How EE Cummings Experiences Influences His Poetry Essay

EE Cummings was and is still one of the most well-regarded and unique poets of all time. His poems were unusual, but his strange way of writing is what grabbed people’s attention and made him so special. Many incidents in Cummings’ life affected his poetry, his experiences and his personality, which could clearly be observed in the poems he wrote. Cummings became such a well-known poet due to the effect of his life events on his poetry, his peculiar writing style and his strong connection with the topics of love and lust. The struggles and successes of his life developed his poetry in a huge manner. EE Cummings lived during a very eventful and historic era. He was born on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. When he was a kid,†¦show more content†¦While he was there, he befriended a fellow ambulance driver who would turn out to be an outspoken pacifist. When the French censors found mentions of â€Å"war-weariness† in Brown’s letters home , they recommended both be arrested. Cummings could’ve easily been released but out of loyalty to his friend, he refused to profess his hatred for all Germans. His time in prison became the inspiration behind his first official work, which was an autobiographical novel called â€Å"The Enormous Room†. The title of the book took its name from the huge barracks in France where Cummings slept with thirty other prisoners. In this book, he wrote about his time and prison and all his feelings while he was there. After he wrote his first book, he changed courses and entered the world of poetry. The way EE Cummings wrote his poetry is the main reason why he was such a unique poet. In almost all his poems, he talked about the topic of love and lust, but not in an ordinary manner. He used so much emotion and detail in his poems; it would create images in the reader’s head. When he talked about lust, it was very explicit yet beautiful, leaving a mark on the reader. All of these things made his poems very effective, grabbing the reader’s attention and sucking them right in. In conclusion, Cummings’ approach of writing made his poetry very evocative. Another reason why his poetry was extraordinary was because of his unusual grammar and errors. He revised grammatical and linguistic rules to suit

Bureau of Jails Study-Mental Health Free Essays

Explain what a DSM-IV manual is, and how it was used in the Bureau of Justice (BJS) study? The abbreviation DSM-IV refers to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. It was used in the BJS study to establish the baseline against which symptoms of mental illness in the study would be evaluated (James Glaze, 2006). 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Bureau of Jails Study-Mental Health or any similar topic only for you Order Now What percentage of inmates in the federal prisons has mental illness problems? How does that number compare with inmates who are in local jails and state prisons? How do these percentages (about mental illness) compare with non-incarcerated people in the USA? According to James Glaze, 45% of federal inmates have mental illness problems, as opposed to 64% in local jails and 56% in state prisons. In comparison, non-incarcerated people in the USA over the age of 18 have an 11% rate of mental illness. 3. What type of â€Å"mental illness† is most prevalent among prison and jail inmates? What symptoms would a person exhibit with this type of mental illness? Among prison and jail inmates, major depression is the most prevalent â€Å"mental illness†, characterized by extreme anger, inability to sleep or excessive sleeping (James Glaze, 2006). 4. Discuss the prevalence of mental illness as it relates to gender and race among incarcerated adults. Overall, according to James Glaze, white females have the highest instances of mental illness among incarcerated adults. 5. Discuss how substance abuse relates to the prevalence of mental illness among incarcerated adults. Substance abuse plays a key role in the prevalence of mental illness among incarcerated adults. In fact, there is a strong link between mental illness and the abuse of illegal drugs and binge drinking in the prison population. Additionally, those who came from families where substance abuse was commonplace were more likely to abuse substances and suffer the accompanying ill effects of that dangerous and often illegal behavior (James Glaze, 2006). 6. What information from the study did you find most interesting? Most interesting in the study was the linking of incarcerated adults and the problems that most likely contributed to their fate, such as mental illness, substance abuse and the like. Showing these associations makes it possible to attempt to address issues with individuals before they become prisoners. 7. What information learned in the study related to family members of incarcerated offenders? It would seem that incarceration runs in families; for example, the study cites the finding that the family members of incarcerated offenders are much more likely to have been or to become incarcerated themselves, as well as much more likely to be involved with substance abuse (James Glaze, 2006). 8. Discuss what the study revealed about crimes being committed while the offender was on drugs. It would seem obvious that being on drugs would lead to the kind of impaired judgment and suppression of conscience that leads to the commission of crimes, but there requires more solid proof to establish this link, which is why the study was cited for an answer to this question. According to James Glaze, 37% of state prison inmates who had a mental health problem said they had used drugs at the time of their offense, compared to 26% of state prisoners without a mental health problem. Also, 34% of local inmates who had a mental health problem said they had used drugs at the time of their offense compared to 20% of local inmates who did not have a mental health problem. 9. Explain what the BJS study found about the prevalence of mentally ill inmates being repeat offenders – when compared with non-mentally ill inmates. Lastly, James Glaze’s findings about the prevalence of mentally ill inmates and repeat offenses as opposed to the non-mentally ill are discussed. In the local jails, 32% of repeat offenders had mental problems as opposed to 22% recidivism among the non-mentally ill. Works Cited James, Doris J. Glaze, Lauren E. (2006). Mental Health Problems of Prison and Jail Inmates. Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. How to cite Bureau of Jails Study-Mental Health, Papers

Key characteristics and the pioneers in avant

Key characteristics and the pioneers in avant-garde music Essay Minimalism originated in the sass, as a movement that sought to stray from the previous decade of self-expressionism as well as the contemporary trends of intellectual complexities found in serial music. Marked by repetitive mitotic and rhythmic patterns, it sought to emphasize simplicity in both melodic lines and harmonic progressions. In contrast to serial musics favored chromatic compositional techniques, minimalist music was wholly diatonic and consonant in nature. Textural consistency and layered melodies/rhythms gave way to gradual changes, highlighting the process of music, tater than a particular musical goal or specialized form. Seemingly lacking a climax, each composition unfolded by a series of repeating motives and additive rhythms extended over long periods of time. Influenced by Asian and African music, minimalism understated dramatic structures and sounds, instead emphasizing the reduction of musical structures. During the sass, a group of young American composers vouched for the return of basic elements of music, without dramatic structures and abstract expressionism. Many were influenced by the compositions of John Cage, including several leading gurus of the minimalist movement: Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. A graduate of Berkeley, Riley opposed the chromatic and twelve-tone writings of serial music. Like many of his contemporaries, Riley experimented with tape loops in his compositions and bridged the gap between the new avian-garden and the piqued interest of rock music. Riley was specifically interested in composing works for live audiences, as these proved more effective in conveying the so-called avian-garden sounds. Successful in its reception, this kind of experimental music appealed to the public as t grew in popularity and acceptance; his music was inclusive and non-elite. Varying degrees of musical experience and backgrounds were encouraged. An excellent example of this can be found in his composition, In C. Written in 1964, In C did not necessarily require the skills of highly trained musicians to be performed. The piece lasts 44 minutes, although one would not suspect it to be so lengthy as it only contains fifty-three modules in total. Any number of instruments could play at a given time either at the original pitch or at any octave transposition. Each of the fifty-three modules were to be looped; in other words, they should be repeated ad labium before moving on to the next module. Moreover, articulations and dynamics were to be performed ad labium. The work finally concluded when all of the performers had arrived at the last module. While it appears that Riley music contains a sort of anything goes mentality, it is quite the contrary in some respects. In choosing instruments for the actual performance, Riley suggested that all players maintain an eighth-note pulse, which was audibly heard by an instrumentalist who played the top octave of CSS, most likely plan n a piano or xylophone. Furthermore, Riley favored more homogeneous sound; thus, instruments that consisted of specific timbres and ranges were discouraged. In C was a prime example in proving that minimalist music was not music void of regulations and rules; rather, it stemmed from algorithms. Riley considered these algorithms fundamental to his music even if they appeared loose by nature. Interestingly enough, the C-pulse in Riley work was not his own idea, but instead that of another contemporary, Steve Reich. Reich was born in 1936 and his compositions were heavily influenced by non- Western traditions. He studied African drumming, which involved complex counterpoint, and Balinese gametal music, with its complex layering and fast interlocking patterns. Quite different in background from Riley, Reich was born into wealthy and high-class family in New York. Having had traditional piano lessons growing up, an impressive education at Cornell with a major in Philosophy, and graduate studies at the Jailbird School in traditional composition, Reich eventually found his path in composing twentieth-century music. Upon listening to recordings of Stravinsky Rite of Spring, Bachs Brandenburg Concertos, and bebop in succession, Riches developed a new musical obsession, what theorists would call, subtractive pulse. It is steady, audible pulse that is practically palpable (found in, In C). Death Metal Music EssayTypically, electronic instruments and pitches were utilized in minimalist music, as these particular sounds highlighted the monotony and reiteration of melodic and rhythmic cells. Prior to the twentieth-century, instruments were played and heard by way of inflection and nuance, whereas minimalist music omitted any sort of variance in expressive sound. Academic surrealist composers often dismissed the work of the non-academic avian-garden minimalists, but to the minimalist composer, music could be void of numbers and musical maps. Past Western traditions were based on rules and structures, cost of which minimalist composers rejected. The ideology that music should stem from reduced musical elements, and that their growth should be gradual and rather organic, pinned this musical genre as experimental and innovative. Transformation was marked by gradual processes and superfluous elements were disregarded and deemed unnecessary. The process of development was more important than the end result, much like the idea that Joy and self-evolution is found in the Journey and not Just in achieving it. Minimalism opposed the conservative or nostalgic and sought no return to older styles.

Sociological Theories free essay sample

Structural theory sees society as a system of relationships that creates the structure of the society in which we live. It is this structure that determines our lives and characters. Structured sets of social relationships are the reality that lie below the appearance of the free individual of western individualism. Structuralism focuses on the particular set of structural laws that apply in any one society. Despite their differences, both functionalism and Marxism use a model of how society as a whole works. Many functionalists base their model of society around the assumption of basic needs and go to explain how different parts of society help to meet those needs. Marxists, on the other hand, see society as resting upon an economic base or infrastructure, with a superstructure above it. They see society as divided into social classes which have the potential to be in conflict with each other. However, the main differences between functionalist and Marxist perspectives then, is the way they characterize the social structure. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Theories or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Functionalists stress the extent to which the different elements of the social structure fit together harmoniously. Marxists stress the lack of fit between the different parts, particularly social classes, and so emphasize the potential for social conflict. Not all sociological perspectives base their analysis upon an examination of the structure of society as a whole. Rather than seeing human behaviour as being largely determined by society, they see society as being the product of human activity. They stress the meaningfulness of human behaviour, denying that it is primarily determined by the structure of society. These approaches are known as social action theory, interpretive sociology or micro sociology. Max Weber was the first sociologist to advocate a social action approach. Symbolic interactionists try to explain human behaviour and human society by examining the ways in which people interpret the actions of others, develop a self-concept or self-image, and act in terms of meanings. Ethnomethodology moves even further from a structural approach by denying the existence of a social structure as such. They see the social world as consisting of the definitions and categorizations of members of society. The job of the sociologist, in their view, is to interpret, describe and understand the subjective reality. Marxism is an economic and socio-political worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and a critique of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid-19th century by two German philosophers, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism encompasses Marxian economic theory, a sociological theory and a revolutionary view of social change that has greatly influenced socialist political movements worldwide. Courtesy of Lee Bryant, Director of Sixth Form, Anglo-European School, Ingatestone, Essex 3 Related Pages Theories in Sociology Key beliefs of functionalism Feminism Social Action Theory The Labelling Theory Michel Foucault Women and Crime Why do people commit crime? Crime and Globalisation Feminism and Crime

Biography of Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Prize Winner

Biography of Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Prize Winner Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909–2012) was a Nobel Prize-winning neurologist who discovered and studied the Nerve Growth Factor, a critical chemical tool the human body uses to direct cell growth and build nerve networks. Born into a Jewish family in Italy, she survived the horrors of Hitlers Europe to make major contributions to research on cancer and Alzheimers disease. Fast Facts: Rita Levi-Montalcini Occupation: Nobel Prize winning neuroscientistKnown For: Discovering the first nerve growth factor (NGF)Born: April 22, 1909 in Turin, Italy  Parents Names: Adamo Levi and Adele MontalciniDied: December 30, 2012 in Rome, ItalyEducation: University of TurinKey Accomplishments: Nobel Prize in Medicine, U.S. National Medal of ScienceFamous Quote:  If I had not been discriminated against or had not suffered persecution, I would never have received the Nobel Prize. Early Years Rita Levi-Montalcini was born in Turin, Italy, on April 22, 1909. She was the youngest of four children from a well-to-do Italian Jewish family led by Adamo Levi, an electrical engineer, and Adele Montalcini, a painter. As was the custom in the early 20th century, Adamo discouraged Rita and her sisters Paola and Anna from entering college. Adamo felt that the womans role of raising a family was incompatible with creative expression and professional endeavors. Rita had other plans. At first, she wanted to be a philosopher, then decided she wasnt logically minded enough. Then, inspired by Swedish writer Selma Lagerlof, she considered a career in writing. After her governess died of cancer, however, Rita decided she would become a doctor, and in 1930, she entered the University of Turin at the age of 22. Ritas twin sister Paola went on to great success as an artist. Neither of the sisters married, a fact about which neither expressed any regret. Education Levi-Montalcinis first mentor at the University of Turin was Giuseppe Levi (no relation). Levi was a prominent neurohistologist who introduced Levi-Montalcini to the scientific study of the developing nervous system. She became an intern at the Institute of Anatomy at Turin, where she grew adept at histology, including techniques like staining nerve cells. Giuseppe Levi was known for being something of a tyrant, and he gave his mentee an impossible task: figure out how the convolutions of the human brain are formed. However, Levi-Montalcini was unable to obtain human fetal tissue in a country where abortion was illegal, so she dropped the research in favor of studying nervous system development in chick embryos. In 1936, Levi-Montalcini graduated from the University of Turin summa cum laude with a degree in Medicine and Surgery. She then enrolled in a three-year specialization in neurology and psychiatry. In 1938, Benito Mussolini banned  non-Aryans from academic and professional careers. Levi-Montalcini was working at a scientific institute in Belgium when Germany invaded that country in 1940, and she returned to Turin, where her family was considering emigrating to the United States. However, the Levi-Montalcinis ultimately decided to remain in Italy. In order to continue her research on chick embryos, Levi-Montalcini installed a small research unit at home in her bedroom.   World War II In 1941, heavy Allied bombing forced the family to abandon Turin and move to the countryside. Levi-Montalcini was able to continue her research until 1943, when the Germans invaded Italy. The family fled to Florence, where they lived in hiding until the end of World War II.   While in Florence, Levi-Montalcini worked as a medical doctor for a refugee camp and fought epidemics of infectious diseases and typhus. In May 1945, the war ended in Italy, and Levi-Montalcini and her family returned to Turin, where she resumed her academic positions and worked again with Giuseppe Levi. In the fall of 1947, she received an invitation from Professor Viktor Hamburger at the Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) to work with him conducting research on chick embryo development. Levi-Montalcini accepted; she would remain at WUSTL until 1977.   Professional Career At WUSTL, Levi-Montalcini and Hamburger discovered a protein that, when released by cells, attracts nerve growth from nearby developing cells. In the early 1950s, she and biochemist Stanley Cohen isolated and described the chemical which became known as the Nerve Growth Factor.  Ã‚   Levi-Montalcini became an associate professor at WUSTL in 1956 and a full professor in 1961. In 1962, she helped establish the Institute of Cell Biology in Rome and became its first director. She retired from WUSTL in 1977, remaining as emerita there but splitting her time between Rome and St. Louis.   Nobel Prize and Politics In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and Cohen were together awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. She was only the fourth woman to win a Nobel Prize. In 2002, she established the European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) in Rome, a non-profit center to foster and promote brain research.   In 2001, Italy made her a senator for life, a role which she did not take lightly. In 2006, at the age of 97, she held the deciding vote in the Italian parliament on a budget that was backed by the government of Roman Prodi. She threatened to withdraw her support unless the government reversed a last-minute decision to cut science funding. The funding was put back in, and the budget passed, despite attempts by the opposition leader Francesco Storace to silence her. Storace mockingly sent her crutches, stating that she was too old to vote and a crutch to an ailing government. At the age of 100, Levi-Montalcini was still going to work at the EBRI, now named after her.   Personal Life Levi-Montalcini never married and had no children. She was briefly engaged in medical school, but had no long-term romances. In a 1988 interview with Omni magazine, she commented that even marriages between two brilliant people might suffer because of resentment over unequal success.   She was, however, the author or co-author of over 20 popular books, including her own autobiography, and dozens of research studies. She received numerous scientific medals, including the United States National Medal of Science, presented to her at the White House by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Famous Quotes In 1988, Scientific American asked 75 researchers their reasons for becoming a scientist. Levi-Montalcini gave the following reason:   The love for nerve cells, a thirst for unveiling the rules which control their growth and differentiation, and the pleasure of performing this task in defiance of the racial laws issued in 1939 by the Fascist regime were the driving forces which opened the doors for me of the Forbidden City. During a 1993 interview with Margaret Holloway for Scientific American, Levi-Montalcini mused:   If I had not been discriminated against or had not suffered persecution, I would never have received the Nobel Prize.   Levi-Montalcinis 2012 obituary in the New York Times included the following quote, from her autobiography: It is imperfection- not perfection- that is the end result of the program written into that formidably complex engine that is the human brain, and of the influences exerted upon us by the environment and whoever takes care of us during the long years of our physical, psychological and intellectual development. Legacy and Death Rita Levi-Montalcini died on December 30, 2012, at age 103, at her home in Rome. Her discovery of the Nerve Growth Factor, and the research that led to it, gave other researchers a new way to study and understand cancers (disorders of neural growth) and Alzheimers disease (degeneration of neurons). Her research created fresh pathways for developing groundbreaking therapies.   Levi-Montalcinis influence in nonprofit science efforts, refugee work, and mentoring students was considerable. Her 1988 autobiography is eminently readable and often assigned to beginning STEM students. Sources Abbott, Alison. Neuroscience: One Hundred Years of Rita. Nature 458 (1909): 564–67. Print.Aloe, L. Rita Levi-Montalcini and the Discovery of NGF, the First Nerve Cell Growth Factor. Archives Italiennes de Biologie 149.2 (2011): 175–81. Print.Arnheim, Rudolf, et al. Seventy-Five Reasons to Become a Scientist: American Scientist Celebrates Its Seventy-Fifth Anniversary. American Scientist 76.5 (1988): 450–63. Print.Carey, Benedict. Dr. Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Winner, Dies at 103. The New York Times December 30, 2012, New York ed.: A17. Print.Holloway, Marguerite. Finding the Good in the Bad: A Profile of Rita Levi-Montalcini. Scientific American  (2012, originally published 1993). Print.Levi-Montalcini, Rita. In Praise of Imperfection: My Life and Work. Trans. Attardi, Luigi. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 220: Basic Books, 1988. Print.Levi-Montalcini, Rita, and Stanley Cohen. Rita Levi-Montalcini- Facts. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1986.  Web.

Festive Medieval Christmas

Festive Medieval Christmas When the holiday season engulfs us- and as we are subjected to a barrage of sentiment and commercialism (which are often indistinguishable from one another)- simpler days seem so much more attractive, and many of us tend to look to the past. Many of the customs we observe, traditions we practice, and foods we eat today originated in the middle ages. You may already incorporate some of these festivities in your holiday, or perhaps you might like to start a new tradition with a very old one. As you celebrate these customs, remember that they started with a medieval Christmas. A Christmas Carol and a flood of nostalgia for the Victorian era gives us a fairly good idea of what a nineteenth century Christmas was like. But the concept of observing Christs birthday goes back much farther than the nineteenth century. In fact, the origin of the English word Christmas is found in the Old English Cristes Maesse  (mass of Christ), and winter solstice festivities date back to ancient times in all corners of the world. So what was it like to celebrate Christmas in the Middle Ages? Early Medieval Christmas Observances Determining exactly what Christmas was like depends not only on where it was observed, but when. In late antiquity, Christmas was a quiet and solemn occasion, marked by a special mass and calling for prayer and reflection. Until the fourth century, no fixed date had been formally set by the Church- in some places it was observed in April or May, in others in January and even in November. It was Pope Julius I who officially fixed the date at December 25th, and why exactly he chose the date is still not clear. Although it is possible that it was a deliberate Christianization of a pagan holiday, many other factors seem to have come into play. Epiphany or Twelfth Night More commonly (and enthusiastically) celebrated was the Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, celebrated on January 6. This is another holiday whose origins are sometimes lost in the festivities of the moment. It is generally believed that Epiphany marked the visit of the Magi and their bestowal of gifts on the Christ child, but it is more likely that the holiday originally celebrated Christs baptism instead. Nevertheless, Epiphany was much more popular and festive than Christmas in the early middle ages and was a time for the bestowal of gifts in the tradition of the three Wise Men- a custom that survives to this day. Later Medieval Christmas Observances In time, Christmas grew in popularity- and as it did so, many of the Pagan traditions associated with the winter solstice became associated with Christmas as well. New customs particular to the Christian holiday also arose. December 24th and 25th became a time for feasting and socializing as well as a time for prayer.

ESSAY PAPER Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PAPER - Essay Example Most of the litter is so small that it is present in the top layer of the water columns. Due to this fact, they are very hard to see, even with a satellite view. These plastics end up in stomachs of birds and marine animals. Not only the larger animals are affected, but whole eco-systems (starting with the smaller fish or jellyfish) can be suffering from hormonal disruptions and toxins. The water and wind currents have gathered masses of garbage in some kind of soup. Scientists say that the biggest one, the Pacific Garbage Patch, is about the size of the state of Texas (UNEP). The Creation of the Garbage Patches At first, the thought was that the islands were formed by the water currents in the oceans, gathering all the rubbish. But, the rubbish also seemed to come from the land, where the wind takes it and brings it out to the sea. According to researches, 80% of the plastic in the sea originates from land and roughly 20% comes from boats (Greenpeace Int.). A passenger cruise ship c an produce about eight tons of solid waste every week (Greenpeace Int.). Most of this waste is organic, but much of it will directly go the garbage patches. Due to the currents in the oceans, the garbage is contained and trapped in the swirling waters. Because of these currents, several garbage patches were created in our oceans; the North Atlantic Gyre, the South Atlantic Gyre, the Indian Ocean Gyre, the South Pacific Gyre and the North Pacific Gyre. The patches were already predicted in 1988, in a research paper from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This research was based on measurements of plastic and concentrations of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean (Day). The Problems of the Garbage Patches Plastic does not decay, but disintegrates into constantly smaller particles, till the molecular level. The molecules don’t decay any further and stay plastic polymers. Because they don’t fall apart, they stay afloat in the top layers of the water, where they are easily mistaken for food by fish and birds, that normally would get their food out of this part of the water (Greenpeace Int.). These animals will eat the plastic and give the toxins to their young, which sometimes die because of this. When the dead animals decay and end up back in the ocean, the plastic will return as well, where it can kill again. The levels of toxins in the water can become very high (Morton). Smaller fish, which swallow the toxins, are also food for other sea life like turtles or albatrosses, which will swallow the toxins and so on and so forth, until the chemicals end up on our own diner plate as well. The United Nations Environment Program (2005) says that the plastic is responsible for the deaths of more than 1.000.000 million seabirds and more than 100.000 sea animals, like whales, dolphins and seals. Further investigation has concluded that at least 267 animal species are being affected by this pollution (Greenpeace Int.). Around 6.4 m illion tons of litter comes into the seas every year. 8 million items are dumped in the sea every day, of which 5 million is thrown from ships (UNEP). The plastic does not only stay at the top of the water, it also sinks to the bottom. Here it covers and smothers the coral and sea life on the bottom of the ocean (UNEP). Greenpeace claims that about 70% of the plastic that ends up in the sea, will eventually

Food and Society Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Food and Society - Coursework Example Issues falling under this heading involve such things as health and safety, food labeling and even what constitutes 'organic' food (Drake University, 2012). Food policy has many benefits, all of which are multiplied when the policies themselves are especially effective. Such systems spark changes in dietary energy and nutritional balance, in effect helping to promote child growth, while staving off all manner of diseases. Apart from this, having a good policy also helps to increase a country's income through agricultural development, which also works recursively by improving the nutritional status of people - a phenomenon most readily observable in developing countries. The need for food policy, on the other hand, should be readily obvious. Atkins and Bowler (2001) note the instrumentality of food in economic, political and socio-cultural issues, as well as its role in ensuring health and pleasure in everyday life. Lang and Heaseman (2004) add to this, talking of the significant impa ct of the emergence of global markets not only on the kind of food being consumed, but also on issues such as health, food security, social justice and overall quality of life. In fact, food policy has been globally acknowledged as an important facet of public policy (Cardwell, 2004; Conway, 1997; Coleman et al, 2004). Needless to say, while food policy is not quite as thrust into the limelight as other global issues such as terrorism, its far-reaching implications and consequences make it equally important, if not even more so. One especially important food policy issue in this day and age is malnutrition. Contrary to popular belief, however, malnutrition does not always refer to a lack of food, but may also come about as the result of eating too much of the wrong kinds of food, and too little of the right kinds. This means that while those who eat too little are most likely malnourished, it will not necessarily follow that one who eats a lot can automatically be assumed to be heal thy - on the contrary, one who falls under the latter description could very well be classified as obese. This paper, then, shall aim to connect the issue of obesity and, to a lesser extent, malnutrition to the hospitality industry, and to come up with ways in which it can be addressed. Malnutrition and Obesity: A Food Policy Issue Malnutrition in general is said to result from a poorly balanced diet, wherein one's consumption of nutrients is skewed in some way, shape or form (Sullivan and Sheffrin, 2003). A report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in 2009 told of more than a billion people dying of hunger, with 17,000 children specifically dying everyday (CNN, 2009). In fact, it has been attested that malnutrition kills upwards of 9.5 million school-aged children each year. Such a high body count becomes even more understandable - and more terrifying - when one accounts for the interaction between malnutrition and certain killer diseases. Malaria, for instance, is already known t o claim many lives on its own; combined with malnutrition, however, it becomes capable of racking up a mortality rate comparable to that of the infamous Black Plague. Malnutrition usually, but not always, refers to a lack of food intake; however, as Pinstrup-Andersen and Watson (2011) point out, malnutrition can easily be about taking in way too much food, or even not taking the

Assessing Organizational Culture Essay Example for Free

Assessing Organizational Culture Essay Almost every organization, whether public or private, on paper or in practice, has a culture that fairly dictates its everyday functioning. The term culture has many definitions but in this discussion it is defined as shared beliefs, values, symbols, and behaviors. Culture binds a workforce together and is its control mechanism, or purpose, to facilitate its functioning. These items are powerful driving forces in the success of an organization and their value to the community they serve whether it is a public or private entity will affect the success of any organization. While cultures are found in some organizations more prominently than in others, there are those organizations where the culture of that specific organization’s ideal stands out above others. Police departments, military units and religious organizations all have a strong, centralized culture that forms its base and permeates its entire existence. Many times people outside of those professions do not understand the mentality or job commitment a person from one of these career fields shares with his/her co-workers. An example would be the duty and honor commitment of a United State Marine, especially when considered by a person who was anti-military; the Marines belief or core value system is not understood. The medical profession and more specifically hospitals, demonstrate a common goal that simply stated, is the care and healing of the sick or injured. For the most part, the medical staff employed at a hospital is there for that specific purpose. The medical field brings together a vast array of individuals from different backgrounds and cultures. But once they become a doctor, hospital nurse, surgical technician, etc. they take on a new life and thereby absorb a new culture into their lives. Subcultures, as defined by organizational theorists John van Maanen and Stephen Barley, are â€Å"a subset of an organization’s members who interact regularly with one another, identify themselves as a distinct group†¦and routinely take action on the basis of collective understandings unique to the group† (Cheney, 2011, 78-79) The organizational culture in a hospital is based on the premise that the hospital is there to provide a place for the care and healing of the sick or injured. Organizational theorist Mary Jo Hatch puts forth that there are five (5) â€Å"Degrees of Cultural Integration and Differentiation† (Cheney, 77) identified as follows: Unitary, Diverse (Integrated), Diverse (Differentiated), Diverse (Fragmented) and Disorganized (Multi-cephalous) (Hatch, 1997, 210). A hospital in its purest form would be well represented as a Unitary culture because the staff as a whole all have the same values or beliefs. But individual staff or even medical units may fall into any of the other cultures identified as well. A particular unit, i. e. cardiac telemetry floor, may be a Diverse (Fragmented) unit due to a group of nurses who do not view their critical task requirements in the same way and as a result the level of patient infections or deaths rises, causing unrest among the staff, supervisors, patient families and resulting in legal ramifications thereby fragmenting the staff’s solidarity. Social psychologist Edgar Schein formulated a theoretical model that shows an organization’s culture is built on three levels: artifacts, values and norms, and assumptions and beliefs. Artifacts are usually the most common and visible sign of a specific culture. Schein puts forth that things such as nursing uniforms, terminology, surgical protocols and more, actually and accurately represent the basic aspects of organization’s culture. The values and norms aspect of his theory, while not always visible, can be seen through behavior of the individual or group; it reveals what is important to the group and how they treat each other within their organization. Each aspect of the profession may have an operating procedure or environment nique to that area of specialization, but still have the same values and norms for their actions. In a surgical room, sterilization of the environment is much more important than it would be in a patient’s room on a medical/surgical floor, but they still have the same belief in keeping an open wound as clean as possible. While values in the medical profession do not vary as a whole, values do define accepted behavior and action. Genuine assumptions and beliefs are nurtured by a persons or organizations values and norms. Values vary only slightly in the various medical professions and facilities. Depending on the medical specialty area, operational norms and methods may differ according to training priorities, equipment and environment unique to that specialty. For instance, the hospital in-patient wound care team may have the same desire to treat a patient’s wounds as a home health nursing team, but the methods of treatment or medications used may be different. Differences begin to surface when a patient is sent home on a negative pressure wound therapy system, i. e. a wound V. A. C.  ®, that aids in the healing of wounds via suction (http://www. kci1. com/KCI1/vactherapy). Many home health nurses does not know how to properly change the intricate dressing or fully understand this equipment or the damaging results that can occur if not changed properly. Faulty assumptions are therefore made based on the beliefs of the home health nurse of what should be done for the patient. When that happens, problems arise in this particular scenario that could result in the patient being brought back to the hospital for a further period of hospitalization due to a breakdown of their wounds or even the creation of new wounds as a result of improper V. A. C.  ® placement. The overriding culture of the medical field is based on the Physician’s Creed of â€Å"First, do no harm† (author uncertain but it is based on the Hippocratic Oath which states to abstain from doing harm). This belief echoes throughout the medical field all over the world. And while there are individual exceptions or exceptions in areas such as animal research for the betterment of mankind or the ethical issue of abortion, the creed has gone unchanged since the time of the ancient Greeks and before. Schein’s three (3) levels of artifacts, values and norms, and assumptions and beliefs, are evident in every clinical setting. With further exploration, Hatch’s five (5) Degrees of Cultural Integration and Differentiation will also be found, albeit not everyone will be seen on every hospital floor or unit. Medical facilities are a kaleidoscope or a microcosm of many subcultures under the roof of the main culture of being a place for the care and healing of the sick or injured. Without that organizational culture giving guidance to all of the subcultures involved in this humanitarian career field, the death rate for minor injuries and diseases would compound exponentially.

A Seize Of Power :: essays research papers

A Seize of Power   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After WWI, Germany was in a exceedingly unpleasant state. It had been forced, by the Treaty of Versailles, to take full blame for the war. This meant that Germany would have to pay reparations for all of the other countries. Reparations were even harder to pay since Germany was in the midst of one of the worst stagflation epidemics in history. Not to mention a brand new government, one that had nothing to do with the signing of this treaty, had taken over power. All of the people of this once superpower of a country were in a state of perplexity because they had lost a war that had been fought entirely on enemy soil. Germany was searching for an answer to its insurmountable problems, and found that answer in a Nazi named Adolf Hitler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hitler was born in Austria, into a troubled house. He had aspirations of becoming an artist, but those subsided when he was rejected from the college of art he planned on attending. He had started listening to a man named Lueger, who was at that time the mayor of Vienna. Lueger was a Nazi, with strong anti-Semitic views, which seemed to be a logical answer for Hitler and his problems. It was around this time that Hitler was drafted by the army. Instead of going to fight for his country, he chose to flee to Germany. Which is a bewildering thought seeing as how he voluntarily joined the German army when he got there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the war, Hitler joined up with a right wing campaign whose job was to spy on other government groups. Upon spying on one of the parties, the N.S.D.A.P. or Nazi party, he found that he had a lot in common with their views. He decided this was his calling so he ended up joining that particular party. While in this party, he found out about his abilities to draw a crowd and make them believe what you are saying. It was at this time he started his famous speeches that could captivate and somewhat hypnotized whoever happened to listen in. He started speaking in beer halls, and gaining a lot of attention. He would speak on many topics, giving his ideals as the basis for what Germany should be. He wanted to make Germany the great dynasty it had once been. The party was growing at an astounding rate, mostly attributed to Hitler’s use of the â€Å"gift of gab† in the taverns.

Confucius Lives Next Door

The term â€Å"Confucianism† is often regarded as a complex mechanism of social, political, moral as well as religious beliefs that have considerable influence especially upon the civilizations belonging to the East Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea along with Singapore and Vietnam. With reference to the observation made by Reid (1999), it can be viewed that a clear depiction about different principles and beliefs exists within the sphere of â€Å"Confucianism†.Therefore, the major purpose of this report is to briefly review of T. R. Reid’s book â€Å"Confucius Lives Next Door: What Leaving In The East Teaches Us About Living In the West† through concisely unfolding the experience of Reid’s family concerning the Confucian ethos. Moreover, the report would also reveal the influence of Confucian ethos within the modern Japanese culture and identify the lesson which might contribute to a better social experience within the Western culture (Reid 29-66). CONFUCIANISM AS PER REID’S EXPERIENCEThe perception of ‘Confucianism’ can be duly considered as one of the widely accepted religions in the East Asian region. The concept can be termed as a religious belief which tends to incorporate adequate measures of ethical and philosophical method that has been cultivated by the teaching of the past Chinese sage ‘Confucius’. At the time when various religions seek to merge the gap between God and human being, the aspect of â€Å"Confucianism† tends to find the actual path of accomplishing peace and coherence.According to the observation of Reid, the fundamental principles of â€Å"Confucianism† generally involve humanism and broadly incorporate the principles concerning that human belief and perceptions are teachable as well as improvable by emphasizing different communal endeavors. In this regard, the continuous practice of self-cultivating and self-creat ing plays a decisive part for each individual to improve his/her innate capability.The beliefs and thoughts within the facet of â€Å"Confucianism† significantly focus on the refinement of individual virtue and maintenance of human ethical conducts. According to Reid, a few of the major â€Å"Confucianism† ethos and practices involve ‘Ren’, ‘yi’ and ‘li’ which represents the concept of ‘altruism’ along with clear depiction of the humanness for other individuals (Reid 29-66). THE INFLUENCE OF CONFUCIANISM IN THE JAPANESE CULTUREIn relation to the observation made by Reid, the concept of â€Å"Confucianism† is often observed as one of the major Chinese religions alongside Taoism as well as Buddhism. The religion has been emerged in the Japanese culture during the period of 285 AD. A few of the major principles of this religion such as humanity, morality, trustworthiness along with the consideration of developing an individual have been widely witnessed to provide significant influence within the Japanese culture (Reid 67-90).The principles and beliefs within the facet of â€Å"Confucianism† had played an imperative part particularly for Japan which eventually strengthened its political philosophies as well as ethical code of conducts by a considerable level. In relation to the political phenomenon, the notion of â€Å"Confucianism† had played an essential role for the Japanese culture in terms of developing morality along with increasing individual potentials of achieving their desired goals and objectives.Moreover, the religion had also been widely observed to create significant loyalty among the Japanese communities through increasing the amount of self-awareness and humanness while dealing with other individuals. The principles and policies underneath â€Å"Confucianism† play a new role in addressing modern philosophy to religion, humanities, science as well as aspec ts of social science within a huge figure of Japanese individuals.Moreover, the principle of continuous cultivation and improvement of individual ethos and practices have further been observed to increase consistency along with finding developed authentic path to gain potential knowledge of development. In this context, it has been firmly identified that the insertion of â€Å"Confucianism† within the Japanese culture not only strengthened the innate capability, but it also enabled to gain individual growth in terms of building adequate measure of consistency along with ethical code of conducts (Reid 67-90).Moreover, Reid had mentioned various aspects that significantly influenced the development of Japanese culture in terms of advancing its values at large. In this regard, the book which published by Reid had clearly depicted certain significant aspects like honesty, self-acceptance, rationality along with self-control and diplomacy among others that can be associated within the principles of â€Å"Confucianism† in the Japanese culture (Reid 91-126). LESSONS CAN BE TAKEN FROM THE CONFUCIAN/JAPANESE EXPERIENCEAccording to the book of ‘Confucius Lives Next Door: What Leaving In The East Teaches Us About Living In the West’, it has been apparently observed that the philosophies, principles and ethical practices within the sphere of â€Å"Confucianism† religion can significantly empower any individual to develop his/her innate power and capability at large. Reid had clearly mentioned various aspects as well as principles in the â€Å"Confucianism religion† which had authentically supported an individual to cultivate his/her level of consistency along with ethical practices.Furthermore, the beliefs of self-cultivating and self-creating aspects within the respective religion can also been considered as few of the major aspects for individual development. Therefore, it can be identified from the overall observation of Reidâ⠂¬â„¢s experience and realistic implications of Japanese culture that the development of individual ethos and self-cultivating of individual moral can play an indispensable part towards making an individual to achieve its desired goals.Furthermore, the compliance with the primary principles and the beliefs of â€Å"Confucianism† can support every individual to strengthen his/her innate capability which can further provide adequate support towards developing the Western culture by a certain degree. With reference to the Reid’s observation, it has been identified that the beliefs and principles within the Confucian religion are generally focused on improving the amount of humanity, morality and trustworthiness amid the individuals.Contextually, Reid demonstrated that the philosophical principles linked with â€Å"Confucianism† had provided adequate support to the Japanese culture in terms of enhancing innate capability and identifying the actual way of cultivating individual moral. Thus, it can be concluded that the idea concerning â€Å"Confucianism† possesses every potential towards developing society as well as culture by a greater level.

Frankenstein and How to Read Literature Like a Professor Analysis Essay

In Thomas C. Fosters How to Read Literature like a Professor, Foster expresses how every story has a journey that someone or sometimes multiple people go on specific journeys. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, the novel is based on exactly that, a journey. One journey is Victor Frankenstein’s quest for knowledge. Foster says that â€Å"The real reason for a quest is always self knowledge.† Victor Frankenstein is the perfect example of this; Frankenstein sets out on a journey to gain every drop of knowledge that he can when he attends the University of Ingolstadt. Robert Walton is another example of this. He beings his journey in the same hopes that of Frankenstein to gain every bit of knowledge that he can possibly obtain. Chapter 7: In Fosters seventh chapter he talks about literary references to the bible. Fosters says that by using these biblical references in stories helped people and the writer stand on common ground. This idea is what Mary Shelley did in Frankenstein when Victor Frankenstein had created his monster relating it to the creator vs. creation in when God had created Adam and Eve. Another time a biblical reference was made was when the monster had asked Frankenstein to create a mate for him just how Adam had asked God for a mate for him. â€Å"My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create† (Shelley 159). Chapter 9: Foster explains that in this chapter â€Å"It’s all Greek to Me† that the use of mythology is a way for authors to appeal to the reader if they do not believe in biblical approaches. It is in a way a much easier approach to understanding where the author is coming from. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; she uses a more mythological approach to the relationship between Frankenstein and the monster. In mythology Prometheus created man, so in this case Frankenstein is Prometheus and his monster is his creation; â€Å"I ardently wished to extinguish that life which I had so thoughtlessly bestowed†(Shelley 97).

So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted!

So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! By Maeve Maddox Reader Ron Harper, Jr. wonders about the use of the word impacted: I used a word today and immediately questioned my use and the history of word over the last decade or so.   The word was â€Å"impacted.†Ã‚   As in That incident really impacted me.  Ã‚   Is that a correct usage historically?   It seems that its not correct as soon as I said it although I hear people use it that way!   (but how many talking heads use irregardless?!) The use of the past participle impacted to mean â€Å"had an impact on† is fairly recent. The original sense of impact (v.) is â€Å"to press closely into something, It’s from Latin impactus, pp of impingere, â€Å"to push into.† The word Impinge comes from the same source. The form impacted has until recently been used to describe something that is closely wedged together. Teeth, for example, can be impacted. A bone that has been crushed can have impacted fragments. Other things not nice to mention can be impacted. Coleridge used impact in 1817 as a noun to mean â€Å"the effect of coming into contact with a thing or a person. Ex: That had an impact on him. Nowadays the noun impact is also seen in the plural in the context of various occupations: impacts A measure of viewing to advertisements. One impact is equivalent to one viewer watching one 30-second advertising spot. impacts Effects of pressures on the status of surface water and groundwater impacts The significant consequences of a government program activity, either intended or unintended, and either positive or negative. The earliest recorded use of the verb impact to mean â€Å"to strike forcefully against something† dates from 1916. If something can be said to impact something, then the participle use is sure to follow. Like so many shortcut words beloved by headline writers, impacted in place of â€Å"had an impact on† is here to stay: Has the Economy Impacted Your Earnings? How space exploration has impacted our health How Globalization Has Impacted Labor How football hooliganism has negatively impacted the sport Nevertheless, I find it disconcerting. When I hear someone say, â€Å"That really impacted me,† I have the mental image of a body all mashed in on itself. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeopleUsing "zeitgeist" Coherently

Behavior of Gases Essay Example for Free

Behavior of Gases Essay Introduction: In this experiment, the problem trying to be solved is what gas laws are being used when the pressure, temperature, and volume are being measured. The three gas laws are Boyle’s Law, Charle’s Law, and Gay-Lussac’s Law. The Boyle’s Law is when volume and pressure are being compared. Pressure and volume are inversely proportional, because when pressure goes up, volume goes down. The Charle’s Law is when volume and temperature are compared. Volume and temperature are also inversely proportional as well. Lastly, Gay-Lussac’s Law is when pressure and temperature are compared. Pressure and temperature are directly proportional; therefore when pressure goes up, temperature also goes up. The formulas are as follows: Boyle’s Law: P2 P1 = P2 V2 Charle’s Law: V1/T1 = V2/T2 Gay-Lussac’s Law: P1/T1 = P2/T2 Hypothesis: If volume, temperature, and pressure are measured, they will follow the laws and fit under Boyle’s, Charle’s, or Gay-Lussac’s law. Expected Results: It should be expected that when volume and pressure are measured, pressure will go up and volume will go down. When volume and temperature are compared, volume will go up and temperature will go down. Lastly, when pressure andtemperature are measured, pressure will go up as temperature goes up. Experimental Procedure: Part I Connect a 20mL syringe to a LabQuest Select: File New Then, Mode: Change to Events with Entry Next, Enter Name as Volume Enter Units as mL Select OK Start at 10mL on the syringe and wait for the reading to Select Keep Keep at least 6 data points (any of your choice) Only pull the syringe out (making the mL readings higher each time) Stop the Data Collection and view the graph and points Record Part II Place an Erlenmeyer flask in a beaker big enough to fit the flask Connect a temperature apparatus to the Lab Quest and place probe in beaker Then connect the pressure tube to the Lab Quest in channel 2 and connect the other end of the tube with the rubber stopper to the Erlenmeyer flask Select: File New Then Mode: Change to Selected Events Exit In sensors menu, change units to Kelvin Tap graph X-axis: chose temperature Place faucet, room temperature water in the beaker Select Keep Place ice in the beaker Select Keep Place room temperature water in the beaker again and place on a hot plate Wait for the water to boil Place temperature probe and Erlenmeyer flask back in beaker Select Keep Record result from graph and chart Results: VOLUME (mL) PRESSURE 10 103. 27 12 87. 6 14 76. 14 16 67. 5 18 60. 96 20 55. 15 This data and chart is comparing volume and pressure. The graph represents the Boyle’s Law because as the pressure is going up the volume is going down. TYPE OF WATER TEMPERATURE (K) PRESSURE Normal 102. 8 295 Ice 98. 29 275. 4 Boiling 122. 31 357. 4 This data and chart is comparing temperature and pressure. The graph represents Gay-Lussac’s Law because as temperature goes up, pressure goes up as well. Discussion: This experiment went extremely smooth. The data was easy to collect as long as you kept the Lab Quest and tools stable to ensure for accurate readings for temperature, pressure, and volume. The graphs and data easily coincided correctly with the theories of the gas laws, as was shown accessibly once the graphs were made. Although the data coincided with the theories correctly, the temperature readings for freezing and boiling may have not been completely accurate because the temperatures of the water was not measured accurately for correct boiling and freezing temperatures, but recorded solely for the theories and to prove them. Overall, the experiment held up well and the hypothesis and theories were proven to be correct. Behavior of Gases. (2018, Oct 25).

Administrative Ethics Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Administrative Ethics - Research Paper Example Put simply, two organizations are forced to pay OCR a sum of $1,975,220 for losing two laptops that have patients’ private information (HHS, 2014). Undeniably, such information are at a risk of misuse hence the need for reinforcement. OCR’s deputy director asserts that, â€Å"Covered organizations must understand that mobile devices and computer security is the entity’s responsibility.† Consequently, the sum required of the entities sends a simple message that encryption is the best protection against such incidences. The two entities in this case are Concentra Health Services (Concentra) and QCA Health Plan, Inc. of Arkansas. Correspondingly, the issue in the case affects many people in different measures. First, the most affected are patients whose information is stored in the stolen laptops. Jessica et al. (2011) assert that one of the core responsibilities of medical practitioners is confidentiality. As such, it is required that healthcare professionals keep patients’ information secret and private unless there is a consent to disclose health information. It is the underlying reason why patients share a lot of confidential information with medical practitioners. In essence, failure to keep the information private harms patients. Besides, patients often share private information with professionals. It is without doubt that the patient-physician trust is broken when the clinic does not maintain privacy of information. The situation affects patients in many ways. One, there are patients with personally sensitive health information that they sought to keep secret. Even so, that the laptops are stolen means such information is no longer private (Barrett et al. 2010). It is very likely that the information is in the hands of people who want to misuse it. Moreover, patients are affected in that they will hardly seek medical assistance from the hospital. Undoubtedly, people learn from experience, and the availability of other people’s experience teaches the

Propaganda in the movie Casablanca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Propaganda in the movie Casablanca - Essay Example Such an approach is something of an arrogant approach. This is of course due to fact that the individual who engages within such an interpretation is of the opinion that films of several decades past could not have had the skill or finesse of incorporating such nuanced and non-lateral forms of propaganda within their storyline. However, as this brief analysis will discuss, the fact of the matter is that even films of over one half century ago were expertly able to integrate nuanced forms of propaganda within their storylines and integrate them with the viewer. The key differential that must be understood is with regards to whether or not the viewer ultimately understood what they were consuming was propaganda or not. In such a way, such a representation of propaganda within films such as Casablanca serves as a type of gold standard for propaganda due to the fact that the viewer may very well be unaware of the fact that the information that they are consuming has strong elements of pr opaganda built into it. ... However, instead, the Germans are portrayed as fully human; albeit unemotional and unnecessarily egotistical. Moreover, one of the most effective means by which propaganda is elucidated within the movie is with regards to the sinister threat that such a worldview and violent empire poses to all of humanity. As a means of affecting this particularly sinister understanding of what the Nazi regime embodied, the filmmakers purposely allowed for a languishing pause between Colonel Strasser’s question and Rick Blaine’s response with regards to what a German invasion of the United States might look like. To the viewer within 2013, such an eventuality seems all but preposterous and impossible; however, the propaganda effect that this necessarily had upon the viewer of the film must necessarily have been much different. This of course brings the analysis to the vitally important understanding that propaganda within film cannot and should not be related solely with regards to wha t might strike the current viewer as propaganda. Rather, it must be understood within regards to the way in which propaganda would have been understood and integrate with the audience of the time. Ultimately, the answer to such a question is that the audience of the time would find such a mental image highly troublesome and likely would have engaged with this subtle portrayal of propaganda to a much greater degree than they would have likely responded to a more overt style of propaganda. Another vitally important way in which propaganda is related within the film Casablanca is not with regards to any specific image, dialogue, or scene. Rather, one of the most

Week 8 - Observation Journal Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 8 - Observation Journal - Personal Statement Example She also taught the basic language structure and helped us to develop reading and writing skills through effective reading and creative writing techniques. There was an Asian student, Theresa, whose basics regarding the English language were very weak. Ms Holly made sure to work on her and develop her skills in all forms of communication, oral as well as written. Theresa was very shy and an introvert. She never socialized with the rest of the class students and sat at the back of the class. Ms Holly made sure to help her in this aspect as well by encouraging group conversations. Ms Holly provided us with various scenario-based, definite and highly organized setting for dialogue and conversation on various topics. This enabled us to enhance our language skills by learning basic mechanics such as spelling, grammar and punctuation; as well as learning clarity which includes correct sentence structure, ideas and paragraph writing. Ms Holly not only made sure that we students had the basics of English right but she further improved the oral communication by teaching us the techniques and methodologies of oral presentation. She trained us and then we were required to give short as well as long oral presentations which highly enhanced our speaking, listening and presentation skills. In addition to this, Ms Holly worked on our vocabulary as just knowing a language is not enough; it is necessary to speak it well and fluently. Students were taught new words, synonyms and replacements and alternatives of different words which significantly increased their English vocabulary. This of course also expanded their academic skills that are required by various careers and jobs around the world. Also, Ms Holly took care of the various cultures and countries each student was from and tried to mingle us. She gave us projects and work that had to be done in groups and each group had students from different backgrounds. This ensured

Objectives of sustainable development

Objectives of sustainable development Introduction The UK construction industry has undergone an unprecedented change in construction technology. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) have been invented and are increasingly being used. With regard to residential apartment blocks, up to the 1980s greater emphasis was being placed on economy of construction rather than sustainability and lifestyles. Since 1980s, factors such as (i) the speed of construction (ii) sustainability (ii) flexible use of space. The need for rapid construction has led to more use of off-site prefabrication to reduce time spent on site and increase cost-effectiveness. The advancement of construction technology has also benefited from Government policies particularly relating to sustainable development. Perhaps one of the most significant initiatives of the UK Government to encourage sustainable construction was the setting op of the â€Å"Construction Task Force† by the Deputy Prime Minister Mr John Prescott. The task force, which comprised Sir Michael Lathum and Sir John Egan, produced a report ‘Rethinking construction (Egan, 1998). This report became influential in making Government policy. Sir John Egan argued that the use of standardization, prefabrication and innovation would improve the sustainability of the construction industry in the UK. Egan also compared construction to a manufacturing process where improvements are always sustained. The report recommended the use of prefabrication and standardization in building work as a method of achieving value of money, better value for clients and other users. Such an approach is now favoured by most people in the building industry, especially in house building. The use of modern methods of construction allows homes to be built more quickly and efficiently. Modern methods also improve site safety and supplement skilled workmanship where there may be shortages. Nevertheless, modern methods of construction have some disadvantages compared to traditional methods in that construction costs are relatively higher and also some section the public may object to futuristic building designs that go against what they are used to. Developers using MMC may need to be accredited to certain regulating authorities (such as NHBC in the UK) to ensure high quality and durability of their materials. Prefabrication Review-History of MMC Prefabrication was used in UK during periods of high dement, as after the world wars and the slum clearances in 1960s. The technical success of many of these systems was shadowed by social failing of high-rise living. In the 20th century about a million prefabricated houses were build. Most technical problems which were experienced were related to materials and poor workmanship. Prefabricated systems have been used in many public building in UK and other European Countries. The UK parliamentary office of Science and Technology studies showed (MORI poll, 2001) negative attitudes pre-fabrication were result of a big published disaster problem in the 60s. In mid of 1990s interest of UK was significant based system (e.g. roof trusses, steel frames etc) but the complete system of housing development was little, using relatively unskilled labour has been the predominant of UK house building. Off-site Review Government reports suggest that modern methods of construction (MMC) could be part of the solution to improve the quality of housing (Baker 2003). The industry has been slow to develop innovative building technologies, according to Ball and Barrow (1999). Many studies of modern methods of construction have taken the approach of promoting off-site applications without considering all the issues (Roy et al. 2003). The off-site processes help reduce the project construction time. Bakers review 2003 In 2003 the UK Government appointed Sir Martin Baker to review and report on the economic and social impacts of home building. The review examined affordability of homes in the UK. The Government is encouraging modern methods of construction (MMC) and increased supply of homes. One of Bakers highlights (2003) is that it challenges the home building industry to change construction to satisfy housing needs. Planning new levels of housing stock been based on demographic trends (Baker 2004). Benefits of MMC involve the manufacture of homes in factories, which is the faster construction. Evidence-Audits report The Commission for Architecture and Build Environment (CABE) has been investigate for the scope for building more quickly using modern methods of construction (MMC). The objective criteria of the audits, they are open to criticism them also some in house building industry criticized which schemes are determined ‘good or ‘average. In 2005 the modern methods of cost might be higher, it was report and it was possible to: Reduce the construction of houses on-site To build home up to four times with the same amount of on-site labour The performance should be also good as for home build in traditional way. During the twentieth century The new building in the UK (1996) were smaller 13% than the existing stock compared to the European countries houses that were largest that order ones. The size of a new home it was roughly 15.m2, the smallest in the Western Europe and the other European countries tend to be 20 m2 and 30 m2. In the 1981-2001 a particular in new buildings is roughly 20% smaller than the typical pre-1919 home. A combination of social in 1950s, economical and political factors renewed to construct housing system (Boverker,2004). Modern Methods of construction-Embodied carbon The most serious threat to human society that has created itself is climate change. In the 1750s the global atmospheric concentrations of greenhouses gases, carbon dioxide (CO2). The building construction is a substantial contributor of global CO2. Global emissions attributable to energy use in buildings with quarter of total CO2. An important goal for the Government climate police is the reducing of energy and carbon emissions attributed to buildings. In housing construction standard embodied energy is equivalent to a few years of energy; there are some exceptions to low energy buildings. Embodied carbon is important for low energy buildings, because less energy is used in occupation, and additional energy required for the insulation level, energy consumed in the construction materials, transport and installation. However the embodied carbon of low energy house is to contribute a better proportion of lifecycle carbon emissions during the building lifetime than a convention house. Many of the benefits of Modern methods of construction for housing are contentious and unproven. The manufacture suggest of the Government of MMC are: Environment- houses can be more energy efficient, less transport of materials and produce less waste. Social- fewer accidents and less impact during construction. Economic- MMC can be build more quickly. Overview of MMC-Types Modern methods of construction its a term to saw a number of construction methods. In the UK, the methods that being introduced in the building industry significant from so-called construction methods such as brick and block. The MMC was debated in the industry and was no universally agreed definition. The housing corporation that is used for its own purposes in 2003 is a published construction classification system (table 1). Housing corporation construction 1. Off-site manufactured -Volumetric 2. Off-site manufactured -Panelized 3. Off-site manufactured-Hybrid 4. Off-site manufactured -Sub-assemblies and components 5. Non Off-site manufactured construction Other terms of describing the MMC, is the factory building assembled, industrialized construction, innovative systems constructed on-site and pre-fabrication construction. The sectors of the modern methods of construction have five categories used by the housing corporation: off-site manufactured volumetric, three dimensions units produced in the factory, fully fitted out before being transported in the site. The majority of off-site manufactured volumetric construction in the UK to date has been used in housing. Modules may be delivered to site in variety of forms; volumetric off-site brings all the critical activities to the structure to a factory based environment which ensures better quality control. Light steel frame off-site techniques are more used to the traditional construction methods and are used in all sectors of constructions industry. Light steel offers better quality control and reduction in waste. Off-site manufactured-panellised construction is flat panel units build in factory, fully fitted out before being transported to site, panellised systems such as walls, roofs, floors and it consists two types of panels, open panels when assembled forms a skeleton structure and are usually timber or frame and closed panels may include internal lining materials. Off-site manufactured-hybrid is the combination of panellised and volumetric systems, is used to create the skeleton of the structure and volumetric units are used for the bathrooms and the kitchens. The environmental impact of MMC products sector were assessed including timber frame, timber frame with straw bale. A hybrid construction is a panellised system and is good design for economy. There are many manufactured of panellished systems and volumetric. Precast concrete is a construction material where concrete is cast mold which is the cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into pl ace. Barriers of MMC Some MMC homes builders are less expensive that the traditional methods of construction, increased cost about 7-10%. The reasons of different cost (higher) are difficult to discern because most of projects traditional masonry buildings cost widely. The cost apper high because in the MMC, there are different used of benefits such as better quality of construction, fewer accidents and reflect in project account MMC is the faster construction buildup to 50% and thus reducing labour costs. Capacity is a barrier of increasing the number of houses using MMC. In the two categories difficulties fall: factory capacity to manufacture parts and shortage of skills. Historical overview of sustainable development A great number of civilizations in human history it had been recognized the need of harmony between the society, the environment and the economy. More to the point, sustainable development is a very old idea that focuses, on improving the quality of life without exceeding the environmental supplies of natural resources. Unfortunately despite the predictions, the concept of sustainability gained momentum in 1980s when the problem became extremely obvious (Kenny, M., Meadowcroft, J., (1999). In 1973 was the first time that United Nations discussed about environmental solutions in Stockholm (Langton, C., A., Ding, G., K., C., (2001). Subsequently, the ideas discussed again in the World Conservation Strategy and new strategies were adopted by the governments of fifty countries but with very small practical impact. In 1983 the United Nations created the Worlds Commission in Environment and Development (WCED) and in 1987 they published a report in sustainable development with the name â€Å"Our common future† also known as the Brundtland Report (Langton, C., A., Ding, G., K., C., (2001). According to Langton, C., A., Ding, G., K., C., (2001) this report had critically signaled the rush of thinking for a second time the ways of governing and living as also the need of international coordination and cooperation. In 1992 in Rio Conference was the first time that the worlds leaders discussed about the future of the planet and agreed to set out principles to achieve sustainable development. The major agreement of this meeting was a 900 page program of actions with steps towards sustainable development at international levels. In 1997 the Kyoto climate summit set targets for the industrial countries in order to bring their gas emissions 5% below 1990 levels by 2012. Pioneering ways must be found to ensure that individual behavior and institutional structures will change targets, towards a sustainable future and will understand the consequences of inaction. Sustainable concept To begin with, it can be critically mentioned that the sustainable development should take into consideration the potential impacts on three main sectors, the environmental, the social and the economic; as it has been advised from Munasinghe (1993). Essentially, he advocated that, the natural habitats, the people, and the economy are interrelated and should be managed as a one. Therefore, the environmental approach it can be claimed that is so to protect the biological features, the social concept is to stabilize the cultural system and the economic approach are to maximize the income and preserve the stock of resources (Munasinghe, 1993).Ultimately, it would be imperative to append that some more important concepts in sustainable development are the futurity the equity and the irreversibility. Table 3 provides further details as per those important concepts. Further Important Concepts: Futurity: concern is given not only for the short term horizon, but also for the long term that affect the future generations. Equity: Emphasis is given to the least advantaged in society in order to provide their needs and a fair treatment. Irreversibility: Some types of environmental degradation are not possible to be restored by human ingenuity. Source: Based on Strange, T., Bayley, A., (2008) Objectives of sustainable development Taking into consideration all of the above, hence explicit information that academic definitions are providing; the reviewed literature suggests that numerous previous empirical studies have been conducted based on main advantages supported as a result of the sustainable developments up to date. Economy: Sustainable development is so to promote an economy that improves environmental quality and meet peoples needs. Energy: Reduction of energy use to suitable levels and encouragement of the consumers to spend less energy. Land use: The main concern is to minimize the loss of rural land and to maintain the viability of town centers Forestry: The main issue is the management of forests in a way that sustains their ecological qualities and their productive potentials. Climate change: The key objective is the limitation of gas emissions that contribute to climate change and global warming. Air quality: Key issues: reduction of pollutant emissions in order to improve local air quality and chemical pollution control especially in urban areas. Mineral extraction: The main objective is the minimization of the environmental harm from mineral extraction by the efficient use of materials. Waste materials: Sustainable Waste management can decrease the amount of waste production. The hierarchy of waste management options start with the reduction of waste materials, it then goes to the re-use and finally to disposal. Raw materials The raw materials inputs change depending upon the systems of MMC being factored. Common raw materials including metal, board materials, timber, concrete, class wool insulation. Off-cuts of these materials typically end up as waste within the factory environment. Timber is a raw and recycled material, timber panel products are usually kept separate from the clean timber as they are currently different to recycle. Steel is readily recycled material, due to its value established recycling routes. Also glass wool insulation is potentially recyclable Raw materials are often packaged and it is this packaging that ends up as waste. Packaging wastes have various waste management routes depending on the individual manufacturer. Modern methods of construction are about better product and processes. They aim improve business efficiency, quality environmental performance, sustainability and the predictability. MMC are more broadly based that a particular focus on product MMC should make it possible to build more with the same amount of on-site labor.MMC other than open panel techniques continue to be slightly more expensive than more established techniques but the cost ranges for different techniques overlap substantially, in any particular set of conditions in MMC could be as cost-effective as brick and block or more cost effective. Sustainable development definition One of the most popular definitions for sustainable development was given in Brundtland report (1995): â€Å"Sustainable is the development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (Kirby, J, OKeefe, P., Timberlake L., 1995). This definition indicates that an activity can be considered sustainable if it doesnt exhaust the natural resources and doesnt have serious impacts to the environment that the future generations will inherit. For instance, if the ozone layer is destroyed, if the green-house gases build up, if the natural resources are exhausted and if water and air are polluted, it is reasonably obvious that this generation dont give the ability to the next one to support their selves. Sustainable development can be considered as: A theoretical framework: a method that will make the world more balanced and holistic. A process: techniques to apply the principles of integration to all decision. A target: methods of fixing the problems Sustainable construction Sustainable construction focuses on the issues of procurement, assembly and Procurement: The processes of procurement introduce the objectives that the contractors must have during the construction. These objectives may include environmental commissioning. It consist matters like site planning, tendering, selection of materials, recycling and waste minimization (Smith, P., F., (2007). standards and reporting requirements. Assembly: The assembly activities are managed by the contractors in order to contribute to the ecological performance. It consist issues as the excavation methods, the reduction of noise, the disposal of wastes and storm-water containment. Commissioning: It gives information of how the design will operate in the future. It should relate performance specifications and maintenance methods. In order the environmental performance of the construction to be improved, the site operatives and the supervisors should have a proper training (Smith, P., F., (2007).

The Eating Behaviour of Young People Essay -- Adolescence

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adolescence is a stage in life that has many biological, cognitive and sociocultural changes. This stage in life is when individuals are most vulnerable and health behaviors play an important role in their future. An adolescent today is bombarded with many behaviors that can affect their future such as; smoking, drug use, and sex. These behaviors can carry immediate and severe consequences but there are other health behaviors such as eating choices and physical activity that can carry risks as well (Lytle, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lytle explains that there is data that suggests that adolescent’s current eating behaviors are putting them at risk for many different diseases later in life. Some of those diseases include: cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Adolescents today have decreased physical activity and poor diet habits which makes nutritional issues for adolescents a very important topic that needs to be addressed (Lytle, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cardiovascular disease begins in childhood. A study completed by Kelley, Krummel, Gonzales, Neal and Fitch examined 279 children. There hypothesis was that children who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease based on their family history would have diets that were different than the low risk children. The children’s height, weight, and total cholesterol were measured and each child filled out a food frequency questionnaire. 23% of the children were at risk for cardiovascular disease and their cholesterol was significantly higher. However intakes of energy, fat, cholesterol and fiber were similar in both the high risk and low risk groups. The researchers concluded that all children whether high risk or low risk need to change their dietary patterns in order to prevent cardiovascular disease. Those at high risk need specific guidelines in order to lower their risk for the disease. Healthcare professionals must promote the healthy benefits of healthy eat ing habits to both children and their families and finally it is critical that public health research address behavior modification in children (2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Diets high in saturated fat, total fat, sodium and low in fiber are associated not only with cardiovascular disease but also some types of cancer. Also diets low in fruits and vegetables are associated with increased risk of some types of cancer. National nutrition surveillance data ... ...zine and have their stories told to millions of readers. Keri Kulik, an exercise physiologist, who helped the Schall’s with monthly strategies to meet their goals, followed them for the next 6 months. Each month Keri gave the Schall family key strategies for success. Strategies started small like walking two nights a week together, watching less television and decreasing soda intake. By month 3 the family was including more sports like cycling, tennis and baseball in their routine also they have started circuit weight training together and have been drinking more water. By month six the Schall’s have consistently included exercise in their daily life and love it. They had one goal as a family and that was to increase physical activity, now the Schall’s are interested in working on their diet. They had made a consistent effort to eat a healthy breakfast every morning and include more healthy meals and snacks in their day. As Keri stated, â€Å"they now see th e big picture and are motivated to continue their healthy lifestyle.† Fit Family Fit Kids has shown how making small behavior changes in one families life can make big changes in both parent’s and children’s health (Fitness, 2005).

Blades Inc. Case Study Essay

1. What are the advantages Blades could gain from importing from and/or exporting to a foreign country such as Thailand? Ans: The advantages Blades could gain from importing from and/or exporting to Thailand could be Decrease their cost of goods sold, and increase Blades’ net income since rubber and plastic are cheaper when imported from a foreign country such as Thailand. Due to its superior production process Thai firms could not duplicate the high-quality production process , so establishing a subsidiary in Thailand would preserve blade sales before Thai competitors. Allow Blades to explore the option of exporting to Thailand by building relationships with some local suppliers. As far as exporting is concerned, Blades could become the first firm to seller roller Blades in Thailand. Diversify their investment by opening option to export to other countries beyond Thailand to ensure company sustainability. 2. What are some of the disadvantages Blades could face as a result of foreign trade in the short run? In the long run? Ans: The disadvantages Blades could face as a result of foreign trade in the short run are: Exchange rate risk. Blades would be exposed to currency fluctuation in the Thai baht if importation cost increase without Thai suppliers adjusting their price. International economic condition; if Thailand’s economy undergoes recession, Blades would suffer from sales decrease in Thailand. In the long run, Blades should be aware of the political risk involved in operating in Thailand, such as any regulatory changes or tax increase may impact on Blade’s subsidiary.

Impact of the Internet and Media for Modern Youth

INTERNET ON MODERN YOUTH The content of the current media culture is often blind to a young person’s cultural,economic and educational background. The concept of a media culture has evolvedowing to the increased volume, variety and importance of mediated signs and messagesand the interplay of interlaced meanings. In the world of young people, themedia are saturated by popular culture and penetrate politics, the economy, leisuretime and education. At present, the global media culture is a pedagogic force that hasthe potential to exceed the achievements of institutionalized forms of education.AsHenry Giroux puts it:â€Å"With the rise of new media technologies and the global reach of thehighly concentrated culture industries, the scope and impact of theeducational force of culture in shaping and refiguring all aspects of  daily life appear unprecedented. Yet the current debates have generallyignored the powerful pedagogical influence of popular culture,along with the implicat ions it has for shaping curricula, questioningnotions of high-status knowledge, and redefining the relationship  between the culture of schooling and the cultures of everyday life. 6The concept of media culture encompasses not simply symbolic combinationsof immaterial signs or capricious currents of old and new meanings, but an entire wayof life7 in which images, signs, texts and other audio-visual representations are connectedwith the real fabric of material realities, symbols and artificialities. 8Media culture is pervasive; its messages are an important part of the everydaylives of young people, and their daily activities are structured around media use.Thestories and images in the media become important tools for identity construction. A  pop star  provides a model  for clothing and  other style choices, and language used  bya cartoon character becomes a key factor in the street credibility of young people. Under the present circumstances, there are few places left i n the world where onemight escape the messages and meanings embedded in the televised media culture.In a mediated culture, it can be difficult for young people to discern whose representationsare closest to the truth, which representations to believe, and whichimages matter. This is partly because the emergence of digitalized communication and the commoditization of culture have significantly altered the conditions under whichlife and culture are experienced. Many are still attached to the romantic image of  organic communities in which people converse with one another face-to-face and livein a close-knit local environment.Digital communication is gradually undermining thistraditional approach:â€Å"Most of the ways in which we make meanings, most of our communicationsto other people, are not directly human and expressive, butinteractions in one way or another worked through commodities andcommodity relations: TV, radio, film, magazines, music, commercialdance, style, fashion, co mmercial leisure venues. These are major  realignments. † 9In the world of young people, the media culture may be characterized primarilyin terms of three distinct considerations. First, it is produced and reproduced bydiverse ICT sources.It is therefore imperative to replace the teaching of knowledgeand skills central to agrarian and industrial societies with education in digital literacy. A similar point is made by Douglas Kellner, who contends that in a media culture it isimportant to learn multiple ways of interacting with social reality. 10 Children and young  people must be provided with opportunities to acquire skills in multiple literacies toenable them to develop their identities, social relationships and communities, whether  material, virtual, or a combination of the two.Second, the media culture of youth extends beyond signs and symbols, manifestingitself in young people’s physical appearance and movements. The media cultureinfluence is visible in how youth present themselves to the world through meansmade available by prevailing fashions; the body is a sign that can be used effectivelyto produce a cultural identity. Furthermore, various kinds of media-transmitted skillsand knowledge are stored and translated into movements of the body. This is evidentin a number of youth subcultures involving certain popular sports, games andmusic/dances such as street basketball, skateboarding and hip hop.The body is highly susceptible to different contextual forms of control. Whilethey are in school, pupils’ movements are regulated by certain control mechanismsand cognitive knowledge. In the streets, youth clubs and private spaces, however, their bodies function according  to a different logic. Informal knowledge absorbed throughthe media culture requires some conscious memorizing but also involves physicallearning, quite often commercialized. 11Third, in the experience of young people, media culture represents a sourceof pleasure and relative autonomy compared with home or school.As P. Willis states:â€Å"Informal cultural practices are undertaken because of the pleasuresand satisfactions they bring, including a fuller and more roundedsense of the self, of ‘really being yourself’ within your own knowablecultural world. This entails finding better fits than the institutionally or  ideologically offered ones, between the collective and cultural senses  Ã¢â‚¬â€the way it walks, talks, moves, dances, expresses, displays—  and its actual conditions of existence; finding a way of ‘beingin the world’ with style at school, at work, in the street. 12Experts on young people have long appreciated the complexity of the conceptof youth, especially when examined from a global perspective. The best summation is  perhaps that the concept of youth today is historically and contextually conditioned;in other words, it is relative as well as socially and culturally constructed. 13 In the presentmedia culture, the age at which childhood is perceived to end is declining, and the  period of  youth seems to be  extending upward.It is useful, however, to recall that the majority of young people in the worlddo not live according to the Western conceptions of youth. For them, childhood andadolescence in the Western sense exist only indirectly through media presentations. The same media culture influences seem to be in effect outside the Western world,  but their consequences are  likely to be somewhat different owing mainly to variationsin definitions of childhood and youth and to the different authority relationships  prevailing in individual cultures.Children and young people are often seen as innocent victims of the pervasive and  powerful media. In the extreme view, the breakdown of the nuclear family, teenage  pregnancy, venereal disease, paedophilia, child  trafficking and child prostitutionspreading through the Internet, drug use, juvenile crime, t he degeneration of manners,suicide and religious cults are all seen as problems exacerbated or even inflicted upon

CA Energy Crisis essays

CA Energy Crisis essays After dodging power outages for many months, California experienced its first power outage on January 17th, being the first time since World War II when state officials ordered blackouts to protect the coast from the Japanese. The blackouts stretched from Central California to 500 miles north at the Organ border, leaving 657,000 homes and businesses without electricity for several hours at a time. The blackouts continued left the affected areas in a state of chaos along with billions of dollars lost in sales, productivity, and wages. Many blame the power shortages on the 1996 deregulation which had promised to lower the consumers power bills by providing a competitive market, ironically wholesale prices later skyrocketed to over $300 per megawatt in December of 2000. After the opening of five power plants earlier this summer, the power crisis has pretty much diminished, but later last year and earlier this year businesses in Silicon Valley were questioning weather or not they s hould stay in California and risk losing millions more. Companies who have an interruptible energy source contract with the energy companies, which means in exchange for cut-rate electricity they would have their power cut off during an electricity shortage, experienced 24 interventions from the summer of 2000 to December of the same year. The Miller plant in Irwindale, California, who typically runs nonstop all year, has laid off some employees and had shifted some of its production to Dallas, Texas. The disruptions cost them on average $600,000 a week , and more importantly they are looking at alternate areas to do business in fear of another outage. The same thought is running through the minds of Silicon Valley corporations, they want to stay in California but if the power isnt reliable they must go somewhere else or loose business. Intel has also sent a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein stating unless they receive reli...