Growth and Development of Child Abuse Assignment

Growth and Development of Child Abuse - Assignment Example About 1 in 16 children are noted to suffer from sexual abuse and nearly 1 in 10 children are witness to incidences of family violence. A report by the US DOH, points out that the youngest children are found to be most vulnerable to abuse. The report showed that in the period ranging from 2009-2011, children between the ages of 0-5 years experienced the highest rates of maltreatment (DoH, 2013). These findings are supported by those presented by the children’s rights organization Safe Horizon that showed that over 25% of the total number of abused children was essentially under the age of three while an astounding 45% of abused children were under the age of 5 years (Safehorizon, 2014). In 2012, the total number of children who died due to child abuse was recorded at 1,563. Of this number, 70.3% were found to be younger than 3 years and 44% were reported to be younger than one year of age. The report on the 2012 data also showed that children of both genders were similarly likely to be victims of child abuse as indicated by the fact that in 2012, 48.5% of the total number of abused children were boys while 51.2% of the abused children. However at 57.6%, the rate of child fatality was recorded to be much higher for boys. Babies in this age demographic were reported as often being the victims of shaken baby syndrome that causes them to suffer from different forms of trauma such as bone and rib fractures, various degrees of damages to their neck and spinal cord as well as bleeding from the brain or eyes. 1 in 4 shaken baby syndrome victims eventually dies and nearly all victims tend to eventually experience serious health consequences (Safehorizon, 2014). Â  

Important actors Essay Example for Free

Important actors Essay The study of international relations has paved the way for the inclusion of important actors that contribute to the overall functions of practice in the international arena. In the course of time, actors involve in the practice has constantly been increasing due to the expansion of practice and scope in the area. Thus, there is a need to look into these actors and carefully assess their capabilities in promoting interests in the international arena. One important actor in international relations is the state. The capability of course by the state to formally promote relations with other actors circumvents primarily on its capabilities to function as one. According to (Williams, 2005, p. 2) â€Å"the contemporary nation-state is characterized by jurisdiction over territory, a political and administrative apparatus and the state recognizes no higher constitutional authority than itself. † Besides states, there are also other actors involve in the practice of international relations. Examples are individual actors, organizations, agencies and groups who also can help promote the functions of a state or the whole. According to (Williams, 2005, p. 2) â€Å"because individuals, groups and organizations acting in the name of the state are also sensitive to pressures and constraints other than international ones, including elite maintenance, electoral politics, public opinion, pressure group activities, ideological preferences, and bureaucratic politics. † In the course of history, there also had been developments in the international arena that paved the way for the emergence of transnational actors. Examples of these actors are transnational corporations and non-governmental organizations. They seek to promote the overall endeavors in the international arena. At the same time, as the world becomes more globalized, the tendency is there is a deeper avenue for them to promote their interests in the international arena. In the course of history, there had been tendencies of shifting of actor concentration in the international arena. That is why it is good to compare and contrast each actor’s importance in the practice of international relations. Looking at it, actor’s in international relations are primarily concerned in promoting their own interests. These interests are beneficial in the overall aim of the actor for its continued growth and sustenance. Looking at the point of view of interests, there are differences present between different actors in the international arena. A state may pursue its interest based on its overall welfare and capabilities. On the other hand, it may be different among other actors in international arena. An NGO may promote its interests founded on the protection of its ideology and welfare of its aim. Also, for transnational corporation, they seek to promote interests that are centered in creating benefits that would enhance their status in the international arena. With regards to relationship between nations, actors in international relations seek different mechanisms that will create an enhanced cooperation among different actors depending on the issue and interests being talked about. In addition, there has been an expansion of different theoretical paradigms to explain and argue on how actors affect different issues in the international arena. Thus, actors contribute greatly to the practice of international relations. There had been different theories and paradigms to suggest how these actors contribute to the overall process in the international arena. Lastly, these actors are primarily motivated due to their individual interests that motivate them to act accordingly. Work Cited T. L Williams. ‘Actors in International Relations. ’ 2005 accessed December 11, 2007; from http://209. 85. 175. 104/search? q=cache:I3UEDQx9zakJ:www. wadsworthmedia. com/marketing/sample_chapters/0534631894. pdf+actors+in+international+relationshl=tlct=clnkcd=1gl=ph.

Bartok And His Musical Language Film Studies Essay

Bartok And His Musical Language Film Studies Essay Bartoks music showed signs of a rejection of traditional tonality and growth in his individual harmonic language, giving a new rendition to tonal principles. This characteristic was very much due to the influence of Debussy, and also affected other composers such as Stravinsky. Additionally, after his several years of studying the German tradition at the conservatory in Budapest, he had picked up a manneristic sympathy towards this German late-Romantic style of composers like Wagner, Richard Strauss and Brahms. His earliest works show several stylistic influences present, for example his Piano Quintet (1904-5) which has a finale unquestionably modelled on that of Brahmss Second Piano Concerto. In time, Bartoks music was somewhat liberated from such influences due to his encounter with Magyar folk music in 1905. In spite of this, some influences remained, like the discovery of new harmonic possibilities in Debussys music which came about in 1907. Bartoks researches, which eventually encompassed the folk music not only of Hungary but the Slavic regions, Turkey, and North Africa, convinced him that the essential folk traditions were those having frequent contact with other cultures, allowing a mutually enriching exchange of ideas1. Bartoks compositional style reveals this outlook, which draws upon various, even seemingly contrasting, sources yet he manages to integrate them within a fully coherent frame while keeping in touch with his personal expression. 4.1.1 Tonal Language in his Piano Music 1 Morgan, Robert P. Twentieth-Century Music (W.W.Norton Company Inc., 1991). p.109Works like the Fourteen Bagatelles and Ten Easy Pieces were described by Bartok himself as experimental, reflecting this influence and revealing a certain affinity with Debussy like the use of parallel dissonant chords; except that the quality and colour of the dissonances in Bartoks music differs significantly from that of Debussy. Moreover, the Fourteen Bagatelles and the Ten Easy Pieces, small and early composed as they are, show stylistic homogeneity within each of the pieces and are more adventurous than, for example, the Debussy Preludes. The first composition which brings to light Bartoks research on folksong is shown in his series of piano pieces called For Children, based on Hungarian and Slovakian folksongs. Harmonies are usually simple but never predictable and conventional, making use of Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian and Mixolydian melodies, pentatonic and other modal tunes. Bartok comp osed three Burlesques, all of which were composed in different years, and these bring out the typical style of his development. They are slightly unpleasant in mood, with harsh clashes of dissonance and bizarre accents. In his Allegro Barbaro, he had established a complete assimilation of folk elements with authentic Magyar style, unrelated to the pianism of Hungarian characteristics found in Liszt and no signs of the impressionist keyboard music like Ravels. This work had brought out an immensely percussionistic sound through the martellato chords and the hammering rhythms. It marks Bartoks becoming of age, from whence his stylistic progress is outspoken, without trial and no going back to the earlier style in his music. He had recognized the piano as a percussion instrument, with works such as the Sonata, his Concertos, and the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion abiding by this idea. In his answer to a questionnaire about the Piano problem (1927), Bartok had stated the following : The neutral character of the piano tone has long been recognized. Yet it seems to me that its inherent nature becomes really expressive only by means of the present tendency to use the piano as a percussion instrument. Indeed, the piano always plays the part of universal instrument. It has not lost its importance for concert performances.2 4.2 Mikrokosmos Bartok was quite the innovator when it comes to writing what he wanted on the score, and in his Volumes of the Mikrokosmos, one might encounter special musical notation which indicate a specific sound that he had in mind such as newly devised key signatures (also including the use of two different key signatures at the same time), use of  ½ pedal, and the use of the  ¯ for the effect of harmonics, an effect generated by playing the selected keys without sounding them and producing harmonics as the other notes are played. Figure 4.1 First 10 Bars from No.102, Vol.4 2 Bartok, Bà ©la. Bà ©la Bartok Essays ed. Benjamin Suchoff. (University of Nebraska Press, 1976) p.288The first four books of the Mikrokosmos were specifically written for pedagogical reasons as they propose specific tasks which should prepare students as they take on new problems step by step in their first years of learning. Albeit this, Benjamin Suchoff had stated that: Evidence indicates that the Mikrokosmos was not conceived of as a piano method in 1926, the year of its origin, but as recital pieces to fill the need Bartok had of such material due to the increase in his concert bookings3. The exercises are supposedly put in progressive order according to technical and musical demands, although this order might be manipulated by the tutor with each individual student according to their abilities. Despite this, the value of these volumes lies not so much in the technical demands themselves, but it provides the opportunity for the player to encounter essential characteristics of twentieth-century music, for instance, harmonic practices like: bitonality, whole-tone scale, chords in fourths and major and minor seconds, or counterpoint methods such as: inversion, mirror and free canon, not to mention other devices like syncopation and irregular rhythms. 4.3 Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm Bartok ends his 153 pieces called Mikrokosmos with a set of six dances which he composed and dedicated to the British pianist Miss Harriet Cohen. As the title suggests, they are comprised of dances with folk flavour dominant throughout, containing a variety of rhythms commonly found in Bulgarian folk music. Bartok had already made use of the Bulgarian elements in No.113 and No.115 from the fourth Volume of Mikrokosmos, and he aptly named them Bulgarian rhythm I and Bulgarian rhythm II. This rhythm is frequently found in folk music from Bulgaria, and refers to a rhythm in which the beats within each bar are of dissimilar length, so that the subdivisions of each beat change in number. This set, all composed with quavers as the main beat, would therefore represent the Bulgarian rhythm grouped like this: qzzz qz qzz- corresponding to the time signature of 4+2+3/8, although the whole set of these last six dances exhibits a wide variety of possible groupings. The different rhythmic groupin gs give each of the dances a contrasting character, but still give a sense of a unified work, mostly due to a chromatic characteristic appearing in each piece and the fact that all six dances are full of energy. Figure 4.2 3 Suchoff, Benjamin. History of Bela Bartoks Mikrokosmos from the Journal of Research in Music Education, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Sage Publications Inc., 1959) p.196The first dance opens with a mildly temperate mood, but still full of life as it introduces the main theme. The dance is polymodal, based mainly on the E-Phrygian/Lydian scale, occurring in the two main elements present, which are the melody (Fig. 4.2) using notes of the E-pentatonic scale and the accompanying scalar ostinato passages based on the E major scale (Fig. 4.3). Figure 4.3 This first dance makes consistent use of the 4+2+3 Bulgarian rhythm throughout the piece, and is the only work from the set of six that has the most distinct tempo changes. A variation of the main folk motif (Fig. 4.2) occurs in the slower section marked Meno Vivo (Fig. 4.4), which builds up towards a transitional energetic area, leading to yet another calm variation of the main theme with a sense of direction leading towards the closing of the dance which is contrastingly loud and decisive in mood compared to the previous soothing variations, but it rounds off the dance bringing it well into balance and aims directly towards the complementing second dance. Figure 4.4 Variation of the main melodic motif is marked with the brackets The second dance is lively and bright in mood, introducing itself with the main rhythmic element appearing throughout the piece which is based on the 2+2+3 meter (Fig.4.5). Figure 4.5 Bb.1-3 The first three bars of ostinato-like chords are immediately followed by another motif (Fig. 4.6a) containing a syncopated melody on the C-pentatonic scale which repeats soon afterwards; this time it is transposed a 4th higher on F-pentatonic scale and it is half the length of the previous phrase, almost as if it is getting slightly impatient and increasing in tension (Fig. 4.6b). Figure 4.6a Figure 4.6b Figure 4.7Subsequently, running scales appear (Fig. 4.7), which give a reminiscing sense of some parts from the first dance. This is followed by developing material of both the initial melodic material and of the running scales once again. The scale passages keep occurring against a thick chordal bass until eventually coming to a halt and transitioning to the coda which concludes with the introductory dance rhythm, slowly drifting away to the last to chords. The third dance acts like an extension to the second dance, with a similar energetic drive but with more added force to it. Its meter is marked as 5/8 and the rhythm is subdivided into two groups: 2+3. The first rhythmic motif is divided as shown (Fig. 4.8), using notes from the E-Lydian pentachord with a minor and major seventh degree4. Figure 4.8 The second thematic material that follows is based on a symmetrical 3-bar phrase:  Ã‚ ±Ã‚ Ã‚ ±. |  Ã‚ ±Ã‚ Ã‚ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ± |  Ã‚ ±Ã‚ Ã‚ ±. lasting until Bar 19, leading to four bars of ostinato rhythm using chords a 5th apart, based on the dominant (V) of the A-major pentachord5, employed in the second thematic material. Variations with development on both first and second motifs appear following each other with chromatic elements throughout, leading to the close which starts off with the same introduction as the beginning, followed by a short closure using the main dance rhythmic theme, rounded off by the concluding chord (Fig. 4.9). Figure 4.9 The next dance is more upbeat and cheery in mood compared to the previous dances. It has the form of a rondo-variation with the parts generally subdivided into four-bar sections. According to Bartok, this piece is Very much in the style of Gershwins tonality, rhythm, and colour. The American folk song feeling.5 The additive 3+2+3/8 meter grouped as such (Fig. 4.10), occurs in the first movement, second theme, of Gershwins Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra as 4/4  Ã‚ ¥ q  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ¥.6 The first theme (Fig. 4.10), consists of harmonies from the C-Lydian/Phrygian polymode, and the motif is soon repeated an octave higher. The same ideas soon answer in different registers transposed into the left hand almost upside down. Figure 4.10 In discussion to the Gershwin-related tonality as described by Bartok himself, there is a section in this dance where the same melodic motif appears in a slower area (as indicated by the composer; Meno mosso) with a jazzy colour added to it, accompanied by triads ascending in stepwise motion (Fig. 4.11). This area is followed by a brief recapitulation of the melodic introductory motif played in octaves with a small ritardando at the end of the phrase which jumps to a short but very energetic Coda that concludes the dance. 6 ibid. 5 ibid. p.158 4 ibid. 3 Suchoff, Benjamin. Bartoks Mikrokosmos: Genesis, Pedagogy, and Style (Rowman Littlefield, 2004) p.157 Figure 4.11 The fifth Bulgarian dance has a more varied rhythmic schemata, in the sense that it has at least three different sections which consist of diverse rhythmic groupings (Fig. 4.12a; 4.12b; 4.12c), but all under the same meter i.e. 2+2+2+3/8. Figure 4.12a i.e. qz  Ã‚ ±z  Ã‚ ±z  Ã‚ ±zz Figure 4.12b i.e.  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ¥ Figure 4.12c i.e.  Ã‚ ±zzz  Ã‚ ±  Ã‚ ±zz Like the second dance, it has brisk, light steps, but is more playful, slightly more colourful in tonality but less ostentatious in character. The introductory material starts with a short passage of alternating chords between the two hands, eventually leading to a clearer melodic line in bar 7 which serves as the basic material for the entire piece. The middle section consists of brief dense phrases occurring in between short staccato areas, with the thick areas having a fundamental chromatic melodic line which corresponds to the whole element of the six dances. The sixth and final dance of the whole Mikrokosmos automatically shoots off with a jump start as a kind of reaction to the strong intervallic ending of the previous dance. The chordal motifs reflect a Debussy-like influence, with the striking rhythmic elements proving the underlying thoughts of having the piano regarded as a percussive instrument. The chords against a repeated 3+3+2 quaver movement grouped as such: qZZ qZZ qZ switch hands, increasing in thickness of sound the third time it appears, due to the lower register of the keyboard. The chords are the holders of the main melodic line in this dance. Repeated eighth notes occur throughout most of the dance with abrupt accentuated phrasings. Corresponding to the chromatic element of the whole set which links them together is an area full of melodic motifs displaying chromatic movement in both hands, with the phrases running on top of each other constantly, keeping a rhythmic flow (Fig. 4.13). Figure 4.13 The only section in this piece where there are not any running rhythms is in the extremely aggressive chordal area marked fortissimo (Fig. 4.14), halting abruptly on a dissonant chord which is followed by several bars of repeated notes, soon to have the other voice join in once again, both charging towards the flamboyant ending of the piece. Figure 4.14

Nutrition for Infants, Children, and Adolescents Essay -- Papers Healt

Nutrition for Infants, Children, and Adolescents Works Cited Not INcluded Each child is a unique individual whose heredity and environment shape the course of his or her life. Woven into the daily life are aspects of food and nutrition. What childhood memories of food do you have? Are these memories healthy or unhealthy? Foods and their nutrients are essential to life. In the beginning years of life an infant’s nutritional health depends on the family unit. Parents must have knowledge of the changing food needs of the child and must also have sufficient resources to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the family. Equally important, parents create the cultural and psychological environment that influences the development of food habits, setting the patterns for later years. During the preschool years some children depend solely on family caregivers for their nutritional needs. For other preschooler children the responsibility for meeting nutritional needs is shared by the family and others, such as caregivers in child-care centers and babysitters. The child entering school becomes influenced by teachers and peers, and learns to broaden his or her experiences with food. For many people, the adolescent years often are turbulent as the teenager seeks independence and freedom from adult rules and standards. In this research, I will focus on nutrition, in retrospect to growth and development in infants, preschoolers, school children and adolescents. Infants Infants vary widely in their growth patterns, so it would be unwise to compare one infant with another. Yet there is value in being familiar with typical patterns of growth and development. At birth, the fetus makes an abrupt transition to... ...oisoning can be harmful, obesity occurs, and hyperactivity can result. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Preadolescents and Adolescents A third and final period of rapid growth and metabolism occurs during this stage. At this stage, teenagers have many interest in their physical and emotional development. For example, important topics are the size and shape of their bodies; their complexion, their overall appearance; and physical activity. Girls express a particular need for a good figure, healthy skin, and beautiful hair. Boys are more likely to be interested in tall stature, muscular development, and athletic vigor and stamina. The RDA’s for adolescents are somewhat higher than those for adults men and women, with corresponding higher allowances for most vitamins and minerals. These increases are to satisfy the increased nutrient needs caused by their adolescent growth spurt.

Internal Conflict in a Tale of Two Cities †Sydney Carton Essay

Every novel in history has conflict. Without it, the plot is boring, and uninteresting. In the novel A Tale of Two Cities, a character that has conflict within himself is Sydney Carton. Sydney Carton takes a backseat to Mr. Stryver in the novel. In reality, he is much more than that. He falls in love with Lucie Manette, but many others do as well. Sydney has to fight to win Lucie’s love, but there is still a chance that none of it will matter. Sydney Carton is the assistant to Mr. Stryver, an attorney. Also, Sydney is an alcoholic. Sydney has basically wasted his entire life, which he regrets. In the novel, Sydney falls in love with Lucie Manette. Lucie is a young lady who is desirable to many of the young men in the novel. Sydney doesn’t openly admit that he is attracted to Lucie at first. Eventually, Sydney admits to himself, and even to Lucie, that he loves her. The only problem with Sydney being in love with Lucie is that she is sought-after by many men. The fact that Lucie is wanted by so many other people makes Lucie nearly impossible for Sydney to win over. The cause of the conflict with Sydney is that he loves Lucie, but many other men do as well. Not only is Sydney not good enough for her, but she has lots of choices. Sydney Carton is someone who is looked down upon by many of the characters in the novel. Sydney is an assistant to Mr. Stryver, another of Lucie’s suitors, Sydney is an alcoholic, and he regrets wasting his life and not making more of it. Nothing Sydney does now will change it, making it hard for him to win Lucie’s love. Also, Sydney has many people to compete with for Lucie’s love. Many of the men who want to win Sydney over have a better reputation than Sydney. Together, these create a big problem for Sydney in his quest to win the love of Lucie Manette. Although Sydney could have resolved the problem of not being good enough for her by completely changing who he was earlier on, there is no way he could have gone back and changed how he acted in the past. Sydney is a bright person, and he is much brighter that his boss, Mr. Stryver. Sydney is a lot smarter than Mr. Stryver, and basically does all of Mr. Stryver’s work for him. Sydney needs to step up and show Lucie who he truly is. He needs to show her that he is smart, and that he is worthy of her. If Lucie had known who Sydney Carton truly was from the beginning, her thoughts and feelings about him would most likely have been a lot different. If he really wanted to win Lucie over, Sydney should have broken away from Mr. Stryver, shown Lucie who he truly is, and swept her off her feet. Sydney Carton falls in love with Lucie Manette. Lucie does not love Sydney back, and not being good enough for Lucie creates much internal conflict for Sydney. If he had become a better person earlier on in his life, he might have a chance with her. Sydney is not happy with himself for wasting his life and messing up his chances of pleasing Lucie.

Free Essays on Effects Of Learned Violence From Watching TV

Many television programs involve a substantial amount of violence in one form or another that affects people to think that television is the cause of violence in today’s youth. Many have questioned whether television disturbs the minds of adolescent children who can not yet comprehend the truth of fiction and reality. Violent television viewing affects younger children more since their perception of what is real or unreal is not as acute as an older adult - meaning that aggressive adults learned their behavior as children. By watching portrayals of violence, children learn to accept aggressive behavior by becoming desensitized to the effects of violence and imitating it by modeling the actor’s aggressive behaviors. According to the Institute for the Social Research, an aggressive behavior is a learned behavior which is being taught to our children by the media violence that they are exposed to daily (Chen, 1994 p.23). In Aggression – A Social Learning Analysis, written by Albert Bandura, indicates that sometimes watching a single violent program can increase aggressiveness. Children who watch television depicting violence as realistic, unpunished, and frequently repeated are more likely to imitate what they see (Bandura, pg.25). The impact of viewing violence on television may become immediately evident in the child’s behavior, or it may surface later (Canton and Wilson, 1984). While violence portrayed on television is not the cause of aggressive behavior, it is clearly a significant factor. Children â€Å"are predisposed to seek out and pay attention to violence, particularly cartoon violence (Canton and Wilson, 1984). It is not the violence itself that makes the cartoons attractive to preschoolers, but the vivid images accompanying them. Preschoolers are unlikely to put the violence in context since they are likely to misunderstand the violent images being portrayed – children cannot comprehend fiction from reality... Free Essays on Effects Of Learned Violence From Watching TV Free Essays on Effects Of Learned Violence From Watching TV Many television programs involve a substantial amount of violence in one form or another that affects people to think that television is the cause of violence in today’s youth. Many have questioned whether television disturbs the minds of adolescent children who can not yet comprehend the truth of fiction and reality. Violent television viewing affects younger children more since their perception of what is real or unreal is not as acute as an older adult - meaning that aggressive adults learned their behavior as children. By watching portrayals of violence, children learn to accept aggressive behavior by becoming desensitized to the effects of violence and imitating it by modeling the actor’s aggressive behaviors. According to the Institute for the Social Research, an aggressive behavior is a learned behavior which is being taught to our children by the media violence that they are exposed to daily (Chen, 1994 p.23). In Aggression – A Social Learning Analysis, written by Albert Bandura, indicates that sometimes watching a single violent program can increase aggressiveness. Children who watch television depicting violence as realistic, unpunished, and frequently repeated are more likely to imitate what they see (Bandura, pg.25). The impact of viewing violence on television may become immediately evident in the child’s behavior, or it may surface later (Canton and Wilson, 1984). While violence portrayed on television is not the cause of aggressive behavior, it is clearly a significant factor. Children â€Å"are predisposed to seek out and pay attention to violence, particularly cartoon violence (Canton and Wilson, 1984). It is not the violence itself that makes the cartoons attractive to preschoolers, but the vivid images accompanying them. Preschoolers are unlikely to put the violence in context since they are likely to misunderstand the violent images being portrayed – children cannot comprehend fiction from reality...

Humor and Violence in A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Humor and Violence in 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find is surely one of the funniest stories anyone has ever written about the murder of innocent people. Maybe thats not saying much, except that it is also, without a doubt, one of the funniest stories anyone has ever written about anything. So, how can something so disturbing make us laugh so hard? The murders themselves are chilling, not funny, yet perhaps the story achieves its humor not in spite of the violence, but because of it. As OConnor herself writes in The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery OConnor: In my own experience, everything funny I have written is more terrible than it is funny, or only funny because it is terrible, or only terrible because it is funny.   The stark contrast between the humor and the violence seems to accentuate both. What Makes the Story Funny? Humor is, of course, subjective, but we find the grandmothers self-righteousness, nostalgia, and attempts at manipulation hilarious. OConnors ability to switch seamlessly from a neutral perspective to the grandmothers point of view lends even greater comedy to the scene. For instance, the narration remains absolutely deadpan as we learn that the grandmother secretly brings the cat because she is afraid he might brush against one of the gas burners and accidentally asphyxiate himself. The narrator passes no judgment on the grandmothers preposterous concern but rather lets it speak for itself. Similarly, when OConnor writes that the grandmother pointed out interesting details of the scenery, we know that everyone else in the car probably doesnt find them interesting at all and wishes shed be quiet. And when Bailey refuses to dance with his mother to the jukebox, OConnor writes that Bailey didnt have a naturally sunny disposition like she [the grandmother] did and trips made him nervous. The clichà ©d, self-flattering phrasing of naturally sunny disposition tips readers off that this is the grandmothers opinion, not the narrators. Readers can see that its not road trips that make Bailey tense: its his mother. But the grandmother does have redeeming qualities. For instance, shes the only adult who takes the time to play with the children. And the children arent exactly angels, which also helps balance out some of the grandmothers negative qualities. The grandson rudely suggests that if the grandmother doesnt want to go to Florida, she should just stay home. Then the granddaughter adds, She wouldnt stay at home for a million bucks [†¦] Afraid shed miss something. She has to go everywhere we go. These children are so awful, theyre funny. Purpose of the Humor To understand the union of violence and humor in A Good Man Is Hard to Find, its helpful to remember that OConnor was a devout Catholic. In Mystery and Manners, OConnor writes that my subject in fiction is the action of grace in territory largely held by the devil. This is true for all her stories, all the time. In the case of A Good Man Is Hard to Find, the devil is not the Misfit, but rather whatever has led the grandmother to define goodness as wearing the right clothes and behaving like a lady. The grace in the story is the realization that leads her to reach out toward the Misfit and call him one of my own children. Ordinarily, Im not so quick to allow authors to have the last word on interpreting their work, so if you favor a different explanation, be my guest. But OConnor has written so extensively and pointedly about her religious motivations that its hard to dismiss her observations. In Mystery and Manners, OConnor says: Either one is serious about salvation or one is not. And it is well to realize that the maximum amount of seriousness admits the maximum amount of comedy. Only if we are secure in our beliefs can we see the comical side of the universe. Interestingly, because OConnors humor is so engaging, it allows her stories to pull in readers who might not want to read a story about the possibility of divine grace, or who might not recognize this theme in her stories at all. I think the humor initially helps distance readers from the characters; were laughing so hard at them that were deep into the story before we start to recognize ourselves in their behavior. By the time we are hit with the maximum amount of seriousness as Bailey and John Wesley are led into the woods, its too late to turn back. Youll notice that I havent used the words comic relief here, even though that might be the role of humor in many other literary works. But everything Ive ever read about OConnor suggests that she wasnt particularly concerned about providing relief for her readers and in fact, she aimed for just the opposite.

Free Essays on Explain The Term Miracle

PAPER 1 – CHRISTIANITY THROUGH A STUDY OF LUKE AND ACTS R.S. GCSE 2005 Coursework Rebecca Gingell LVW Ai) Explain the term ‘Miracle’ The Chambers 20th Century dictionary defines the term miracle as a supernatural event, a marvel or wonder. Today the word miracle is generally believed by Christians as an event that 2apparently contradicts the laws of nature and transcends human power. In Jesus’ day these happenings were not viewed as freak occurrences, but as signs of God’s action. At one time miracles were much more important to the argument between religion and science than they are today. Despite this, there are still some churches which claim miracles continue to happen today, especially healing miracles. There are considered to be four types of miracle – healing, casting out demons, power over nature and raising people from the dead. The miracle stories of the New Testament are used to prove to people the existence of God, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the legitimacy of the church. In the New Testament, Luke’s miracle stories are not there to merely tell a story. They help us to understand the meaning of Jesus. The miracles prove not only Jesus’ power, but his love for his people. Luke reports about thirty-five miracles in his gospel.... Free Essays on Explain The Term Miracle Free Essays on Explain The Term Miracle PAPER 1 – CHRISTIANITY THROUGH A STUDY OF LUKE AND ACTS R.S. GCSE 2005 Coursework Rebecca Gingell LVW Ai) Explain the term ‘Miracle’ The Chambers 20th Century dictionary defines the term miracle as a supernatural event, a marvel or wonder. Today the word miracle is generally believed by Christians as an event that 2apparently contradicts the laws of nature and transcends human power. In Jesus’ day these happenings were not viewed as freak occurrences, but as signs of God’s action. At one time miracles were much more important to the argument between religion and science than they are today. Despite this, there are still some churches which claim miracles continue to happen today, especially healing miracles. There are considered to be four types of miracle – healing, casting out demons, power over nature and raising people from the dead. The miracle stories of the New Testament are used to prove to people the existence of God, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the legitimacy of the church. In the New Testament, Luke’s miracle stories are not there to merely tell a story. They help us to understand the meaning of Jesus. The miracles prove not only Jesus’ power, but his love for his people. Luke reports about thirty-five miracles in his gospel....

Derivative Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Derivative Markets - Essay Example There are several limitations in the price of future contracts and it is ensured by future arbitrage. The existence of price limits help to minimise the instability of prices by defending organizations against market overreaction. However, price limit can also make future contracts less liquid. Future arbitrage makes future contracts more valuable. Arbitrage generates a strong connection among the futures and commercial values (New York University, n.d.). Limit of arbitrage is significant for behavioural descriptions of irregularities and wider revision of asset valuation. Limit of future arbitrage is a portion of finance plan to clarify variances based on investors’ emotional prejudices. Arbitrageurs can face the following price limitations: Fundamental and non-fundamental risks Short-selling costs Leverage and margin constraints Constraints on equity capital Thus, the above statement 2 is true i.e. there are some defined limitations in future arbitrage in pricing future cont racts (Gromb & Vayanos, 2010). Statement 3 â€Å"A swap contract can create a win/win situation for two swap players plus the financial intermediary arranging the swap† The interest rate swap is a derivative to interchange interest rate for accomplishing lesser borrowing rates. Swap players can change interest rate from static to floating and vice versa. Swapping is beneficial when one player desires to get an amount with a floating interest rate while other player wishes for preventing future risks by getting a static interest rate in its place. In swapping, both players have their own primacies and desires, thus it (swapping) can create win/win situation for them... This essay states that in recent times, the world has converted into an uncertain place for financial organisations. Fluctuations in interest rates have extended, and stock markets are running through growing unpredictability. As a consequence of these variations, the financial organisations have happened to be more anxious about minimising the risks. As the demand for risk reduction techniques has enlarged, it has generated innovative financial tools named financial derivatives. These tools are very convenient in minimising the risks and help financial organisations to hedge. Hedging is a method which is used by financial organisations to counteract the regular risks of price variations. It is considered as important risk managing instrument for portfolio managers, bank executives and corporate accountants. In any derivative contract, the seller comes to an agreement to provide asset at a particular period in future and purchaser approves to pay fixed value for that asset. One can b uild a clean arbitrage if the future contract is mispriced. Majority of future contracts are priced according to arbitrage. In derivative contract, organisations need to choose investments which can provide good return with estimated price measures. It is also termed as speculation. Speculation is a procedure used in finance for securing profit from riskier investments, but it does not ensure security on investment or principal amount. Speculators use several approaches to make a decision prior to obtaining additional risks through investment.

Mean Girls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mean Girls - Essay Example Cady’s behavior upon arrival in the US is enough evidence of how the black-originated individuals are forced to impose their presence in the purportedly civilized white man’s land, and this is the major cause of corruption on mannerism and morals (Brooks, 2012). The undermine of African culture and way of life makes Cady ditch her personality for what she believes is approved by the new civilized society, and she confesses self-denial in order to impress the new peers she wishes to adopt. The dissections made by the play give a perfect reflection of the modern society of young people, especially on the aspect of moral corruption and the influence of parents in shaping the respective upbringing of their children. The occurrences in the movie puts a lot of questions on the roles played by parents in the modern society, in the midst of intercultural settings and diversity. Apparently, young people have been let to embrace what they consider befitting and relevant behavioral changes in order to suit a particular group of individuals, who are in this case regarded modernized or civilized (Brooks, 2012). Despite the apparent fading off of mannerism and morality, there is hope for a future glimpse of the same from the indications given in the movie. The role played by Aaron gives hope of value for mannerism and good morals for both the modern and future generations. The movie exposes numerous failures of the societal institutions in performing towards what the general society has always thought they would. For a long time, schools have been regarded as important institutions where young boys and girls are manufactured into responsible men and women (Vena and Kash, 2009). However, this fails to be reflected in the modern settings, as portrayed in the movie. Even at the center-stage of moral deterioration and sexual promiscuity, little can be done by school administrations to help salvage

American Constitution Law 2 J Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Constitution Law 2 J - Essay Example Reasonableness of a search depends on the balancing of the interests of individuals and public safety. In Terry v Ohio (1868), the police officer stopped and frisked three suspicious persons after watching them for some time moving around at a place suspiciously. The police did not have a warrant. In the search, they could see two revolvers from the persons of the suspicious people. It was the case of the defendant Terry that the evidence was not admissible as it was obtained from a warrantless search mandated by the Fourth Amendment. The Supreme Court held that the warrantless search was valid since there was a reasonable suspicion aroused by the conduct of the persons concerned on a street (Mason & Stephenson, 2012). Search and arrest warrant governed by the Fourth Amendment should be backed by a probable cause that can include hearsay evidence, reliable witness report, and the officer’s own logic and experience. Hence, unless there is a probable cause, court will not issue a warrant to search or arrest a suspect. For search warrant to be issued, the court must be satisfied that the officer’s description in the warrant application about the items connected to the crime he is investigating with the justification of the belief about their existence and place at which the items could be found. In respect of an arrest warrant, the warrant application should state and provide sufficient evidence and logic to substantiate the suspects involvement in a particular crime under investigation. Further, there must be provided very specific information on a particular target sought to be arrested or searched. Hence, a random or generalized arrests or searches are not permissible under the Fourt h Amendment (Mason & Stephenson, 2012). Therefore, a search warrant should have the full address, specific room or place at the given address, with the objects and papers and information to be

Evaluating UK Cigarette Market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluating UK Cigarette Market - Case Study Example After all research is an interactive procedure and on occasions will need change of judgment every once in awhile. Some hew information will always try to expand the objectives but this should remain within the confines of the overall intention. B Identifying Markets by Segmentation - This is very important as segmentation or division of consumers by demography (age groups, ethnicity, religion etc) or geography (region, area, location etc) or personal differences (literacy levels, psychographic differences etc) will assist in later analysis which will show the market trends. C Developing Market-Driven Strategies - This will establish the research design through selecting and identifying the types of information to be collected and the sources to be used and finally to determine the instruments of research. The depth of the research (research design) can again be of three varieties namely D Data Types - There are two tpes of data. First is the Primary data that has to be collected by volunteers or professionals, as may be decided, and is to be collected through field work or mailers. Here questions are posed or sent to smokers and data collected as per sample questions given earlier. These methods include telephone surveys, mail surveys, personal interviews or group surveys.This will reveal the pattern and intensity of smoker's likes, preferences and habits. From this data collected over a period of time from all territories of UK a fair idea can be made of the smoker's locations, intensity, usage pattern, and preferences. The parameters can be widened or narrowed depending on the nature and focus of the enquiry to be undertaken. The second type of data called Secondary Data and is collected from Internet and Library resources. This is the information that already exists and can be a bit old. This data is also to be collated with the first type and gives more coverage. In case of differences in any one particular area or demography, it helps to find out why the change has occurred. Both types of research have a number of activities and methods of conducting research associated with them. Secondary research is usually faster and less expensive to obtain than Primary research. Data analysis is needed to give the raw data any meaning. The first step in analyzing the data is cleaning and classifying the data. This is the process of checking the raw data for verification of correct data entries. This data is then coded by assigning numerical

International economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

International economics - Essay Example UK economy has experienced greater growth in the current century as compared to the last few decades of the twentieth century. However, the international trade scenario of UK does not seem promising with a consistent trade deficit although there has been growth in both export and import values. This is because the real value of imports remains far below than the real value of exports. The growth of service exports in developing countries has also affected UK economy as the nation has lost market for service exports in those countries especially China. In the backdrop of globalization no country can survive within the boundary of economics at national level. A country’s economy including industry, service sectors, employment and standard of living is dependant on the association with its trading partners. This association is established with import and export of goods, services, labour, technologies and investments. It is not possible to create national economic policies without considering their effect on the economies of other countries. With a number of factors like the formation of the European Union in the 1950s, the growth of multinational companies in the 1960s, the growing market strength of the oil producing countries, and introduction of euro in the beginning of twenty first century have all paved the way for interdependence of countries worldwide and evolution of a global economy (Carbaugh, 2010, p.1). In the world of business in the current century, business is the key factor in the relationships between differe nt countries. Today any business enterprise even the small and emerging ones consider every nook of the world as market for its products and services, and no business confines its activities within the national boundaries. In many companies, the annual sales level exceeds the gross national product (GNP) of some

Services Marketing. Case of Paul Smith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Services Marketing. Case of Paul Smith - Essay Example Services as the core products represent a wide series of intangible elements for which the consumers render considerable value within the marketplace (Fashion United Group, 2009). From this perspective, the paper intends to relate the concept of services marketing with Paul Smith, one of the leading fashion retails based in the United Kingdom. The fashion retail unit was started by Paul Smith, a UK based fashion designer. In the year 1970, in Nottingham, Paul Smith started a boutique with small portion of his savings. By the year 1976, in Paris, Paul Smith brought in his inaugural menswear collection, which was rendered within the label of Paul Smith. Since then, in a long-standing successful tradition the company along with Paul Smith have placed themselves as among the eminent British retailers and fashion designers. Global collection of the company is presently wholesaled to around 66 nations. In the UK, there are 17 shops rendering Paul Smith collection (Paul Smith, 2012). In rel ation to Paul Smith, the identified strategic service marketing issues comprise ensuring effective customer relationship and loyalty, insecurity of the potential customers and uncertainties emerging due to the trend of fast fashion among others. The discussion will encompass an assessment of the fashion retail sector in terms of its size and competitive structure. The assessment will also encompass the opportunities and threats which can severely impact on the activities of Paul Smith. Moreover, the discussion will further involve summarising the commonalities and differences between the present services marketing strategies of the major players in the fashion retail sector. Identification of the organisation’s key strategic services marketing issues for the next five years will be portrayed within the analysis of the paper. In addition, the paper will also demonstrate the relationship among the issues affecting services marketing strategies. Fashion Retail Sector of the Unit ed Kingdom The fashion retail sector in the UK can be regarded as one of the major industrial sectors, which has encompassed rapid and continuous growth by a considerable extent. It can be observed from the assessment of past few years that the global retail sector is considerably shaping an independent and successful position through well build business strategies including sales and marketing, innovation and effective business policies. According to the present performance of the fashion retail sector in the UK market, it can be observed to have acquired a large amount of consumer preferences and expenditures through delivering exceptionally manufactured of textiles, clothing along with footwear and leather items. The steady growth in the fashion retail sector can be identified to have taken place due to cutting-edge innovation of products along with effective and convenient supply chain management of the service rendering companies which considerable play major roles within the i ndustry. Moreover, the fashion retai

Evaluating UK Cigarette Market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluating UK Cigarette Market - Case Study Example After all research is an interactive procedure and on occasions will need change of judgment every once in awhile. Some hew information will always try to expand the objectives but this should remain within the confines of the overall intention. B Identifying Markets by Segmentation - This is very important as segmentation or division of consumers by demography (age groups, ethnicity, religion etc) or geography (region, area, location etc) or personal differences (literacy levels, psychographic differences etc) will assist in later analysis which will show the market trends. C Developing Market-Driven Strategies - This will establish the research design through selecting and identifying the types of information to be collected and the sources to be used and finally to determine the instruments of research. The depth of the research (research design) can again be of three varieties namely D Data Types - There are two tpes of data. First is the Primary data that has to be collected by volunteers or professionals, as may be decided, and is to be collected through field work or mailers. Here questions are posed or sent to smokers and data collected as per sample questions given earlier. These methods include telephone surveys, mail surveys, personal interviews or group surveys.This will reveal the pattern and intensity of smoker's likes, preferences and habits. From this data collected over a period of time from all territories of UK a fair idea can be made of the smoker's locations, intensity, usage pattern, and preferences. The parameters can be widened or narrowed depending on the nature and focus of the enquiry to be undertaken. The second type of data called Secondary Data and is collected from Internet and Library resources. This is the information that already exists and can be a bit old. This data is also to be collated with the first type and gives more coverage. In case of differences in any one particular area or demography, it helps to find out why the change has occurred. Both types of research have a number of activities and methods of conducting research associated with them. Secondary research is usually faster and less expensive to obtain than Primary research. Data analysis is needed to give the raw data any meaning. The first step in analyzing the data is cleaning and classifying the data. This is the process of checking the raw data for verification of correct data entries. This data is then coded by assigning numerical

Services Marketing. Case of Paul Smith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Services Marketing. Case of Paul Smith - Essay Example Services as the core products represent a wide series of intangible elements for which the consumers render considerable value within the marketplace (Fashion United Group, 2009). From this perspective, the paper intends to relate the concept of services marketing with Paul Smith, one of the leading fashion retails based in the United Kingdom. The fashion retail unit was started by Paul Smith, a UK based fashion designer. In the year 1970, in Nottingham, Paul Smith started a boutique with small portion of his savings. By the year 1976, in Paris, Paul Smith brought in his inaugural menswear collection, which was rendered within the label of Paul Smith. Since then, in a long-standing successful tradition the company along with Paul Smith have placed themselves as among the eminent British retailers and fashion designers. Global collection of the company is presently wholesaled to around 66 nations. In the UK, there are 17 shops rendering Paul Smith collection (Paul Smith, 2012). In rel ation to Paul Smith, the identified strategic service marketing issues comprise ensuring effective customer relationship and loyalty, insecurity of the potential customers and uncertainties emerging due to the trend of fast fashion among others. The discussion will encompass an assessment of the fashion retail sector in terms of its size and competitive structure. The assessment will also encompass the opportunities and threats which can severely impact on the activities of Paul Smith. Moreover, the discussion will further involve summarising the commonalities and differences between the present services marketing strategies of the major players in the fashion retail sector. Identification of the organisation’s key strategic services marketing issues for the next five years will be portrayed within the analysis of the paper. In addition, the paper will also demonstrate the relationship among the issues affecting services marketing strategies. Fashion Retail Sector of the Unit ed Kingdom The fashion retail sector in the UK can be regarded as one of the major industrial sectors, which has encompassed rapid and continuous growth by a considerable extent. It can be observed from the assessment of past few years that the global retail sector is considerably shaping an independent and successful position through well build business strategies including sales and marketing, innovation and effective business policies. According to the present performance of the fashion retail sector in the UK market, it can be observed to have acquired a large amount of consumer preferences and expenditures through delivering exceptionally manufactured of textiles, clothing along with footwear and leather items. The steady growth in the fashion retail sector can be identified to have taken place due to cutting-edge innovation of products along with effective and convenient supply chain management of the service rendering companies which considerable play major roles within the i ndustry. Moreover, the fashion retai

Religion and So-called German Christians Essay Example for Free

Religion and So-called German Christians Essay Religion continues to be one of the most influential forces in the world. It has been seen to provide great peace and harmony to believers, but it has also been the cause if not an actual reason for some of historys greatest wars. It can be used as justification from leaders of war, can it also serve as an instrument of resolution as well? Religion has come to be a much stronger force than any material incentives. It is far better at directing positive behaviour towards social betterment than any laws or physical force. For instance, Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr conducted non-violent protests based upon religious beliefs. Religion can also be used to help bring people together as they are more willing to work together. By contrast, places that reject religion, such as Revolutionary France, communist Russia and China, or Nazi Germany are often very brutally oppressive. However, it is not always the case. For example, Iran: a country where religion is so prevalent is equally as oppressive as these countries. Incidentally, religion can be very dangerous because it can and has been used to justify horrific acts. Crusaders not only killed many Muslims, they also massacred many Jews and Eastern Christians in the process of attempting to win control of the Holy Land. Adolf Hitlers followers among them the so-called German Christians were believers in their Fuhrer. The Inquisition carried out its torture in the name of God. Religion should never be involved in politics because it can then be used as an instrument of control. However, in places where religion develops freely and people have free access to places of worship, it provides people with a sense of hope, praying serves as therapy and members of a congregation feel a sense of community and friendship. Some of the greatest works of art were created in the name of God. Furthermore, Woodrow Wilson suggested that a strong affinity exists between religious commitment and patriotism. Love of country, just like the love of God certainly inspires good deeds but not always. Furthermore, religion may have led to the creation of the worlds finest art, but it has also caused its destruction. Religion can be a source of extreme nationalism. In Christianity, Islam and Judaism, God is described as mighty warrior, just king and righteous judge. He apparently punished the unjust, the unrighteous and the disobedient. The idea that a nation is the instrument of Gods will has led to war and the subjugation of people viewed as ungodly. Fundamentalism clouds everything. There is a need to be right and superior, which develops an ego and once we fall foul to it, we are lost. Conversely, biblical commandments are the basis of Western ethical and legal systems. It has seen to teach us tolerance for people with other beliefs and opinions. Usually believers are more peaceful, law-abiding and tolerant than the non-believers in the world. Some people need it psychologically and without it may step to extremism such as suicide or anarchy. However, some live in a delusion and in a constant state of intellectual dishonesty. Some people, who are so far devout in their own beliefs, use them to beat other beliefs and religious groups into submission. Religions like Islam justify holy wars against the unfaithful, meaning those of other religions. This can also be seen in the violence of the crusades launched by Christians in the medieval period and by later wars between Protestant and Catholic. Religious conviction like the extremist Hindu groups against Christians and Muslims in India has paved the way for the terrorist attacks in New York City on September eleventh 2001. Religious clashes have led to some of the most heinous human behaviour in recorded history. Western states grew as a result of religion and religious philosophy. Western European and North American societies are still based on Protestant ideals of diligence, thrift and moderation. The very existence of theocratic state, proves that governments in these states are much more stable than regimes in secular countries because leaders are viewed as appointed by God. Political stability, in turn, leads to economic welfare. Despite this, Theocratic states become totalitarian regimes because they are based upon obedience to a ruler who is seen as Gods representative rather than a democratic constitution. They may be stable but they are not essentially concerned with their peoples welfare. By prioritising religious imperatives over economic development and by their intolerance of the questionable types who drive economic process states like Iran have become corrupt, authoritarian and poor. In conclusion, I believe that religion provides many opportunities and hope for those who have nothing else to turn to, it helps bring unity and sometimes peace into communities. However, I also believe that it has become a perversion of the redemptive message of Jesus, by so-called devout humans using their beliefs to ruin and destroy the lives of many others. I myself am agnostic and am very open-minded.

Arguments For And Against Hydroelectric Power Environmental Sciences Essay

Arguments For And Against Hydroelectric Power Environmental Sciences Essay The dams that are built are holding back a higher level of water in an area called the reservoir. From here the water is let through the plant intake and into the penstock which brings it down to a turbine water wheel at the lower water level. The water pressure increases at it flows down the penstock and it is this pressure as well as flow that drive the turbine that is connected to the generator. Inside the generator there is a turbine,. Here large electro magnets are attached to the router and located within coils within copper wires in the Stator. As the generator router spins a flow of electrons are released within the coils of the stator. This produces electricity that can be stepped up in voltage through the station transforms and sent through transition lines.  [2]  The amount of electricity generated here is depending on the volume of water flow and amount of hydraulic head  [3]  (The vertical distance between the surface of the reservoir and the surface of the river immediately downstream from the dam  [4]  ) Hydroelectric power is responsible for approximately fifteen percent of the world electricity and is therefore the largest renewable source of energy in the world.  [5]  It has through its green image been worshiped for being eco-friendly and is reliable in terms of consistency and shut down time if so wishes. The design is also reliable and any futures damages will not be that expensive to repair as well as only a few breakdowns have occurred throughout the years. Also that hydro power is independent from fossil fuels and the operation costs are very low compared to several other energy sources. So what is the reason to why activists and scientist has reacted so strong upon this renewable energy source? A source like this that is 90 percent efficient when its converted from water pressure to kinetic energy and the groundwater is increased by reserving water in the reservoir  [6]  , shouldnt this be good? The fact that hydroelectric power controls flooding and provide flood protection in downstream areas  [7]  does not necessary have to be good. The water that is trapped within the reservoir is damaging to the quality since it will lower the dissolvent of oxygen as well as reduce the nutrition and sediments due to lack of the water flow  [8]  . Furthermore will the lack of water flow create particles and unwanted vermin into the hydrogen cycle. When the water is leaving the dams the risk for erosion is high because of the lack of the original currency from the water as well as increasing the risk for the flood to clog  [9]  . The hydropower station s is interrupting the ecosystem and the habitants of the river. Therefore have the government and different regulation such as EU constructed regulations that the plant must fulfill. The problem with this is that the regulations are set to low and that private investors can sneak their way by this. Low Impact Hydrogen Institute have created a voluntary certificate for plants to demonstrate their facilities, this would benefit the plant as well since it would drag consumers to invest in such a hydro plant  [10]  . Though few actually goes through with this certificate. Furthermore, when building such massive stations it takes time, space and money. Scientists are arguing that when the actual construction of the power station is finished it does not take much construction work or entertainment, though they do not mention the side effects for animals and humans in a local, regional and global area. 2000, The Three Gorges Dam Project, over one million people were forced to move from their homes due to the construction of a hydroelectrically power station in China. It had a huge social effect for the people having to leave their homes where immemorial traditions and believes were held, for an unknown resort were their roots never had visited.  [11]  Large areas will have to evacuate and the local will suffer from this. Also biological effects will occur since the construction will interfere with the agriculture. Hydropower stations are well known for the massive percentage of the fishes that gets killed when passing through the station. The turbines have to become more developed to increase the mortality rate of the fishes in the water. Furthermore it can also become hard for some animals to complete their life cycle as the flooding is being controlled; sometimes it is almost impossible for them  [12]  . Adaption takes time and the time given is not enough for extensive b iological changes. A hydropower station will have effects upon self-managed eco systems, the breeding of animals lives and algaes as well as disrupt natural seasonal change, the question is; is it worth it? In Nelson, B.C., Canada, about two hundred people protested against the growing number of hydroelectric power stations.  [13]  In Canada the hydro plants is responsible for the extensive amount of sixty percent of the countrys total energy output. Also the province of Quebec is responsible for the worlds largest production of hydro electrical power  [14]  . We are concerned about our ecosystem. We are concerned about the wildness of that creek, said Yeow, a member of the Slocan River Stream keepers  [15]  . The project planner for this particular hydroelectric power station told the media and the protesters that the river-project is going to be a part of B.C ´s energy future since the demand for energy is far too extensive to consider another energy source. Also that hydropower stations is one of the cleanest ways of providing an area with energy. Is this true? The Scientist, 24 February 2005 by Duncan Graham-Rowe, published an article supporting the fact that hydroelectric power stations does not deserve to be associated with a green image or environmental friendly. These dams should be an example of a renewable energy source that do not need fossil fuels or emit any greenhouse gases. A new researches show though that hydro power stations regularly produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide and methane. The green image of hydro power as a benign alternative to fossil fuels is false, says Eric Duchemin, a consultant for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Everyone thinks hydro is very clean, but this is not the case, he says.  [16]   The reason to these emissions is the carbon that is tied up in plants and the trees gets stored in the reservoir when it is flooded and the plants rot. As it begins to decay the plants on the reservoirs bottom decomposes without oxygen which creates dissolved methane. This gets released into the atmosphere and cause drastic effects. Methane has a twenty-one times stronger effect on global warming than carbon dioxide has  [17]  . The reason why this has not been more spread is because the emission varies from plant to plant; sometimes it is environmental friendly, sometimes it is contributing more to the greenhouse effect than the burning of fossil fuels does. Though if the bad side effects will continue to occur more frequently it will bring consequences for mankind. Hydroelectric power is a renewable source of energy and therefore it will not run out but the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will increase and the long term effects will be drastic. It might be good for the indiv idual businesses when having a stable source to rely on but without our planet intact, it will not matter. Before building a plant the construction leaders will have to look at the development of the plant. How much will have to be put into the area? How developed is it? If no development at all exists than the operation will have to go even further; infrastructure, transportation, waterways, and bridges. Also maintaining water quality, archeological areas and artifacts will cost money  [18]  . It all will cost and the local area will suffer if the economical aspect is not taken care of. An example of this is the hydro power station Akocak HHP, Trabzon, Turkey, that cost approximately $124 million to construct  [19]  . This had drastic effects upon the local area but regional it contributed to Turkeys welfare. Since a hydropower station can have an effect upon the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) it is most likely this were the case of Turkey. To analyze other regions or countries cost of data and input can help the country grow and make the decision if power plant would contribute to the countries well-fare. Obviously though with environmental and local side effects. Globally the trends of energy sources follow the same pattern: when oil prices goes up, the search for other alternative energy sources become attractive. The government sees the hydropower as an efficient energy source and even though the construction of it will be expensive it will pay off in the long run when looking at it from an economical aspect. This whole cycle is important considering globalization, trade and relations to other countries.  [20]   21 The consequences for having hydroelectric power plants have been supported and opposed because of many reasons, among several have been mentioned in the text. It is not just to build a dam but to look at the surrounding as well, because it will have environmental, economic, political and social effects. The agriculture will suffer even though mankind tries to prevent this through technology. Because nature has a power that is greater than humanity and this do the opposing environmentalists and social scientists agree with. But shouldnt we look through the population and business aspect? Population can always be moved and greenhouse gases are not always the case. Infrastructure can be build and trade can be in favor and technology can prevent nature from taking its path. Everything is relative and different depending on which pair of glasses you chose to look through.

Case #1- Toyota :: essays research papers

Toyota Revs up U.S. Sales Threats: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Japanese market is getting more competitive and Toyota is loosing sales to Nissan and Honda. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chevrolet and Ford are selling better in the U.S. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"Toyota takeover† is not assured. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Japanese manufactures gaining a foothold in the US market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American companies are working to update the styling of their cars. Opportunities: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exploiting the U.S. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attaining more local managers in order to Americanize. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Import taxes and current risk are reduced by manufacturing 2/3 of the cars U.S. and keeping revenues and expenses in U.S. dollars. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spending salaries on 123,000 American employees at their facilities. Strengths: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Understanding the US consumer needs and wants. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toyota will likely pass Ford’s sales in the near future. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Known for their effectiveness in long-term planning. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not as dependant on Japan anymore. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utilizing American designers to compete effectively in the U.S. market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American competitors have been slow to respond to Toyota’s threat. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The development of a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a company, Toyota is beginning to set better long-term goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Getting accepted as an â€Å"American Brand† Weaknesses: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning, Toyota had a very conservative approach to goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Failure to recognize a market opportunity to introduce a full-size truck. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slowing economies in Southeastern Asian countries. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loosing money in Japanese market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traditionalists inside Toyota do not like where the company is headed and want to stick to old ways. Ford 2 Toyota uses a multi-domestic strategy in their U.S. auto division. The company is international and caters to each country’s needs in which they do business. For example, in the U.S., Toyota has hired designers and managers in order to gain a better understanding of what Americans want. The cars Americans are buying today were manufactured here in the U.S. Thus, Toyota has kept their headquarters in Japan but is catering to consumers using different products and marketing strategies throughout the world while not treating the globe as a whole. This decision was based on information from the book as well as class lectures on chapter 8. According to the textbook, it seems quite possible for Toyota to achieve their corporate goals.

HDTV: Implications for High Definition Television Essay -- Exploratory

HDTV: Implications for High Definition Television    HDTV (High Definition Television) has many positive attributes and is the television set of the future, but the primary concern is how this revolutionary standard can coexist and eventually replace the existing color TV system.   This vital problem associated with HDTV is similar to the obstacle that color TV encountered in 1954 - which was enabling the color signal to be read simultaneously with the monochrome signal, without interference. There is an estimated 600 million television sets dispersed throughout the world and about 70 percent of them are color.   (Kuhn, 2001: 1).   A significant and precarious matter is whether the modern criterion of HDTV should be attuned with existing, color TV standards, succeed the existing standards, or be concurrently transmitted with the accessible standards (with the conception that the existing standards would obliterate over time).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   High Definition Television is any system developing vitally enhanced picture resolution than that of the usual 525-line (625-line in Europe) television monitor.   Digital HDTV systems, by dissimilarity, broadcast pictures and sounds in the arrangement of digital data.   These numerical data are transmitted, utilizing the identical high radio frequencies that contain analog waves, and computer processors in the digital television system that then decipher the information.   Digital HDTV can transmit sharper, clearer images and sound with very diminutive interferences or other flaws.   Of more significance, digital television systems will apparently be adept to send, store, and influence pictures as well as receive them, thus combining the functions of the television set and the compute... ... 1998. http://query.nytimes.com/search/abstract?res=F00D17FE3A540C718DDDAA0894D0494D81.   Accessed on April 7, 2002.       â€Å"Maier, Susan.†Ã‚   HDTV:   Who Needs The FCC?.   HDTV Magazine. Advanced Television Publishing: Oregon, 1999.   http://web-star.com/hdtv/whondsfcc.html. Accessed on April 7, 2002.    â€Å"HDTV.†Ã‚   Internet. Yahoo.com.   Britannica Concise. http://education.yahoo.com/search/be?lb=t&p=url%3Ah/high_definition_television Accessed on April 7, 2002.    â€Å"A Proposal For Public Interest Obligations Of Digital TV Broadcasters.†Ã‚   Executive Summary.   Internet.   http://www.nntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/aprmtg/Sohn.htm. Accessed on April 9, 2002.    â€Å"HDTV.† Internet.   http://www.crs4.it/~luig/MPEG/hdtv.html.   Accessed on April 11, 2002.   Ã‚   â€Å"Beckman, Jeanne.† Television Violence: What Research Says About its Effect on Young

Analysis on Personal Philosophy

As defined by Webster†s Dictionary, a teacher is â€Å"one who instructs, directs, and disciplines other individuals.† This definition is correct, however, teaching encompasses much more. A teacher is an integral part of the learning process of a child. A teacher also aids the child in personal growth and life development. Teaching has always been my lifetime desire. I look forward with great anticipation to the day when I teach my own class. This will give me the opportunity to instill in the children a thirst for knowledge. This is also a chance for me to make the children realize their unique potential for greatness and open their eyes to the beautiful world around them. Before getting involved in my formal education classes and field experiences in Elementary Education at Pennsylvania State University, I thought being an educator involved teaching the students basic skills, assigning homework, and testing their knowledge. I soon found out that this monotonous routine does not maximize student interest and learning. Through my valuable student teaching experience, I have come to identify with a teaching paradigm known as Inquiry learning. In this particular paradigm, knowledge is viewed as functional and pleasurable. Children learn from the questions they pose. Key skills are learned in context and focus on child interest rather than artificial and made-up. This type of education concentrates on student interest. Children are focused and on-task because they are directly involved in their own learning. The Inquiry Paradigm also allows for numerous hands-on learning experiences. Another aspect of Inquiry learning is that the teacher is viewed as a â€Å"partner along the journey† instead of â€Å"Supreme Being†. I firmly believe that a teacher should treat her students as partners on a journey. This allows students to feel independent and responsible for their own learning.

Sequencing Objectives

Sequencing objectives within classes and courses within curriculum is important because much of what we learn is developed through building blocks of knowledge. For example, In my current field, one must know medical terminology and anatomy and physiology In order to begin a coding class. If one does not know where the perform sinus Is In the human body, one cannot assign â€Å"history of perform sinus cancer† the correct V-code. One would assume that since the word â€Å"sinus† Is In the phrase, the V-code would be included in the nasal cavity and sinus grouping.The horrify sinus is actually located in the pharynx; therefore, the V-code would be in the grouping with oral cavity and pharynx. Sequencing of the Course and Curriculum Regulate and Stein refer to macromolecule sequencing, giving the students an overview (epitome) that outlines the fundamental aspects of the course first. Instruction progresses with each Idea being more detailed and elaborating upon the previ ous one. Objectives are developed to Insure that prerequisite skills are covered before advancing to the next objective. Sequencing of Skills wealth the TopicBasic skills are taught first within each topic, building upon each other. Analyzing Topic Objectives to Determine Learning Outcomes This approach examines the relationship between the course map and the unit map. This approach looks at objectives from different learning domains and the relationship between each, sequencing to insure that prerequisite skills are covered in earlier lessons. Sequencing of Skills within Lessons This mapping Is more detailed oriented. Objectives are sequenced In more detail, broken down Into Individual skills required wealth the lesson presented. Learning Hierarchies and Instructional SequenceAccording to Eagan, when the proper sequence of prerequisite skills is established, intellectual skill instruction is easily managed by the teacher. Knowledge-Based Sequencing Instructional design is represent ed as organizational patterns on the concept map and then used during the development phase to automatically generate instructional maps. Sequencing Content for Online Learning This Involves sequencing knowledge units and learning tasks within those units. Spiral Sequencing of the curriculum. And example of this is in foreign language instruction. Basic grammar skills are revisited continually as the student progresses.

Watch video, answer question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Watch video, answer question - Essay Example The video uses Ranjeet to explain the issue of social mobility and all the relevant concerns. Social mobility has both benefits and drawbacks, as it is visible from the case study. Firstly, social mobility results in immense rural to urban migration. For example, New Delhi has a population of 10,000 people per every square kilometer. Such a population can be explained by the 300 million people that have migrated from the rural areas to India’s major cities to reap the benefits of the current economic boom. Problems may arise. Social mobility is the cause of unemployment, insecurity, low wages, and shortages in housing. However, Ranjeet Kumar is an example of the benefits of rural to urban migration. As the video approaches the end, he goes back to the village and tries to convince his peers to move to the village. He also relocates his family to the city where they can access the much-needed medical cover, and his children may access quality education. If more people become ad vocates of such migration, the traditional social hierarchies would gradually change for a better India. Geert Hofstede characterizes the culture of India in terms of power distance (77%), individualism (48%), masculinity (56%), uncertainty avoidance (40%), pragmatism (51%), and indulgence (26%) ("THE HOFSTEDE CENTRE."). His classification draws a significant rift between the rich and the poor in the society. For example, power distance stands at 77% meaning that the less powerful population in the rural areas have accepted that there is unequal distribution of power within the country. Power in this case might be measured by wealth, health, and literacy levels. Such elements of power are only accessible in the urban regions. Urban migration might do little to change the characterization. Most of the population in India is individualistic. Ranjeet’s case study is a clear indication of

North and South Korea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

North and South Korea - Essay Example About 57 years ago, North Korea together with her allies and US along with her allies mutually declared a cease fire. North Korea misunderstands South Korea thinking that she wants to exercise power on North Korea. In the recent years, enmity between North and South Korea has started to flare up because of killing. On 25 July, 2010, while military drills were taking place in the demilitarized zone of Korea which makes the interface between North and South Korea, it was quite unexpected of North Korea to start firing the troops in South Korea across the border. It was only after two rounds of fire were completed by the soldiers in North Korea that the South Korean soldiers began to counter-shoot. This was an overt expression of disrespect and humility made by North Korea towards South Korea. North Korea is supported by China whereas South Korea is supported by the US. China and US happen to be the two strongest countries of the world. Through interfering in the politics of Korea, US a nd China are actually availing the opportunity to express their strengths against each other. The tension may rise to the extent of causing the Third World War to break out.

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Essay - 4

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example Brendtro, Ph.D, the President of Reclaiming Youth International. The main message of the article is that a crisis should be perceived as a unique opportunity that can help a student or a young person come to grips or understand an important life problem. As opposed to a glass half empty, successful management of a crisis requires looking at it as a glass half filled with water. This understanding is critical in successfully managing the crisis, therefore illuminating the pattern of self-defeating behavior of the student and providing strength-based skills. In this regard, LSCI is presented as an advanced and effective strategy of this paradigm to help promote understanding and change (Perry & Hambrick, 2008, pg. 34). In my opinion, the authors stress upon focusing upon the LSCI as opposed to other traditional approaches used to help troubled youth. Traditional approaches, or alternatives to the LSCI method, are explained and presented as reactive in nature and ineffective for solving youth problems. The LSCI, on the other hand, seeks to focus on understanding the facts and causes of counterproductive conflict styles. In support of the theories and principles presented by the authors is my own experience as well as broader research and reading on the subject. Several experts and scholars on the issue of ways of reclaiming young people who show patterns of self-defeating behavior are in favor of the LSCI approach as opposed to conventional approaches, which are seen as reactive. My evaluation of what the authors presented in this article is that it is exactly right and effective in especially the present-day challenging environments for youth growth and development. One of the major reasons why I am in support of the theories presented by the authors is with regard to the interventions for various patterns of self-defeating behavior common among young people and children. The LSCI process has been broken down into six stages

Career development plan part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Career development plan part 1 - Essay Example It was found that the existing sales force of â€Å"Inerclean† and â€Å"Envirotech† are comparatively different in nature. On one hand where the â€Å"Interclean† sales force are focused more on closing the deal than anything else. The â€Å"Envirotech† sales forces on the other hand, are more customers centric, constantly looking for better relation with customers. The merger between the two organizations has created a need for more sales force under its fold. Thus, after various review and consultation session a decision was taken to recruit four â€Å"outside sales representative† and â€Å"one sales manager†, in addition to the existing combined sales workforce. The purpose of this additional sales force would be to reinforce the existing sales workforce in addition of bringing the much needed innovation in the existing workforce. A recruitment and Selection process has to be undertaken for recruiting the new sales force. However, the first thing needed to be done is - â€Å"Job Analysis and Job Description† so as to help the company select the best fit sales force accordingly. After the whole â€Å"Recruitment and Selection† process is completed, a comprehensive career development plan has to be made so as to motivate the team to achieve its objectives. â€Å"Job Analysis† and consecutive â€Å"Job Description† are necessary before undertaking any â€Å"Recruitment and Selection† process. It is necessary to understand the characteristics of the candidates the organization is looking for and the type of candidates who is best fit for the job. Job Analysis may be defined as a written document of a job/ position and the corresponding duties associated with it. Various elements like Job Title, Job Details and Job Criteria are few of the elements of Job description. Job Analysis helps an organization in determining the key knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics also known as KSAOs, needed for a particular position. Job

In what Ways Can Political Risk Impact on the Operations of an Essay

In what Ways Can Political Risk Impact on the Operations of an International Company - Essay Example As in its context, political risk is described as ‘the risk of loss of assets, earning power or managerial control due to politically based events or actions by host governments’ (Daft 116). From a similar view, Sharan (2011) notes that political risk is a term used in order to show the response of international companies to ‘political scenarios developed in host countries’ (Sharan 229). The aspects of political risk that international companies are likely to face are presented and analyzed in this paper. Reference is made to a specific company, Shell, which is well established in the global market. The political risk that Shell faces in Nigeria is used as an example in order to show that the specific type of risk is inevitable for firms operating around the world. Moreover, under certain terms this risk can severely threaten organizational activities in the host country, unless appropriate measures are developed in advance. 2. Political risk as a factor inf luencing the operations of international companies The political environment of a particular country can highly affect business operations in all its industries. Foreign firms operating in this country are also likely to be influenced by changes or turbulences in the local political environment. ... Moreover, there are countries, which are most likely to face such problems, compared to others where political instability is rather low. For example, in ‘Indonesia and Sri Lanka’ (Daft and Marcic 88) social conflicts are quite common, increasing the political risk for foreign firms operating in these countries. Moreover, Aswathappa (2010) notes that political risk can affect business activities ‘in different ways’ (Aswathappa 131). For example, in the context of political risk, an international firm may have to face the following problems: ‘a) expropriation of its assets, b) barriers to repatriation of profits, c) loss of technology, d) campaigns against foreign goods’ (Aswathappa 131). The above risks are described as macro – risks, being differentiated from micro – political risks, such as: a) ‘the kidnappings of employees, the increase of taxation or terrorism’ (Aswathappa 131). Moreover, Aswathappa (2010) notes th at political risk can affect business activities ‘in different ways’ (Aswathappa 131). For example, in the context of political risk, an international firm may have to face the following problems: ‘a) expropriation of its assets, b) barriers to repatriation of profits, c) loss of technology, d) campaigns against foreign goods’ (Aswathappa 131). The above risks are described as macro – risks, being differentiated from micro – political risks, such as: a) ‘the kidnappings of employees, the increase of taxation or terrorism’ (Aswathappa 131). On the other hand, Mckellar (2010) notes that important information on the political environment of a particular country can be retrieved through the international organizations, usually non-for-profit organizations, operating within this country. In any case, political risk

Critical Thinking - Mr. Rodriguez Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical Thinking - Mr. Rodriguez - Essay Example Mr Rodriguez is succeeding because he is associating with students at both a personal and professional level. Besides, he has mastered the art of engaging students during conversation. He has also grouped the students in his class based on their capabilities. This enables him to monitor their performance daily. According to Ingleby, Joyce & Powell (2010), daily reflections of teaching boost the memories of students. Subsequently, it makes learning enjoyable by boosting the confidence of the students. Reflections program the brain to recall information, enhancing creativity in students. Mr Rodriguez uses the daily mantra by encouraging the students to recite positive statements that develop their confidence. The teacher has realized that learning should be practical apart from being theoretical. Students can understand facts when they are openly involved in the learning process. Group work taps into the potential of students in learning. According to Carl (2009), students express themselves freely when they develop a sense of belonging to a particular group. Moreover, they exude their different capabilities when made to work in groups. It enables students to access themselves. Moreover, it is easy to discover the weaknesses of students in groups as opposed to accessing them individually. The combination of different techniques helps in enhancing efficiency in learning. As noted by Rodriguez, teachers should first understand their students before coming up with a program for teaching. This is because students have different understanding. Moreover, the use of different approaches to teaching helps in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of students. Besides exit slip, teachers can use exams to access the capability of students. The test can be oral or written depending on the preference made by the teacher. Tests access the student’s level of understanding in class (Ferguson 2001). Lastly, knowing the students

Cantaloupe Description Essay Example for Free

Cantaloupe Description Essay The Cantaloupe At first glance, the cantaloupe looks round and light grayish-tan, with a hint of green. From afar it looks round and plain, about the size of a peewee soccer ball. On approach, the circular shape is less perfect with subtle dents and bumps all around. Surrounding the sphere shaped fruit are light tan lines like a dense city map with all the streets intertwining and curving around without any significant pattern, not geometric like gridlines. On the surface, there are small matchbook sized patches color the skin, some more yellow and other patches that are darker green. A particular indention looks like the fruit might have laid on a rock on the ground while it was growing. One end, where the flower might have once been, is the palest of yellow circles. On the opposite edge, the stubby vestige of a stem remains. This dried up nub is the brown and shriveled, slightly indented from the rest of the globe. Surrounding the stem is a dark circle of hunter green. Picking it up from the counter, the weight of this globular object seems significantly heavier than it looks, like a mini bowling ball. Despite the volume, it feels that the weight is not solid which is proven by the hollow sound the fruit makes when tapped, like patting a child on the head. The delineated lines feel like webbing and give the fruit a rough feel, but it’s not an uncomfortable roughness. The experience is somewhere in between a prickly cactus and a furry peach. At this point my mind starts to wander. Should I cut it open now or wait? Should I take a break? I look outside at the fat flakes of snow coming down outside and remind myself to get back to the task at hand. There is no resentment or anger. I look again at this object I have assigned myself to detail. When I am at a loss as to how to describe something in particular my mind wandering happens more frequently. I continue to focus my attention back to the cantaloupe as soon as I realize I’ve been distracted. I hold the cantaloupe to my eye. There is a faint line of brownish green that runs through the net-like lines covering the fruit. Some of the spaces between the lines look like parks because they’re darker green, while others ook grey like the concrete of a parking lot. My mind wanders again and I start to look to see if there are any recognizable maps in squiggles. I see a roundabout that reminds me of an intersection in England and another resembles the neighborhood where I grew up. The intertwining layers of the lines remind me of overgrown vines on a wall covering another layer of skin. The underneath layer has the vague look of green splotches, almost veins, like the streaks that run through blue cheese. I thump the cantaloupe again. It substitutes as a drum to make a tune. Apparently it has different thicknesses inside because the sound it makes when you knock it on the end is a higher pitch than when you rap it in the middle. One spot must be particularly thick because the sound is more substantial. Rubbing the skin makes the same sound as rubbing your hands together on a dry winter day. I try to make other noises using the produce, but intuition tells me that the only way to get another sound is to drop it on the floor. I’m not willing to do that. Before cutting into the orb, I notice a whiff of eau-de grocery store produce aisle a bit past its sell-by date. The smell isn’t strong and it’s only when I touch the fruit to my nose that I smell this. I then sniff each different area of the outer layer and notice that where the flower once might have been the smell is much stronger and sweeter. I scratch my finger nails on the rough skin, but it doesn’t affect the scent the way it would with an orange or lemon. It’s time to cut into the orb. Even as the knife makes the first gouge, clear pale orange juice escapes. I lick my fingers and find the sweet taste refreshing and different. Although the juice is the color of a Satsuma mandarin or a commercial worthy carrot, it tastes nothing like either. Slicing the melon in half, the cantaloupe now resembles a geode, with a plain outside and a brightly colored exotic inside. It’s filled with seeds and goo in the center. The slimy innards resemble the finest angel hair pasta, but instead of being the color of regular noodles, they are varying shades of orange, some even translucent. I carve out this gooey inside and the sweet smell now fills the air with its cloying tropical fermented flower mell. Friends who have been watching a movie in the other room come to see if they can have some, the smell having tempted them away from what they are doing. Ironic, because I’m no longer interested in the cantaloupe and ready to toss it into the composting bin. I send everyone away so that I can continue on. The meaty flesh isn’t too tough, nor is it too soft. I take a bite and let the flavor rush across my to ngue. The taste reminds me of summers on the farm eating the freshest fruits and vegetables straight out of the garden still warm from the sun. There’s a touch of salt in the taste, but the sweetness overpowers it. In spite the firm texture, the fruit feels soft and chewy and the volume of nectar is astounding. The tissue is softer and moister than the similar essence of a pumpkin and more compact than the inside of a fig. Squishing the orange flesh with my fingers, it all but dissolves into juice. What little remains is the finest of strings as soft as silk. I find a seed still attached, that I missed. The kernel is a flat oval with semi-pointed ends. Like a flat football with the air taken away, but miniscule in comparison. It’s almost as though the surrounding fibrous slime is dissolving in the air as I watch. I break open a seed using my fingernail. It’s soft and waxy, not much there. I take a wedge of the sliced cantaloupe and look at the difference between the skin and the edible meat. Like a rainbow, the color changes from thick rind on the outside to the orange moist, fleshy core on the inside. Like the color spectrum, the differences in shades are subtle, but quick. A yellow stratum is the most predominant, but considering the layer in question is less than an eighth of an inch thick, this golden subcutaneous layer isn’t very big. I make sure there isn’t anything I’ve overlooked and to check my notes for missing descriptive words. I’m shocked to look at the clock and see that more time has passed than I would have expected. I went several hours without checking my watch; something I can only do when I’m not bored. Learning to look beyond the obvious is something I already knew how to do. I enjoy observing people and watching facial expressions for meaning. What I’m not good at it is sitting still and holding my attention for long periods of time. Exercises like this help to train my brain to â€Å"settle own, focus, and catch up† as local monologuist Josh Kornbluth says. While I had to make a few self directed corrections along the way, I was fairly pleased that I was able to block out a significant amount of what was going on with family and friends in the other rooms and outdoors. Yes, there were a few times that my attention wandered, but I was back on track in seco nds rather than hours or days. The reward at the end was to finish a paper I was happy with and to share the small remainder of the cantaloupe with my friends while on a weekend away. Mission accomplished!