Ramadan

In the article â€Å"Young Saudis Reinvent Ramadan,† the author highlights some issues involved in the celebration of Ramadan, or the month meant for fasting. In most places, particularly in the rich country of Saudi, young and old turn night into day to be able to eat, watch and do other things, while spending the day sleeping. Even some services are available until dawn. These practices are highly contradictory to the real essence of Ramadan, which is to sacrifice by fasting during the day in order to atone for past sins and be reborn after the month is over. Sleeping during the day undermines the value of sacrifice since those who do this are free to indulge during the night. The government and its people have practiced Ramadan for a long time but the practice had been superficial, as pointed out by the author. Another issue that the author highlights is how many Saudis have taken a new look at the puritanical approach to Islam after the fateful 911 attack. Many Saudis have now realized that extremism does not necessarily mean you are doing things for God. The students and young people described in the article are modernist because they chose to return to the real essence of Islam, which is making God the center of everything. Modernism makes God the center of the universe and the ultimate authority. Modernism is also about making the religious practice adapt to the times. They used their belief to apply to the modern world by helping to alleviate even for a while the needs of the people around them. They did not eliminate God from the center, instead, they refocused and found new meaning. The article as a whole speaks of hope and better understanding spreading among the youths of Saudi. They saw the excesses of the population during Ramadan and want to take a lead in reviving the real spirit of fasting. By giving to the poor, the young Saudi persons hope that the rest of the population would follow and remain true to the spirit of Ramadan.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 10

Elder blossoms can be used for exorcism, protection, or prosperity, Bonnie read, lying flopped down on her bed, chin propped on her hands. Mix with comfrey and coltsfoot and bind in red silk during a waxing moon to make a charm bag for attracting wealth. Distill in a bath with lavender, feverfew, and motherwort for personal protection. Burn with hyssop, white sage, and devil's shoestring to create a smoke that can be used in exorcising bad spirits. Devil's shoestring? Was that real y an herb? Unlike most of the others, it didn't sound like something she'd find in her mother's garden. She sighed noisily and skipped ahead a little. The best herbs for aiding meditation are agrimony, chamomile, damiana, eyebright, and ginseng. They may be tossed together and burned to create smoke or, when picked at dawn, dried and sprinkled around the subject in a circle. Bonnie eyed the thick book baleful y. Pages and pages and pages of herbs and what their properties were in different circumstances, and when to gather them, and how to use them. Al written as dryly and dul y as her high school geometry textbook. She had always hated studying. The best thing about the summer between high school and col ege was that no one could expect her to spend any time tucked up with a heavy book, trying to memorize excessively boring facts. Yet here she was, doing just that, and she'd total y brought it on herself. But when she had asked Mrs. Flowers to teach her magic, she had expected something, wel , cooler than being handed a heavy book on herbs. Secretly, she had been hoping for one-on-one sessions that involved casting spel s, or flying, or summoning fantastical servants to do her bidding. Less reading quietly to herself, anyway. Shouldn't there be some way that magical knowledge could just implant itself in her brain? Like, wel , magical y? She flipped forward a few more pages. Ooh, this looked a bit more interesting. An amulet filled with cinnamon, cowslip, and dandelion leaves will help in attracting love and fulfilling secret desires. Gather the herbs in a gentle rain and, after drying, bind them with red velvet and gold thread. Bonnie giggled and kicked her feet against the mattress, thinking that she could probably come up with some secret desires to fulfil . Did she need to pick the cinnamon, or would it be okay to just get it out of the spice cupboard? She turned a few more pages. Herbs for clarity of sight, herbs for cleansing, herbs that had to be gathered under the ful moon or on a sunny day in June. She sighed once more and closed the book. It was past midnight. She listened, but the house was quiet. Her parents were sleeping. Now that her sister Mary, who'd been the last of Bonnie's three older sisters to leave home, had moved in with her boyfriend, Bonnie missed having her right down the hal . But there were also advantages to not having her nosy, bossy big sister so close. She climbed out of bed as quietly and cautiously as she could. Her parents weren't as sharp-eared as Mary, but they would come and check on her if they heard her getting up in the middle of the night. Careful y, Bonnie pried up a floorboard under her bed. She had used it as her hiding place ever since she was a little girl. At first she had kept a dol she'd borrowed from Mary without permission; a secret candy stash bought with her al owance; her favorite red silk ribbon. Later, she'd hidden notes from her first boyfriend, or tests she'd failed. Nothing as sinister as what was hidden there now, though. She lifted out another book just as thick as the volume on herbs Mrs. Flowers had lent her. But this one was olderlooking, with a dark leather cover wrinkled and softened by time. This book was from Mrs. Flowers's library, too, but Mrs. Flowers hadn't given it to her. Bonnie had snuck it off the shelf while Mrs. Flowers's back was turned, sliding it into her backpack and projecting her most innocent face when Mrs. Flowers's sharp eyes lingered on her afterward. Bonnie felt a bit guilty tricking Mrs. Flowers like that, especial y after the old woman agreed to mentor her. But, honestly, no one else would have had to sneak the book out in the first place. Any reason Meredith or Elena gave for wanting it would have immediately been accepted by everybody as right and true. They wouldn't even have to give a reason, just say that they needed the book. It was only Bonnie who would be sighed at and patted on the head – sweet, silly Bonnie – and stopped from doing what she wanted . Bonnie stubbornly set her chin and traced the letters on the book's cover. Traversing the Boundaries Between the Quick and the Dead, they read. Her heart was pounding as she opened the book to the page she'd marked earlier. But her hands were quite steady as she removed four candles, two white and two black, from beneath the floorboard. She struck a match, lit one of the black candles, and tilted it to drip wax on the floor beside her bed. When there was a little pool of melted wax, Bonnie pressed the bottom of the candle into it, so that it stood upright on the floor. â€Å"Fire in the North, protect me,† she intoned. She reached for a white candle. Plugged into its charger on the bedside table, her phone rang. Bonnie dropped the candle and swore. Leaning over, she picked up the phone to see who was cal ing. Elena. Of course. Elena never realized how late it was when she wanted to talk to somebody. Bonnie was tempted to press â€Å"ignore,† but thought better of it. Maybe this was a sign that she shouldn't perform the ritual after al , at least not tonight. Maybe she should do some more research first to make sure she was doing it right. Bonnie blew out the black candle and pushed the button to answer her phone. â€Å"Hey, Elena,† she said, hoping her friend didn't sense her irritation as she placed the book gently back under the floorboard. â€Å"What's up?† The ash was unbearably heavy. He strained against it, pushing at the blanket of gray holding him down. He clawed frantical y, a panicked part of him wondering whether he was even going upward at al , whether he might not instead be digging himself farther under the surface. One of his hands was clutched tightly around something – something fine and fibrous, like thin petals. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he shouldn't let go of it, and despite the fact that it hampered his struggle, he did not question this need to hold on. It seemed as if he were clawing at the thick ash forever, but final y his other hand broke through the crumbling layers and relief flooded his body. He'd been going the right way; he wasn't going to be buried forever. He reached out blindly, searching for something he could use to lever himself out. Ash and mud slid under his fingers, giving him nothing firm, and he floundered until he found what felt like a piece of wood in his grasp. The edges of the wood bit into his fingers as he clung to it as though it were a lifeline in a stormy ocean. He gradual y maneuvered his way up, slipping and sliding in the slick mud. With one last great effort, he wrenched his body out of the ash and mud, which gave a thick sucking noise as his shoulders emerged. He climbed to his knees, his muscles screaming in agony, then to his feet. He shuddered and shook, nauseated but euphoric, and wrapped his arms around his torso. But he couldn't see anything. He panicked until he realized something was holding his eyes shut. He scrubbed at his face until he detached sticky clumps of ashy mud from his eyelashes. After a moment, he was final y able to open his eyes. A desolate wasteland surrounded him. Blackened mud, puddles of water choked with ash. â€Å"Something terrible happened here,† he said hoarsely, the sound startling him. It was so profoundly quiet. It was freezing, and he realized he was naked, covered with only the same muddy ash that was everywhere. He hunched over and then, cursing himself for his momentary weakness, painful y straightened himself up. He had to†¦ He†¦ He couldn't remember. A drop of liquid ran down his face, and he wondered vaguely whether he was crying. Or was it the thick, shimmering fluid that was everywhere here, mixing with the ash and mud? Who was he? He didn't know that, either, and that blankness triggered a trembling in him that was quite separate from the shivering caused by the cold. His hand was stil clenched protectively around the unknown object, and he raised his fist and stared at it. After a moment, he slowly uncurled his fingers. Black fibers. Then a drop of the opalescent fluid ran across his palm, over the middle of the fibers. Where it touched, they transformed. It was hair. Silky blond and copper hair. Quite beautiful. He closed his fist again and held them against his chest, a new determination building inside him. He had to go. Through the haze, a clear picture of his destination sprang into his mind. He shuffled forward through the ash and mud, toward the castlelike gatehouse with high spires and heavy black doors that he somehow knew would be there.

Faith and Science in the Film Agora Essay

The movie Agora takes place in Alexandria during a time of political conflict between Christians and pagans in 4th century Rome and centers around Hypatia a woman scientists and philosopher. Hypatia has dedicated her life to science and at the beginning of the movie she teaches at the Platonic school. She studies mainly philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics, and makes discoveries about the way the earth and planets move around the sun. Her hypotheses about the earth moving around the sun in an elliptic orbit were far beyond her time. She is respected in â€Å"pagan† society by her male peers and students, while Christians find her work heretical. Even her father respects her work as a teacher and scientist by refusing to set her up for marriage because he knows that it would break her heart if she had to quit teaching and be a wife. In the movie, we see how science is more important to Hypatia than love, as she refuses romantic advances from both Orestes and Davus. She has ch osen to dedicate her life to science and her studies, and eventually gives up her life for science, which is admirable to say the least. This movie illustrates the conflicts between faith and science that existed in 4th century Rome and still exist today to a much lesser degree. In the movie, the Christians, led by Cyril, were trying to gain political power and destroyed anyone who stood in their way including Jews and pagans. The pagans are open and accepting of the fact that Hypatia was a woman and a scientist and were open to her scientific contributions but the Christians refused to accept her teachings and the fact that she would not convert to Christianity. They rejected her, saying asking questions about the way the world works was questioning God and they even labeled her as a witch, murdering her at the end of the movie. As a Christian, this was hard to watch and the conflicts between faith and science that still exist today are disheartening. As Orestes states, â€Å"there is more that unites us than divides us,† which is true and Christians of all people, should be the most understanding of this statement and be the most accepting of all kinds of people, according to Jesus’ teaching. There will always be conflicting ideas between scientists and theologists, but we are united as one people and need to have an open mind about these issues and be willing to listen to all sides of an argument. Science and faith should be able to coexist peacefully and even build off of each other. The Christian’s treatment of Hypatia as a woman was also very different than the pagan’s treatment of her. The pagans respected her regardless of her sex but the Christian’s showed no respect for her and labeled her as a pagan whore and witch. In many conservative Christian sects today, women are still not allowed to hold administrative positions in churches and are expected to sit quietly behind their husbands, while in the field of science, women can make important contributions that are respected by both their male and female peers. The bridge between faith and science has come a long way since Hypatia’s time, but there is still a long way to go, hopefully more bridges will continue to be built and the fact that both science and faith can and should unite us, not divide us, will be realized.

An e-commerce proposal for a company Case Study

An e-commerce proposal for a company - Case Study Example The human resource of Zorbas Group of Companies amounts today in 1200 individuals. The reason for choosing this company for my project is because it was initiated from a single family bakery business in a small village, and has moved from there to being one of the most successful companies in Cyprus today and I believe with the correct implementation of e-business models will improved the firm's standing in terms of cost reduction and customer satisfaction. The nature of Zorbas business may not require a well organized IT structure but the huge growth of the company the last years, created some room for improvement using the right e-business models-theories. EDI is the abbreviation for Electronic Data Interchange. In accordance with McLure (1996), the technology refers to the exchange of data between electronic medium in a structured manner. EDI, in its true sense, updates data in a real time manner. Classical examples of EDI include: McLure (1996) further states that EDI solely works on real time updates. Its various applications and benefits will be discussed as the proposal is about its application to the company under consideration. Primary research was conducted by means of informal conversation-cum-interviews with the senior management, and also various employees who are directly influenced by this process which is to be improved under this proposal. Secondary research was conducted by means of searching articles, journals, textbooks, and other literary resources present both online and in physical libraries. 2.2 Justification of the Methods used This report does not need loads of primary research, other than understanding the processes and their workings, because the major aim underlying herewith is that the right solution is to be proposed and presented, and by right, it implies the solution being feasible, suitable and acceptable to the management and the stakeholders. 2.3 Problems Encountered The major problem encountered here was the lack of documentation available at the company that could define the codes and mechanisms of communication and coordination between the production, distribution and sales units. Therefore, the data gathered can be anticipated to involve biasness from the company personnel who were the respondents. Absence of documentation also leads to the issue that the respondent bias cannot be eliminated, nor reduced. 2.4 Alternative Methods The concerned departments have been very busy to provide formal and informal information pertinent to the communication processes and procedures. However, there

Reflection Paper 2-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection Paper 2-1 - Essay Example The intellectual human resource management school of thought that underlies the above recommended change is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Cherry, n.d.). If the employees’ lower level needs mentioned in Maslow’s hierarchy which includes job security/compensation are not satisfied, the employees cannot be motivated to work well. If they do not do their best in their jobs, they cannot be assets to society; therefore, will not be able to contribute to the improvement of the economy. Another reform that must be instituted is the passing into law of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) which â€Å"would enable working people to bargain for better benefits, wages and working conditions by restoring workers’ freedom to choose for themselves whether to join a union† (AFL-CIO, 2011). The AFL-CIO goes on further to say that the EFCA will allow employees to enter into a collective bargaining agreement without any hindrances (2011). Moreover, it can guarantee that these employees can have a contract. With the passing of the EFCA the employees may be allowed â€Å"to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation† (AFL-CIO, 2011). If the EFCA is passed, it would be easier to form unions without the usual harassment from management. Further, it will provide for more rigid penalties for companies who violate the law of the right of the workers to organize. The EFCA reform is also in line with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in that it will satisfy both the security and social needs of a person. Employees always seek for better wages and better working conditions to meet his physiological and security needs. Being part of a union satisfies the social needs of the workers. The EFCA will reinforce the satisfaction of these needs; thus, it is important that this reform be implemented. Aside from the reforms stated

Romania Risk Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Romania Risk Assessment - Assignment Example The new state which is now Romania gained independence in 1877 from the traditional Ottoman Empire. The economy of the country is anchored on services and production of different electric energy and machines with some of the key companies being OMV Petron and Automobile Dacia. Currently the country is regarded as upper-middle income with a super high human development index. Despite the continuous growth in the country, there are a number of challenges and risks that the nation faces that it should deal with to see a continuous growth of the economy and cohesion amongst the people. ("Romania: Risk ratings", 2010, Business Europe, 2010) 3 Romania is located on the South East of Central Europe. It border black sea between Ukraine and Bulgaria. The country which is 92,043 sq. miles in area size also borders Serbia, Hungary and Moldova. Romania has a population of roughly 20 million with a temperate continental climate. The country’s largest city, Bucharest is the sixth largest city in terms of size and population within the European Union. Romania is within the traditional territories of the former Roman province of Dacia. It was formed in 1859 via a unique personal union of the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. The new state which is now Romania gained independence in 1877 from the traditional Ottoman Empire. The economy of the country is anchored on services and production of different electric energy and machines with some of the key companies being OMV Petron and Automobile Dacia. Currently the country is regarded as upper-middle income with a super high human development index. Despite the continuou s growth in the country, there are a number of challenges and risks that the nation faces that it should deal with to see a continuous growth of the economy and cohesion amongst the people. ("Romania: Risk ratings", 2010, Business Europe, 2010) Risk is the potential loss of something of value. When it is not handled

My Uncle's Addicted To Illegal Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Uncle's Addicted To Illegal Drugs - Essay Example That is the delinquent is not punished for abusing the drug, but for the actions committed whilst under its influence. Since the most controversial drug at the moment is marijuana this paper will limit itself to the examination of this narcotic. The Legalise Cannabis Alliance is a UK based political organization committed to the legalization of marijuana. It seeks to have marijuana and marijuana products removed from the UK Misuse of Drugs Act and that possession, cultivation and use of marijuana or its products should be free from prosecution. It argues that marijuana can be used to produce cost-free fuel through the process of pyrolysis on marijuana biomass. Further, it believes that the prohibition of marijuana infringes Human Rights. â€Å"Prohibition†¦goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control man’s appetite through legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not even crimes†¦. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our Government was founded.† (cited in Legalise Cannabis Alliance manifesto.) However, this is a very high end argument. It is philosophical and many times removed from the misery endured by those who abuse drugs and those who have to take care of drug abusers. It takes no account of the human or financial costs of drug abuse. The case for marijuana however is special. There are many myths about marijuana. According to the Legalise Cannabis Alliance website in 1999 the US Institute of Medicine concluded that marijuana is not addictive, it is not a gateway drug, it is not a dangerous drug and it does have medical uses. Why then is it outlawed? There are people who believe that the ‘war on drugs’ itself is adding to the human and financial costs, and that it would be wiser to stop fighting the war altogether. For example, Legalise Drugs – a pro-legalization, anti-drug organization

Inter-relationship between Farm Level Agriculture and Global Warming Research Paper

Inter-relationship between Farm Level Agriculture and Global Warming - Research Paper Example A significant cultural issue facing the world in the present day is the connection between â€Å"global warming and economic policy† (Callan & Thomas, 2007, p.254). Scientists and economists have different views and opinions on this issue, where some give little importance to the complexities relating to the effects; others view the problem with serious concern reflecting consequences of disaster in the near future. Several proposals have been worked on to deal with greenhouse gases; proposals including â€Å"imposing taxes on fuels in proportion to their carbon dioxide content, emissions trading, and aggressive policy towards the development of clean technologies†. Agriculture is that part of the economy that is very susceptible to climate change and hence to global warming. Many countries have started importing regions of agriculture that they might need, a policy that has made the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of such countries to be less at risk to climate change. Ho wever, if climate change drastically agitates the agriculture, all countries are expected to experience the effect, even if their GDP is not dependent on agriculture. The policy of congregating agriculture in certain global regions has created greater concerns as the â€Å"lack of diversity† with small climate changes may actually affect the entire world as a whole (Grant, n.d.). In view of the economic growth and reserves of fossil fuels, estimations indicate that â€Å"global emissions† might show a rise from 6 billion tons of carbon to 20 billion tons till the year 2100 and 50 billion tons by the late 23rd century. According to different studies conducted, if this happens, the atmospheric absorptions of carbon could develop at much higher levels. The temperatures would increase worldwide. Effects of carbon fertilization which implies stimulation of plant growth by higher levels of carbon dioxide are sometimes believed to reduce the effect or

Economic Improvements in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Improvements in California - Essay Example Marois and Pei differentiate between opinion and facts. The article is full of statistical evidence from cited reports published by acknowledged institutions such as World Bank, U.S. Census Bureau, and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp (Marois and Pei 2015). It is difficult to identify any political bias in the article because of the use of numerous statistical findings. However, a likely political bias in the article is Marois and Pei ‘s observation that Brown’s â€Å"proposed state budget show the gains† is purely personal (Marois and Pei 2015). The writers offer no evidence for this observation, which adds more suspicion to the fact that the revise figures will not be available until June 2015 yet this article was published in January. From this perspective, one can easily question why the writers did not wait for the revised figures to observe Brown’s â€Å"gains,† which brews a republican agenda when discussing big governments (Ma rois and Pei 2015). The economic development and related political figures are very important to California. This importance shows the results of efforts made to improve infrastructure and alleviate unemployment and poverty. More specifically, living standards in California are high in comparison to other states. Californians living on and below the poverty threshold might not be thought of as poor in states such as Seattle and Texas.

Expose Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Expose - Article Example However, the electrician did nothing and said he would come to fix it later. Many residents believe that short circuit catalysed the occurrence of the fire. After the fire, the casualties were moved to another labour camp In AlShahaniya. Also, the employees were promised 200 riyals above their April salaries as compensation for the damage. Many volunteers have been appealing for food and clothe donations for the displaced men. Firstly, the article highlighted the troubling facts about the living conditions of the employees in the labour camps. Kovessy (2015) indicates that over eight men live in one room and there are no fire safety measures in the labour camps such as fire extinguishers and emergency exits despite the overcrowding of the rooms. Questions have been raised about Qatar’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of their labour force despite the enormous wealth of the country. The evident negligence of the camp supervisors should have been questioned in courts since it was the major cause of the fire. The majority of the Sri Lankan employees are opting to go home despite the Sri Lankan embassy encouraging them to go back to work. They claim that they still don’t trust the safety standards of the labour camp. It is not understandable why the Sri Lankan government is not doing enough to cater for the rights of their nationals. A spokesman for the Sri Lankan embassy stated that no one was killed in the disaster; however, unconfirmed reports indicated that two Bangladesh nationals were killed in the fire. The statement exposed how the Sri Lankan Government is trying to cover up Qatar despite the fact that their nationals are suffering. Despite the fact that, the spokesperson was indicating the fire was evidence for the substandard housing conditions for the labourers, they agreed to settle for only 200 Riyal per employee. The displaced employees only escaped with the clothes on their bodies and 200 riyals could not possibly compensate for

Protestant Reformation Essay Example for Free

Protestant Reformation Essay In the early sixteenth century, Western Europes religious face was dominated by the Roman Catholic faith. The Catholic Church was the sole athority power of day to day values, and before long, conflicting social and political issues began to shake the foundation of the corrupt Catholic Church. Moreover, Western Catholics began to realize the corrupt nature of the Church; as the selling of indulgences was challenged by Martin Luthers 95 Theses, the hierarchal nature of the Church was displayed via blatant acts of simony, and the concept was purgatory was outwardly questioned. Ultimately, as westerners caught wind of the aforementioned doings, an attempt to reform the Catholic Church began brewing: the Protestant Reformation. This Reformation ultimately led to several significant social and political consequences. On one note, the Reformation led to the once-all Catholic western Europeans being separated into several demographics: Catholic Christianty, Protestant Christianty, and Orthodox. As a result, the belief of the founder Jesus Christ was magnified, as well as the belief of the Bible as a doctrine of salvation (in the Protestant faith). Consequently, the popularity of the Bible led to it being printed in vernacular rather than Latin, and thus the Bible began to appeal to a larger audience rather than solely the wealthy and educated. This accessiblity to the lower class revealed the teachings of faith to a previously uninformed demographic. Also, Protestantism had created a new, highly individual spirituality. Survival and salvation depended upon inner faith and self-disclipline, thus a larger emphasis was made on personal commitments and values. As the teachings of the Bible were made more widely availible, the aforementioned notions became more widely available. With this newfound knowledge, and with the economic power of the church now lessened, there came a growth of induvidual liberty. These newfound attitudes and economic turn-around consequently reflected principes of, and led to, capitalism. On another hand, another consequence of the Reformation was many dispays of intolerance. More specifically, King Phillip II of Spain and Bloody Maryof England actively persecuted Protestants. Also, with the Reformation leaving the Churchs power teetering, several Rulers were empowered against the Church. Henry VII, for example, nullified the Popes powers, and in turn the Rulers of Europe had the power to rule their countries however they wished, from square one. This, ultimately, gave rise to the notion of nationalism, which gave rise to the growth of the modern state. Conclusively, the effects of the Protestant Reformation were very much significant. Starting in the hands of Martin Luther, the reform not only tore apart the religious unity of Europe at the time, but also contributed to induvidual attitudes and values, the growth of nationalism and the modern state, but also shined a light on the path to a capitalistic society.

A Comprehensive Comparison of Japanese Essay Example for Free

A Comprehensive Comparison of Japanese Essay The two East Asian countries, Japan and China share some cultural similarities. This is a result of belonging to the same area and sharing a religion, Buddhism. In Japan, the earliest complex art has emerged in the 7th and 8th centuries. This early form of art displays a style which has been distinctively influenced by Buddhism. Buddhism has played a major role in sharing Chinese art techniques to Japanese artists because teaching has been made through the medium of Buddhist monasteries. (The Columbia Encyclopedia) Japanese art has started finding its own identity around the 9th century, as it departs from Chinese influence and from other foreign contributions that have been assimilated into Japanese pieces. (Asia Art Net) Chinese art has a longer history, dating back to 4000 B. C. and continuously developing for the next six thousand years. China has also influenced Japanese art indirectly through Koreans studying in China, or monks and traders, as early as the first century. Japanese art is considered by some as a weaker imitation of Chinese art. These art critics believe that Japanese pieces differ from their Chinese counterparts by quality alone. Some point out that this imitation is prevalent during periods when the Japanese artists merely copy or are influenced by Chinese art. However, the influences are later combined with aspects that are originally Japanese, that Japanese pieces have stopped being reflections of Chinese artistry. (Lee) â€Å"But other works show the most original contributions of the island culture. In these we see the small differences magnified to such an extent that they become fully developed and original styles. † (Lee) Paintings Far Eastern paintings make use of very fluid colors blended in absorbent material. Far Eastern painters choose materials like paper and silk, hence there is a need for painters to practice discipline, because a smudge on the painting will result to the ruin of the whole piece. (Mather Jr. ) This is true to both Japanese and Chinese paintings. They are also influenced by Western paintings, though Europeans tend to convey â€Å"memories of things,† while Far Eastern paintings, like those of the Chinese, project â€Å"memories of feelings. † Painting is the Japanese’s favorite art form. (Asia Art Net) This is mainly because Japanese artists have already developed dexterity for art brushes, which they use for writing calligraphy. Yamato- e is a type of Japanese painting which is popularized during the 12th and 13th centuries. Its style is derived from the Late Heian period, and it conveys secular, rather than religious themes. It makes use of vivid colors. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Another name for Yamato-e is Japanese secular painting. Japanese painters make use of many styles and techniques, and the paintings have both indigenous and foreign influences. (ZEELEARN) Japanese paintings are expressive of inner feelings, rather than of what the eyes can see, which is its difference to Western paintings and its similarity to Chinese composition as is mentioned earlier. However, in the 18th century, Chinese paintings have become more realistic, and â€Å"carrying genre painting into all walks of life. † Despite this, the Japanese paintings of the same style are considered better at this because of its better portrayal of racial quality. (Mather Jr. ) Chinese paintings are mostly religious in theme, especially right after the introduction of Buddhism to China from India during the first century. Later, during the Song dynasty (960-1127), secular subjects, such as historical figures and more mundane themes, are introduced into Chinese paintings. Landscape painting has become popular during the fourth century. There are two styles used by landscape painters. These two are the blue-and-green landscapes† and â€Å"ink-and-wash landscape†. The first one makes use of intense shades of blue, green and red pigments obtained from minerals. The latter depends on the intensity of ink and conveys the artist’s emotions at each stroke. (Asia Art Net) Chinese painting styles include flower-and-bird painting which is basically a genre of painting in the Song dynasty which makes use of birds and flowers as the subject matter. Chinese Peasant paintings are also very important to Chinese art because peasants make up a majority of the Chinese population. Peasant paintings are depictions of simpler living, albeit at times projecting a juxtaposition of truthfulness and surrealism. Despite the big population of Chinese peasants, Japanese paintings have a broader range of themes expanding beyond the bounds of aristocracy. (Mather Jr. ) â€Å"East Asian paintings may be broadly classified into the genres of flower-and-bird paintings (kachoga), landscape paintings (sansuiga), and paintings of people (jimbutsuga) The first of these genres, kachoga, reflects peoples feelings of closeness to nature and gives devoted attention to the life and beauty to be found in the natural world. In China, landscape paintings were traditionally done, in most cases, in shades of black ink, but in Japan, where four distinct seasons with their own typical colors are omnipresent, a proportionately larger number of outstanding landscape paintings have been done in color. (The Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts)†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Architecture When the word â€Å"architecture† is mentioned in relation to Japan and China, the first thing that comes to mind is religious architecture. When Buddhism is introduced to Japan in the 6th century from China, China’s more developed religious architecture is also introduced. Even during the 8th century, the Japanese continue to emulate the design of Chinese architects. â€Å"The gigantic monastery of Todai-ji was begun in 745. A great hall was built to house the gigantic statue of Buddha (daibutsu), in front of which stood twin pagodas, each seven stories high†. (The Columbia Encyclopedia) In the late Heian period (898–1185), Japanese architects display their own style: â€Å"The famous Phoenix Hall at Uji, near Kyoto, originally a noblemans villa, was converted (c. 1050) into a temple. It represents the apogee of Japanese design. Beautifully situated near a lotus lake, it has a new sense of airiness, with its open porch and lofty central roof†. (The Columbia Encyclopedia) In the 13th century, the Japanese has returned to the implementation of Chinese architecture. Japanese temples follow the Chinese architects’ use of simplicity and symmetry. The plan of the Japanese temple adhered to the symmetrical simplicity of Chinese design. â€Å"The hall of worship contained a spacious chancel with a flat ceiling, usually painted with the Zen theme of dragons in clouds. By the mid-14th century, Buddhist architecture tended toward eclecticism and an emphasis on rich sculptural adornment†. (The Columbia Encyclopedia)

Teenage Mother Case Study

Teenage Mother Case Study Introduction This essay deals with the circumstances and challenges faced by 22 year old Betty, who became pregnant when she was 15, and now lives with Candy, her six year old daughter. Betty has been referred to the social services cell of the local authority for appropriate social work intervention. She has been engaging in bouts of bingeing and has in the recent past been suffering from vomiting, weight loss and amenorrhoea. A brief case overview is provided below, followed by its analysis and its various implications for social work intervention. Case Overview and Analysis Bettys mother left her father and her sisters when they were very young because of problems in dealing consumption of alcohol. The child and her sisters were thereafter sent to a home for children, where they lived for many years. Whilst the children did not have any further contact with their mother, they would occasionally receive visits from their father, who worked in a brewery and also suffered from alcohol related problems. Betty and her sisters spent their childhood in the childrens home, from where they first attended the childrens village school and thereafter went to a comprehensive secondary school near the residence of her father. Betty began to develop truancy tendencies in her early teens and became pregnant from her relationship with an African Caribbean person, when they were both 14. She decided to keep her child who was named Candy, rather than give her up for adoption, and was placed in a foster home situated at a distance from where she had lived for many years. With the childrens home closing down, Bettys sisters, followed by Betty and Candy, came to live with their father. All the children, including Betty and Candy, lived with their father for the next 6 years. Betty first met a social worker when she was 22. She thereafter moved with her daughter to a small flat, which she liked and made efforts to make nice and homely. Whilst shifting to her new home proved to be beneficial for both Betty and candy, the death of her father, which occurred soon after she moved out of his home, traumatised her severely. She suffers from bouts of speaking difficulties, weight loss and vomiting and amenorrhoea. Her social service records reveal that she suffered from speech disorder episodes in her childhood as well. Betty has also spoken to her social worker about her difficult relationship with her daughter Candy. Whilst the child is doing well in school and is liked by people, she behaves very badly with her mother. An investigation of Bettys history reveals that she may well have been neglected during her childhood. Both her father and mother had alcohol related problems. Her mother left home when Betty and her sisters were very young, following which she was placed in a home for children. Child neglect can be defined to be a condition, wherein individuals responsible for taking care of children permit them, either deliberately or because of inattentiveness, (a) to experience suffering that is avoidable, and (b) otherwise fail to provide the environment required for the development of their physical, emotional and mental capabilities. Neglect can be physical, emotional or educational (Butler Gwenda, 2004, p 76). Betty and her sisters were taken in the care of social services when they were young and placed in a childrens home. Whilst their physical needs were met adequately and they were sent first to the village and later to secondary school, it is very possible that they suffered from educat ional and emotional neglect (Grinnell Yvonne, 2008, p 46). They certainly did not have anybody to provide them with emotional or psychological support or to help them with their school work. Educational neglect includes the failure of care takers to acknowledge and correct acts of truancy by children, even as emotional neglect can arise from inattention to the requirement of children for emotional support and sustenance (Ghate Ramella, 2002, p 66). It is evident that conditions in homes for children are unlikely to have emotionally or educationally enriching environments (Ghate Ramella, 2002, p 66). Neglect during childhood can have adverse effects on the physical, social, intellectual and psychological development of young people (Ghate Ramella, 2002, p 68). Studies reveal that neglected children are prone to development of insecure, anxious or disoriented attachments with their care givers (Howe, 2009, p 37). Such lack of security in attachment can lead to hyperactivity, lack of attention and involvement in class and lack of initiative and confidence to work on their own (Howe, 2009, p 37). Child neglect is also associated with greater incidence of substance abuse, delinquent behaviour, and early pregnancy (Howe, 2009, p 37). Betty developed tendencies for truancy, both in her school and in her childrens home, and became pregnant when she was 14 from her relationship with a boy of her age. Teenage pregnancy is widely prevalent in UK, with the country having a highest rate for such pregnancies in all of Europe. Studies reveal that girls from social class V are at greatest risk of becoming teenage mothers. Research evidence also reveals higher incidence of teenage pregnancy in (a) young people in care, (b) young people leaving care, (c) homeless young people, (d) truants and (e) young people involved in crime. Whilst parenthood can certainly be a positive and enriching experience for normal people, it can also bring about many negative consequences for teenage mothers (Duncan, 2007, p 307). Such problems include (a) adverse physical and mental health outcomes, (b) lesser chances of completing education, (c) greater likelihood of living in the households of others, and (d) greater probability of being lone parent (Duncan, 2007, p 307). Teenagers who become parents are known to suffer from greater socio-economic deprivation, low self esteem and greater incidence of sexual abuse (Duncan, 2007, p 307). The children of such parents tend to have lower birth weights, lesser likelihood of being breast fed, greater chances of growing up in lone parent families, and greater probabilities of experiencing poverty, poor quality housing and poor nutrition. Such people also show greater tendencies for smoking and alcohol abuse (Duncan, 2007, p 307). Common problems amongst teenage mothers include depression and anxiety during pregnancy, financial, social and partnership problems and more negative life events (relationship break-ups, parental separation and lack of community and family support). Teenage mothers are more likely to diet or to smoke during pregnancy. The high smoking prevalence amongst people facing social and economic deprivation suggests that smoking may be used as a stress coping mechanism. However, there is a close association between smoking during pregnancy and adverse outcomes such as low birth weight, infant mortality and delays in child development. (DHSSPS, 2004, p 1) Betty, whilst she has lived in a designated childrens home, and has been educated in standard schools, may have suffered from neglect during her childhood and has experienced pregnancy in her early teens. Both these experiences can result in adverse physical, emotional and psychological outcomes. A social work report reveals that she was prone to suffer from speaking difficulties in her childhood, which could well be the outcome of an emotional and mental distress at being separated from her parents. This speech disorder surfaced again when she was 22, very possibly on account of her emotional traumatisation at the death of her father, who had provided her with shelter for 6 years after the closure of her childrens home. Her other ailments namely bingeing, vomiting and amenorrhoea could also be related to her disturbed upbringing and her psychologically disturbed state, which appears to have been aggravated by the death of her father. Methods of Intervention Betty is emotionally and mentally disturbed because of the death of her father and the behaviour of her child, Candy, towards her. Such emotional disturbances appear to have resulted in eating disorders, vomiting and weight loss. Apart from these ailments, Betty is also suffering from amenorrhoea. She needs medical and possibly psychiatric help and should be referred to mental health professionals and the local GP for appropriate support. Bettys basic vulnerability arises from her status as a single parent, her past of a teen mother, her lack of earning capacity and her difficult relationship with her daughter. Such problems could lead to reduction of self esteem, depression and consequent mental and physical ailments. Social work practice in such circumstances should first focus on understanding her case and her background and thereafter formulate appropriate intervention strategies. Social workers must in the first case adopt appropriate anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and person centred approaches in dealing with her case (Nash, et al, 2005, p 23).Thompson, (2001, p 7), advances the theory that anti-discriminatory approaches essentially arise from personal, cultural and social (infrastructural) influences that are experienced by individuals over the course of their lives. These influences affect the socialisation of individuals and result in deeply entrenched attitudes that surface unconsciously and influence their actions and behaviour (Thompson, 2001, p 11). Social workers, many of whom come from affluent and educated backgrounds, are very likely to have developed entrenched discriminatory attitudes towards disadvantaged segments of society and could well approach the problems of service users, from different racial, ethnic, social and income backgrounds, with preconceived notions and attitudes (Butler Gwenda, 2004, p 83). Dominelli (2005, p 41) has also time and again emphasised that discrimination is pervasive in UK society and its social work infrastructure. Modern social work theory and practice also recommends the adoption of person centred approaches towards service users. Service users, it is now widely accepted, should be placed at the centre of the social work process; with due regard given to their need for dignity, independence and self determination (Howe, 2009, p 48). Social workers, whilst dealing with Betty, with her history of living in a childrens home, teenage truancy, and teenage pregnancy, can very likely (a) have preconceived notions about her background, upbringing, education and attitudes, (b) take little cognisance of her helpful nature, her love for her father and her affection for her child, and (c) adopt attitudes of I know best condescension in their assessment and intervention practice. It is thus imperative for the social worker dealing with her case to consciously overcome discriminatory attitudes, adopt a person centred approach, communicate with understanding and empathy and involve Betty in all intervention suggestions. The social worker should in these circumstances engage Betty with open ended questions about her problems and difficulties. Betty should be allowed to express herself as completely as possible without interruption in order to obtain a more complete realisation of her physical, emotional and mental strength (Brachmann, 2010, p 1). She should be asked to explain the ways and means in which she has coped with the various crises in her life and asked to explore and discuss her various strengths and weaknesses (Brachmann, 2010, p 1). Such discussions can well help in alleviating her feelings about the difficulties and hopelessness of her situation, enable her to think about positive lines of action and formulate suitable exit strategies (Grinnell Yvonne, 2008, p 55). Betty should be asked to choose the different reasons for her crises, focus on one issue at a time, and thereafter sequentially explore and analyse the different challenges confronting her. Such a strategy will help her to address the different crisis factors and find effective ways to address the diverse challenges (Adams, et al, 2009, p 107). It would thus be possible for her to individually focus on her physical and emotional difficulties, her problems with bringing up her child, and her financial challenges. The social worker should lead Betty in conversations that emphasise non-directive exploration of the various crisis issues (Adams, et al, 2009, p 107). Encouraging her to open up by asking different types of open-ended questions may help in obtaining revelations or in greater realisation of the various issues, which in turn can help her and the social worker in the making of informed choices (Brachmann, 2010, p 1). The social worker, once she expresses something specific or s omething that she would wish to alter, can become more direct in asking her to implement such changes (Howe, 2009, p 53). Betty is now 22 and has brought up her child for 6 years as a teen parent, doing her best at the same time to help as a non earning member in her fathers family. Whilst Betty can no longer be technically classified as a teen parent, she continues to suffer from the vulnerabilities of such people, who are considered to be among the most vulnerable members of British society. Studies consistently reveal that children born to teenage mothers are more likely to have comparatively worse outcomes in terms of physical and mental health and education. Adolescent births are also related to higher levels of mental health difficulties, violence with partners and social exclusion (Coley Chase-Landsdale, 1998, p 152). Contemporary teenage mothers have lesser likelihoods of competing in the job market. With teenage child bearing being automatically disruptive for secondary education, it is far more difficult for such people to complete their education in the more expensive contemporary day enviro nment (Clemmens, 2003, p 94). The children of teenage parents are thus more likely to be economically deprived and socially excluded. When adolescents become parents, their education is likely to be delayed and even discontinued. Their employment opportunities are lesser, their incomes are likely to be low and they are less likely to develop long lasting relationships. Such people often require welfare support for prolonged periods (Duncan, 2007, p 307). Betty, it is evident, suffers from physical and emotional problems. Adequate medical attention needs to be provided to her physical and mental condition in order to ensure that she recovers from the traumatic experience of her fathers death, is able to overcome her eating disorders and develops a stable, enriching and rewarding relationship with her daughter. The UK governments social work policies and infrastructure for teenage mothers provide for a number of intervention programmes (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 2). Social workers provide case management support by visiting teen mothers and members of their families in their homes. Such visits help in promoting problem solving behaviours, identifying personal difficulties and challenges and in finding ways and means for overcoming them (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 2). They encourage mothers to find jobs and pursue their education further. Case managers also plan and hold meetings with such mothers and their family members, wherein all participants work towards developing appropriate support plans (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 2). Social workers help teen mothers by the development of mutual assistance groups, where such people can receive and give assistance between each other. Young mothers like Betty can also be appropriately educated and trained in developing and managing small businesses (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 2). They are, after the completion of such training makes them ready to run their businesses, assisted to develop and formulate business plans for their projects. The funding for start up costs for such project is provided after project plans are approved by trainers (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 2). Social work programmes also provide education in life skills, which is delivered over 8 weeks in group formats (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 7). Such sessions promote the enhancement of knowledge and skills in various areas associated with parenting, social understanding and behaviour management. Leadership development amongst such mothers is promoted by giving them various responsibilities and roles in different types of group activities like planning of social events and development of committees (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 9). Studies on these various projects reveal that their use leads to increase in the educational achievements of mothers and lessens the chances of repeat pregnancies. It also enhances their sense of well being and reduces utilisation of illegal substances. Studies on these programmes are however yet to reveal their impact upon child outcomes (Asmussen Weizel, 2010, p 9) The various techniques that can be used by the social worker to make Betty open up and focus on her various challenges have already been discussed before in the course of this essay. The social worker should, in line with such techniques, encourage Betty to think and discuss about her specific challenges, namely (a) overcoming her present physical and mental difficulties, (b) establishing a stable and rewarding relationship with her daughter, (c) furthering her education, (d) increasing her earning capacity and (e) leading a more enriching and socially inclusive life. Open ended questions and discussions over different sessions on each of these issues can help Betty in becoming emotionally more positive and in finding appropriate exit strategies for her different challenges (Butler Gwenda, 2004, p 92). The social worker can help her in discussing various alternatives like (a) medical and psychological health, (b) counselling sessions with her daughter, (c) formulation of programmes for completion of education and / or increase of earning capacity and (d) greater inclusion in social and community life. Appropriate intervention plans can be made after obtaining taking Bettys active agreement on specific action plans. Conclusion This essay concerns the social and economic and challenges faced by 22 year old Betty, who became pregnant at 15 and now lives alone with her six year old daughter. Betty has been engaging in bingeing bouts and is suffering from vomiting, weight loss and amenorrhoea. Bettys mother left the family when the children were very young because of alcohol related problems. She and her sisters were sent to a home for children, where they would occasionally receive visits from their father. Betty and her sisters first attended the childrens village school and thereafter went to a comprehensive secondary school. Betty began to develop truant in her early teens and became pregnant from a relationship with a boy when both of them were 14. Deciding to keep her child, Betty, her child, Candy, and her sisters spent the last 6 years with their father, following which she moved out with her child to their own small home. She was severely traumatised by the death of her father and is concerned about the negative attitude of her child towards her. She now suffers from eating and speech disorders, is losing weight and experiences episodes of amenorrhoea. An analysis of Bettys history reveals that she may well have been neglected during her childhood. Childhood neglect can adversely affect the physical, social, intellectual and psychological development of young people. Early parenthood can also bring negative consequences like adverse physical and mental health outcomes, lesser chances of completing education, greater probability of living in the households of others, and more chances of being lone parents. Such people suffer from greater socio-economic deprivation, low self esteem and greater incidence of sexual abuse. Social work practice, in such circumstances, should first focus on understanding her case and thereafter formulate suitable intervention strategies. Social workers must adopt appropriate anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and person centred approaches in dealing with her case. It is imperative for the social worker to deliberately prevail over discriminatory attitudes, adopt a person centred approach, communicate with understanding and empathy and involve Betty in all suggestions. The UK government has a number of social work policies and intervention programmes for young mothers. The social worker should engage Betty with open ended questions about her challenges and difficulties. She should be allowed to express herself freely in order to obtain a fuller understanding of her challenges as well as her physical, emotional and mental strengths. The social worker should discuss different options like (a) her medical and emotional status, (b) engaging in counselling sessions with her daughter, (c) formulation of programmes for completion of her education and / or increase of her earning abilities and (d) ways and means for increasing her inclusion in social and community life. Appropriate intervention plans should be made after obtaining Bettys active agreement on specific intervention programmes.

Change Management Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Companies and organizations are changing continually to be more efficient in what they do. Change is not always readily accepted. Many people like to stay where they are and become comfortable with their current position. Business writers and managers have stated that unless organizations continue to change, they will become stale and inefficient. There have been many change management initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, and the Japanese Kaizen. Although these initiatives carry different names and slightly different processes, they all have a few elements in common. The most important elements for successful change management, as emphasized by the course text Human Resources Management in Canada and John P. Kotter’s article Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, are time, sufficient communication, and understanding the urgency for change.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Change is gradual; it takes time for things to change. It has been said that, â€Å"Rome wasn’t built in a day.† This is true for the business world as well. We simply cannot expect things to change overnight. Kotter has argued that it would more reasonable to allow a few years in order to fully allow the change process to unfold. Management should give themselves a large window of time to schedule in change. If they believe that they can make a large change over-night, they are merely fooling themselves of their capacity to manage. No matter how good a ma...

No Death Penalty For Minors :: No Death Penalty for Juveniles

The Death Penalty is the execution of criminals for committing crimes regarded so bad that this is the only acceptable punishment. It establishes order in society by putting the fear of death in to would be killers. Although this works for the most part, one has to wonder if a child who commits murder thinks about the fact that it can lead to a death sentence. Studies by the Harvard Medical School, the National Institute of Mental Health and the UCLA’s Department of Neuroscience found that the frontal and pre-frontal lobes of the brain, which regulate impulse control and judgment, are not fully developed in adolescents. Development is not completed until somewhere between 18 and 22 years of age. In addition to this information, South Dakota is currently one of 16 states in the country that allows this practice. Based on the previous information, it is very clear that children especially those under 14 years of age, cannot and do not function as an adult. They have a greater tendency to act on impulse, making unsound judgments or reasoning, and are less aware of the consequences of their actions. In America, teenagers under the age of 18 cannot drink, vote, or sit on a jury, yet they can be sentenced to death if convicted of a crime. What these children need is rehabilitation, guidance and most importantly given a second change to mend what they did as impulsive children. On the other hand, family victims often call for the death penalty because their sibling/child had no right to die in the hands of a murderer. Since this person took their life, the family should have the right to lawfully take the murder’s life. Life in prison is not always enough for them because they have an opportunity to leave on parole, and the thought of these murderous monsters being released into society again horrifies these families, thus they call for execution. However, many states recognize that minors, especially children, are at a confusing impressionable, chaotic age of transition. If a teen commits a murder, that youth should be given the opportunity to set his or her life straight. Juveniles still have a lot of growing up to do. It may mean many years in prison and loss of their freedom, but it would also mean that there is at least a chance for a young life to reform.

Essay --

PET/ PETE: Polyethylene Terephthalate 1. Thermoplastic polymer in polyester family, with â€Å"C10H8O4† as empirical formula for its monomer. 2. It exists in two forms: fiber (synthetic) and resin. 3. PET is converted into fiber form by permanent press fabric and bottles by blow molding. 4. Recycling Code: #1 5. PET is not biodegradable and its incineration produces harmful gases which have high potency to air pollution. That’s why recycling it for further use. Properties [1] Density 1.38 g/cc (20 â„Æ') Young's Modulus 2800-3100 MPa Tensile Strength 55-75 MPa Elastic Limit 50-100% Glass Transition Temperature 67-81 â„Æ' Table 1: Properties of Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate. 6. Strength and stiffness of PET exists because of the presence of large aromatic rings in the long chains which results in high resistant to deformation too [2]. 7. PET (waste) used as construction materials: Based on available research in the literature, waste PET (mainly bottles) is recycled in four major ways: I. Waste PET bottles depolymerized into unsaturated polyester resin to produce polymer mortar and polymer concrete [3]. Advantages: †¢ Higher compressive and flexural strength than normal Portland cement. †¢ Modified concrete achieves 80% of its ultimate strength within 1 day. Disadvantages: †¢ Properties of modified cement sensitive to temperature. †¢ Cost for producing this modified concrete is high. II. PET Fiber to reinforce concrete [4]. Advantage: †¢ Enhances the ductility of quasi-brittle concrete. †¢ Reduce the cracking by plastic shrinkage. Disadvantage: †¢ Water Repellent and low surface energy of plastic which result in weak mechanical bonding b/w fiber and concrete. †¢ Poor mechanical bond strength causes internal micro-cracks in the interfacial mechanical... ...s Composites, 21(17): 1597–1607, 2002. 16. A. B. Inceoglu and U. Yilmazer. Synthesis and mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester based nanocomposites. Polym. Eng. Sci., 43(3): 661–669, March 2003. 17. M. S. Devi, V. Murugesan, K. Rengaraj, and P. Anand. Utilization of flyash as filler for unsaturated polyester resin. J. Appl. Polymer Sciences, 69(7): 1385–1391, August 1998. 18. A. B. Cherian and E. T. Thachil. Blends of unsaturated polyester resin with functional elastomers. J. Elastomer Plastics, 35(4):367–380, October 2003. 19. Y. Xu, M. L. Li, Y. Guo, and F. J. Lu. Structure and properties of modified unsaturated polyester resin by nano-TiO2. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 19(6): 578–580, November 2003. 20. E. Kicko-Walczak. New ecological polyester resins with reduced flammability and smoke evolution capacity. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 74(2):379–382, October 1999.

City of Glass Essay

At the close of the world’s first international conflict, society grappled for understanding in a world that no longer made sense. This desire for order and reason, led to the development of the detective fiction genre and the transformation of â€Å"dime novels† into true literary works. Paul Auster takes the conventional elements of the mystery genre, and inverts them completely in his post-modern novel, City of Glass. In this way, Auster uses his work to satirize the conventions of the past and draw attention to the ever-increasing chaos of the modern day. Daniel Quinn, is simply a hermit in a vibrant city, trying to erase all aspects of his previous life. He writes mystery novels for the same reason they were written in the 20’s, because they represent a figment of order that is lacking in the world. Especially in a world that takes the life a young boy who hasn’t seen much. Quinn’s desire to separate himself from who he was before he lost his family, leads him to adopt fragments of his character Max Work into his own personality. The detective is one who looks, who listens, who moves through the morass of objects and evens in search of the thought, the idea that will pull all these things together and make sense of them. In effect, the writer and the detective are interchangeable† (8). This connection to the fictional world he created, entraps Quinn in the world of the private investigator, as if he willed himself onto the ontological level Work inhabits. His inability to separate his personal life from his â€Å"Work† fostered the parasite that sucked the very life out of Quinn, forcing him to find host in a new identity. The traditional private eye embodied in Work is the hard-boiled â€Å"tough guy† who has all the keys to solving our problems. Leaving Quinn to be the ultimate puzzle that needs solving. By distorting the traditional convention of the problem solver and turning him into the problem, Auster begins to suggest that nothing in this world is actually certain or concrete. And that identity is really just a figment of imagination, and the more your indulge your mind, the more your body begins to give way until, â€Å" the more Quinn seemed to vanish, the more persistent Work’s presence in that world became† (9). The mystery novel represents a world where the truth always conquers, Quinn’s attachment to this genre stems from his loss, and the more he re-focalizes his life, the less he has to deal with the reality of grief. Auster depicts mystery this way because it demonstrates the grand delusion of the human race, the belief that there is reason in this world. Quinn as a detective does not represent order as many of his predecessors did, instead he embodies the chaos that is this world, and the lack of understanding that heightens with every new discovery and every interaction. By inverting the traditional private eye, Auster successfully shows the plight of man, the struggle to piece together the puzzle that creates ones identity. Quinn is not a detective trying to finding meaning in the Stillman case, rather he is searching for understanding in his own life, a search that has no answers and leads no where, but to insanity. Legendary crime writer, Richard Knox, established a set of parameters for the detective genre, stating that such a novel â€Å"must have as its main interest the unraveling of a mystery; a mystery whose elements are clearly presented to the reader at an early stage in the proceedings, and whose nature is such as to arouse curiosity, a curiosity which is gratified at the end. † In every way, City of Glass contradicts this statement, and yet it is still considered to be a mystery fiction, which begs the question: what are the post-modern parameters for this genre? City of Glass is a novel that opens with a mystery; however, the more that is discovered and uncovered, the more the endpoint is obscured, until the conclusion is even more perplexing than any other part of the story. Auster uses uncertainty and chance to disrupt the conventional ways of detective fiction. When Quinn is caught between the two potential Stillman’s in station, there was no way to know for certain which one was the right one, and it is not until late in the story that the question is answered, but by that time, its not even a question. Quinn had accepted what he saw and did as fact, which goes against the key detail he expresses in a detective story. â€Å"In a good mystery there is nothing wasted, no sentence, no word that is not significant† (9). This type of detail-orientated thinking is the first thing that goes in Auster’s novel. Although every sentence may hold the key to the mystery, Quinn and the reader begin to overlook these minor details, accepting that nothing in life is ever certain, and that the traditional fluidity of this genre no longer holds stock in this story. Auster is constantly using his own plot twists and minor details to prove that in the end, nothing exists but chance. Auster purposefully leaves pieces of the story open, to contradict Knox’s definition of mystery. The lack of conclusion with regards to how the Stillman’s got Quinn’s number, what happened to Peter and Virginia, the connection to Auster (character and author), and the narrator’s role in the whole novel, is unsatisfactory and rather uncharacteristic of a mystery. There were moments when the text was difficult to decipher, but I have done my best with it and have refrained from any interpretation. The red notebook, of course, is only half the story, as any sensitive reader will understand† (158). We never get the other half of the story though, which leaves the possibility that Quinn/Wilson/Work/Auster/Dark is just a crazy man who loses himself in a quest to find rational explaination, but for the sake for faith in the narrative, its better to believe that the story is not just some random man’s mumblings. However taking into account Quinn’s role in the novel, and the role his notebook plays, the inability to separate the informational source from this deluded main character unravels the reliability that should be present in a crime fiction. Auster’s intentions were to challenge convention, to prove that no world is as open and shut as a Phillip Marlowe case, to prove that in reality, life is a series of chance happenings that shape identity and action, down to the very last word. Auster’s depictions of the neo-detective fiction are all in an attempt to change the perception of the need for a restoring order. He uses a character that contradicts the traditional private eye, to demonstrate how the search for understanding is one that leads to insanity. The human world is naturally in state of entropy and Auster’s novel uses the conventions of mystery writing to satirize the search for greater reason.

Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Essay

Although significant oil reserves have been found in the early 1970s, these could not be developed because: 1- Chad is a landlocked country with limited domestic demand; 2- civil war prevented the creation of a stable investment environment and caused the departure of several investors. Since peace was established in 1990, investors and the World Bank returned to Chad for developing its oil reserves. In order to justify the large investment, access to the world market was sought via a pipeline through Cameroon, which is also a relatively poor country that can benefit from the investment and transit revenues. The World Bank has been supporting natural resource extraction based development around the world and, in particular, in Africa as the primary driver for economic growth and poverty reduction in these countries. But, the Bank has also been heavily criticized for failing to achieve these goals as the revenues from resource development do not reach the majority of the society. With the Chad-Cameroon pipeline and oil development in Chad, the Bank and the companies are following a novel partnership and revenue management approach. How is the project financing different? How will this new approach work? Will Chad and Cameroon benefit from this approach? Background1 Upon getting its independence from France in 1960, Chad has been involved in 30 years of civil war. The peace was finally restored in 1990, and the country drifted towards multiparty democracy, until rebellion broke out again in the north of the country. In January 2002 peace treaty was signed confirming de jure reign of northern ethnicity. Chad is one of the least developed nations on earth with GNI per capita of around $200. Republic of Chad is ranked 165th of 175 countries in UN’s Survival Ranking. The agricultural sector accounts for 36% of Chad’s GDP. Cotton exports account for 50% of foreign currency earnings. Chad’s government is concerned about this dependence on cotton and wants to diversify its economy in order to mitigate vulnerability associated with volatility of the international price of cotton. Chad’s only significant natural resources are oil deposits. Being independent since 1960, Cameroon has developed a rather stable political system, based on ethnic oligopoly. Despite of vast natural resource base (including oil, natural gas and aluminum) the country is one of the poorest in the world, with GNI per capita of roughly $600 in 2002. According to World Bank classification Cameroon is an HIPC (heavily indebted poor country) with total debt of $4. 9 billion and outstanding short-term debt over $950 million. Cameroon is in Top-15 countries with highest HIV rate (around 12%) and in Top-30 infant mortality rate. Economic and social development information on this section comes from the World Bank web site, CIA Fact Book, and U. N. Human Development Report. Â © Center for Energy Economics. No reproduction, distribution or attribution without permission. Chad-Cameroon Pipeline 1 1 Case Study From Since 1990, being faced with a fall in GDP due to unfavorable prices on major exported goods; Cameroon has been engaged in several World Bank and IMF programs, aimed at poverty reduction and acceleration of economic growth. As a result annual GDP growth averaged 2. 1% through 1990-2001, compared to 3. 4% in 1980s. Oil Development Conoco became the first foreign oil company to undertake significant oil exploration in Chad with acquisition of the Chad Permit H concession in 1969. Between 1973 and 1975, oil was discovered in varying amounts in the Doba, Doseo, and Lake Chad basins, that led to the creation of a multinational consortium comprising Conoco (12. 5% and operator), Royal Dutch/Shell (37. 5%), Exxon (25%), and Chevron (25%). In 1981 all the exploration projects were stopped due to escalating civil war. In 1988 a convention was signed between the government of Chad and the consortium, granting exploration permit with term of validity until early 2004. Conoco withdrew from the project, and Exxon took over operations, discovering the Bolobo field in 1989 with estimated 135 million barrels of reserves. 3 Chevron, in its turn, sold its share (20% interest in the Block H hydrocarbon license containing the three fields) to Elf Aquitaine, in 1993.

Skoog Solution of Chapter 15

Crouch Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. Chapter 15 Instructor’s Manual CHAPTER 15 15-1. In a fluorescence emission spectrum, the excitation wavelength is held constant and the emission intensity is measured as a function of the emission wavelength. In an excitation spectrum, the emission is measured at one wavelength while the excitation wavelengths are scanned. The excitation spectrum closely resembles an absorption spectrum since the emission intensity is usually proportional to the absorbance of the molecule. 15-2. a) Fluorescence is the process in which a molecule, excited by the absorption of radiation, emits a photon while undergoing a transition from an excited singlet electronic state to a lower state of the same spin multiplicity (e. g. , a singlet > singlet transition).Phosphorescence is the process in which a molecule, excited by the absorption of radiation, emits a photon while undergoing a transition from an excited triplet state to a lower state of a different spin multiplicity (e. g. , a triplet > singlet transition). (c) Resonance fluorescence is observed when an excited species emits radiation of he same frequency at used to cause the excitation. (d) A singlet state is one in which the spins of the electrons of an atom or molecule are all paired so there is no net spin angular momentum (e) A triplet state is one in which the spins of the electrons of an atom or molecule are unpaired so that their spin angular moments add to give a net non-zero moment. (f) Vibrational relaxation is the process by which a molecule loses its excess vibrational energy without emitting radiation. 1 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. (g) Chapter 15Internal conversion is the intermolecular process in which a molecule crosses to a lower electronic state with emitting radiation. (h) External conversion is a radiationless process in which a molecule loses electronic energy while transferring that energy to the solvent or another solute. (i) I ntersystem crossing is the process in which a molecule in one spin state changes to another spin state with nearly the same total energy (e. g. , singlet > triplet). (j) Predissociation occurs when a molecule changes from a higher electronic state to n upper vibrational level of a lower electronic state in which the vibrational energy is great enough to rupture the bond. (k) Dissociation occurs when radiation promotes a molecule directly to a state with sufficient vibrational energy for a bond to break. (l) Quantum yield is the fraction of excited molecules undergoing the process of interest. For example, the quantum yield of fluorescence is the fraction of molecules which have absorbed radiation that fluoresce.Chemiluminescence is a process by which radiation is produced as a result of a chemical reaction. 5-3. For spectrofluorometry, the analytical signal F is proportional to the source intensity P0 and the transducer sensitivity. In spectrophotometry, the absorbance A is proporti onal to the ratio of P0 to P. Increasing P0 or the transducer sensitivity to P0 produces a corresponding increase in P or the sensitivity to P. Thus the ratio does not change. As a result, the sensitivity of fluorescence can be increased by increasing P0 or transducer sensitivity, but the that of absorbance does not change. 2 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. Chapter 15 5-4. (a) Fluorescein because of its greater structural rigidity due to the bridging –O– groups. (b) o,o’-Dihdroxyazobenzene because the –N=N– group provides rigidity that is absent in the –NH–NH– group. 15-5. Compounds that fluoresce have structures that slow the rate of nonradiative relaxation to the point where there is time for fluorescence to occur. Compounds that do not fluoresce have structures that permit rapid relaxation by nonradiative processes. 15-6. The triplet state has a long lifetime and is very susceptible to collisional deactivation.T hus, most phosphorescence measurements are made at low temperature in a rigid matrix or in solutions containing micelles or cyclodextrin molecules. Also, electronic methods must be used to discriminate phosphorescence from fluorescence. Not as many molecules give good phosphorescence signals as fluorescence signals. As a result, the experimental requirements to measure phosphorescence are more difficult than those to measure fluorescence and the applications are not as large.3 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. 15-7. Chapter 15 4 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. 5-8. Chapter 15 15-9. Q = quinine ppm Q in diluted sample = 100 ppm ? 245 = 196 125 mass Q = 196 mg Q 500 mL ? 100 mL ? = 490 mg Q 10 mL solution 20 mL 3 5 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. 15-10. cQ = A1csVs (448)(50 ppm)(10. 0 mL) = = 145. 45 ppm ( A2 ? A1 )VQ ( 525 ? 448) (20. 0 mL) Chapter 15 145. 45 ppm ? 1 mg quinine 1 g solution ? ? 1000 mL = 145. 45 mg quinine 3 1 mL 1 ? 10 g solution 0. 225 g Q ? 100% = 3. 43% 4. 236 g tablet 15-11. Assume that the luminescent intensity L is proportional to cx, the concentration of iron in the original sample.Then, L1 = kcxVx / Vt where Vx and Vt are the volume of sample and of the final solution, and k is a proportionality constant. For the solution after addition of Vs mL of a standard of concentration cs, the luminescence L2 is L2 = kcxVx / Vt + kcsVs / Vt Dividing the second equation by the first yields, after rearrangement, cx = L1csVs (14. 3)(3. 58 ? 10? 5 )(1. 00) = = 1. 35 ? 10? 5 M ( L2 ? L1 )Vx (33. 3 ? 14. 3)(2. 00) 15-12. Assume that the luminescence intensity L is proportional to the partial pressure of S* . 2 We may then write L = k[S* ] 2 and K = S* ][H 2 O]4 2 [SO 2 ]2 [H 2 ]4 where the bracketed terms are all partial pressures and k and K are constants.The two equations can be combined to give after rearrangement 6 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. Chapter 15 [SO 2 ] = [H 2 O]2 [H 2 ]2 L kK In a hydr ogen-rich flame, the pressure of H2O and H2 should be more or less constant. Thus, [SO 2 ] = k ? L where k? = 1 kK 15-13. The fluorescent center is the rigid quinoline ring, which is rich in ? electrons. 15-14. From Equation 15-7, we can write F = 2. 303 ? f K bcP0 = 2. 303 ? K cP0 ? 0 Dividing both sides by the lifetime ? yields F = 2. 303K bcP0 ? ?0 Since K? , ? , b, ? 0 and P0 are constants, we can write F ? = Kc where K is a compilation of all the constants in the previous equation. 7 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. 15-15. (a) Chapter 15 (b) (c) The corrected fluorescence Fcorr would be Fcorr = F? 0/? , where F is the observed fluorescence, ? 0 is the lifetime for [Cl–] = 0. 00, and ? is the observed lifetime. The results are in the spreadsheet. 8 Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th ed. Chapter 15 9

Deception Point Page 100

I tried to help him, Pickering told himself, recalling all the damaging evidence he had sent Marjorie Tench. Unfortunately, Herney had forbidden its use, leaving Pickering no choice but to take drastic measures. â€Å"Rachel,† Pickering said, â€Å"the information you just faxed off this ship is dangerous. You must understand that. If it gets out, the White House and NASA will look complicit. The backlash against the President and NASA will be enormous. The President and NASA know nothing, Rachel. They are innocent. They believe the meteorite is authentic.† Pickering had not even tried to bring Herney or Ekstrom into the fold because both were far too idealistic to have agreed to any deceit, regardless of its potential to save the presidency or space agency. Administrator Ekstrom's only crime had been persuading the PODS mission supervisor to lie about the anomaly software, a move Ekstrom no doubt regretted the moment he realized how scrutinized this particular meteorite would become. Marjorie Tench, frustrated by Herney's insistence on fighting a clean campaign, conspired with Ekstrom on the PODS lie, hoping a small PODS success might help the President fend off the rising Sexton tide. If Tench had used the photos and bribery data I gave her, none of this would have happened! Tench's murder, though deeply regrettable, had been destined as soon as Rachel called Tench and made accusations of fraud. Pickering knew Tench would investigate ruthlessly until she got to the bottom of Rachel's motives for the outrageous claims, and this was one investigation Pickering obviously could never let happen. Ironically, Tench would serve her president best in death, her violent end helping cement a sympathy vote for the White House as well as cast vague suspicions of foul play on a desperate Sexton campaign which had been so publicly humiliated by Marjorie Tench on CNN. Rachel stood her ground, glaring at her boss. â€Å"Understand,† Pickering said, â€Å"if news of this meteorite fraud gets out, you will destroy an innocent president and an innocent space agency. You will also put a very dangerous man in the Oval Office. I need to know where you faxed the data.† As he spoke those words, a strange look came across Rachel's face. It was the pained expression of horror of someone who had just realized they may have made a grave mistake. Having circled the bow and come back down the port side, Delta-One now stood in the hydrolab from which he had seen Rachel emerge as the chopper had flown in. A computer in the lab displayed an unsettling image-a polychromatic rendering of the pulsating, deepwater vortex that was apparently hovering over the ocean floor somewhere beneath the Goya. Another reason to get the hell out of here, he thought, moving now toward his target. The fax machine was on a counter on the far side of the wall. The tray was filled with a stack of papers, exactly as Pickering had guessed it would be. Delta-One picked up the stack. A note from Rachel was on top. Only two lines. He read it. To the point, he thought. As he flipped through the pages, he was both amazed and dismayed by the extent to which Tolland and Rachel had uncovered the meteorite deception. Whoever saw these printouts would have no doubt what they meant. Fortunately, Delta-One would not even need to hit â€Å"redial† to find out where the printouts had gone. The last fax number was still displayed in the LCD window. A Washington, D.C., prefix. He carefully copied the fax number down, grabbed all the papers, and exited the lab. Tolland's hands felt sweaty on the machine gun as he gripped it, aiming the muzzle at William Pickering's chest. The NRO director was still pressuring Rachel to tell him where the data had been sent, and Tolland was starting to get the uneasy feeling that Pickering was simply trying to buy time. For what? â€Å"The White House and NASA are innocent,† Pickering repeated. â€Å"Work with me. Don't let my mistakes destroy what little credibility NASA has left. NASA will look guilty if this gets out. You and I can come to an arrangement. The country needs this meteorite. Tell me where you faxed the data before it's too late.† â€Å"So you can kill someone else?† Rachel said. â€Å"You make me sick.† Tolland was amazed with Rachel's fortitude. She despised her father, but she clearly had no intention of putting the senator in any danger whatsoever. Unfortunately, Rachel's plan to fax her father for help had backfired. Even if the senator came into his office, saw the fax, and called the President with news of the meteorite fraud and told him to call off the attack, nobody at the White House would have any idea what Sexton was talking about, or even where they were. â€Å"I will only say this one more time,† Pickering said, fixing Rachel with a menacing glare. â€Å"This situation is too complex for you to fully understand. You've made an enormous mistake by sending that data off this ship. You've put your country at risk.† William Pickering was indeed buying time, Tolland now realized. And the reason was striding calmly toward them up the starboard side of the boat. Tolland felt a flash of fear when he saw the soldier sauntering toward them carrying a stack of papers and a machine gun. Tolland reacted with a decisiveness that shocked even himself. Gripping the machine gun, he wheeled, aimed at the soldier, and pulled the trigger. The gun made an innocuous click. â€Å"I found the fax number,† the soldier said, handing Pickering a slip of paper. â€Å"And Mr. Tolland is out of ammunition.† 124 Sedgewick Sexton stormed up the hallway of the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building. He had no idea how Gabrielle had done it, but she had obviously gotten into his office. While they were speaking on the phone, Sexton had clearly heard the distinctive triple-click of his Jourdain clock in the background. All he could imagine was that Gabrielle's eavesdropping on the SFF meeting had undermined her trust in him and she had gone digging for evidence. How the hell did she get into my office! Sexton was glad he'd changed his computer password. When he arrived at his private office, Sexton typed in his code to deactivate the alarm. Then he fumbled for his keys, unlocked the heavy doors, threw them open, and burst in, intent on catching Gabrielle in the act. But the office was empty and dark, lit only by the glow of his computer screensaver. He turned on the lights, his eyes scanning. Everything looked in place. Dead silence except for the triple-tick of his clock. Where the hell is she? He heard something rustle in his private bathroom and raced over, turning on the light. The bathroom was empty. He looked behind the door. Nothing. Puzzled, Sexton eyed himself in the mirror, wondering if he'd had too much to drink tonight. I heard something. Feeling disoriented and confused, he walked back into his office. â€Å"Gabrielle?† he called out. He went down the hall to her office. She wasn't there. Her office was dark. A toilet flushed in the ladies' room, and Sexton spun, striding now back in the direction of the restrooms. He arrived just as Gabrielle was exiting, drying her hands. She jumped when she saw him. â€Å"My God! You scared me!† she said, looking genuinely frightened. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"You said you were getting NASA documents from your office,† he declared, eyeing her empty hands. â€Å"Where are they?† â€Å"I couldn't find them. I looked everywhere. That's what took so long.† He stared directly into her eyes. â€Å"Were you in my office?† I owe my life to his fax machine, Gabrielle thought. Only minutes ago she'd been sitting at Sexton's computer, trying to make printouts of the images of illegal checks on his computer. The files were protected somehow, and she was going to need more time to figure out how to print them. She would probably still be trying right now if Sexton's fax machine had not rung, startling her and snapping her back to reality. Gabrielle took it as her cue to get out. Without taking time to see what the incoming fax was, she logged off Sexton's computer, tidied up, and headed out the way she had come. She was just climbing out of Sexton's bathroom when she heard him coming in.

A Guide to Social Climbing

Have you ever noticed that every school has cliques and that each clique has its own rules that determine whether you are accepted or rejected? For many students the clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ that they belong to will play a major role in who they are and what their schools days will be like. For this reason I believe it is of crucial importance that the younger generations of students are educated in the 3 tenets of coolness. By acquiring these skills, they will have a higher probability of growing up to become mature adults who suffer little or no emotional trauma, at the hassle of their peers. Depending on the category of school you attend and the area in which it is located, its social hierarchy may change. Nevertheless, typically the popular people are at the top, the losers at the bottom, and in between are several different classifications. Being conscious of where you belong is vital. It is easy to put yourself within a division, unless you understand complex nature of school cliques. The â€Å"losers† are at the bottom of the social ladder, forced to function outside of the cliquish system. No one truly wants to associate with them. The majority of students emotionally abuse the losers and use them as scapegoats. They're teased relentlessly and, as a result, are shy. Their shyness and quietness are a way of deflecting unwanted attention to themselves. But no matter how quiet they are, they often find themselves as the object of a cruel joke. Common characteristics here are quietness, low self esteem, â€Å"doormatish† behavior, unusual calmness, and homicidal impulses. Above the losers are Nerds. These teens average A's and maybe some B's. During lunch, in the corridors is where you'll find them. Usually them pretend to do school work but are actually playing computer games. And just in case a teacher walks by they utilize their ability to quickly change the computer screen from Space Invaders to an English Literature essay. If they are not, they find other things to occupy their time with that make the ‘preps' and ‘populars' laugh at them. If you have between thirty and forty friends, you are usually classified as a Prep, Preppy, or Lemming. Attending extra curricular activities such as basketball, student council, and debate team are in your record of achievements folder. This kind of student would probably do whatever it takes to maintain his or her reputation as supreme student; after all, it would go nicely in your certificate jammed record of achievements folder. So for your own selfish benefits you use your ability to pretend that you like someone, when in fact you hate them. For example, one minute you're sneering at the obese loser at the back of the classroom who always wears black and has the same pair of glasses as your grandmas. And then two minutes later you go back there and be buddy-buddy with him, while he does your math work for you. One thing to take note of is to not become an enemy. There is always the probability that this kid is secretly planning some mastermind scheme to arrive at school flying an Apache attack helicopter with twenty M-16 automatic rifles, which are to be used at his discretion for â€Å"peace settling purposes†. Therefore it would be wise to stay on their good side to make sure you are spared if this occurs. If you have fifty friends or more, you are at the top of the social ladder, in other words you are categorized as ‘popular'. These people are extremely unfriendly to anyone outside their highly exclusive clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. If an outsider tries to communicate with them, they are ignored or receive a pair of rolling eyes for their efforts. A populars daily routine includes gossiping about others and backstabbing. Now that you understand the complex behaviors and characteristics in which school cliques function, your next step is to understand the 3 tenets of coolness. These are based on guidelines of how to become cool: 1. Getting Dressed This is the most crucial aspect of fitting in. Mainly because in this day and age countless numbers of people will determine if you are worthy enough to say, â€Å"Hi† to them depending on your choice of apparel, rather than attempting to get to know you. Therefore if you want to get accepted among a certain clique you must dress like them. But being accepted is not just limited to clothing. This goes for hairstyles, music, movies, and hobbies. I doubt any self respecting wanna-be, such as yourself would hang out in the mall with their friends, who all have their hair died blonde, while you are still brunette. Eventually you are going to feel like the outsider and this type of attitude will stop you from being who you really are, which is a clone of your friends. So dress like your friends, but try to add some originality to your wardrobe, as this will help to gain attention. This actually leads on to my next point. 2. Getting Attention. Not only must you have a sense of originality and confidence to be cool, but you must also stand out from the herd. Part of this can be achieved through your sense of style and the rest is through your attitude. So the first thing to have is a killer pick up line, something to use when you try to meet someone at the coffee house or the record store. Something so suave so sophisticated, so irresistible that it's frightening. Try, â€Å"The only thing your eyes haven't told me is your name†, or † I bet you $20 dollars you're going to turn me down†. Practice these lines while raising one eyebrow and smiling out of the corner of your mouth. You may look around, but always keep one eye on your potential date, so that they know you mean business. This may not be appropriate in hospitals, libraries, and churches, but go with your instincts; after all you are tiring to be cool. 3. The Fonz Speaking of cool, it is universally known that Fonzie is cool. Therefore you should aim at making references to Fonzie at least five times in a conversation. You know, utilize his moves like the two thumbs up and the famous, â€Å"Ehhhhhhh†. So now that you have the basic knowledge of achieving coolness you are guaranteed to be accepted among any cliques in your school. After reading this article I hope that you will pass the three tenets of coolness down from generation to generation, so that your children (or future children) and their children can be equipped with the knowledge and skills, which are vital for social school survival.

Higher education in Pharmacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Higher education in Pharmacy - Essay Example I have always been scientifically inclined with keen interests towards medical field. Pharmacy has wide scope in the current market and degree in Pharmacy would provide me informed choices so as to exploit opportunities for personal and professional growth. My long term goals are to become successful pharmacist and serve my community. I want to go back to my roots and show them that education is a strong tool for becoming a successful person and professional. I come from a poor family and had to work hard from an early age to survive. But I am also self driven person with strong ambition for prosperous future. I want to become a successful pharmacist and show my people that hard work and education are important to achieve goals in life. My strong interests in the medical field have been the motivating force for studying pharmacy. The pharmacy school represents my hopes of the future and it would help me to realize my dreams. My strong interests in the medical field have been the motivating force for studying pharmacy. The pharmacy school represents my hopes of the future and it would help me to realize my dreams of becoming a successful person.