Evaluation Of Work In Progress †Blue Remembered Hills Essay

For the past term and a half I have been studying Blue Remembered Hills as part of my Drama Coursework and a couple of weeks ago I performed an extract from the play with three fellow students. I will be writing about my Work In Progress and how well we worked together as a group to make our performance successful. To do this I will be focusing on the rehearsal process and the final performance. The Rehearsals. The rehearsals went very well, with steady progress throughout each session. The main strengths were the whole groups ability to pick up words, stage directions and changes quickly, for example when we decided to use a domino effect for our entrance. This effect was put in close to the end of our whole rehearsal process but we never had any problems with it and no one forgot it either. We also had all our lines learnt by the fourth lesson which meant we could get on with focusing on our stage directions and character analysis. Our main weaknesses were our character analysis, for example one of our group members found it hard to perform as his character because his personality was very different to his characters and his volume was a slight issue as well. I also found it hard to perform as my character because at the beginning I would let the status slip slightly at the wrong moment and I wasn’t seen as the bully anymore, I would also have to be careful about my pitch because I was playing a boy and sometimes my voice would come off girly and high pitched. One of our main problems was that some of us had other commitments like work or clubs that made it hard to organise lunchtime or after school rehearsals this affected our rehearsal process because when we managed to organise a rehearsal it had to be a short one or someone might have forgotten or not been able to make it, so it was hard for our teacher to asses our work and give us feedback if there was someone missing. We over came our problem by working extra hard in our lesson time so we could pay off for it that way. We also tried to work outside a lot so it could help us imagine our surroundings and the sort of things a seven year old would do outside. I found my strengths were my ability to incorporate ideas into our work and give constructive criticism. I don’t feel there was a directors role because we all had ideas and were able to give each other advice on their character build up. I felt I was able to help the group improve practise by asking for line reruns and workshops to improve our overall characters. My main weakness was character analysis (as above) mainly because, as a group, we didn’t do enough character analysis and this could have helped me. I feel my contribution benefited the rehearsal process because I could keep the group focused on a task and I was a good team player. I fell I could have helped others in my group more without feeling I was going to offend them because it affects the whole group dynamics if one person is unsure and it shouldn’t have to be a hindrance. The demands of working in a group are to not mess around or waste time, because you have to put as much effort in as your group members otherwise it isn’t fair, and you are putting the whole group in jeopardy and therefore are not able to make a satisfactory performance. The Performance In our final performance the domino effect worked really well as opening the scene because it gave us all the energy we needed to open the scene as seven year old boys. The thing that didn’t work well was the dirt on the floor, the sticks were fine, it was just the debris and mud on the floor that didn’t work. We put it there to make the scene more site-specific but it was unnecessary because we didn’t need to use it as a prop and had to sweep it up afterwards as well!! Our strengths as a group was our ability to stay in character even when we weren’t speaking because this helped to keep the energy levels high and keep the performance interesting. As an individual performance my strengths were my volume and diction because I felt I carried my words out so everyone could hear me. My weaknesses were my body language and pitch because I would often slip out of my characters voice and body language. For example when I am fighting with John I would lead from my chest which isn’t manly. I felt our group created a performance that clearly expressed a theme suited to our target audience. We achieved this by developing skills which enabled us to broaden our minds and act as seven year olds. I was able to play my character because: My voice was mainly boyish and I was able to pull off bully mannerisms; My body language was like a seven year old because instead of sitting I would squat, or I would fold my arms to show stroppiness when someone does something I don’t like; My facial expressions suited the mood I was in or the situation that was happening, like when the atmosphere dropped when everyone looked at the squirrel in guilt I changed my facial expression to look uncomfortable or guilty; My gestures were large and clumsy like that of a child like when we were trying to get the squirrel out of the tree I would wave my stick or hurl stones at it; And my interactions with others on stage were that of a higher status character and sometimes very nasty because I was a bully and carried the higher status, likely after my fight with John I stuck my tongue out at him and made other nasty gestures towards him. Overall I felt that my performance and our overall work in progress was a success and we worked very well as a group to make our performance successful.

Business Model Canvas of United States Postal Service Essay

USPS caters the mail and package delivery services to a mass of different customers. It has different variety of services depending on what the customer wants. So customer segments are divided according to the type of services the USPS provides. 1. Individual citizens: The USPS has the first class mail and standard mail that the citizens can use to use to send personal cards, letters, bill payments, etc. Basically anything that is less than 13 ounces can be sent through first class, and is delivered within 2 to 3 days in the contiguous states. First class mail is sealed and protected, while standard mailed is not (standard mail may also receive deferred handling but it is more cost effective for customers). Also package services are provided to send packages more than 70 lbs. 2. Businesses: The USPS also caters to all the mailing needs of businesses. Banks use first class mail for delivery of debit or credit cards, and other confidential information as it is protected and handled properly. Also the standard mail, which is a cost-effective bulk mail class, is used by businesses for mailing advertisements, product samples, etc. and is delivered within 9 to 10 days. Businesses even use package services for delivery of delivery of customer orders. a. These customers include business to consumer delivery (e-commerce) such as Amazon and EBay. 3. Publishers: The USPS has Periodicals, which is a mail class for authorized publishers to send magazines, newspapers, journals, etc. 4. Other mail providers: The USPS has partnered with FedEx and UPS for their â€Å"last mile† mail delivery. Since the cost of delivery in rural areas is high for both FedEx and UPS, they have partnered with the USPS to deliver their mail and packages in areas where the cost for delivery would be higher for them; the USPS delivers about 30. 4% of the ground shipments of FedEx. Besides this, the USPS also offers services as Post Office Box, tracking of the mail etc. It also provides insurance on items shipped to domestic or international areas, if they have a value of above 200 dollars. Value Proposition The mission of the postal service is to provide the nation with reliable, affordable, universal mail service. By law, its basic function is â€Å"†¦ to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. It [the Postal Service] shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities. † Affordable Prices: The price of sending a package or mail by USPS is much lower than its competitors. Ubiquitous presence: The Postal Services has large number of offices in the United States making it accessible to almost every customer of the USPS. They have 31,272 retail offices. Reliable service: The Postal Service delivers to 151 million addresses six days a week, and collects outgoing mail and packages at the time of delivery. It provides mailing and shipping services through tens of thousands of postal and non-postal retail outlets as well as usps. com. The USPS provides many different services; First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Packages and Shipping, International Mail and Periodicals each catering to different needs of their customers. Channels The USPS provides direct delivery to the customer. They have all US addresses and their delivery system is direct, from the sender to the receiver. They are spread out in the entire United States and have huge amount of deliveries every week. The USPS operates over 30,000 Post Offices all over the United States where customers can come to send their packages and mail. Customers can also drop their mail in post boxes located at multiple locations in every town and city. Stamps and postage can be bought at numerous locations such as supermarkets, drug stores and post offices. The USPS also operates a service where the postman can come to pickup a shipment from your house free of charge. USPS also uses traditional advertisements and promotions to reach their customers on a daily basis. Figure 1: USPS’ services (source: USPS Annual Report 2012) Customer Relationships USPS’s customers demand reliable, fast and affordable service and they serve each customer segment in a different way. For individuals, customer service is mainly through sending and receiving letters and packages. For businesses the USPS offers various business solutions such as advertising campaigns, e-commerce solutions and special mass mail business prices. For other mail providers such as FedEx and UPS the USPS provides delivery of their packages both in rural areas and of small packages. For all customers the USPS also offers customer service by phone, online and in Post Offices. The USPS has good brand recognition, most US citizens are aware of the USPS’ services and the â€Å"postman† that comes to every house every day. Therefore the customers expect good service and the USPS uses customer outreach programs, both for individuals and businesses, to get feedback and information about how they can improve their services. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) from June 2013, both FedEx and UPS score higher than the USPS in the Express/Priority Service Mail Sector. Overall the regular mail services of USPS are at a new ACSI high of 77 points.

New Car Alarm Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

New Car Alarm Market Research - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the main weakness of the process is the unfamiliarity of the product within the market which will, later on, be tasking in the globalization process and the competition. Various openings and threats have been found in the automobile market research and the advantages that the company has over its competition by virtue of its location and production line. The research results are intended to outline how well Luminescent Alarms would be received by the general public (car owners). The research is also aimed at finding out if there is a demand for its proposed product and to see if its potential customers would buy the new product with regard to its practicality. Car crime has been an ostensible global problem for decades, in practically every country in the world. As reports show that more than 2700 cars are reported stolen in Europe on a daily basis and 50% of them are hardly ever retrieved. Luminescent Alarms  is the World’s fir st silent and visual car alarm. A unique British patent that uses cutting-edge optical tools. It responds to a signal provided by a standard mobile phone SIM and makes an illuminated flashing message Stolen appear visibly on a number  plate when required, this feature, however, is subject to manipulation by the car owner. Luminescent Alarms was created by David Richardson and  Dr. Ashley Knowles to develop and exploit the idea of an anti-theft technology for identifying stolen cars.The ideology is to raise the profile of a stolen vehicle thereby drawing the attention of the public who can then respond by alerting the police. The Alarm ensures that the owners stay in complete control of the security of their vehicles and the police can launch a recovery mission as nippily. When activated, the owner and the relevant authorities concurrently receive text messages alerting them to the theft. That helps raise the profile and ensure the vehicle is apprehended with haste.  The system is tamper proof and can be tracked on a number of devices (including computers, laptops, and smartphones).

Critically review an assessment process of your choice and determine Essay

Critically review an assessment process of your choice and determine whether or not it is fit for purpose - Essay Example .................................................. 5 b.1 Question ............................................................ 7 b.2 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions ................................ 8 c. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Short Answer Question Technique in terms of assessing the Students’ Knowledge in Nursing and Medical Education ................. 10 c.1 Advantages ........................................................ 10 c.2 Disadvantages ................................................... 11 d. Comparison between Short Answer Questions and the Different Educational Assessment Techniques used in Nursing and Medicine Courses ......................................... 12 d.1 Multiple Choice Exams vs. Short Answer Questions .................................... 12 d.2 Essay Exam vs. Short Answer Questions ........... 13 e. Strategic Ways on How Assessment Using Short Answer Questions can be Measured ............................................. 14 III. Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................. 17 Appendix I – Summary of Cognitive, Affective, and Psycomotor Domain . 18 References ............................................................................................. 19 – 22 Chapter I – Introduction Educators are highly accountable for the quality of education they provide to the students (Oermann and Gaberson, 2009, p. 3). In measuring the learning outcome of the students, educators should carefully select the most appropriate and effective assessment technique to improve the teaching and learning process between the educators and the students. Based on the assessment results, educators will have a basis on how they can modify the course curriculum for nursing- and medicine-related subjects (Oermann and Gaberson, 2009, p. 4). For several years, I teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), advanced life support (ALS), immunizations and vaccinations, and nurse prescribing in one of the local universities in UK. With regards to unfair student evaluation, educators should be aware that each type of assessment method has its limitations in terms of assessing the students’ overall learning outcome (McDonald, 2002, pp. 4 – 5). As part of teaching nursing- and medicine-related subjects, this study will briefly discuss the importance of educational assessment. After going through the different educational assessment techniques used in nursing and medicine courses, ways on how assessment can be measured will be tackled in details followed by determining whether or not the use of short answer questions is a suitable method to assess or examine the learning outcome of nursing and medical students. Aside from describing short answer questions and the assessment process of short answer questions from an objective point-of-view, the advantages and disadvantages of using short answer question technique in terms of assessing the students’ knowledge i n nursing and medical education will be identified, analyzed and interpreted based on the past and current research studies that were conducted on this matter. Based on the secondary research findings, the final stage of this study will conclude whether the use of short answer questions is considered an effective tool in measuring the students’ knowledge. Chapter II – Literature Review Importance of Educational Assessment Educational assessment or diagnostic testing aims at gathering information concerning the learning outcomes of the students. In line with this, educational asses

Why does the UK financial services regulator take such a dim view of Essay

Why does the UK financial services regulator take such a dim view of both market abuse and insider dealing - Essay Example 179). Since the past decade, financial markets have experienced essential reforms. This is because globalization has had dramatic and far-reaching effects on United Kingdom. Market abuse and insider dealings are criminal cases for which one is to be fined or publicly censured (Avgouleas, 2005, p. 179). Market abuse is more loosely delineated than insider dealings. Most of the offenses in the financial markets are dealt with under the market abuse regime. The financial service regulator can enforce a criminal prosecution on a market abuse case if it deems fit and if there is sufficient evidence. Market abuse, according to Alexander (2001, p. 12), refers to improper behavior that destabilizes the United Kingdom markets and harms the interests of the ordinary market users and participants. For this reason, the financial services regulation Act has created sanctions and penalties which are adjacent to the criminals’ offenses Act (Compliance Reporter, 2011, p. 2-3). The primary asp ect of market abuse is behavior in relation to shares and other financial instruments transacted publicly in United Kingdom. For behavior to be termed as an insider dealing, it should typify one of the seven types of insider dealings and market abuses as described by the financial service regulator. However, it should be noted that insider dealing and market abuse acts amount to criminal offenses subject to penal sanctions. The misleading statements and courses of conduct with the aim of inducing another person to implement or desist from carrying out rights in relation to investments amount to criminal offenses (The Compliance Reporter, 2011, p. 4). The market abuse regime will nab anyone: not only the individuals working in the financial markets or who manage the quoted companies on the board but also anyone who will attempt to abuse the securities markets in delineated ways. An individual is liable even when the actions were unintentional and or indirect (encouraging such behavio rs). According to Alexander (2001, p. 4), market abuse and insider information regime covers financial instruments such as the shares, futures, warrants, options and debt insurance, and contracts for differences, transacted on every regulated market in United Kingdom. In addition, the regime covers all the operations associated with the financial instruments even when carried out off-market. In other instances, conduct according to other related financial instruments or essential goods may be nabbed, even when the instruments are not transacted on a normal regulated market. In addition, an individual’s conduct involving securities transacted on an overseas unfettered market may be nabbed if an option related to them is merchandized in United Kingdom. The market abuse regime purposes to safeguard markets from harm to their efficiency and to guarantee effectiveness, order and fairness. The financial service regulator has the responsibility of issuing codes of conduct in the mar ket, which give appropriate direction to individuals determining whether behavior constitutes abuse or not. An insider, in reference to Alexander (2001, p. 10), refers to an individual who has inside information about an investment as a result of his or her membership in the administrative or supervisory body of an issuer of qualifying venture or management. An individual may also be an insider due to holding capital of an issuer of a stipulated venture or due to having right to use the data by the fact of employment, professionalism, or responsibilities. In addition, an

Social Media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Social Media - Assignment Example Value laden attitudes allow a social marketing manager conduct business within the existing ethical channels. The manager appreciates the value of the law in regulating good business conduct. They appreciate the role of good counsel and rely on the law for guidance. Cyberspace business is infamous for scams and swindles. Therefore, several brands online lose credibility in the market. A legally astute manager uses the law to uphold ethics and therefore create a strong brand with commendable public image and relations. A legally astute social marketing manager exercises informed judgment. The manager recognizes the law as an essential element of business in cyberspace. They hold themselves responsible for legal decisions rather than leaving them to counsel. The counsel therefore plays the role of advisor but not decision maker. In e-commerce, this trait is beneficial in making informed decisions to maximize returns. Context-specific knowledge refers to a manager’s deep understanding of the law. The legal decisions made by the manager are binding to a company as he serves as an agent. Cyberspace commerce is regulated by several laws. Understanding specific facts regarding these laws is essential in ensuring marketing managers practice their roles within the confines of the law. The last component requires the manager to display a proactive approach. This involves the manager’s application of the law from the early stages of designing a business model. Particularly, the manager seeks c ounsel early enough before any major crisis. This is essential in ensuring the business is operating within the legal standard in cyberspace. 2. List and analyze methods of alternative dispute resolution and determine which would be most effective in resolving genuine disputes that arise with consumers who may make purchases from businesses that provide links via social media. The

Discussion Board 5 - International Relations Essay

Discussion Board 5 - International Relations - Essay Example Keohane argues that the USA is still a hegemon despite its troubled economy because it has what he calls ‘soft power’ – the power to legislate and the power to persuade (Keohane, R. O., & Nye, J. S., 2001) Although the Bush administration has severely damaged the image of the USA as a credible hegemon, there is little doubt about the status of the USA as a hegemon in 2011. Keohane, R. O., & Nye, J. S., (2001). Power and Interdependence, 3rd Ed. New York: Addison–Wesley. 2. What is Comparative Advantage? Given the case studies of Japan, the United States, and Costa Rica, in which products do you feel they have the comparative advantage? Comparative Advantage is a concept developed by David Ricardo during the early 19th century, which refers to trading exchanges between entities, where each entity benefits most if it produces those products where the comparative cost are lowest. In the case of Japan and the United states had a comparative advantage in food pr oducts, aircraft, chemicals and in optical and digital instruments. Japan in turn has a comparative advantage in the high technology area (although for items with low entry capital).

ICP- MONROE KELLIEN HYPOTHESIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ICP- MONROE KELLIEN HYPOTHESIS - Essay Example Monro-kellie hypothesis refers to the relationships between volume and pressure of ICP, blood, cerebral perfusion pressure and brain tissue in the human skull. The hypothesis proposes that, it is not possible to compress the cranial compartment and that there is always a fixed volume of the cranium cavity (Marmarou et al, 1991). The entire constituents of the cranium and the cranium itself keep a volume equilibrium, which responds directly to any alterations in the cranial cavity. An alteration in the volume of a single cranial component results to changes in the rest of the cranial components. These activities act as compensation for any changes that might compromise the cranial balance. The chief shock absorbers for augmented volumes comprise both blood volume and CSF (Lang & Chesnut, 1995). These shock absorbers react to raises in quantity of the rest of intracranial components. Medical conditions like brain trauma raise the levels of ICP, if ICP goes up it is likely to cause severe brain harm to the brain tissues and cells (Chesnut et al, 1993). Prolonged high levels of ICP can result instantaneous death in adults, but children can withstand such higher pressure for a longer time than the adults without.Severe physical shock in the head can raise the level of ICL can result to cerebral edema and eventually crush the tissue of the brain. Further, such high ICP can dislocate some vital structures of the brain and hinder the movement of blood to the tissues and brain cells. The vertebral canal and cranium and inelastic dura form a non-flexible container that does not stretch or expand in case of increase of the cranial components. Therefore, any increase in cranial blood will result to a direct rise in ICP. Further, another implication of increase in one of the cranial components is that, such an increase will be accommodated by a subsequent decrease in other cranial constituents (Bahram, 2001). This relationship between the cranial

Creation vs. Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Creation vs. Evolution - Essay Example His investigation techniques entailed interviewing adept scholars who possessed extensive knowledge on creationism and evolutionism. Strobel outlines his arguments in a systematic way, easy to critic, understand and draw valid conclusions. However, relying solely on the arguments presented in Lee Strobel’s literal pieces limits ones understanding of the creationism vs. evolutionism argument. Therefore, discussed in this paper is a review of the philosophical foundations for both arguments and their impact on people’s understanding of earth’s origin (Moore 203). Arguments for the existence of God surfaced in the era of philosophers who lived in a period where logic and reasoning proved crucial to understanding and explaining the occurrence or existence of different phenomena. Majority of these philosophers’ beliefs, values and moral principles had their basis in religion, which revolved around the premise of the existence of an all-powerful, good God. An ov erview of the pre-historic philosophers indicates that each group believed in a superior element that had control over the functioning of all other elements. It is presumable that their choice of superior elements such as fire, water, and air functioned as a symbolic reference to a supreme deity that controlled the functioning of other aspects such as sustaining life on earth. Through dogmatic indoctrination, individuals’ beliefs and knowledge concerning their origin and that of the earth centered on God. Moreover, Science was still a relatively new discipline characterized with continuously surfacing schools of thought that advanced different theories in their attempt to explain existing phenomena. As a result, both philosophers and the individuals who relied on their teachings found themselves embracing the creation account detailed in the Bible as an explanation to earth’s and other organism’s origin. Genesis provides a chronological order of the worldâ€℠¢s creation by an all-powerful, omniscient being (God). The zeitgeist of the philosophers’ era played a significant role in predisposing individuals to believe in creationism (Ross 166). The previously held presumptions soon changed with the advancement of Charles Darwin’s evolution theory. Darwin asserted that evolution guided the transformation of systems from simple forms to complex forms by undergoing mechanistic processes such as natural selection and mutation (Bowden 115). According to Darwin, the microevolution changes that occur to form complex structures are random and are not pre-designed by a supernatural force. Darwin asserted that these changes result from the innate need to survive, which causes organisms to adapt to their changing environment or risk facing imminent death that might result in the species extinction. Darwin’s evolution theory gained acceptance among many during the scientific era where people resorted to using empirical methods to test hypothesized theories. It is important to note that the scientific era sort to discredit religious explanations with regard to various phenomena (Bowden 116). The scientific era saw people critiquing issues using similar subject matter; for example, the principle of non-contradiction was used to refute the existence of God. The non-contradiction principle states that a statement cannot be true and false at the same time. In relation to the existence of

The Family That Walks on All Fours Essay Example for Free

The Family That Walks on All Fours Essay In The Family that Walks on All Fours, a documentary by PBS NOVA, a genetic anomaly was discovered in a remote location in Turkey. A family of twenty-one, two parents and nineteen children, six of the children were born quadrupedal. The diagnosis was a debate between reverse evolution and a mental deficiency in the cerebellum; both of which deal with genetics. However, it was not debatable that many key factors such as inbreeding amongst close relatives, isolation, the nature of the genes involved, and the role of environment and culture on the expression of the gene. Inbreeding amongst many species is common and not usually deleterious, but with the complexity of the human genome increases the chance of mutations. The reason inbreeding is common amongst many animals is because of assortative mating, which is a reproductive isolating mechanism in which a mate is chosen based upon certain specifications deemed valuable to the species. This is also a form of pre-zygotic selection. In the case of the family observed the parents were found to be first cousins, which is unusual for members of our species to mate when that closely related. One of the potential reasons for why this inbreeding could have happened is the geographical isolation. The community is in essence allopatric to the neighboring towns since that sort of travel is unfeasible to their lifestyle. It is unlikely that this family is a â€Å"genetic throwback† or a â€Å"missing link† and it was almost offensive to the family to act as if they were in reverse evolution, especially with the culture of the surrounding community. Throwing around labels like these are not helpful to a family in need of help of medical assistance so they are not seen as demons or monsters. However, this family could provide critical information about mobility in regards to the genome. MRI scans suggested that the brothers and sisters have a form of cerebellar ataxia. The condition affects the brains cerebellum, which is located at the top of the neck and is associated with balance and muscle coordination. Since it has been discovered, according to the video, that there is a basic set of â€Å"blueprints† odds are there is a gene for cerebral development. If the gene associated with cerebral development could be located it could not only help this family but many others with diffe rent cerebral defects as well. Due to the culture, the oldest brother taught himself to walk upright. With assistance and physical therapy majority of the affected siblings have been able to begin to walk upright. Some conclusions that can be drawn would be that this quadrupedalism is a recessive since only five out of nineteen children are affected. It cannot be sex linked for many reasons, one of which being that three daughters and two sons were affected. It is possible by definition that it could be a lethal allele in the aspect that there was a miscarriage and it clearly interferes with essential genes, but it probably is not. Hopefully continued research can lead to further insight into what genes are involved with this condition and more knowledge about cerebral development, motor function, and evolution.

Epidemiology of Ebola

Epidemiology of Ebola Genesis Santiago Introduction Historical Significance Epidemiology is the study of disease distributed amongst a certain population of people. This study zooms in on groups versus individual people in the population. Epidemiology is specifically concerned with studying and surveying a population to understand what groups are being affected and whether it is based on age, sex, ethnic group, and or occupation. Furthermore the data collected during the survey and study are utilized to come to a conclusion on risk factors and how to prevent further spread of the epidemic. The Ebola virus disease is an epidemic that has returned to claim more lives than one can count. This virus was formerly known as the hemorrhagic fever. The virus was first discovered during an outbreak dated back to the year 1976. The virus obtained its name from the Ebola River in Africa. EBOV causes death in 80 to 90 percent of cases http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemiology Natural Life History Just as any other virus Ebola’s goal is to enter the host and replicate. Ebola has one major difference from other viruses, which is that the reservoir species is unknown. Not knowing the reservoir of the Ebola virus makes this part of the life cycle a mystery. What scientists do know about the virus is the effects and the manner in which the virus operates once it has invaded the host. The virus is made up of seven proteins that work together to consume the host cell as it begins making countless copies of itself. The seven proteins that make up the virus, violently attack the body of the cell and it’s and the structural proteins of the body of the host. Ebola multiplies at a rapid speed and immediately the infected cells become full of crystal-like blocks of virus components. The incubation period of the virus is 2 to 21 days. Ebola was first discovered in Ebola River located in West Africa. Speculation about the virus living in animal host that are native to Africa has also been a hot topic. The suspected reservoirs of the virus include bats, insects, rodents and primates that can be found in the tropical forests of Africa and Asia. In other words the virus thrives in native animals. Fortunately any animal that may have the Ebola virus if cooked cannot infect a human however when uncooked it can. If the virus does not have a host or a reservoir it cannot survive. Currently scientists do not know how the virus is killed. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/guinea/index.html http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/177623/Ebola The pathophysiology of the disease is a more complicated then many would think. If studied under an electron microscope, the virus appears as long filaments that can be branched and even weaved. The particles of the virus consist of a molecule of noninfectious single-stranded RNA. Scientists have no knowledge on how the virus attacks the cells. It has not been confirmed but researchers believe proteins suppress the immune system. These proteins that suppress the immune system are now allowed to produce replicates of the virus. Ebola can be spread through contact with bodily fluids and/or blood. Studies show that of the very few that miraculously survived from the disease still retained the virus in their organs after recovery. The disease is easy to spread in unsanitary areas that do not have enough medical supplies. Another way many are being infected is through rituals done when person has passed away. The body fluids still carry the disease. Using aseptic procedures when treating infected patient and wearing protective can prevent the transmission of the Ebola virus. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/177623/Ebola/280820/Course-of-infection Prevalence, Morbidity Mortality Ebola has claimed thousands of lives already. On August 31, 2014 it was reported by the CDC that 2,106 death cases were confirmed in the laboratory of having been caused by Ebola. On September 5, 2014 it was reported by WHO that 3,944 people have been infected by the virus. The current mortality rate of the Ebola virus is 49.9 % however it can reach 90%, in other words about half of the infected cases have resulted in fatalities. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/resources/outbreak-table.html http://healthfinder.gov/News/Article/691500/novel-ebola-vaccine-shows-potential-in-monkey-trial http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2014/09/09/cdc-calls-ebola-outbreak-perfect-viral-storm-as-infected-count-reaches-almost-4000-with-over-1500-fatalities/ Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Interventions There are three levels of interventions that can and should be applied when handling when preventing or treating disease. Primary interventions are used to reduce or prevent the chances that a disease or injury can affect a person. The primary interventions that would be applied to avoid or reduce the chances of contracting the virus is staying away from areas of known outbreaks. When consuming food avoid bush meat as they are suspected to carry the virus. When caring for patients use aseptic procedures and sanitize hands often. In order to prevent Ebola from spreading any further, everyone should be educated on the disease including signs and symptoms and the way it is transmitted. If a patient is infected use protective clothing. Another way to prevent contracting the illness is the use infection control measures. There is no cure at the moment for Ebola so there are vaccines one can receive to prevent contracting the virus. If a person becomes infected he/she must be isolated. In the unfortunate event that a patient passes away, do not attend funeral or burial that requires that one must handle the c orpse. Secondary Prevention includes practices and precaution used such as early detection screening and immediate intervention to keep the disease contained. There’s no way to detect the illness early on. It may take up to 22 days to experience symptoms of the virus. The immediate response to the disease would be to isolate the patient and begin to support the immune system. In using tertiary prevention the goal is to prevent anymore physical more deterioration of the body and improving quality of life as much as possible. Tertiary prevention does not exist at this moment as there is no known cure for Ebola virus. The only way for survival is if the patient’s immune system is strong enough to fight off the infection. The goal of a healthcare provider is to take care of the body and help to strengthen the immune system of the patient so that it can fight off the infection. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/prevention/ Healthy People 2020 Objectives What does Healthy People 2020 have to say about this problem? What objectives/goals do they have? If it is not addressed in Healthy People 2020, state so, but look into the CDC or WHO to find out what do they have to say about this problem. Provide Citations. After searching the healthy people 2020 database for information and studies done on Ebola I was unable to find any information. According to the CDC It is currently working with United States government agencies, WHO including domestic and international partners on one of the largest Ebola outbreaks. The CDC says that this outbreak is indeed the first outbreak in West Africa. Fortunately for the United States the Ebola virus does not pose a threat to the United States. Most importantly the CDC has now activated its Emergency Operations Center. The (EOC) is set up to help with technical assistance and organize communication with it’s partners. CDC has sent a number of health care experts to the West of Africa to several teams of public health experts to the West Africa region to begin helping the country in this crisis. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/resources/outbreaks.html Conclusion/Recommendation Summarized the most important points from your research. Provide citations. What recommendations can you offer to deal with the problem. In conclusion, the Ebola virus currently does not a confirmed resivre it comes from. Due to the fact that researchers still do not completely understand the pathophysiology of the virus this disease is hard to control and no cure is known yet. The lack of knowledge on the disease including the lack of resources is the reason the virus has been spreading like a wild fire. Thousands of West Africans are growing fearful and skeptical of the disease and even more dangerously the health care providers. Thousands of people have lost their lives or loved ones to this virus. As a nation I believe all we can do at this point is pray for that this crisis is isolated, and a cure is found soon. Although there is no significant threat of the virus in our country one can never be sure, therefore we should always wash our hands, and report signs of any symptoms as soon as possible. References Epidemiology. (n.d.). Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemiology 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. (2014, August 29). Retrieved September 3, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/index.html Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease. (2014, August 29). Retrieved September 1, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/history/chronology.html Prevention. (2014, September 19). Retrieved September 2, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/prevention/ CDC Calls Ebola Outbreak Perfect Viral Storm As Infected Count Reaches Almost 4,000 With Over 1,500 Fatalities (2014, September 5). Retrieved September 8, 2014, from http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2014/09/09/cdc-calls-ebola-outbreak-perfect-viral-storm-as-infected-count-reaches-almost-4000-with-over-1500-fatalities/

Foreign Language Essay :: Foreign Languages Essays

Foreign Language Essay Innehà ¥llsfà ¶rteckning Innehà ¥llsfà ¶rteckning  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 Inledning  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 Sammanfattning  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 Allmà ¤nt  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 Japans industriella  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 struktur Faktorer som bidragit  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11 till Japans framgà ¥ngar Jà ¤mfà ¶relse mellan  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14 Sverige och Japan Kà ¤llfà ¶rteckning  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  18 Bilaga  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  19 Inledning Sverige à ¤r nu i en djup là ¥gkonjunktur, med massor av "sparpaket". Dà ¤rfà ¶r tyckte jag att det skulle vara intressant att titta pà ¥ just en av và ¤rldens stà ¶rsta och starkaste marknadseko ­nomier och se vad som skiljer den mot Sverige. Jag valde inte USA utan Japan som kommer lite i skymundan mot den stora jà ¤tten i Và ¤st. Jag kommer att ta upp lite om fà ¶retagsstruktur d v s om de à ¤r konglomerat eller ej, stort eller litet o s v. Sedan tà ¤nkte jag ta upp lite om instà ¤llningen till arbete hos japanerna, d v s hur deras tra ­ditioner à ¤r i fà ¶rhà ¥llande till arbetet. Pà ¥ det hà ¤r sà ¤ttet tà ¤nkte jag pà ¥visa vad som gà ¶r Japan till en rela ­tivt solid ekonomi. Jag vill ocksà ¥ visa vad som gjort att Japan har haft sà ¥ otroliga framgà ¥ngar speciellt efter andra và ¤rldskriget. Sammanfattning Japan à ¤r ett relativt litet land, men à ¤ndà ¥ har det utvecklat en và ¤l ­digt stark ekonomi. Bristen pà ¥ tillgà ¥ngar och det isolerade là ¤get har lett till att japanerna mà ¥ste ha en effektiv handel à ¶ver grà ¤n ­serna. Japan har ett và ¤lutvecklat industridepartement som samarbetar dagligen med industrin och fungerar som ett samordnings- och rà ¥dgivningsorgan. De stora industrigrupperna stà ¥r fà ¶r hà ¤lften av Japans fà ¶rà ¤dlings ­và ¤rde, men bara ca 1/5 av sysselsà ¤ttningen. Detta beror frà ¤mst pà ¥ att industrigrupperna tillà ¤mpar livstidsanstà ¤llning och seniori ­tets ­systemet vilka à ¤r mycket kostsamma, men ger mà ¥nga fà ¶rdelar bl a effektiva arbetare. Industrigrupperna samarbetar med smà ¥- och medelstora fà ¶retag, de hjà ¤lper dem med bl a finansiering och rà ¥d ­givning. I gengà ¤ld arbetar de mindre fà ¶retagen lojalt fà ¶r de stora och blir som ett slags sà ¤kerhetsomrà ¥de fà ¶r dem. De flesta japanerna sparar fà ¶r en oviss framtid, dà ¤rfà ¶r att de ej har nà ¥gon speciell social trygghet genom staten, endast en folk ­pension pà ¥ ca 3816 kr/mà ¥nad. Genom detta sparande blir ban ­kerna enormt kapitalstarka och dà ¤rfà ¶r à ¤r just de 4 stà ¶rsta banker ­na i và ¤rlden ja ­panska. Det genomsnittliga sparkapitalet fà ¶r en japansk familj à ¤r ca 354 000 kr. Deras marginalskatt à ¤r endast ca 10% vilket moti ­verar à ¶vertidsarbete och mer sparande, dà ¤rfà ¶r arbetar japanerna ca 6 h mer à ¤n t ex europà ©er. Det finns mà ¥nga faktorer som har bidragit till Japans framgà ¥ngar framfà ¶r allt efter andra và ¤rldskriget bl a den stabila stà ¤llningen in ­ternationellt, den effektiva inrikespolitiken, nà ¤ringssystemet, styr ­ningen av fà ¶retagen och de effektiva arbetarna. Jà ¤mfà ¶r man Sverige och Japan sà ¥ à ¤r det, det lite stà ¶rre landet med 8 miljoner inv. mot det lilla landet med en enorm befolkning pà ¥ 125 miljoner.

Through My Eyes :: essays papers

Through My Eyes Part One: I decided to adopt the voice of an African American male to gain a different perspective of my society. Every day I live my life as a white female and perform everyday activities without a second thought. Never do I stop to think what it would be like to be black or disabled in my surroundings. Ever since I was young, I was taught not to discriminate against minorities and not to judge the handicapped. But, never was I taught what it was actually like to be a minority, be homosexual, or be disabled. I can honestly say I am not a racist and that I’m sensitive to the needs of others. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I know what it is like to be a minority or struggle with a disability everyday of my life. This assignment opened my eyes to the wide variety of people within my society and helped me try to understand another person’s perspective in life. To better understand the voice of an African American male, I searched the web for information, interviewed someone with my voice, and pretended to think and act like that voice for one day. The first web site that impacted my previous white female notions was a site entitled BlackFamilies.com. The site contained information pertaining to African American families like current news, family issues, and other happenings. One item that I found particularly interesting was the baby name page. Here, one could view the list of black baby names and even submit their own favorites. As a white female, I have only browsed through â€Å"white† baby name books. I’m aware that many black Americans have names unique to their culture, but I never saw a name book designed specifically for them. Once again, I was only viewing the world through my own eyes and experiences. I’ve always wondered how Blacks â€Å"find† the names of their children since they are usually so unique and different from what I am used to. I also enjoyed reading the names and trying to pronounce them on my own. There were many other links to sights similar to this one, including more black baby names! Secondly, I talked to an African American male who is a student at La Salle University. We discussed what it was like to be a black male on our campus and within the city.

Bure rockets to Rangers :: essays research papers

Bure rockets to Rangers New York Rangers fans have to be the happiest in hockey right now following the acquisition of three-time goal-scoring champion Pavel Bure. "The Russian Rocket" will be in the lineup tonight when the Rangers host the Vancouver Canucks. The irony can't be missed. Bure rocketed to fame with the Canucks, leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994 -- the first year he led the NHL in goals -- only to be defeated by the Rangers. In 1999, the Rangers turned down a trade involving Bure with the Canucks, who then traded the Moscow native to the Florida Panthers, for whom he twice led the NHL in goals. But Bure is a Ranger following the deal that sent defenseman Igor Ulanov, junior defenseman Filip Novak, the Rangers' first- and second-round picks in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and their fourth-rounder in 2003 for Bure and Florida's second-round 2002 pick. The Rangers were glad not to part with U.S. Olympian Mike York whose name had been mentioned in earlier talks. Madison Square Garden Chief Executive Jim Dolan sent his corporate jet to Florida to retrieve Bure who will skate with the Rangers this morning before playing tonight. "He's a constant threat — he's somebody that can score any time he gets the puck on his stick," Rangers General Manager Glen Sather said. "He's a superstar. He's an artist with the puck. He's a great player." Bure has had a troubled season. After leading the NHL with 58 and 59 goals the last two seasons, he started the season with a groin problem, then suffered a head injury in November and a broken hand in January. In 56 games, he has scored 22 goals and added 27 assists. Rangers coach Ron Low hopes Bure's problems are behind him. The Rangers are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, in danger of missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. "To me, it's absolutely amazing," Low said. "I'm kind of excited. He's an obvious talent — one of the best, if not the best, goal-scorer in the league right now. He has had a tough year. But the biggest thing is: Is he excited to come? I'm sure he is." The six-time All-Star and three-time goal-scoring champ, who turns 31 on March 31, has eclipsed the 50-goal mark five times in his 11-year NHL career.

Comparison of My Last Duchess and the Laboratory

Poems ‘The laboratory, the content of the play, from my point of view is about a woman whose partner has left her for another woman. The poet has planned to kill the other woman as she is jealous of her and wants revenge from her ex. We can tell she is jealous of this other woman as she says she’s not little, no minion like me! ’ this shows she is jealous of the woman as she thinks she is of higher status, the words ‘she’s not little’ shows this. She thinks the other woman is better than she is.We also know she wants to get revenge from her ex as she says ‘he is sure to remember her dying face! ’ here we know she wants revenge as she wants her ex to see the love of his life die as well as suffer, by doing this she will punish both of them. ‘My last duchess, the poem is set during the 19th century. The speaker who is the Duke of Ferrara is giving the tour of his prospective second wife a tour of the artworks in his home. He dr aws a curtain to reveal a painting of a woman, explaining that it is a portrait of his late wife; he invites his guest to sit and look at the painting.As they look at the portrait of the Duchess, the Duke describes her happy, cheerful and flirtatious nature, which had displeased him. He says, â€Å"She had a heart or how shall I say? Too soon made glad† He goes on to say that his complaint of her was that not only her husband's presence was that made her happy. Eventually, â€Å"I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together. † He now keeps her painting hidden behind a curtain that only he is allowed to draw back, meaning that now she only smiles for him The two Robert Browning poems I have chosen are ‘The Laboratory' and ‘My last Duchess'.My initial reaction on reading the laboratory was one of horror and fascination as it tells a tale of a woman scorned. I found it horrifying that a human being could plan in such a cold and calculating way, but I also found this fascinating. My feelings on reading My Last Duchess was pity for the Duke who was narrating the poem as it was clear that his jealousy and insecurity had ruined their relationship. ` Both poems have contemporary relevance, as people today are still intrigued by murder, mystery and tales of unrequited love.It is very obvious that the poems were written in the 19th century though, as some of the language is no longer in use in today's society for example durst, dared, forsooth and indeed. There are other indications that the poetry was written in the 19th century by the references made to the use of a fan and also the way the poison was prepared using pestle and mortar. ‘Grind away moistens and mash up thy paste, Pound at thy powder-I am not in haste. ‘ The theme of The Laboratory is one of the eternal love triangles.Where the theme in my last duchess would seem to be about an obsessive yet insecure lover. The similarity would be the extreme jealousy that is dis played by both narratives. The difference is that the narrator in My Last Duchess is so jealous and insecure that he ‘gave commands; The character of the narrator in The Laboratory displays an intensity of emotion through her obvious jealousy of the other woman this intensity of jealousy could only be achieved if she also had experienced the same level of love.Similarly, the character of the narrator in My Last Duchess which is a man also displays obvious jealousy although it is without such an intensity of emotion. Both poems are dramatic monologues, the tone of The Laboratory is one of anger and the mood is evil, it creates a tense atmosphere which leads the reader to rush from one verse to the next to see how the story within the poem develops. In comparison, My Last Duchess is written in a less direct way and seems less hurried the narrative's jealousy is not immediately apparent but becomes more obvious as the poem progresses.In conclusion, after having studied both poems , it is the style and content of the laboratory which has made the most impact on me. The directness of the narrative regarding her intent and the subject matter I found as I said earlier both horrific yet fascinating. The image of a 19th century alchemist was easily consumed up and I almost felt like I was there. My Last Duchess, although interesting did not have the same impact on me this is mainly due to the style of the poem which is a more meandering tale and has a less direct approach.

Dicken’s Hard Times Essay

â€Å"Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life.† (Dickens, 1854, p.1) With these beginning sentences of the novel â€Å"Hard Times†, Charles Dickens has made readers doubt whether it is true that facts alone are wanted in life. This question leads to the main theme of the story, fact against fancy, that author has never been written this kind of plot in his other stories before. In fact, Hard Times is considered as â€Å"the unlike-the-rest of Dickens’ works† (Collins, 1992, p.xi) because the plot is not involved the social problems in Victorian Age such as poverty or child labor, but it is â€Å"an abstract that exalts instinct above reason.† (Collins, 1992, p.xiii) Although it is not Dickensian, author still put his cliff-hanger characteristic on his work which makes the story enjoyable and worth reading for all-age-readers. Due to many interesting factors, this novel has been chosen to be the topic of this essay consisting of three parts that are the historical backgrounds, the facts about this novel and my critical refle ctions. To gain the comprehensive perspective of the story, we need to look back on historical backgrounds of the age that this novel took place which can be seen in three ways that are the economy, the social class and the education. Victorian Age is the period of economic progress that Industrial Revolution played important part in the British society. As a result, there were many factories located in town and it is imaginary described in a story that industrial Coketown is â€Å"where the piston of the steam-engine worked monotonously up and down, like the head of an elephant in a state of melancholy madness.† (Dickens, 1854, p.20). So, it shows that Hard Times is â€Å"a realistic novel that author voiced a radically dissident attitude on Industrial Revolution in his story.† (Lowy 2007 218) According to the growth of economy, there was the distinction found in social classes especially between labor and management (Cliffnote, n.d.) in this story that can be seen at Mr. Boun derby, a wealthy manufacturer, considers himself as self-made man and later found that he is not, who is in upper class and has predominant power over Blackpool – a hard working labor in Mr. Bounderby’s factory. However, the social class distinction is not raised as a serious problem in the story. Also, this economic progress has a great impact on the education system in which the schools are dominated with the Utilitarian spirit. From the plot, it shows that Dickens held a strong vision against the Utilitarianism, a theory that considers self-interest is maximum utility and denies on imagination (Diniejko, n.d.), that he ends the story with the tragic event caused by failure of the Utilitarian education system that teaches students only fact, but he oppositely admired hospitality of the Sleary’s circus that teaches the children with imagination. These are historical backgrounds that influenced the story and make it more understandable. As it is claimed at first that this novel is not like the other Dickens’ stories, it is contained some facts that makes the novel interesting which are its background, cliff-hanger plot and impressive critiques. Unlike Dickens’ â€Å"usual shilling monthly numbers, Hard Times was a part in his two penny weekly edited magazine† (Collin, 1992, p.xi), Household Words, which â€Å"faced a shrinking circulation and falling profits† (Enote editor, n.d.). Therefore, the story was written in form of â€Å"serialization and finally titled Hard Times For These Times when it was gathered into fuller version.† (Collin, 1992, p.xi) Although it is not a notably work, it has a Dickens’ famous cliff-hanger plot. The main theme is the conflict between fact and fancy in which Mr. Gradgrind teaches his students and his children to believe in fact, but the story turns out unexpected that two of his children have to live in misery; Louisa has a loveless marriage with Mr. Bounderby – a friend of her father and a bank owner. Tom, Louisa’s brother, becomes a bank robber who almost cannot escape abroad. In order to help his son, Mr. Gradgrind eventually has to ask Sleary’s circus, who he never favour because they teaches children with imagination, for help and he comes to realize that his philosophy he has been teaching all along for his children is a failure. The story also contains many subplot stories such as an impossible love between Louisa and Mr. Harthouse, a secret life of Mr. Bounderby and a social class love. With his sharp and sarcastic writing skill, Hard Times receives impressive critiques from many admirers. The outstanding critique is one from Dr F. R. Leavis in 1948 that saysâ€Å"†¦ of all Dickens’ works the one that has all the strength of his genius, together with a strength no other of them can show—that of a completely serious work of art†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Collin, 1992, p.xii). These three facts of this novel even make it more astonishing. A good novel not only gives reader an appreciation but also provides some points that need to be analyzed through critical thinking process. So does the Hard Times, it is a valuable novel that I favor and have critical reflections on the Dickens’ satire, the well-rounded characters and the comparison on the different abstract ideas. I was hooked by this novel right from the first three sentences, claimed at the beginning of the essay, because it provokes readers’ brain to think until we find the answer that it is wrong to lean on facts alone in life and that is the first satire in a story. There is the using of repeated word to sarcastically equate the teacher and Mr. Gradgrind with the mechanic engine as shown â€Å"Fact, fact, fact!’ said the gentleman. And ‘Fact, fact, fact!’ repeated Thomas Gradgrind† (Dickens, 1854, p.6). Moreover, all the well-rounded characters are formed in satirist way. For example, there is the difference between Lou isa and Sissy which we see the development of these two characters. The first is Louisa who was born and raised in a wealthy family teaching her only facts are wanted in life, but she ends up living in mournful as it says â€Å"†¦any hoarded scrap of which, is a blessing and happiness to the wisest? Did Louisa see this? Such a thing was never to be.† (Dickens, 1854, p.283). On the other hand, the second is Sissy, was born in circus and taught her with imagination, who ends up living with happiness as it says â€Å"trying hard to know her humbler fellow-creatures, and to beautify their lives of machinery and reality with those imaginative graces and delights† (Dickens, 1854, p.283). Lastly, I am very appreciated with the comparison on the different abstract ideas especially one in this example; the different perspectives of horse that the student in Mr. Gradgrind’s school describes in scientific and arithmetic way as shown: â€Å"Quadruped. Graminivorous. Forty teeth, namely twenty-four grinders, four eye teeth, and twelve incisive†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dickens, 1854, p.4), while the Sleary’s circus people describe it as beautiful imaginary way as shown: â€Å"The public house was the Pegasus’s Arms. The Pegasus’s legs might have been more to the purpose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dickens, 1854, p.25). It can be interpreted that students see no abstract from object, they have blunted mind, while circus people, who live in Victorian Era – the golden age of circus, have something that students do not have which are morality and hospitality. These are my critical reflections that makes Hard Times become one of my favorite novels. All of these are the historical backgrounds, the facts about this novel and my critical reflections for the Dickens’ Hard Times. It is a story of wrong philosophy that facts which are actually not the only needful thing in life. This novel gives readers the way to approach history of Victorian A ge, also, an appreciation. And the most importantly, it persuades readers to live their lives happily with imagination and hospitality to everyone that will come into life. References Collins, Philip (1992). Introduction. Charles Dickens Hard Times(p. xi,xii,xiii). Berwick Street, London: The Millennium Library. Dickens, Charles (1854). Hard Times For These Times. Charles Dickens Hard Times(p. 1,4,6,20,25,283). Berwick Street, London: The Millennium Library. Diniejko, Dr Andrzej.Charles Dickens as Social Commentator and Critic. The Victorian Web: An Overview. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/diniejko.html Hard Times Critical Essay by Charles Dickens. Study Guides, Lesson Plans, Homework Help, Answers & More – enotes.com. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.enotes.com/hard-times-essays/dickens-charles-hard-times-these-times Hard Times: Critical Essays: Dickens’ Philosophy and Style – CliffsNotes . Get Homework Help with CliffsNotes Study Guides . Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/hard-times/critical-essays/dickens- philosophy-style.html Lowy, M. (2007). The Current of Critical Irrealism. A concise companion to realism(p. 218). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

Experts need to slow down the rate of global warming

Experts around the world have been warning about this for decades and have been urging governments to do more to slow down the rate of global warming. They warn that there is a 75% risk that global temperatures will rise a further two to three degrees in the next 50 years. The consequence of this would be dramatic. In fact a rise of just one degree would melt the Greenland ice sheet and drown the Maldives, but a three degree increase would kill the Amazon rainforest, wipe out nearly half of all species facing extinction and wreak havoc with crop yields due to weather changes. Whilst the global climate goes through hot and cold cycles, what is worrying about the current phase is the pace of change that could send us head first into a final spin. Although we have certainly benefited from technological advancements that have given us plastics, air travel and cheap food – what is important is to maintain a balance so that excessive consumerism does not ride roughshod over nature's harmony. In Islam man is given the role of trusteeship over the earth, which is a huge responsibility. In the past, man had to be careful how he treated his local environment since excessive grazing or agriculture could bring ruin to his livelihood. His knowledge was also limited but in the event of a disaster either through ignorance or abuse at least he could resort to moving elsewhere and start again. Now we should have no excuse for ignorance and we should have learnt from our past to avoid misuse. But what is worrying is that the impacts of our behaviour are not just local anymore, they are global. If we fail to act in a responsible manner then we cannot simply relocate because there will be nowhere to go. It is therefore vital that as producers, manufacturers and consumers, we ensure that we give due consideration to the impact of our actions. Such a responsibility is not just that of the east or the west but a responsibility for all of us. Islam teaches us that God has continued and will continue to provide us with ample resources for all time. But through man's misuse, this balance may change. It is this personal greed of man that makes them squander these resources and deprive others who may need those resources. The Holy Quran warns mankind in Chapter 7, verse 32 â€Å"O children of Adam!†¦ eat and drink but exceed not the bounds; surely He does not love those who exceed the bounds† The overall message of Islam is that it promotes harmony by advising moderation. It accepts that we need to use resources for our progress but this should be done wisely and in a sustainable manner, so that a satisfactory medium is found. The Holy Quran relates in Chapter 25, verse 68 â€Å"those who, when they spend are neither extravagant nor niggardly but moderate between the two. So as individuals we should act on the Quranic injunction that promotes balance and avoids excess and Nations need to be more willing to share knowledge for the sake of the planet rather than for profit and take collective action in line with their collective responsibility. By doing so we will be able to win the pleasure of God and honour our trusteeship of the earth for the present and future generations

Diary of Boo Radley Essay

Pretend you are Boo Radley (from To Kill a Mocking Bird). Write your secret diary entry about how you have been punished and kept in a virtual prison for fifteen years. It has been so very long since my father first locked me up in this house. I mean, I was only a teenager having fun, I did not do anything serious or anything. At first, after a couple of days punishment, it thought I would be finally set free by father. After a couple of weeks, I realised that it seemed I would never be let out. I was correct- as the weeks turned into months, I understood how cruel my father was and that my punishment would last forever. After a year or two, my father died. I was free to go outside into the world- well I could have escaped from imprisonment if I really wanted to, but I did not wish to. My father left me emotionally damaged and ashamed of myself, and I did not and I do not want to show myself in the real world after such a long period of time. Once Nathan arrived, things were just the same as how they used to be with my father. Being locked up in this stuffy house allows me a lot of time to myself. I get to read the local papers- one of the only ‘luxuries’ I am allowed to have and reflect on a lot of things and ponder over them all day long. I think about how people are getting along in Maycomb as I see them walk quite briskly in front of our house and I think about my father and what he did to me. I am usually in a fairly good mood all day long, but when my father comes to mind or Nathan walks past, anger and hatred swells up inside me. I also occupy my thoughts by reminiscing that good times I had when I was a teenager, but also look upon them with deep regret, but I mainly ponder about the two young Finches who live next door†¦ Everyday, I stare through the shutters down through the street main street of Maycomb. I see children playing and enjoy watching them having and joyful and gay time. I have constantly kept my eye on our two neighbours- Jem and his sister, Scout. They play in their yard and in the street, obviously having a great time, and like all other children their age, keep away from  our house. I think they believe it is haunted, by my ghost or some obscenity like that. It amuses me but also makes me sad that I could be so much of a threat to these lovely children, and I do wish my life could be as happy as theirs. Despite their fears of me, Jem and Scout even tried to have a look inside this house once to get a glimpse of me and also tried to communicate with me on several occasions. I have tried communicating with Jem and Scout, by leaving them a trinket or two in the knot-hole of one of the live oaks out the front of our house at night time. After some time, the children began to realise it was me leaving the surprises in the tree, and they decided to write me a little note. Nathan found the note, realised my only source of communication with the outside world and filled the knot-hole with cement. I am only allowed to go outside at night under Nathan’s supervision. Sometimes, Nathan does not even bother looking over me on my night-time strolls because he knows I will be back. I am too attached to this house and living indoors. I don’t want to be released into a world that is too good for me, as my father used to say.

What Are the Causes and Impacts of Water Pollution Essay - 1

What Are the Causes and Impacts of Water Pollution - Essay Example Water pollution has numerous causes, some of which can be avoided by promoting and implementing proper waste treatment before disposal in water bodies, proper application of fertilizers and herbicides in farms and appropriate usage of water by users in its natural state. Most municipalities mainly in the developing world do not have modern sewage treatment systems to optimally treat wastes collected. Moreover, the systems in place are not very efficient in the treatment of the wastewaters since most are poorly maintained and repairs are hardly affected. In addition, treatment is mainly restricted to primary and secondary treatment processes thus removing only pathogens and gross organic wastes. The water released is thus harmless to other users but laden with nutrients (Rogers 2004). High nutrient fertilizers applied to agricultural lands mainly by large scale farmers are a source of pollutants causing water pollution. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorous are essential in the efficiency of these products. Therefore runoff from fertilized areas into water bodies such as rivers causes a dramatic increase in nutrient levels in the water bodies.(Jeffries & Mills 2003). Many domestic and industrial detergents contain significant levels of nutrients which are responsible for eutrophication of water bodies. An example is the cleaning activities carried out by residents living around a water body. Domestic and industrial solid wastes deposited in various areas contain large amounts of organic matter and heavy metals. Nutrient-rich, organo-chemical byproducts of decomposition are leached from these sites and find their way into water bodies through surface and underground flow. Many industries in numerous parts of the world release effluent laden with nutrients, organic matter and heavy metals into water bodies. These components increase the nutrient content of the water causing its eutrophication. Various manufacturing industries such as chemical, beer and tanning industries regularly release acidic substances from point sources directly into water bodies such as rivers. In addition to these sources, low PH precipitation resulting from atmospheric pollution (acid rain) is a major cause of water pollution .This has been observed as a substantial problem especially in industrialized countries.

Infrastructure Issues in India Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Infrastructure Issues in India - Term Paper Example This paper attempts to evaluate existing infrastructural issues in India and how they affect the country’s overall economic prospects. India’s poor infrastructure is a huge obstacle towards the country’s overall economic growth prospects. In essence, India is among the fastest growing economies in Asia and the world in general though its huge growth projects have been hindered by the extremely poor infrastructure found in the subcontinent. The paper further examines the relevant frailties in India’s infrastructure evaluating the available options for improvement and better performance. To underscore the infrastructural issues of India and its needs, the paper will conduct a comparative analysis between India and China as regards infrastructure. Conceivably Indian infrastructural planning has been below the standards resulting into substandard infrastructures. Economic growth requires adequate and quality infrastructure, which serves as a huge aid towards d evelopment and economic activity. Poor infrastructure, on the other hand, hinders basic economic activities and dilutes government’s attention on crucial economic matters. For better economic performance, it is essential to have an infrastructure that can support the economy and its business activities. Therefore, it is of great importance that India elevates its infrastructure to an advanced level that can support its economic and growth perspectives. In essence, India needs to consider the investment in power, energy, healthcare, water/waste management and address policies supporting the development of infrastructure. Such an approach will go along way in boosting the country’s infrastructural levels providing it with the necessary impetus to pursue its ambitious economic endeavors. Statistically, more than half of India’s shipment and 80 percent of traveler traffic moves on the freeway network, which largely comprises two-lane roads. The country has 700 kilom eters of thruways, mostly reserved for cars, buses and trucks. Most of the expressways with four lanes run through Ahmedabad and Vadodara as well as between Pune and Mumbai. China, on the other hand, has 74,000 kilometers of superhighways up from 147 kilometers in 1989 (Huang 3). Therefore, is far much behind China in the road network and though India’s has ambitious infrastructural projects it will take a long time for the subcontinent to catch up with China. In August 2009, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh developed a goal of constructing 20 kilometers of new highways a day as a fraction of efforts to advance infrastructure graded below Kazakhstan’s and Guatemala’s, according to the World Economic Forum. The daily standard was 4.5 kilometers in 2011, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. India endeavors to expend as much as $1 trillion in five years on power plants, roads, and ports (Sundaram 1). India may use $5.3 billion tripling the span of its expre ssway network to reduce traffic jams that are slowing commerce, wasting fuel, in addition to sapping economic growth. The country proposes to add approximately 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) of highways with at least six lanes. In an interview, Raghav Chandra -who is the joint secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways- confirmed that India has great plans to refurbish its road network so as to create an enabling environment for trade and overall economic

Ageing and managing health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ageing and managing health - Essay Example 5. Instruct the patient’s family members to keep all pathways in the patient’s home free from any cluster. 6. Intruct the patient’s family members to place a non-skid mat inside the patient’s shower room. 7. Encourage the patient to participate in gait training exercise programme once she has been discharge from the hospital. 1. Environmental factors such as dim light or poor lighting, unsafe stairways, irregular floor surface, and the presence of hazardous things like loose rugs, slippery or wet floors and telephone wires that scattered around the house will increase the patient’s risk of accidental falls (Timby, 2009, p. 424). 2. The installation of handrails or grab bars inside the shower room, around the bedroom, stairs, and bathroom will help reduce the patient’s risk of accidental falls (Timby, 2009, p. 424). 3. Placing a strip of light-colored adhesive tape on the edge of each stair will help increase the patient’s visibility of the stairs (Timby, 2009, p. 424). 4. Wearing non-skid soles will help reduce the risk of accidental falls (Timby, 2009, p. 424). 5. Freeing the pathways from clusters will reduce the risk wherein the patient’s Zimmer frame might accidentally touch other things causing her to loose her balance (Timby, 2009, p. 424). 6. The use of non-skid mat inside the patient’s shower room will help prevent the patient from falling (Gulanick and Myers, 2011, p. 63; Timby, 2009, p. 424). 7. Studies show that patients who are active in exercise can strengthen their muscles, improve their ability to balance and coordinate their body movements, increase their bone density which are all necessary in terms of reducing the patient’s risk for falls (Gulanick and Myers, 2011, p. 63). Problem Goal Intervention Rationale The patient... Discharge care plan is pertaining to the process of developing a plan for the transfer of patient from the hospital to his designated place to stay.It is equally important to know that the patient is no longer in pain at the time the patient is about to leave the hospital. It is equally important to know that the patient is no longer in pain at the time the patient is about to leave the hospital. To ensure that the patient is properly being taken cared of after being discharged from the hospital, the student nurse should focus on identifying continuing care that the patient will be needing to improve her overall well-being. After analyzing the case of Mrs. Jones, the following discharge care plan was created: Problem Goal Intervention Rationale Other than the history of falls, the patient is suffering from postural hopotension due to the intake of bendroflumethiazide. Postural hypotension increases the patient’s risk of accidental fall due to dizziness and inability to balance and coordinate her body movements. Other risk factors of accidental falls include: poor eye sight or impaired vision, neurological disorder, decreased lower muscle strength, brittle bones due to osteoporosis and ageing (Timby, 2009, p. 423). To reduce all factors that can increase the patient’s risks of falls. 1. Assess and teach the patient’s family members to modify the home environment of the patient by removing all things that can increase the patient’s risk of falling (Gulanick and Myers, 2011, p. 63). 2. The patient prefers to microwave and eat frozen meals for lunch. To ensure that the patient is receiving proper nutrition.

International Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Business Management - Essay Example For example, cost of wages paid to casual employees in a company. Indirect labor refers to labor that is not directly related to converting raw material to finished products. An expense refers to all cost incurred in the production of finished goods other than material and labor costs (Drury, 2008: p28). Revenue is an increase in the net worth resulting from a transaction. In business, revenue is the money received from selling products or services. It is collected when it is earned. Revenue consists of three items; total revenue, average revenue and marginal revenue (Jain, 2011: p43). Total revenue (TR) is the total income of the firm. TR= Quantity * Price. If a firm sells 1000 blankets at a price of $200 each then the TR will be $200,000. Average revenue (AR) is the revenue per unit of sold output. AR= TR/Quantity. For example if the revenue for sell of 1000 blankets @ $200 is $200,000 then AR= 200,000/1000. AR= $200. Marginal revenue (MR) refers to additional revenue incurred from the sale of additional output. For example, if the TR realized in the sell of 1000 blankets id $200,000 and that from the sale of 1001 is $200,400 the MR of the 1001st blanket is MR= $200,400 – 200,000. MR= $400. Managers need to scan for factors that affect the viability of their organization in order to maximize their profits and remain competitive. These factors are both internal and external. They include politics and law, technological factors, culture, and governance. The success of the organization is dependant on how managers strategize these factors in order to achieve prosperity. In the current global marketplace, culture is a key influence on the success of the firm. Culture influences the entrance and sustainability of an organization in the international market (Hill, 2012: p 235). Managers have to learn and understand cultural differences with their international suppliers and consumers in order to create a direct contact.  

Safe use of Health Information Technology Research Paper

Safe use of Health Information Technology - Research Paper Example Poor workflow and inefficient communication inevitably create more health IT sentinel events. Although communication and workflow are vital, the clinical content must also be well-structured to enable effective communication (The Joint Commission, 2015). For example, health records managers must be supplied with relevant and cogent information because they enter clinical data into systems on an as-is basis. Wrong or illegible data creates problems during retrieval. The success of any health IT framework also depends on internal organizational policies, procedures and cultures. These three aspects should be congruent with the overall objectives of the health IT system. Some cultures, policies and procedures hinder the efficient operation of the system, leading to health sentinel IT situations (Johnson, 2014). The level of training received by health staff determines their effectiveness in their duties. However, training is merely a means to an end. Employees should be taught to follow set policies and procedures or their training will be futile. The type of hardware and software used in a specific health IT framework determines the frequency with which sentinel events occur. To this effect, hardware and software must be relevant, usable, and adaptable (The Joint Commission, 2015). External factors, including vendor and other issues occurring in the external environment can also cause a health sentinel IT event. In some cases, legal and social challenges (e.g., culture) can increase the number of health sentinel IT situations (Balgrosky, 2014). Research shows that regular system appraisal and monitoring significantly reduces the probability of critical situations

Macro and Micro Economics. What is the subject matter of economics Essay

Macro and Micro Economics. What is the subject matter of economics - Essay Example The scope of Economics revolves around many things some of which are factor pricing, product pricing, income, demand, economic growth and welfare. The study of economics attempts to gain a glimmer of light on how and why the wealth of the world gets produced, distributed and finally consumed. It not only examines the local market, but it also everything at the global levels. Class structures and wealth distribution, the role of government and politicians, demand and supply of products and services, division of labor and other countless factors are all encompassed in economics. It attempts to explain the production system in the world and why they function the way they do (ILO, 2013). Arguably, one of the most inalienable factors in the definition of the subject matter of economics is division of labor. According to International Labour Organization, the current distribution of labor is a positive factor contributing to the economic climate today. Labor gets distributed not only betwe en companies and countries but also within a company. Wage disparity occurs between the laborers and capitalists, a condition that results from division of labor. The laborers will thus have low buying powers in comparison to the business owners. This means that their economic standard will always be lower than that of capitalists. Division of labor is thus effective as a clear vision of the subject matter of economics. Economics study is not effective if we fail to discuss the two main divisions of economics namely macroeconomics and microeconomics. Macroeconomics is a branch of economics which looks into, the behavior, decision-making and performance of an economy as a whole and not as individual markets. The World Trade Organization makes use of GDP, unemployment and price indices in a bid to understand how the economy functions. In macro economics, models get used to explain the relationship between such factors like national income, output, consumption, unemployment, savings, i nflation and international finance (IMF, 2013). Macro economics is such a broad field of study and there are two main areas of research considered emblematic of the discipline. This is the attempt to give an account of the causes and consequences of short-run fluctuations in the national income (the business cycle) and an attempt to understand the determinants of a long-run economic growth. In most cases, macroeconomic models and their focuses get utilized by governments to assist them in their development and evaluation of economic policies. Some of these policies include the monetary policies, fiscal policies and comparison policy. Further, macroeconomics encompasses output and income, unemployment and inflation & deflation as the three major variables of its research (IMF, 2013). Thus, the subject matter of macroeconomics revolves around the three aspects of national aggregates; stability, growth and stability of the community at large. Most variables of macroeconomics get relate d with employment, inflation, unemployment issues and import and export matters of a nation or between nations. Microeconomics is the branch of economics that analyzes market behaviors at a level of individual consumers and firm. This it does in the attempt to understand the underlying decision-making processes of firms and households. It majorly concerns itself with the interaction between individual buyers and sellers (IMF, 2013). In particular, macro economics mainly focuses on supply and demand patterns, as well as price and output determination at these individual markets. The strength of microeconomics crops from the simplicity of its underlying structure and its closeness in contact with the

Questions for Case at the Dimensional Fund Advisors (The Size Effect Study

Questions for at the Dimensional Fund Advisors (The Size Effect and The Value Effect) - Case Study Example DFAs business practices of trying of avoid the lemons problem while not doing any fundamental analysis suggest that they believe strong form of market efficiency but worried that semi-strong form of market efficiency might fail (Cohen 4). These sentiments can be illustrated by the dedication to the principle of market efficiency where over any given time frame; no investor has the ability to pick stocks that would beat the market in its performance. Its main concern was the presence of negative private information known to the seller but not to the market. According to Cohen, the Fama-French -three factor type of efficient market brings into consideration three products; size, value, and market risk factor in the capital asset pricing model (13). With the deterioration of the small stocks in the 1980s and 1990s, these small stocks managed to outperform small stock indexes and small cap funds due to purchase discounts which were combined with the avoidance of adverse selection. It is true to say that due to the size effect, smaller stocks tend to do better than large stocks as in the case of LinkedIn and Google where the former has higher returns than the latter. Conversely, according to the value effect, since Google has a higher book to market ratio as compared to LinkedIn, this means that in this case, Google gunners more returns (Cohen 19). In consistence to the hypothesis that market price is efficient, we can conclude that small firms and value firms on average have high returns. However, investors are not crazily excited about the small and value investment products that DFA recently offered, which exactly focus on earning the high returns of small and value

Learning Disabilities Essay Example for Free

Learning Disabilities Essay Puzzling is the term teachers use to describe students with learning disabilities.   They tell us that these students look entirely normal, seem intelligent, carry on intelligent conversations – that they don’t appear to any different than other students. Yet these students have difficulty doing certain tasks – not all- in school.   Some have difficulty reading; others perform poorly in spelling; still others make frequent mistakes in math.   Teachers in many schools tell us that these students are very hard to teach – that they simply do not learn in the same ways or as easily as others their age.    They tell us that these students have special needs and are not easy to teach in large classes in which most other students perform reasonably well.   They tell us that modifying instruction so that these students can profit from teaching is an intricate process. Because of the heterogeneous nature of this group of children, the concept of specific learning disabilities has been hard to define or describe in few sentence or by a numerical score such as an IQ or by a decibel loss. Furthermore, because the field has been of interest to educators, psychologists, psychiatrists, neurophysiologists, pediatricians, ophthalmologists, optometrists, speech pathologists, and others, the problem has been viewed in each of those disciplines from different perspectives. Hence there is really the need for several definitions for learning disabilities and thus we can conclude that its definition is defined in â€Å"case to case† basis. Definition of Learning Disabilities Historically, the following terms were used to name children with Learning disabilities: ââ€"   perceptually handicapped ââ€"   brain injured ââ€"   neurologically impaired Then, there came two broad aspects of concern in defining and or identifying those children: biological etiology- â€Å"minimal brain dysfunction†, psychoneurological learning disorders. behavior – â€Å" developmental disparity in psychological processes†, developmental imbalance† The definition of learning disabilities in an educational term has derived its heritage from: ââ€"   neurology ââ€"   psychology ââ€"   speech pathology ââ€"   ophthalmology ââ€"  Ã‚   remedial reading      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wiederholt (1984) has traced the history of Learning disability and has delineated three dimensions of disorders namely: (1) disorders of the spoken language studied primarily by neurologists and ophthalmologists such as; ââ€"   Samuel Kirk developed a test, the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, for use in describing language functioning and developing remedial programs. disorders of written language represented mostly by psychologists, speech pathologists, and educators such as; ââ€"   Grace Fernald established a clinic at UCLA where she perfected remedial reading and spelling techniques. disorders of perceptual and motor behaviors studied mostly by a number of disciplines such as; ââ€"   Goldstein, Werner and Strauss as pioneers of the field which listed the following behavioral characteristics that differentiated between those with and those without brain injuries: excessive motor activity, hyperactivity, awkwardness and consistently poor motor performance, erratic behavior, poor organization, high distractibility and faulty perceptions (like reversals) and ââ€"   Samuel Orton was a neurologist who believed that lack of cerebral dominance was a cause of language disorders. (In normal individual either the left or right side of the brain has dominance in controlling specific functions.) ââ€"  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cruickshank focused his efforts on the study of brain-injured children, specifically children with cerebral palsy. ââ€"   Getman, Marianne Frostig, Newell Kephart, and Ray Barsch focused on the correlation of perceptual disorders and developed remedial procedures ranging from optometric eye exercises, tracing and copying patterns, and differentiating figure from background in a puzzle, to making angels in the snow.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today, there are various provinces in Canada that have established programs for learning disabilities which was instituted for example by ââ€"   The Ontario Ministry of Education ââ€"   Saskatchewan Department of Education ââ€"   Halifax Board of Education and ââ€"   Quebec Ministry of Education But the most widely used definitions is the one incorporated by the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada or LDAC (2002) which state that, the term â€Å"Learning Disabilities refer to a number of disorders which may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. As such, learning disabilities are distinct from global intellectual deficiency. Learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning. These include, but are not limited to: language processing; phonological processing; visual spatial processing; processing speed; memory and attention; and executive functions (e.g. planning and decision-making)†. Further, LDAC mentioned that learning disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following: oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding); reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension); written language (e.g. spelling and written expression); and mathematics (e.g. computation, problem solving). Further, the U.S. Department of Education regulation further states that a student has a specific learning disability if: the student does not achieve at the proper age and ability levels in one or more of several specific areas when provided with appropriate learning experiences; the student has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in one or more of these seven areas: (a) oral expression, (b) listening comprehension, (c) written expression, (d) basic reading skill, (e) reading comprehension, (f) mathematics calculation, and (g) mathematics reasoning. To summarize, all these definitions of learning disabilities, it includes the following major concepts: The individual has a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes.   Ã‚  Ã‚   (These processes refer to intrinsic prerequisite abilities, such as memory, auditory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   perception, visual perception, oral language, and thinking.) The individual has difficulty in learning, specifically, in speaking, listening, writing, reading (word-recognition skills and comprehension), and mathematics (calculation and reasoning.) The problem is not primarily due to other causes, such as visual or hearing impairments; motor handicaps; mental retardation; emotional disturbance; or economic, environmental, or cultural disadvantage. A severe discrepancy exists between the student’s apparent potential for learning and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   his or her low level of achievement.   In other words, there is evidence of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   underachievement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The various definitions of learning disabilities have several elements in common: neurological dysfunction uneven growth pattern difficulty in academic and learning tasks discrepancy between potential and achievement exclusion of other causes Identification of Learning Disabilities In identifying individuals with learning disabilities, the following common characteristics must be observed: ââ€"   Disorders of attention: Hyperactivity, distractibility, poor concentration ability, short attention span; ââ€"   Poor motor abilities: Poor fine and gross motor coordination, general awkwardness and clumsiness, spatial problems; ââ€"   Perceptual and information processing problems: Difficulty in discrimination of auditory and visual stimuli, auditory and visual closure, and sequencing; ââ€"   Oral language difficulties: Problems in listening, speaking, vocabulary, and linguistic competencies; ââ€"   Failure to develop and mobilize cognitive strategies for learning: Lack of organization, active learning set, metacognitive functions; ââ€"   Reading difficulties: Problems in decoding, basic reading skills, and reading comprehension; ââ€"   Written language difficulties: Problems in spelling, handwriting, and written composition; ââ€"   Mathematics difficulties: Difficulty in quantitative thinking, arithmetic, time, space, and calculation facts; and ââ€"   Inappropriate social behavior: Problems in social skills deficits, emotional problems, and establishing social relationships. There are also other practical classification schemes that are useful: (1) the academic learning disabilities ( reading, arithmetic, handwriting, spelling, and written expression) (2) the developmental learning disabilities: ( attention, memory, perceptual skills, thinking skills, and oral language skills) A somewhat more systematic way to look at characteristics of students with learning disabilities is to look at those factors referenced in screening devices.   The following outline reflects the types of difficulties often observed in learning disabled students: (1) significantly different classroom behaviors difficulty in beginning or finishing tasks difficulty in organizing inconsistent in behavior difficulty in peer relationships (2) significantly below-average performance in auditory comprehension and listening difficulty in following directions difficulty in comprehending or following class discussions inability to retain information received aurally difficulty in understanding or comprehending word meanings (3) significantly below-average performance in spoken language use of incomplete sentences or unusual number of grammatical errors use of immature or improper vocabulary or very limited vocabulary difficulty in recalling words for use in self-expression difficulty relating isolated facts, scattered ideas difficulty in relating ideas in logical sequence (4) significant academic problems difficulty in reading fluency difficulty in associating numbers with symbols incorrect ordering of letters in spelling confusion of manuscript and cursive writing avoidance of reading confusion of math concepts – addition, multiplication (5) orientation difficulties poor time concept, no grasp of meaning of time difficulty in â€Å"navigating† around building or school grounds poor understanding of relationships (big, little, far, close, under, on, near) inability to learn directions (north, south, left, right) motor disabilities or significant underdevelopment for age poor coordination very poor balance awkward, poorly developed manipulative or manual dexterity lack of rhythm in movements III. Intervention for Learning Disabilities. This knowledge of the characteristics of learning disabled students is one basis for intervention. Thus, we have seen that children with learning disabilities compose quite a diverse group.   It should be no surprise then to find that the teaching and strategies approaches designed to help those children are also quite a diverse. But it is possible to cluster the various approaches into three broad educational strategies: task training, in which the emphasis is on the sequencing and simplication of the task to be learned. ââ€"   Ysseldyke and Salvia (1984) have advanced tow theoretical models namely: (a) analyzing the child’s abilities and disabilities and (b) analyzing the task and the direct training of the terminal behavior or task. This view is supported by behavioral analysts who advocate (1) finding out what the child can and cannot do in a particular skill, (2) determining whether or not the child has the behaviors needed to succeed in the task, (3) defining the goals in observable terms, and (4) organizing a systemic remedial program using reinforcement techniques. The applied behavior analysts do not infer processes or abilities that underlie difficulties but rely solely on the child’s interactional history and the current behavior and environmental situation.   They feel that their approach, which is task oriented and observable, is the most parsimonious approach, and to some it is the only approach needed. ability or process training, in which the focus is on the remediation and simplification of the task to be learned. Quay (1983) discussed the relative efficacy of ability or process training.   He stated that three approaches to remediation have evolved: (1) remediating a disability so that learning will be facilitated at a later date, (2) training and ability or process for its own sake, and (3) direct training of the task.   He concludes that the direct instruction method (task training) should be tried first and then discarded in favor of other methods if direct instruction is not successful. ability – or process-task training, in which the first two approaches are combined and integrated into one remedial program. Raschke and Young (1986) support this approach.   They compared the behavior – analysis model with the diagnostic-prescriptive model. They state that neither approach alone has the answer and propose what they call a dialectic-teaching approach into one system. Essentially the model assesses the abilities and disabilities of the children (intraindividual diffences), makes task analyses of the skills to be learned, and prescribes remediation in the functions and skills to be developed. This dialectic system they maintain â€Å"permits the teacher to assess, program, instruct, and evaluate the child’s psycholinguistic characteristics in the same system as his skill competencies and consequential variables†. Hence, the task of developing a definition of learning disabilities proved to be a formidable challenge.   Indeed, defining this population is considered such an overwhelming task that some have likened learning disabilities to Justice Potter Stewart’s comment on pornography: impossible to define, â€Å"but I know it when I see it.† Thus, defining learning disabilities in a way acceptable to all has continued as a debatable issue since the inception of the field.   Although a number of definitions have been generated and used over the years, each has been judged by some to have some shortcomings.  Ã‚   There are many types of disabilities, each of which may require a unique diagnosis and a unique remedial method. POSITION PAPER   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The definitions of learning disabilities are numerous and so varied that it is difficult to present taxonomy or even a specific list of these different definitions.   The definition of learning disabilities is a problem in much of the nations throughout the world. This problem first came out when some parents in the United States became concerned because their children who were not learning in school were rejected from special education since they were not mentally retarded, deaf or blind, or otherwise handicapped.   Their children were called by various names such as; neurologically handicapped, brain-injured, aphasodic, dyslexic, and perceptually handicapped. In spite of its current widespread use, the term learning disability is vulnerable to misunderstanding and misuse. The condition is difficult to define operationally since the designation learning disability is an umbrella term for a variety of deviations that are not included in traditional categories of exceptional children. Also it has been confused with general learning problems that are common to some degree in most children. In addition, it has been misused to include educational retardation, which is found in slow learning children and in children who have not learned because of poor teaching or absence from school. Another vulnerability of the term comes from the difficulty in drawing an explicit line between normal and abnormal.   Some allowances must be made for biological and psychological diversity, and considerable variation in abilities is accepted as normal. So, the question now is, â€Å"If there are objections to the term learning disabilities, why use it?   Why not use some other term? Well and good, if a better term can be found.   Other terms are either too specific or too broad.   Dyslexia for example, only refers to severe reading disability and it is not the only learning disability.   Brain injury has little or no educational relevance.   Perceptual handicaps exclude children with language disorders. Hence, the label learning disability has evolved to encompass the heterogeneous group of children not fitting neatly into the traditional categories of handicapped children. And that, substantial number of children show retardation in learning to talk, do not acquire other communication skill, do not develop normal visual or auditory perception, or great difficulty in learning to read, to spell, to write, or to make arithmetic calculations. Some of them even, are not receptive to language but are not deaf, some are not able to perceive visually but are not blind, and some cannot learn by ordinary of method of instruction but are not mentally retarded. Although such children are from a heterogeneous group and fail to learn for diverse reasons, they have one thing in common: they do not perform as well in school as they could. Discussing the problem and the difficulties of names for these children, Kirk (1963) explained that sometimes classification labels block our thinking. He further stated that it is better to state that a child has not learned to read than to say the child is dyslexic. So he advised that the name should be functional.   He suggested further that since the parents were interested in service to their children, it might be preferable to use a term related to teaching or learning and that the term learning disability might be preferable over the currently used terms such as cerebral function and brain injured. The term learning disabilities were agreed by these parents and they consider it more appropriate since it implied teaching and learning and since they were interested primarily in service for their children. So, one of the major problems of definition is that a learning disability is not as obvious or homogenous as blindness or deafness. There are many types of disabilities, each of which may require a unique diagnosis and a remedial method may vary differently from another condition also termed a learning disability. It is no wonder that many students, teachers, and parents have become confused about the term learning disability and the characteristics of children so labeled. This confusion appears to be international and is illustrated by the remarks of a teacher who, in testifying to a government committee studying the subject (Learning Difficulties in Children and Adults, 1986), stated:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I find myself asking the following questions:   What does the term â€Å"learning difficulty† mean?   Does the term â€Å"learning difficulty† mean the same as â€Å"learning disability†? How about the term â€Å"dysfunction†? What does the term â€Å"minimal brain dysfunction† mean? Do they all mean the same? Certainly, all these labels are not necessary, or are they? Does labeling a child with learning problems create more problems? It all becomes a bit confusing†¦The terminology changes often, varies from state to state and from country to country. Out of these definitions, came my own definition of learning disability: Learning disability describes a result rather than the cause of the learning disability.   Therefore, the conditions we call a learning disability is defined in terms of the student’s difficulties – what he can and cannot do in school – and focuses primarily on the academic performance.   So, one cannot be labeled as learning disabled if he has not yet started formal schooling as the label learning disabled indicates that a student is having unusual learning difficulties and involves speculations to possible causes, but it specifically indicates that the primary cause cannot be a condition such as mental retardation, hearing or visual impairment, and so on. Learning disabilities should be identified in the formal school context. Thus, preschoolers should not be labeled as learning disabled as growth rates are so unpredictable at young age,   In addition, very young children who appear to have problems may be identified under a noncategorical label, such as developmentally delayed.   For many children, learning disabilities first become apparent when they enter school and fail to acquire academic skills.   The failure often occurs in reading, but also happens in mathematics, writing, or other school subjects.   Among the behaviors frequently seen in the early elementary years are inability to attend and concentrate; poor motor skills, as evidenced in the awkward handling of a pencil and in poor writing; and difficulty in learning to read.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the later elementary years, as the curriculum becomes more difficult, problems may emerge in other areas, such as social studies or science.   Emotional problems also become more of an impediment after several years of repeated failure, and students become more conscious of their poor achievement in comparison with that of their peers.   For some students, social problems and inability to make and keep friends increase in importance at this age level. A radical change in schooling occurs at the secondary level, and adolescents find that learning disabilities begin to take a greater toll.   The tougher demands of the junior and senior high school curriculum and teachers, the turmoil of adolescence, and the continued academic failure may combine to intensify the learning disability.   Adolescents are also concerned about life after completing school.   They may need counseling and guidance for college, career, and vocational decisions.   To worsen the situation, a few adolescents find themselves drawn into acts of juvenile delinquency.   Because adolescents tend to be overly sensitive, some emotional, social, and self-concept problems often accompany a learning disability at his age.   Most secondary schools now have programs for adolescents with learning disabilities. Many teachers in Canada suggested that we abolish the label learning disability, and merge it with the emotionally disturbed and the educable mentally retarded and only deal with the child from an instructional point of view by defining learning tasks so that they can be taught step by step.   I strongly opposed with this suggestion.   Though maybe it is possible for the child with severe learning disability, but this approach is not sufficient to mild learning disabilities students. This is one of the greatest sources of controversy about the identification issues. The question of how much academic and learning retardation is evidenced before an individual should be identified as learning disabled.   Aside from identifying children with learning disability, it is very important to judge the extent of a child’s learning disability as either mild or severe.   Determining the level of severity is helpful in placement and in planning teaching delivery.   I strongly suggest that students with mild learning disabilities should be given different remediation from those of students who have severe learning disabilities. At this point, it is very crucial to differentiate the two cases.   Mild learning disabilities describe the problems of many students.   Students with mild learning disabilities usually have a disability in just one or two areas of learning, and although they need supportive help and special teaching, they can probably get along – at least for part of the day – in the regular classroom. So, within the regular classroom, the regular teachers should often make changes in instruction that will benefit these students. On the other hand, students with sever learning disabilities pose a very different problem and they require quite different educational services.   These students are likely to lag significantly in several areas of learning and to have concomitant social, emotional, or behavioral problems.   They need the environment of a special classroom, should contact mainly with one teacher, and should be given special services for most of the day.   Because of the intensity of their problems, the special class should be given fewer students than the regular classroom.   I suggest the 1:3 teacher to student ratio is the best to maximize and hasten the remediation process.   However, students with severe learning disabilities can gradually be mainstreamed for special subjects or activities or placed in the resource room, or even back in the regular classroom as their progress permits.   Because of these definitions; teachers, guidance councilors, and other school personnel, play the biggest role in identifying, diagnosing, remediating or treating this kind of disability within the school context.   So any teaching/service delivery should best meet the requirements needed to serve properly learning disabled students within the regular classroom.   Hence, learning disabled students should be treated or given remediation within the given school context with the greatest help of the regular classroom teacher but the guidance of the learning disabilities specialist.   So, it is implied that each school should have a learning disabilities specialist. With this, a change in the administrative arrangements for the placement for instruction of children with learning disabilities is a must.  Ã‚   It is important to take note that in the past, the rapid growth of special education was in the direction of removing atypical children from the mainstream of regular classroom and placing them into special education programs. Even the regular education supported this movement which maybe because the responsibility of educating children with a variety of learning problems is transferred to the domain of special education, and that would really lighten the work load of regular teachers.  Ã‚   But that should not be the case and I do not support that movement. The trend should be reversed and all students with learning disabilities should be brought back into the regular classroom with the regular students and in the hands of the regular teacher with the help of the learning disabilities specialist.     Ã‚  A number of movements and researches support this claim. The influential movement that supports this claim is the REI or the regular education initiative led by Madeline Will, the director of special education in the U.S. Office of Special Education in 1986.   She stated that this initiative is designed to promote collaborative efforts among regular and special educators and â€Å"shared responsibility† (Will, 1986).   In this initiative, regular and special educators were encouraged to pool their talents and coordinate their efforts in planning and teaching.  Ã‚   I greatly support this initiative as the underlying premise of this concept is that student’s learning disabilities can be more successfully taught in the regular education classroom than in special education classes or resource room. By promoting the merging of special and regular education, the regular education initiative reflects a major change in the way students with learning disabilities are identified, assessed, and educated. The approach is supported by many special educators (Lloyd, Singh, Repp, 1991; Maheady Algozzine, 1991; Biklen Zollers, 1986; Greer, 1988; Reynolds, Wang Walberg, 1997).     Ã‚  A specific example is, more than fifty years ago, Samuel Kirk, in his presidential address to special educators, emphasized that all teachers (regular and special educators) have the responsibility for teaching learning disabled children.   Kirk implored that â€Å"every teacher †¦ is a teacher of learning disabled children† (Kirk, 1941).   He further wrote the following: Actually the education of exceptional children is not wholly the responsibility of any one group of teachers †¦. It is hoped that in the future all special class teachers will not only be responsible for the education of children in their classroom, but will take on the added responsibility of contributing their knowledge and special skill to the regular classroom teacher †¦ who (has0 many learning disabled children in (the) classroom. (Kirk, 1941) In 1968, Lloyd Dunn wrote an influential article about the benefits of having special educators work with regular teachers in serving learning disabled children (Dunn, 1968). Another view to change the administrative arrangement in special education is to group children with different disabilities together for instruction.   This categorical system in special education historically evolved as the field of special education developed.   Each category of disability (such as visual impairment, hearing impairment, mental retardation, orthopedic disabilities, speech disorders, emotional disturbance, and learning disabilities) became established individually over the years when there was sufficient interest in that particular area of exceptionality.   This concept emphasizes the common characteristics among students with disabilities and the common instructional methods for teaching students with various disabilities.   In this system, students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, and mental retardation are often grouped together. Some parents and special educators are concerned that children with learning disabilities might be lost in the shuffle of this kind of placement, if such classes become a dumping ground for students with a variety of unrelated problems.   The resulting diversity of learning and behavior problems would impede teachers in helping students with learning disabilities. But this view is also opposed by a number of authors and has even provoked unusual levels of confusion, emotion, and debate within the special education community (Jehkins Pious, 2001).   Moreover, other special educators and parents, express concern regarding the regular education initiative movement and caution that more study is needed before making full-scale and far-reaching changes in procedures and policies that will affect the lives of students with learning disabilities (Lloyd et al., 1991; Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1988; Cannon, 1988; Kaufman, Gerber, Semmel, 1998; McKinney Hocutt, 1988, Lerner, 1997). But these opposing views have no substance and should be disregarded altogether.   Fuchs Fuchs (2000) have conducted research on the perceptions of and attitudes toward the regular education initiative among both regular and special educators.   These studies suggest that neither regular nor special education teachers are dissatisfied with the current special education delivery system.   In fact, the teachers favored the resource room model over the consultant model.   Many of the teachers saw no improvement in the achievement levels for either special or regular education students as a result of the regular education initiative reforms.   The success of the initiative depends on the support of regular and special teachers (Semmel, Abernathy, Butera, Lesar, 1991; Coates, 1989).   Moreover, the research prove that merely shifting the responsibility from the resource room teacher to the regular or a consultant is not enough to ensure the success of the reform. Hence, major policy changes in regular education profoundly affect students with learning disabilities.   Several recent national study commissions on the poor quality of schools serving the learning disabled students.   It is my fear that, most school’s pursuit for academic excellence standards will left behind students with learning disabilities – or they will be the losers.   Being unable to meet the educational standards set by the pursuit-of-excellence movement, some students with learning disabilities will be denied a high school diploma and thus be denied the opportunity to complete their schooling.   Further, if regular teachers are held accountable for the academic excellence of their students, they will be reluctant to accept the responsibility for hard-to-teach students.   Some special educators predict that the push for excellence may serve to widen the schism between regular and special education (Pugach Sapon-Shevin, 1997). Hence, it is my challenge to educators and healthcare professionals to undergo another education reform movement where school curriculum requirements for the learning disabled should be added to the current curriculum standards for the regular students. So in this recommendation for curriculum changes, a greater consideration should be given for the learning disabled students.   But this should be within the context of the regular education curriculum. This approach is same with the integration of regular and special education.   Some special educators also are now urging that the integration process should be taken much further – that the current special education system should be drastically restructured and that regular and special education should be merged into a single system (Kauffman Trent, 1991).   Such educators cite several reasons for changing the current system.   Special education, they maintain, is not effective when it occurs outside of the regular classroom.   In addition, the physical separation of students with disabilities is demeaning and degrades instruction.   These special educators maintain that integrated special education is more effective than separate programs. So the delivery options for teaching students with learning disabilities should also include regular classes and resource room classes.   This approach is concomitant to the observation that successful adults with disabilities have learned to function comfortably in society as it exists – an unrestricted environment composed of all people.   To promote experiences in the greater society, it must be ensured that, to the extent appropriate, students with disabilities should have experiences in school with regular (or non-special education) students. Since society includes the family, parents too should not be forgotten as an important element in the entire complex.   Parents are a vital component in the student’s education. These parents of children with learning disabilities need help in accepting their situation.   Mental health professionals should help make parents be aware that the problem must be faced both by the child and by other members of the family.   In addition to an honest acceptance of the disability, there must be recognition that improvement is often a slow process. So any approach concerning children with learning disability should establish healthy parental attitudes and ensure parent-teacher cooperation is of course, very necessary.   Parent support groups and family counseling are effective in assisting parents understand their children and their problems and in finding ways to help their children within the home.   In addition, parent-teacher conference can become a bridge between the home and school and can involve parents in the educational process. Learning disabilities is now at a crossroads, as it seems to have been throughout its thirty-year history.   Many innovative ideas are only in their beginning stages and will develop more fully in the years to come. The approach I suggested as discussed in this paper is one of those ideas.   It is very important for this approach that more students with learning disabilities are served through regular education.   In addition, there should be more collaboration between special and regular educators.   A consequence of all of these shifts is that the responsibilities of learning disabilities teachers will change to meet the new demands. References Bush, W., and Giles, M.(1979).   Aids to Psycholinguistic Teaching. Columbus,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ohio: Charles E. Merrill. Clements, S. (1986). Minimal Brain Dysfunction in Children.   Public Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Service Publications. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Washington, D.C. 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