rivers. They are found in shallow waters up to waters over 1000 feet deep. They may move to deeper waters in the winter.   Feeding Pipefish eat tiny crustaceans, fish and fish eggs. Some (e.g.,  Janss pipefish) even set up cleaning stations to eat parasites off other fish. Reproduction Like their seahorse relatives, pipefish are ovoviviparous, but it is the male who raises the young. After a sometimes elaborate courtship ritual, females place several hundred eggs on the males brood patch or in his brood pouch (only some species have full- or half-pouches). The eggs are protected there while they incubate, before they hatch  into tiny pipefish that are miniature versions of their parents.   Conservation and Human Uses Threats to pipefish include habitat loss, coastal development, and harvesting for use in traditional medicines. References and Further Information Chesapeake Bay Program. Pipefish.   Accessed October 8, 2014. FusedJaw.  Pipefish Fact Sheet. Accessed October 28, 2014. Monterey Bay Aquarium. Bay Pipefish. Accessed October 28, 2014.Waller, G. 1996. SeaLife: A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment. Smithsonian Institution Press. 504 pp.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Cultural sensitivity and multi-generational awareness Coursework

Cultural sensitivity and multi-generational awareness - Coursework Example Multi-generational awareness on the other hand has been explained by Thinkcos (2009) to mean the situation whereby at the workplace, people of different generations, most commonly, of four different generations live and work together. In the scenario, there are three different cultures, which are African-American, Caucasian and Japanese and two broad generations, which are the old and young. Type of preceptor that would work best with each new nurse In respecting the need for cultural diversity and multigenerational differences, it is very important that the preceptors assigned to these three new nurses are people who belong to their culture and generation; understand their culture and generation; or are ready to accept their culture and generation group. Assigning the new nurses to preceptors, who are of different cultural background and generation or people who are hostile to the individual cultures and generations would create chaos and anarchy at the workplace. What is likely to motivate the nurses to do the best possible job Clearly, these new nurses will be well motivated when they are treated to warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Friday, October 18, 2019

What would you consider to be purchasings added value to company What Essay

What would you consider to be purchasings added value to company What would you consider to be purchasings core and non-core activities - Essay Example review the strategic frameworks of values added by purchasing in order to somehow provide a conceptual paradigm of factors influencing value added by the purchasing professionals. When companies spot out the considerable percentage of their budget affected by the outcomes of purchasing, the significant prospective benefits from putting into effect purchasing management, and the reality that purchasing management processes and outcomes utilize and affect the entire company, they frequently start to change their perspective of the purchasing role from that of a strategic support group to a tactical potential. The initial step companies frequently adopt toward a value-added approach to purchasing management activities is to set up quantifiable, corporate-wide purchasing management objectives that head straightforwardly to high-level corporate objectives. These objectives may emerge from benchmarking practices, internal audit, or evaluations carried out by an external consultant (Leftwich 2004). The metrics applied to monitor progress toward achieving these value-added purchasing management objectives are outcome-based, such as â€Å"total cost reduction, supplier quality improvements, or number of preferred suppliers rather than function-, process-, or tool-based metrics† (Leftwich 2004, 112) that are entirely inherent to the purchasing responsibility, such as the quantity of agreements and/or purchase orders processed annually or quantity of electronic orders. Nevertheless, only setting up objectives and determining parallel metrics alone is insufficient to jumpstart the shift to a strategic or value-based paradigm to purchasing management. The companies that have been most effective and successful in putting into effect paramount purchasing management practices also allocate tasks and liabilities for achieving the purchasing management goals, starting with high-level corporate purchasing management stakeholders (Lewis 1993). As a final step toward implementing

Greenwich Construction Ltd Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Greenwich Construction Ltd - Assignment Example Company are reviewing the types of ICT devices they should provide to their employees to enable them to maximize their effectiveness when working away from their office. Some of the devices which can be useful for the company are;Laptop: This is the basic miniature version of a desktop computer. It helps in carrying the office along and also makes working at home a lot more comfortable. With the help of networking, officials can remain in constant touch through instant messaging and emails. Laptop or Notebook (as some people prefer to call it) is generally smaller than a briefcase, which can be easily transported and conveniently used in temporary spaces such as on airplanes, in libraries, temporary offices, and at meetings. A laptop typically weighs about 5 pounds and is 3 inches or less in thickness. Companies like Greenwich Construction Ltd. can even order for bulk supplies with special requests to laptop manufacturers for adding some more company specific features on all the lapt ops. This way it gives a unique identity to the laptops. Of course it will depend on the number of laptops that are being procured. Laptop computers generally cost more than desktop computers with the same capabilities because they are more difficult to design and manufacture. A laptop can effectively be turned into a desktop computer with a 'docking station', a hardware frame that supplies connections for peripheral input/output devices such as a printer or a larger monitor. Palmtops: In its consistent urge to make gadgets smaller, the computer itself was reduced from a huge ENIAC to the small PC and then to laptop. Now we are in the age of palmtops. A palmtop is also called a Personnel Digital Assistant (PDA), a Smart Phone, or Pocket PC. It was during the late eighties that we heard about PDA. But after some initial hiccup, it has now firmly established itself in the communication world. PDA is a handheld digital organizer. In fact Personal Digital Assistant is a term for any small mobile hand held device that provides computing and information storage retrieval capabilities for personal or business use. It was in the year 1993 when its first variant 'Newton' appeared from the stable of Apple Computers Ltd. But the price tag of $700 for a complicated and not very useful product (at that time) proved to be too prohibitive for the product to become popular. It was in the year 1996 when US Robotics brought out its Pilot series with newer features that PDA s started becoming a sought after device. Calendar, notepad and address books, mobile phone with GSM technique are now common features on a PDA. Therefore now the user can; Write a memo while on the move, Use the calendar , Use it as a Personal Information Manager Jot down notes on the LCD screen from the heights of an airplane, Talk to the boss, Combine computing, telephone/fax, and networking features Send an email to other colleagues. Surf the net for useful information about the construction business or to know the latest trend the real estate market. Chat with the networked group, passing on information/ instructions to subordinates and colleagues. Transfer urgent files on the net. Can sign the important files using digital signatures with appropriate notings. Take photographs of some eye-catching building architecture for future reference To top it all the device prices are consistently coming down day by day. The range starts from as little as $150. Much like a traditional computer, PDAs consist of a display screen (the screen is usually a touch screen, and it is called a LCD display), a processor, memory, and an operating system. There is a wide range of operating systems that PDAs run on, one of the most popular being the Palm OS. Microsoft also has PDA operating system called Windows CE. While the PalmPilot is widely known because of its influence on the market, there's a wide range of PDAs for today's consumer to choose from. What is most amazing about a PDA is its low power consumption

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Current Events Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Current Events - Article Example The article further highlights that there have been other separate treaties for the EU states against the new rules. Consequently, this move bars the new treaty from utilizing some of the institutions of the Union, including the European Commission to implement and monitor the treaty. The article further highlights fears of economists and leaders that the tighter rules may limit government maneuvers in tough economic situations enforcing Germany-style fiscal discipline on countries with completely different cultures and economies. Steinhauser also points out that Ireland pose the greatest threat to the success of the treaty, especially with its decision to hold a public referendum on the ratification of the treaty on Stability, Coordination, and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (Steinhauser). From a personal point of view, the treaty is a considerate action based on the European Social model of improving working and living conditions and sustainable economic growth. Howe ver, the fact that the treaty imposes a particular form of financial discipline may be unfair, considering that the majority of the countries in the Euro Zone have different economies and cultures. The article in The Economist titled as â€Å"A Firewall Full of Holes: The Euro Zone’s Rescue Strategy Still Does Not Add Up† explores the various economic strategies adopted by the European Union to protect the region from future economic slump downs resulting from economic crisis, such as that of 2011. The article highlights the European Central Bank provision of liquidity to banks, the new Euro-Zone tough fiscal rules, the deal of bailing out Greece for the second time, and reforms in Spain and Italy. The economic â€Å"firewall† comprises of the son-to-be-introduced European Stability Mechanism, an increase in International Monetary Fund’s resources, and a permanent rescue funds scheme, all focusing on the prevention of another conflagration (The Economist) . The article highlights all these arguments as weak, with the exemption of the Long Term Financing Refinancing Operation of ECB, which essentially provides Euro Zone banks with three-year liquidity at one percent against various forms of collateral (The Economist). The article also highlights the problem associated with the plans, including the reinforcement of close links between the health of banks and their sovereign debts resulting from the LTRO. The article proposes a solid firewall plan by suggesting the embracement of a European Redemption Fund by the German Council of Economic Experts. Such a scheme would align all the debts of members of the Euro Zone at above 60% of the GDP allowing these countries to repay back in about twenty-five years. This would prove to be a credible move by G20 members, thus, enabling them to stump up cash donations for IMF resources (The Economist). At the end, the Euro Zone members will be able to create formidable defense against economic crises in the future at an affordable central-bank funds. In his article named â€Å"Economy Watch: Is the British Economy Already Back in Recession?† in This is Money Oxlade explores the economic performance of Britain after the recession predicting a possible double-dip recession. He explores past recession recovery with the current economic performa

The Children of Hammerstein Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Children of Hammerstein - Essay Example The three daughters were often grouped together and called the ‘von Hammerstein Sisters’ but the truth was that even though they had their fair share of similarities, they had their own personalities and lived different lives. The main thing they had in common was their stand against Nazism. Till the 1920s in Berlin – the years when they finally came of age – they socialized greatly be it the gymnasium, university, the social and/or political movements and so on. Once the political upheaval rose to great heights, all of them helped the victims in their own ways, not worried about the risk they were taking of their lives by opposing the Weimar Republic and later the Third Reich. Maria Luise was the oldest daughter of the five children. She opposed Hitler by joining the German Communist Party in the late 1920s. In fact, whenever her father departed from the house, she would take the opportunity to go through this safe in hopes of finding documents with import ant information on them. She even told the Soviet Union about Hitler’s political and military plans which he informed to his generals in his secret speech. This made her a traitor to her country but her father was not against it. It was during this time period also that she had a relationship with Werner Scholem but later he was shot dead. Maira Luise decided to remain in her homeland for the duration of the war. It was at some point in the 1950s that she changed her residence to the German Democratic Republic. The second daughter was Maria Theresa and she was quite an activist. She was less ideologically at risk than her sisters but she did empathize with left wing views, especially the educated middle class Jewry. She alerted the Jews if they were in danger of being deported or arrested by extracting the necessary information from her father. She would move the Jews and some Germans to Prague and helped many of the marked to hide. She also brought materials such as newspape rs to the Nazi community over there. Maria Theresa is lauded for saving innumerable Jews from extermination. She got married to a Jewish man in 1934. They travelled to Palestine but had to return and were cross examined a lot of times by the Gestapo. So, they went to exile in 1935 to Japan. Over there also, she was not safe but she managed to survive and had four children. After the war was over, they shifted to the United States of America. Helga von Hammerstein, like her eldest sister Maria Luise, was part of the German Communist Party. She helped out her sister in carrying out her parts. She had a relationship with one man called Leo Roth who lived a very dangerous live and was shot in a prison in 1936. Helga, along with her mother and youngest brother, was held in captivity by the Nazis for the duration of the last weeks of the War. They were first imprisoned at Buchenwald, then at Dachau, and then at South Tyrol. They were interrogated and asked the hiding place of her brotherà ¢â‚¬â„¢s but they did not break. She remained in Germany during the length of the war. After the end of the war, they were given freedom by the Allied Forces in 1945 when they liberated the camps. Franz von Hammerstein was the first son. He was excused from the duty of working for the army due to medical reasons. He was the brother who was imprisoned and questioned by the Gestapo along with Helga and his mother. Later, he was also freed with them by the Allies. After the war

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Current Events Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Current Events - Article Example The article further highlights that there have been other separate treaties for the EU states against the new rules. Consequently, this move bars the new treaty from utilizing some of the institutions of the Union, including the European Commission to implement and monitor the treaty. The article further highlights fears of economists and leaders that the tighter rules may limit government maneuvers in tough economic situations enforcing Germany-style fiscal discipline on countries with completely different cultures and economies. Steinhauser also points out that Ireland pose the greatest threat to the success of the treaty, especially with its decision to hold a public referendum on the ratification of the treaty on Stability, Coordination, and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (Steinhauser). From a personal point of view, the treaty is a considerate action based on the European Social model of improving working and living conditions and sustainable economic growth. Howe ver, the fact that the treaty imposes a particular form of financial discipline may be unfair, considering that the majority of the countries in the Euro Zone have different economies and cultures. The article in The Economist titled as â€Å"A Firewall Full of Holes: The Euro Zone’s Rescue Strategy Still Does Not Add Up† explores the various economic strategies adopted by the European Union to protect the region from future economic slump downs resulting from economic crisis, such as that of 2011. The article highlights the European Central Bank provision of liquidity to banks, the new Euro-Zone tough fiscal rules, the deal of bailing out Greece for the second time, and reforms in Spain and Italy. The economic â€Å"firewall† comprises of the son-to-be-introduced European Stability Mechanism, an increase in International Monetary Fund’s resources, and a permanent rescue funds scheme, all focusing on the prevention of another conflagration (The Economist) . The article highlights all these arguments as weak, with the exemption of the Long Term Financing Refinancing Operation of ECB, which essentially provides Euro Zone banks with three-year liquidity at one percent against various forms of collateral (The Economist). The article also highlights the problem associated with the plans, including the reinforcement of close links between the health of banks and their sovereign debts resulting from the LTRO. The article proposes a solid firewall plan by suggesting the embracement of a European Redemption Fund by the German Council of Economic Experts. Such a scheme would align all the debts of members of the Euro Zone at above 60% of the GDP allowing these countries to repay back in about twenty-five years. This would prove to be a credible move by G20 members, thus, enabling them to stump up cash donations for IMF resources (The Economist). At the end, the Euro Zone members will be able to create formidable defense against economic crises in the future at an affordable central-bank funds. In his article named â€Å"Economy Watch: Is the British Economy Already Back in Recession?† in This is Money Oxlade explores the economic performance of Britain after the recession predicting a possible double-dip recession. He explores past recession recovery with the current economic performa

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

International strategic marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International strategic marketing - Essay Example With so many companies with plethora of products, the market is merely clattering and when to enter into this market, one must see the background, the existing pleaers and the detailed product preference. In spite of the big names like Perfetti or Nestle, the domestic compatriots are ready to give a run for the money and to optimize the market potentials one must look for an wise approach. Albeit being considered as of inferior quality, the companies like Lebanon’s Gandour, Israel’s Strauss-Elite, and Iran’s Dadash Baradar are on the helm of the affair because of their price competitiveness and the attractive get up strategy. To enter into this market and make the presence felt in a formidable manner needs a shroud market strategy orientation and proper positioning. When each and every player are hell bent in entering a thriving market, when the potential is enormous, it needs to be understand that the milieu can not be free for all type. The thriving market, the proper positioning and a forceful promotion which includes a proper background study in cross cultural environment is the need of the hour. The theories are there to contemplate the situation but in hard reality, one has to be the winner to survive. That is the order of the day and the yardstick of the rule. Back Ground The situation that leads to this hype in the market of confectioners are not created overnight. The social milieu, the other factors are also responsible for the same. Predominantly Muslim population of the said terrain carries a deep rooted of socio cultural condition that is also responsible for this northward posting of the sales graph. The month long festivity during Eid and several other festivals, coupled with the gifting habit had definitely fueled the surge. (2) Apart from that, the diversified choice of customers with different type of liking has opened new vistas to the manufacturers. Not to mention, the deep pockets of the population has given the manufac turers the fullest chance to experiment different conceivable combination in full throttle, resulting a good and holistic growth of the said market. Objectives The objectives of choosing the Middle East Region are to grab the opportunities in both hand. A swelling market with an average GDP growth of around 20 %, the youths and old alike who had developed their affinity towards confectionaries, unlike western countries, where the market is thriving though the anti campaign masquerading as health consciousness etc still persists. The Middle East Positioning The modus operandi of this dissertation is the positioning of a new product into the confectionary market in Middle East. The situation to be dealt in a delicate manner. As per the survey, the No 1 position is being taken in the same field by Nestle followed by Modern Food. The local players, as discussed, have the formidable presence. At this backdrop, these policies are to be implemented- 1. The authority must think of Providing Manufacturing License to the local players. The existing players are indeed interested in this short of arrangement. It will also buffer the tough competitions from the major players abroad like Nestle, Cadbury or Master food for that matter. The lowered tariff rate also plays a major part in amalgamating the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Health Law and Regulations Essay Example for Free

Health Law and Regulations Essay Health care is high on the list of the most regulated entities. Regulated by the government, the health care sector is also regulated by different private bodies. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) together with the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) and different medical specialties form part of the private health care regulatory entities that collaborate with the government. Health care regulation is focused on three main roles; cost control, quality control, and access expansion and control. These three functions are subdivided into objectives covering each aspect pertaining to the health care area. While the regulatory program exists to accomplish the three above-mentioned objectives, the implementation of each objective affects one another. Example, quality control causes a reduction of access, and increases the cost because of an increase in demand. Despite the interdependence of these objectives, health care regulation does not indulge competition amongst the regulatory bodies. Important in the regulatory industry are those who engage each other with the same goal towards improving the health care. A majority of the health care regulatory federal agencies in America are comprised within the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The American constitution directs all health care regulators to obey the set legal process as their activities contain the potential to limit or breach the rights of health care. Health care is a high level of bureaucracy and extensive legal procedures. Regulators are provided a notice for their proposed regulation with findings to support it, after which the sector under regulation is allowed to contest or appeal the proposal. The legal process is appealed in every health care procedure, whether if it’s to test a new drug, suspend a practitioner’s license, or a regulation on  environmental standards. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a health care regulation signed into law on the 23rd of March, 2010. The law’s main focus had been to increase the affordability and quality of American health insurance. Its policies were focused on lowering the rates imposed on the uninsured through the expansion of both the private and public insurance covers. It had also aimed to reduce the health care costs incurred by the government along with citizens. Barely seven days after its enforcement had a new health care law come into effect with amendments to the ACA. On March 30, 2010, the president of the United States signed into law the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. The law had been enacted by the 111th US congress (Blackman, 2013). The ACA has advantages as disadvantages, and has been at the forefront of political criticism since its enactment. Its strongest opponents have cited it to be punitive of the high-end earners to cushion the middle and lower classes. It has also been reported to weigh heavily on the nation’s wage bill. In a nutshell, the ACA is designed to cover the majority of American’s health care insurance. However, the regulation’s cost factor has proven unsustainable without economically hurting the high earning entities. The effect of ACA’s implementation has caused an overall negative economic realignment as various entities strive to remain afloat; working hours have been significantly downsized by various corporations in anticipation of unsustainable insurance compliance. The ACA regulation is seen as an economically crippling element in America’s overall economic composite. The enormous tax burden shouldered by high earning entities is evidenced to trickle down to the middle and low income earners which resultantly deduces the benefits intended for these groups in an even more severe way. To begin with, although the ACA provides affordable or free health care insurance to tens of millions of American populations, funding is raised through taxes. With a hike in taxes for health care funding, earning populations are left with less to spend. The American middle and low income groups are even more affected by the adverse effects as inflation sets in to recover the growing deficit induced by the regulation’s implementation. The ACA had been endorsed as an affordability initiative but the repercussive costs have indicated the regulation as a costly affair across the board. Insurance players report certain clauses in the regulation as detrimental to the process. An example is the regulations directive for insurance to extend their coverage even to sick uninsured people at no extra cost. The resultant effect has been the rise in insurance premium costs which further complicates the insurer’s role in the initiative. Nearly all the beneficial aspects within the regulation are countered with contradictory challenges that undermine its purpose. While Medicaid is expanded by the regulation to cover an estimate 15.9 million citizens below 138% of the property level, the cost is met by state and federal funding which further imposes an immense measure of tax escalation. The regulation however features more benefits than limitations with regard to women initiatives. The ACA grants up to 47 million women access to health care services comprising wellness and preventative care. Additionally, the law prohibits women paying more than men for health care services as had been the case prior to enactment (Blackman, 2013). The ACA regulation started 157 new agencies, boards and programs to oversee the efficient implementation of the law alongside regulating health care spending. Although there are negative cost implications associated with the huge oversight entities provisioned in the regulation, proponents argue these costs to be necessary in controlling the unaccounted health care expenditure (Blackman, 2013). Employment in America is currently readjusting to comply with the regulation’s 2015 implementation phase requiring all employers to provide an insurance cover on their employees. The resultant effect to this change has been two faced; small business have been employing part time employees full time to comply with the 2015 mandate while large businesses have been reducing part time working hours to avoid paying the employees insurance when the phase is implemented. The ACA is illustrated as a complex employment factor with many jobs feared to be lost as many new ones are created. Notably, the regulation projects an  outcome where employees will freely leave their respective jobs without fear for losing retirement benefits affiliated to health care. Accordingly, the regulation aims to decrease employees working hours while maintaining and creating new employment opportunities. Despite the employment benefits highlighted within the ACA, many citizens remain skeptical of the upcoming 2015 employer-insurance phase. Dissenting political sentiments are pitching the impending reforms as a negative aspect of the ACA enactment set to diminish numerous job opportunities. Federal and private health care regulation remains as an important component in the broader sense of the health industry covering every single aspect entailed in human health. The quality, cost and access control objectives are characteristic to every health related industry. With regard to personal experience, I have on several occasions observed medical licenses revoked for certain practitioners following a legal process to dispute the quality displayed by the practitioners in context. The two mentioned above 2010 health care regulations contain a complex and mostly long term agenda aimed at bettering the quality of health care services in America. The current challenges are largely short-term and should not be invoked to undermine long-term benefits. A healthy debate is however essential to ensure minimized negations throughout the implementation process. References Top of Form Blackman, J. (2013). Unprecedented: The constitutional challenge to Obamacare. Bottom of Form

Sunday, October 13, 2019

My First Driving Experience

My First Driving Experience My First Driving Test Some people think that their lives are hard and full of disappointment; well I am one of those people. I am a hard worker, but no matter what I do, I still face problems. It is as if my life is an ocean of endless problems and disappointments; however one of the disappointments I have faced happens to be the most interesting part of my life. I had been learning how to drive for a whole month. I was spending part of my everyday life in a car listening to instructions from a boring old man, but I kept up with that to get my license and enjoy the freedom of being able to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. The day I had my driving test was the day I would find out if all the effort and time I had put into driving was worth it or not. The day before my driving test was one of the worst and darkest days of my life because I was extremely nervous and worried about the judgment day, which was the next day. My brothers and sisters teased me for studying so hard to get my driving permit. Although I studied hard, I got my permit after doing my second test, which most of my family and friends thought was ridiculous. I spent four hours with my driving instructor making sure I knew everything that I had to know. We went through all the instructions and all other details that there was to know. I usually sleep late, but on the day before my driving test I slept unusually early. During my sleep, I dreamt of being in a car with the police officer sitting on the passenger seat screaming â€Å"You are a failure in driving† and that made me wake up in the middle of the night sweating. I kept imagining failing the test the next day, and I couldnt stop thinking about it. However, I tried to stop thinking about tomorrow and tried to get a good nights sleep, which would be an advantage for me when taking the test. Finally, I slept like a baby without any nightmares this time. On the big day, I woke up to my alarm and got ready to be picked up by my instructor to go to the police station, where I would have my driving test. I was very nervous, and my instructor, while we were on the way to the police station, said that I was not driving as well as I always do. I had been turning without informing other drivers that I was going to, by using the indicator. Once I got to the police station, I was waiting in the car for the police officer to arrive and start my test. I couldnt help it but imagine that he would be an old man with eyes crossed and that he would be laughing evilly, when failing me. When the officer got in the car, thats when I got even more nervous and my legs were vibrating as if I was a phone that was being called. My dad told me, the day before, not to let the officer see me tense, or else he wouldnt pass me in the test. Unfortunately, any person who laid his eyes on me would notice how tense I was. However, I tried to calm myself down, so I t hought about the long period I had been learning how to drive and convinced myself that it would be a piece of cake. Moreover, my older brothers and sisters got their licenses without learning as much as I did. Before leaving the police station, I took one last look at the place where I would be coming back to get my license. Then I started the car and the officer was directing me on where to go; however, I kept imagining all the things that could have went wrong or even worst if I failed the test. I was told to make a right turn, when my mind went blank and I didnt know where my left was, or my right. I tried remembering that my right would be towards the arm I use to write. Once I got to my first stop sign I asked myself â€Å"Is this going to be the sign that would fail me?† It failed two of my friends in the past. Luckily, I stopped at the sign smoothly thanks to all the training I had. After that, the officer took me to the parking lot of a gas station where I was tested for parallel parking. The space in which I had to park looked so extremely small that it would be impossible to park in. I did my best and tried recalling every step my instructor taught me and finally did it in success. When I was leaving the parking spot, something unexpected happened. A teenage girl was walking in front of the car, but I failed to notice her because I was looking at the cars coming from the back. Instinctively, I had to hit the brakes hard and caused both of us, the police officer and me, to bend towards the front of the car. At that moment, I thought I had ruined my perfect driving and gave the officer the excuse he was looking for to fail me. In order to reduce the tension, I asked the officer calmly, â€Å"Are you alright?† and he replied, â€Å"I am fine, but dont do that again, concentrate.† Then, I found out that I might still have a chance to pass this test, since the officer didnt ask me to go back to the station. I pulled myself together and continued driving, while listening to the instruction from the officer. Just when I felt relieved and everything was going well, I heard a siren. It was a fast ambulance approaching from behind, which got me all nervous again because the road was so slim that I couldnt move to the right to provide enough space for the ambulance to pass. Suddenly, I started accelerating to keep a distance from the ambulance and hoped eventually it would turn at some other street. Luckily, the ambulance did disappear from my rearview mirror; I guess it did turn somewhere. Ive always tried to figure out why I chose to speed up, instead of waiting for the officers instructions, but I never found an answer. After losing the ambulance, I was shocked for a while, and I was in a separate world wondering about what just happened. I couldnt hear the officer instructing me to turn right. He kept telling me to turn till he eventually slapped my shoulders to get my attention. That is when I snapped out of my daydream and heard the officer instructing me to turn back to the station. Unfortunately, I failed the test because of lack of concentration and speeding. Every time I recall my first driving test, I really feel disappointed in myself because of my bad decision-making. However, I did pass the test eventually and got my license. I am a good driver now, and my friends dont have to worry about my driving when sitting in my car anymore. At last, I am also able to experience the freedom of being able to go wherever I desire. Although I was really disappointed about the test result, it was something that reminds me to stand up every time I fall. People shouldnt give up once they fail in any part of life because hard work isnt the only factor that plays roles in the results of different events in life. Other factors may influence the results too, such as luck, place and time. I was unlucky because I was on the same road as the ambulance, while I was taking my driving test, and that made me fail the test. I have just came to America to start studying higher education, and I was told that I have to do the driving test, in order to get a temporary Texas driving license and be able to drive here. Therefore, I would have to go through the bad experience of a driving test again. I just hope that it will be easier this time and I wont be out of luck.