Monday, September 30, 2019

Better Work Life Balance Survey in Ncc Bank Limited Essay

This report provides an overview of different types of work-life balance initiatives that have been developed by in the financial institutions of Bangladesh. Governments are increasingly committed to reducing the social, health and business costs of work-life conflict. Several countries have adopted individual pieces of legislation or policies that address some aspect of work-life balance. These initiatives are not necessarily part of a comprehensive program or policy approach to achieve work-life balance, but these measures could be seen as one way to improve an employee’s balance between work and other responsibilities. This report shows that there is not likely to be any â€Å"one size fits all† answer to work-life balance issues. A variety of approaches are available to support work-life balance, ranging from promotional programs that emphasize the importance of balance and provide support to employers to reduce the business costs associated with work-life conflict, to legislation that supports parents with care giving responsibilities. It is clear that improving work-life balance is an important component of the policy agenda for many industrial countries, and the issue is likely to become even more important in the future. The first Work-Life Balance Survey (WLB1) was conducted by the Department for Education and Employment in 2000 to assess the extent to which employers operated work life balance practices; to see whether employees felt that existing practices met their needs; and to provide a baseline against which future surveys could be compared. Changes were made in the survey’s methodology between the first baseline study conducted by IFF and the second survey of employees (WLB2) conducted in 2003 by MORI, and fieldwork for the 3 Second survey was conducted prior to the introduction of the right to request flexible working. This report presents the results of the Third Work-Life Balance Employees’ Survey, conducted by telephone in early 2006. Work-life balance is a phrase used to describe an individual’s feelings of satisfaction with the participation in job-related activities and his or her personal life. This state is achieved when an individual feels the amount of time spent making money to provide for one’s household and advancing career goals is adequately balanced with the amount of time spent in independent and personal pursuits, such as friendships, family, spirituality, hobbies, and leisure activities. Failure to maintain work-life balance may result in significant emotional distress and reduction of productivity. In many cases, spending more time at work may actually lead to a decrease in productivity. Some individuals feel that their workplace creates too many pressures to maintain a work/life balance, and they may feel a reduction in their feelings of satisfaction and enjoyment of life. Some individuals feel as if there is not enough time for other aspects of life 1. INTRODUCTION: 1. 1. Introduction to the topic: Work-life balance is a broad concept including proper prioritizing between â€Å"work† (career and ambition) on one hand and â€Å"life† (pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development) on the other. Related, though broader, terms include â€Å"lifestyle balance† and â€Å"life balance†. In general, individuals who work more than 60 hours per week are colloquially called workaholics. The phrase â€Å"workaholic† became popular in 1971 when Wayne Oates published the book, â€Å"Confessions of a Workaholic. † The phrase â€Å"workaholic† is not a clinical term, but it is generally used to describe individuals who neglect their personal lives in favor of work- and career-related pursuits. The phrase â€Å"work-life balance† became popular as a managerial concept when employers realized that their workers demonstrated increased productivity, decreased turnover, and dedication to the company when the concept was observed and respected.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

New Respiratory Poses Potential Threat to Humans

There are a lot of new bacteria and viruses being discovered almost every day. Some of them are new strains of previous species while some are entirely new species that have yet to be studied and usually cause no harm to humans. However, when the Adenovirus, the causative agent of the common cold, which is not a lethal illness to most people, mutates into a new form and mysteriously kills a lot of people, this is a cause for alarm. In this connection, according to an article written by Associated Press and was published in Quad City Times, a mutated form of the Adenovirus has killed 10 people across the United States in last 18 months. In addition, the new form, which is called Ad14, has caused 140 illnesses in states such as Washington, Texas, Oregon, and New York. The virus was first reported last year in New York City, where it killed a 12-day old girl. Based on the article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was puzzled by the new strain of the Adenovirus, which has only more than 50 variants. However, they emphasized that there was no need to be alarmed as the mutated virus does not pose a serious threat to humans. Moreover, the CDC is also working on a vaccine for the virus which they hope to release in 2009. What fascinated me most about the article is the fact that the Adenovirus, which usually causes mild forms of sicknesses, has mutated into a new and possibly, deadly form. Being a student taking up microbiology, I believe that this discovery of a mutated variant of a virus means that it is possible for other viruses, and even bacteria to mutate into a more lethal and more dangerous form. It is possible that the virus was exposed to certain factors which altered its nutritional requirements and as a result, made it evolve like in the case of certain bacteria such as E. coli. References. Quad City Times. (November 16, 2007).   New respiratory bug has killed 10 people. Retrieved December 2, 2007, from http://qctimes.com/articles/2007/11/16//news/local/doc473e0d1de7e4d991086475.txt

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Heritage Assessment Assignment Essay

Growing up, it never was as apparent that the families and friends that you associated with shared different beliefs, were from different cultures, and were just different from you and from your family. Children do not tend to recognize such differences, but as growing adults it becomes ever apparent that being â€Å"different† and accepting these differences is just a part of life. Perhaps kids just do it without thinking about it? Heritage assessments promote understanding of another’s beliefs, traditions, health practices, as well as helping to better understand one’s own heritage. This paper will address and identify the common health traditions based on cultural heritage of three culturally different families by using the heritage assessment tool. Nice intro! Heritage assessments are very important tools in regards to evaluation of a person as a whole and targeting aspects of a person that may not be as evident or understood if not properly assessed. Attempting to assess and learn about one’s heritage is useful in determining one’s core beliefs and understanding the significance of how their heritage and culture plays a part of whom they are and what they believe. Identifying one’s heritage can assist in understanding their current cultural practices and why they may practice certain beliefs. The culture in which we are raised or in which we work greatly influences our beliefs, values, and behaviors. Assessing our individual cultural heritage is the first and most important step to identifying what may cultivate or block our communication with and care of a person from another culture (Wintz, 2009). The heritage assessment was an important tool in providing a deeper understanding of the families that were interviewed. These families appeared to be from different cultures while also having different backgrounds and beliefs. While it was apparent that these families might have some similarities, it was expected that more differences would be discovered. Comparisons of common health practices such  as health maintenance, health protection and health restoration would be assessed. These health practices assessed would be evaluated in a more complete technique, as these health practices would be assessed in the physical, mental and spiritual sense. The three families that were interviewed were the Smith family, the Scott family and the Martinez family. Health maintenance is basically the traditional beliefs and practices, such as daily health-related activities, diet, exercise, rest used to maintain health (CULTURALCARE Guide, n.d.). The three families that were assessed provided different insight to their views of health maintenance. The Smith and the Scott family viewed health maintenance in a more similar manner due to their religious beliefs being similar, as they both identified themselves as being a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). However, even though the Smith and Scott family shared similar religious beliefs, there were apparent differences in their health maintenance routines. The Smith family comes from a mixed background of Hispanic and German heritage. They are very conscientious of their physical health in regards to diet and nutrition, as they make intense efforts to exercise multipl e times a week and cook highly nutritious meals. They closely follow their church’s counsel on choosing healthy foods, avoiding alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances to the body and going to bed and arising early. On the other hand, the Scott family whose heritage is dominantly English/Caucasian does not fully observe the importance of exercise, proper nutrition and proper sleeping habits in their daily routines. They do not show a strong emphasis on exercising and often eat fast food and make unhealthy nutritional choices and tend to stay up late and sleep more than is needful, which slightly goes contrary to their church’s beliefs. However, the Scott family does choose to avoid tobacco, alcohol and other harmful substances to the body like the Smith family. The Smith and the Scott family closely identified their religious practices in the LDS church as an important staple of health maintenance, in the spiritual aspect, as both families are active in their church and attend their meetings at least once a week. While the Martinez family considers themselves somewhat religious with their Catholic beliefs, they didn’t correlate their religious beliefs with their health maintenance practices. The Martinez family does not often promote exercise in their family or  healthy nutritional habits. However, in opposition of the Scott family, the Martinez family rarely eats fast food and often prepares homemade meals. But, the Martinez family has Mexican heritage and cooking with lard and fats are a big staple in Mexican food cooking and did not consider their cooking as healthy. They considered themselves to be social drinkers and habitual tobacco users, as they were raised with these substances in their households. The aspect of health protection was more important in the Smith and Scott’s family’s health practices but was not as duly noted in the health practices observed in the Martinez family. Health protection is defined as important activities of public health that eliminate possible risk of adverse consequences to health attributable to environmental hazards (Public Health, n.d.). The Smith and Scott family closely related that by avoiding the usage of tobacco and alcohol as well as other harmful substances (drugs, etc.) this would aid in protecting their health. However, the Smith family also attributed frequent prayer and church attendance as means of protecting their health, while the Scott family did not show such correlation during the interview. The Scott’s mainly focused on the physical side of health protection, rather than the spiritual side. The Martinez Family viewed health protection in slightly different ways than the other families. They often wore crosses around their necks because they believed this offered protection to them, as the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ’s dying for mankind on the cross. They believe that Jesus Christ will protect them in their health if they have faith. They do not believe in the nutritional aspects of health protection as much as the spiritual aspects. They do believe that by observing the practice of à ¢â‚¬Å"Lent† once a year that this will aid in health protection. Therefore, the Smith and Martinez closely related health protection with their religious practices. Health restoration is defined as traditional beliefs and practices concerning the activities, such as folk remedies, modern medicine and healers, that must be used to restore health (CULTURALCARE Guide, n.d.). In regards to health restoration, the Smith family was the only family that preferred to use a trained medical doctor in the healing of their ailments, as they have great health insurance and believe strongly in the healthcare system. The Scott family focused mainly on natural remedies for healing in regards to health restoration, as these practices have been passed down from generation to  generation. The Scott family does not have health insurance. The Martinez also does not have health insurance. The Martinez family primarily focuses on the body’s own strength in healing itself and does not readil y accept modern medicines used in today’s healthcare system. The Martinez family was the only family open to the use of an exorcist when healing is not achieved, as they believed that demons could consume the body to make one sick or afflicted. The three families views of health restoration showed more differences than similarities. The traditions observed were closely related to the Martinez Family’s Mexican heritage, as they identified themselves closely with the Mexican culture and traditions. The Martinez family supports many of their culture’s traditions as it relates to their Mexican heritage. They viewed the holiday of â€Å"Dia de los Muertos† as one of their most cherished holidays, as the holiday focuses on the assembly of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The Martinez family had great respect and appreciation for their ancestors and for their Mexican heritage. However, the Smith and Scott family’s cultural beliefs were more so influenced by their religious beliefs, rather than by their diverse heritage backgrounds. The Smith and Scott Family chose Christmas and Easter as more cherished observed traditions, as the LDS church focuses on the importance of these holidays. It was apparent that the Smith family showed more inter est in their religious backgrounds and history of their religion, rather than their actual heritage. The Smith family was also a relatively â€Å"new† addition to the LDS church as their ancestors were not of the LDS faith; rather they were of the Catholic faith. However, the Scott family had ancestors that were a part of the LDS church ever since the church was first organized in 1830. However, despite the history of membership that the Scott family had, the Smith family proved to be more devout to the LDS church in every aspect of the church’s beliefs. The identification of the health traditions and practices that were observed by these families aided in my own personal cultural heritage understanding, as I could relate to each family in at least a few ways. My respect for various cultures grew and I was also more inclined to accept and have deeper respect for my own heritage and culture. I enjoyed reading your analysis of the three families you  interviewed. References: CULTURALCARE Guide. (n.d.). CULTURALCARE Guide. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_spector_cultural_7/94/24265/6211875.cw/index.html Catholic Online. (n.d.). FAQs About Lent. Easter / Lent. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/faq.php Cultural Diversity in Nursing Practice. (n.d.). Cultural Diversity in Nursing Practice. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Policy-Advocacy/Positions-and-Resolutions/ANAPositionStatements/Position-Statements-Alphabetically/prtetcldv14444.html Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Glossary of Terms. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/php-psp/ccph-cesp/glos-eng.php#h Wintz, S. (2009, July 1). Cultural & Spiritual Sensitivity . A Learning Module for Health A Learning Module for Health Care Professionals Care Professionals . Retrieved March 8, 2014, from http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/userimages/Cultural_Spiritual_Sensitivity_Learning_ %20Module%207-10-09.pdf

Friday, September 27, 2019

World Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World Geography - Essay Example It is undeniable that human beings derived numerous benefits from the study of earth’s geography through ages. Jerry and Martin (2000) agreed that geographic knowledge was instrumental or rather paramount during construction of the first world map. This first map commonly referred to as the Babylonian world map dates back to 600BC. According to Talbert and Richard (2009), invention of geography as a definite field of study would later be credited to Pythagoras, renowned for his approved claim that the earth is spherical. Subsequently, Pythagoras claim would open doors to advanced arithmetic perception of the spherical earth. From 2nd Century AD, Roman scholars employed the use of latitudes and longitudes in determining geographical difference in time. Harrison, Massey and Richards (2004) said that by the 10th Century, skilled geographers from the west could calculate with high precision the distance between various points on earth. This was the time when researchers started do cumenting detailed knowledge about the planet’s habitability. Eventually, medieval studies of the earth’s phenomena would soon pave way for western explorer like Christopher Columbus, accredited with discovery of new lands, especially America. In the early 18th Century, geography scholars struggled with the problem of longitudinal relations with time. According to James and Trapasso (2006), conflicts surrounding this problem came to a halt in 1760s when John Harrison used a chronometer and accurately acknowledged the Greenwich meridian as the reference longitude.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

CRS-x Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CRS-x - Assignment Example 26). Some companies are still making use of the traditional marketing methods which include publications, television, radio, telephones, billboards, postal services, face to face methods amongst others. Their counterparts instead make use of websites, emails, social media and video-conferencing in the same effort. It is important for any company to seriously consider its marketing strategies as these determine how effective their outcome will be in terms of winning them a satisfactory customer base. Speaking of personal interaction, new media has a major shortcoming especially when it comes to dealing with dis-satisfied customers. Take for example social media. Customers who may feel cheated after consuming a product because it did not match their expectations may chose to express their discontentment via social media channels such as Facebook, twitter or website blogs. This would adversely compromise the efforts of the company in brand building. Conversely, if a company subscribed t o the traditional approaches of marketing communication, say, the use of telephones, all that the discontented customer would have to do is to call and air their grievances while the concerned company would have retaliated by apologizing and looking for a way of appeasing the dissatisfied customer. Schultz 2009, p. 33). Again, new media lacks that human touch that goes a long way in convincing customers to purchase a product. New media is often characterized by faceless interactions although this is not always the case (Hennig 2000, p. 23). Companies that choose to make use of the given social media channels like emails, twitter and blogs need to understand that when customers are not able to emotionally and psychologically connect with the product on sale as well as the people marketing it, there is likely to be zero engagement (Egan 2008, p. 94). The management should realize that it is not about placing the said product up for marketing as much as it is about appealing to the fee lings and emotions of the consumers. Of much significance also is the question as to how companies intend to measure the attitudes and engagement levels of their customers as well as relationship outcomes. This is of importance mainly because the emerging media marketing methods do not adequately put this aspect into consideration (Mukerjee 2011, p. 88). Whereas a company may successfully measure the attitudes and behavioral data of their consumers, they may have to deal with the challenge of how to incorporate this data into their organizations. How does one tell whether the data presented there represents genuine feedback from a concerned customer, or it was the product of a joker who just happened to come by the site? Again, marketing campaigns conducted through Youtube or adverts placed within email pages may never reach the intended customer base and yet there would be no way of informing them (Garber 2007, p. 78). This might in the long run affect their ability to build their brand. Traditional marketing strategies are designed in such a way that before the company has incurred so much damage due to some of these unperceived loopholes, it will have acted on the feedback already received through the convenient means that it has offered to its customers. It would be bad to the new media strategies not to point out some of the advantages they

Design and Contemporary Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Design and Contemporary Culture - Essay Example In support of their ideologies, the authors present the case of the crisis of Victoria in British Columbia that saw the rise of teenage violence in the early 2000s. The authors explain how this violence and chaos were brought out as a social crisis in the state after years of hiding owing to the fear of tarnishing the city’s image. The authors also use other cases of youth violence and crime, as well as, the responses towards these situations, in support of their arguments regarding social construction of crises. In essence, the authors explain the role of the media in both, representing the real picture during crisis and its inability to grasp the intricacy of the truth of the crisis1. This first section of the article also explains what is to be covered in the next sections, and facilitates the comprehension of some of the ideas and concepts regarding social construction. Representation. Having introduced the story of youth violence in the first section of the article, Oâ₠¬â„¢Brien and Szeman examine the concept of representation as is relates to social construction. The term representation is defined as the social construction of meaning by use of sign systems2. ... Representation affects people’s thoughts and perceptions concerning certain events, hence its role in social construction. To, further, elucidate their ideas regarding representation, the authors also draw attention to the structuralist theories of representation, as well as, the rules of representation in social construction. As explained in the article, the structuralist theories of representation are focused on the indirect meanings of words and cultural practices, as opposed to, their direct meaning. Put simply, these theories put more emphasis on how words mean instead of what they mean4. O’Brien and Szeman provide the example of the semiotic theory in support of this, and they explain how this theory has had a major impact on culture. Essentially, the semiotics theory consists of two main elements including the langue and parole. The langue is what the authors refer to as the what the meaning is, where as the parole refers to how the meaning is presented. The lang ue is also associated with the system as a whole as existent on the abstract level, whereas, parole has been closely linked with individual utterances5. O’Brien and Szeman also discuss the rules of representation, and how their application in social construction. The authors explain the rules of representation are quite simple and they involve drawing the line between storytelling and the depiction of actual events. While these two principles may have a relation in social construction, the authors explain that the ability comprehend the role of these two elements in social construction is imperative. It provides individuals with the ability to draw out made up stories from actual realities. To support their argument, O’Brien and Szeman provide

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Air Passenger Duty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Air Passenger Duty - Research Paper Example It is expected that at the end of the paper, there shall be a definitive decision taken by the Welsh Minister on the way forward, as far as air passenger duty is concerned. 2 Background The air passenger duty could be said to be the brainchild of the Holtham Commission, which in 2010 came out with a recommendation to the Welsh Government on the need to make significant adjustments to its existing tax policies, especially those on minor taxes2. As part of the minor taxes to be considered was the air passenger duty. But since its imposition, the air passenger duty has come under intense public, academic and professional debate as to whether or not everything is being done right with the tax in terms of the allotment of duties and whether or not the air passenger duty should continue to exist at all. Currently, the air passenger duty is charged as a levy on a group of passengers tagged as chargeable passengers, using a group of aircraft tagged as chargeable aircraft from a United Kingdo m airport3. Even though the passenger may be the eventual payer of the levy, the duty is actually charged to the owner of the aircraft and thus the operator of the aircraft becomes payable to the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government does not therefore have any direct interactions with the passenger as far as the levies are concerned and it will be noted that even with the operator of the aircraft, the charge of the air passenger duty takes effect once the passenger aircraft first becomes airborne4. Currently, there are no fixed rates of duties or levies cutting across all chargeable aircrafts and for chargeable passengers. Rather, there are variations in the charges depending on the destination of the chargeable... It is worth mentioning however that the air passenger duty is currently non-devolved, meaning that not all countries within the United Kingdom are forcibly obliged to be implementers of the law. For example, it will be noted that in the Scotland and Wales, for example, the United Kingdom government is still undertaking a feasibility study to ascertain the likely effects that devolution would have on these countries; and thus the current study that is being undertaken. As part of the feasibility study and review that is taking place is the consideration on the constitutional and financial arrangements in Wales that would enhance or otherwise detract the successful implementation of the duty. It is therefore expected that by the close of the roles assigned to the commission in charge, known as the Silk Commission, there will be a clear statement on how financial accountability can be improved when the duty is brought into enforcement in Wales. Even more, the package of powers that give a constitutional right for the implementation of the duty shall adequately be considered to ensure that the provisions of the law do not conflict with any existing State legislation. It will be based on the findings that further action will be taken on the devolution of the air passenger duty. As pending is made of the final outcome of the commission’s work, it is important that discussions begin on how the air passenger duty will affect the larger Welsh economy and particularly the air transport industry.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Culture Influence of the Food Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture Influence of the Food - Assignment Example The ingredients used are leftovers of a sheep after it has been slaughtered and meat extracted. Some people would have to be drunk or drugged in order to take haggis while it remains a cultural delicacy in Scotland. Different religious groups are known to use food as an expression of their faith. Fasting is believed to improve spiritual disciple among the Christians. Muslims are also known for not eating pigs. They consider pigs to be cursed and unholy. Hindus do not eat beef. They believe that the cow is holy(Kao and Elizabeth 87). The young generation has taken fasting to whole new level. Girls are known to fast so as to maintain their perfect physique. This is part of the food culture in today’s world and cannot be ignored. Chinese are known to use chopsticks to eat their food. In some countries around the world, the main meal is taken during the day. That is at noon. However, in America the main meal of the day is taken in the evening shortly before 7 P.M. The evening meal is referred to as dinner. In Spain, the evening meal (supper) is taken around 10 P.M. Some cultures prefer their food to be spicy. E.g. the Chinese. Some will enjoy their food more if it is either bitter, sour or sweet. Some cultures will also like their food to be boiled or fried. While some cultures like eat raw food. Some cultures like the French like eating in groups and holding festivals while some cultures leg Denmark people are allowed to eat alone and eating is not considered a social activity. However, in Denmark people emphasize eating healthy while in France people are more concerned with taste (Kao and Elizabeth 56). There are also some other factors that determine food culture. For instance, sportsmen and women have been known not to eat heavily.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Discussion - Assignment Example r to determine the admissibility for tax-exempt status the purpose in the corporate charter must be established, as well as, the way the company operates. Additionally, charitable institutions are exempted from sales and income tax, as well as, Ad valorem property tax. Charitable institutions are defined as institutions that do not have the capital, shareholders or capital stock. Additionally, they dispense help or charity to people who need and to people who apply for it. Charitable institutions do not make any profits or gains in a private sense to any individual who is connected to the institution. For charitable organizations to be exempted under the federal law, the institution must be operated and organized for charitable purposes. Additionally, none of the earnings made by the organization should insure for the purposes of benefiting the individual. For an organization to be exempted from tax the net earnings may not inure to the benefit of any corporation or individual. According to section 501 (c) (3) not all income tax is exempted, for example, in case the charity gets revenue from another business that are not related to charity then they are taxable. Therefore, the lessons I have learned from this module is that charity organizations are made for the benefit of helping people and in case they operate besides their charity work then their income is taxable. Additionally, property that is owned by the federal or state governmental hospitals is exempted from tax. In the case of Provena Covenant Medical Center V Department of Revenue, the medical center applied for tax-exempt status that was based on debt-collection amounts and tactics that the hospital offered. However, the Illinois Department of Revenue denied this application. On Appeal, the Supreme Court further denied the application on tax exemption stating that the Department of Illinois was correct in denying the religious and property tax exemptions because the hospital was charging uninsured

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Philosophy of Counseling Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of Counseling Essay The purpose of the school counseling program is to guarantee academic, social, and professional success among all students. School counseling is s collaborative relationship between students, school counselors, teachers, parents, administrators, and the community. Through these partnerships, the counseling program will develop a support system to enhance student achievement and promote growth of future productive citizens. The role of the school counselor is very active. School counselors must be an assertive advocate by creating opportunities for all students to foster their dreams and achieve their goals. A dedicated counselor plays a major role in the school through research, data, collaboration, individual counseling, group counseling, career planning, and caring for the students overall well being. The school counselor serves as a leader and team member; working with parents and school personnel to make sure that each student succeeds. Human nature can be viewed as all individuals are considered equally good. People are creatures of habit and learn from their cultural upbringings and the ones around them. Now days, students deal with poverty, single-parent households, thoughts of suicide, neglect, abuse and so much more. In this complex society, it is necessary to provide learning experiences which will empower the child to overcome life challenges and set achievable goals. Goals can be reached by change. I feel an individual can change through awareness and influence. Students have to want to change and be aware that there is a need for change. The role of the professional school counselor is to support and influence the student. Change is achievable by tracking data and giving constructive feedback. The counselor will assist student in their academic, social, emotional and personal change and help to decide the best ways to successfully achieve their goals. Disaggregating data is the foundation for the school counseling program. The use of these resources will track student progress and provide evidence for growth. Data also helps the school counselor understand what is and is not working in the counseling program. If a student is not successful then we are not providing the correct interventions for that particular student. The changing needs of students, families and schools require professional school counselors who are current with new counseling programs. These programs must focus of students academic, career, and personal/ social needs. I feel as society changes that the students are setting the new goals for the counseling program. It is essential for the school counselor to foster and set realistic achievable goals for the student.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Things Fall Apart | Okonkwo

Things Fall Apart | Okonkwo Chapter 1 â€Å"He was a man of action, a man of warOn great occasions such as the funeral of a village celebrity he drank his palm-wine from his first human head.† (Page 10) This quote introduces us of to Okonkwos tradition to drink his palm-wine from a human skull. This shows us the difference between Okonkwo and Ibo. This also shows that Okonkwo admires men who are tough fighters as well. He rejected his father, a man who was afraid of the sight of blood, partially because he never became a fighter. Chapter 2 â€Å"Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.†(Page 13) The quote emphasizes that Okonkwo felt that his father was a failure. According to Okonkwo, his father possessed unsuitable feminine qualities. This is one of the fundamental causes which cause him to commit some silly acts. His actions also results in his eldest son in becoming a â€Å"failure† (in Okonkwos opinion) as well. His son possesses none of the qualities that Okonkwo admires. Chapter 3 â€Å"An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Okonkwo remembered his own father.†(Page 21) This Ibo proverb shows how much Okonkwo hates his father. He felt that he was a failure and he basically rejects everything that his father stood for. He is ashamed of his father, primarily because of his coward-like qualities, his failure to rise up in society, and his failure to become a warrior. Chapter 4 But he was not the man to go about telling his neighbors that he was in error. And so people said he had no respect for the gods of the clan. His enemies said that his good fortune had gone to his head. (Page 33) In this quote, Achebe portrays Okonkwos character. Okonkwo clearly shows a lack of thought topped by his pretentiousness. He was not a very likable person. Thus, people hated him and his achievements and was respected by very few. Later on in the novel, we also see another characteristic develop in Okonkwo hypocrisy. In those later chapters, he will reject everything he and his tribesman stand for. Chapter 5 â€Å"The Feast of the New Yam was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some had first been offered to these powers. Men and women, young and old, looked forward to the New Yam Festival because it began the season of plentythe new year.† (Page 36) When we were reading Great Expectations, we were asked to carefully analyze the food present in the novel. The food present in Things Fall Apart is as significant. Yams was the main source of food. In fact, the yams were so highly regarded in the society that they were often called the the king of the crops. Further, people utilized the yams for all traditional celebrations. This food can be linked with the religious and ancestral societal spirits. Certain celebrations such as the New Yam Festival took place to honor certain foods. Chinua Achebe used agriculture to express certain characteristics of each festival and celebration of the Igbo society. Chapter 6 â€Å"The wrestlers were now almost stillin each others grip. The muscles on their arms and their thighs and on their backs stood out and twitched It looked like an equal match.† (Page 50) Although this chapter may seem significant it actually has a very significant common idea the wrestling match. Although wrestling may seem like a brutal sport, it was an integral part of the local culture and society. Tribal customs outline what every member is supposed to do. Without customs, a culture does not exist. Moreover, wrestling matches for the Ibo village signified a boy becoming a man. The only way to prove himself worthy to be a man is to wrestle. This shows the importance of physical strength in the tribe. Chapter 7 No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man. (Page 53) Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, is a very gender-role oriented man. When women gained the power to trade, we are made aware that their status in society is progressing upwards. Trade changed basic family relations and the ideas upon which Igbo culture was established. It seems the idea that a man should â€Å"rule his women and children† does not perhaps come from Okonkwo himself, but rather from the Igbo culture itself. Overall, however, this quote symbolizes that women were looked upon as being inferior to men at the time. Chapter 8 â€Å"When did you become a shivering old woman, Okonkwo asked himself, you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.† (Page 65) The Ibo culture is very different from modern culture as shown by the novel. One clear difference between most modern societies and the Ibo society was that warfare between different clans or tribes does not occur. The Ibo culture praises manliness and parades fighters. Today, society teaches us to honor warriors who fight against other countries, rather than with regional clans. This quote shows that vast difference between the two time periods. Chapter 9 â€Å"For the first time in three nights,Okonkwo slept.He woke up oncein the middle of thenightand his mind went back to the pastthreedays without making him feel uneasy. He began to wonder why he had felt uneasy at all.† (Page 75) In this quote, we see that Okonkwo is noticing something wrong. He feels that something is simply not right, yet he cannot figure what it quite is. Later on in the novel, we will learn that â€Å"things fall apart.† This quote is an indication that something wrong will happen. This shows Achebe using foreshadowing to provide insight into what might happen next. Chapter 10 â€Å"Okonkwos wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that the secondegwugwuhad the springy walk of Okonkwo. And they might also have noticed that Okonkwo was not among the titled men and elders who sat behind the row ofegwugwu. But if they thought these things they kept them to themselves.† (Pages 89-90) This quote portrays a scene in much detail while also using humor. The thoughtful silence of the women is extremely ironic. The quote reveals the attitude of women on the topic of power. Here, the women also reveal that they posses more knowledge of reality as compared to what they wish to reveal. Therefore, Achebe seems to recognize the importance and equality of women, something which was not usually regarded in a male dominant society. Chapter 11 â€Å"Go home and sleep, said Okonkwo. ‘I shall wait here.' (Page 108) Okonkwo seems to genuinely love his family. He also seems to have genuine concern over the welfare and wellbeing of his children. In this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his concern over the safety of his family. Although some would argue that Okonkwos â€Å"iron fisted† rule clearly shows no love for his family, I would differ. Perhaps, these beatings, instead, represented the way people acted in the society at that time. Physical punishment was very common in the era. Therefore, it is possible that Okonkwo was only using the beatings as a method to teach his children discipline. Basically, Okonwo loves his family, however, he is afraid to show this quality since her fears that it might portray him as being feminine. Chapter 12 â€Å"Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not slept at all last night.† (Page 112) Chapter 12 marks the first time that Okonkwo seems to be tired. This was a quality that he detested. Achebe shows Okonkwos tiredness to conflict with his earlier beliefs. This shows Okonkwos hypocritical nature. The fact that Okonkwo broke his vow is crucial since they were the foundation of his life. This will cause problems for him further on in the novel. Chapter 13 â€Å"The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan.† (Page 124) In the second part of the novel, Achebe uses several incidents that hold back Okonkwo from the commendation of his tribesman, establishing asimilarity towards his own father. This was surprising considering his own hatred for his father. In this quote Okonkwo accidently kills the tribesmans son and then escapes from the village to hide from any punishment. This shows his cowardness, a characteristic possessed by his father. This also shows Okonkwos hypocrisy. After all, he, himself, looked down upon cowards. Chapter 14 It was like beginning life anew without the vigor and enthusiasm of youth, like learning to become left-handed in old age.(Page 131) Okonkwo, after noticing change in his society, felt difficult to go on with his life. He had to start a news chapter in his life. This quote illustrates Okonkwo as a person who seems to have lost his will to live life. Okonkwos qualitys and his goal in becoming a fighter, unlike his father, fade away and he becomes a different man. Chapter 15 Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that. You stay at home, afraid of your next-door neighbor. Even a mans motherland is strange to him nowadays. (Page 137) In this quote, Unchendu is telling Okwondo about the past. Although, the quote refers to men interacting within their classes, on a deeper level, it shows the change that has occurred within the society. People are changing and tradations are changing as well. The traditions that the people of the society want to stay the same are changing as well. This will eventually be the â€Å"things† that fall apart. Yet, all of this was expected. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Since everything was going so perfectly, something was bound to happen. Chapter 16 â€Å"The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won a handful of converts and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding areas and villages.† (Page 143) The invasion of the Europeans of Africa was expected. Achebe mentions that the missionaries were moving there. Although, I do not endorse the Europeans coming into Africa, the Europeans coming into the village illustrated a very interesting idea the clashing of cultures. Their invasion of the villages illustrated how the traditional values of the Umuofia society could be so easily changed by this modern theology. This gives everyone a chance to think for themselves, rather than simply following what was traditionally thought of to be right. It gave the people a choice. This choice was taken by Nwoye who made his own path in life. Chapter 17 Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.(Page 153) This quote is metaphor for a very important idea. This comes after Nwoyesrejection of traditional Igbo values and conversion to Christianity. Nwoye, the oldest son of Okonkwo, is lazy and weak (according to Okonkwo). This quote emphasizes the realization of Okonkwo that his behavior leaves powerlessness in others, especially his son. Okonkwo believes the Nwoye and his father posses the same weakness. Chapter 18 In the land of his fathers where men were bold and warlike. In these seven years he would have climbed to the utmost heights. And so regretted everyday of his exile (p.163). This excerpt also emphasizes Okonkwos desire for power and status. During his exile, Okonkwo got in touch with the feminine side inside him. Okonkwo is a man who loves courage and Umuofia was full of men who fit that description. It seems that Okonkwo will go back to Umuodia and everything will have changed. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Nothing has â€Å"fallen apart,† yet so something is bound to happen. This idea shows that Achebe, like Charles Dickens, too, uses the idea of foreshadowing. Chapter 19 I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice. (Page 167) This quote is told by an elder to Okwondo. Kinship and connections, which have been crucial parts of the Ibo culture, seem to â€Å"fall apart† as the novel progresses. This quote sparks questions in my mind. Was there any fragmentation amongst the Ibo people from colonization? The Ibo people gathered for wrestling matches and other festivities. Okonkwo clashes with his culture very often. Chapter 20 â€Å"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.† (Page 176) Obierika mourns over the white man coming to Africa. However, at the same time, he believes that it is the Africans fault for letting the white man come. Mr. Brown, the first white missionary, believes that it is necessary to act peacefully in order to convert people. When Reverend Smith replaces him, he goes against the indigenous tribes and treats them badly. Chapter 21 He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women† (Page 183) Okonkwo wanted that the ideology of his clan should survive. The society to have several violent attributes. By giving into the Christians, Umuofia broke up and fell apart and turned as â€Å"soft as women.† I believed that Okonkwo did not pay the consequences because he killed the messenger. Okonkwo had killed others before. Okonkwo died because he did it for himself and the beliefs of the clan.The quote above not only shows Okonkwos dismay at the fall of the clan, but also his hatred of feminine qualities, a controversial topic in the novel. Chapter 22 He saw things as black and white.And black was evil.He saw the world as a battlefield in whichthe children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness. (Page 184) Mr. Smith speaks against the god Baal. Many struggles against Baal have been mentioned in the Bible. This shows Achebes criticism of racism. Achebe criticizes the â€Å"black and white† idea. Most racism is based on stories rather than any practical events. Therefore, this view has modified reality, something which Achebe seems to be very against. Chapter 23 â€Å"For the first time in many years Okonkwohad a feeling that was akin to happiness. The times which had altered so unaccountably during his exile seemed to be coming round again. The clan which had turned false on him appeared to be making amends.† (Page 192) This quote symbolizes a change, something which has happened very rarely in the novel. The status of the clan remains somewhat the same in various portions of the novel. However, at this time, the tribe is prosperous which is unlike the norm. However, this happiness will not last for long. After all, the novel has to live up to its expectations which are clearly revealed in the novel something must fall apart. This indicates that perhaps the tribe will disintegrate in the last few chapters. This might lead to a drastic turn in the novel. Chapter 24 â€Å"He knew that that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape† (Page 205). Okonkwos suicide meant more than his own tragedy. It symbolized the finish of his society and all the values that prevailed. I think he killed himself because he felt there was no more hope in believing that his tribe would survive and defend itself. Okonkwo tried to represent that everything his tribe wanted. If the tribe wasnt going to survive with the way people were growing up, then he wanted to die too. If the societys life was going to be taken, his was going to be taken too. Chapter 25 â€Å"He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought:The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.† (Page 209) This quote indicates the racist attitude that the District Commissioner has towards the local tribes. He is a pompous man who thinks he understands the indigenous culture and tribes, while he clearly does not. While he feels that he is bringing peace to the region, he is clearly doing nothing of the sort. He also seems to be very shallow. He makes remarks on â€Å"love of superfluous words† of the villagers. In this, he mocks the language of the villagers.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Chinese Students Attitude Towards the Giant Panda: A Study

Chinese Students Attitude Towards the Giant Panda: A Study Introduction People have been attracted by specific species (Goedeke, 2004). Regarding these specific species, Kellert (1996) analyzes that humans tend to be attracted to the species which has a large body and is able to walk, run, or fly. The giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca is one of the most famous among those attractive species (Lorimer 2007). The giant panda is a member of the Ursidae family and occurs in only three provinces in China (Reid and Gong 1999). The species is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List with the estimated population of no more than 1600 individuals (IUCN 2009). In China, which is home to the giant panda, people express their willingness to pay (WTP) for the giant panda conservation, which is enough to conclude that this charismatic species is able to acquire their habitat (Kontoleon and Swanson 2003). In contrast to this economic point of view, Yang (2005) refers to the fact that little is known about Chinese peoples perception of the giant panda, although several studies have been made on the general attitudes towards wildlife. Therefore, she studies the attitude of the public in China towards the giant panda. She analyzes the relationship between the attitudes of Chinese people towards the giant panda and the image of the species in the media, and concludes that the general attitude in China is likely to be associated with the symbolic and domestic value rather than ecological-scientific value. This corresponds with general Chinese attitudes towards wildlife and the image of the giant panda constructed by the media (Yang 2005). However, s ince this conclusion is drawn based on the literature review, it may not reflect peoples actual attitudes. Thus, this attitude still needs to be studied. This research aims to explore Chinese students attitude towards the giant panda by semi- structured. This report consists of three sections. First, the research methods are presented including participant, the development of interview, questions, procedures, and an analysis. In the second section, the results from an analysis of the students attitude are described. The final section of this paper discusses the insights of main finding and several limitations of this interview survey for further research. Methodology Participant Ten Chinese students at the University of Kent were interviewed for this study. The interview sample was composed of two male and eight female students, and of two undergraduate and eight postgraduate students. The students majors were classified as follows: Conservation and Tourism, International Commercial Law, Human Resource Management, Accounting and Financial Management, European Culture and Language, International Business Management, and English Literature. The respondents were recruited through personal contact with one Taiwanese and three Chinese students. The interviewer informed about the purpose, topic, structure, and length of the interview in advance to confirm participation (Sarantakos 2005). After a student agrees those conditions, the time and place for the interview was arranged. The development of idea for interview questions and procedures In order to standardize interview guides, a pilot survey was conducted at an initial stage (Newing in press). This pilot survey on November 1st through the skype revealed that the interview was difficult to answer and analyze owing to specific questions, thus, a half of questions were changed to improve the interview. The actual interview survey, approximately 25 minutes for each interview, was conducted from November 3rd to 20th. The first interview was conducted with a student who has knowledge about the giant pandas to test modified questions and to develop the background of questions; hence, an unstructured interview was carried out at this time. In the second interview, the interviewee who was not familiar with the topic was chosen to confirm whether all questions in the interview were not difficult to answer for all interviewees. Since the student seemed uncomfortable to talk about an unfamiliar topic, the place was rearranged. In addition, in an effort to reduce uncomfortable constraints on the student, the interview was not recorded. Therefore, further interviews were recorded by note-taking to conduct in the same way as this second interview. Based on these first two interviews, the further questions and procedures of the interview were standardized. Questions This interview consists of six questions (see Appendix). The first question aimed to be a relatively easy question to talk about (Robson 2002; Newing in press). The second question was related to the first question, so that it was able to lead the interviewees to main topic of the interview. This question was one of main questions of this interview as well as the third, fourth, and fifth question. These questions were set to understand Chinese students attitudes towards the giant panda. The final question was not directly related to the subject and it was supposed to be a simple question as a cool-off question. However, it was found at the development stage of this interview that this sixth question invited the further discussion about the relationship between the giant panda and Chinese people. Therefore, the question was kept in each interview. Procedures This interview survey followed the procedure described by Robson (2002:277); Introduction, warm-up, main body of interview, cool-off, and closure. In the introduction stage, interviewers and the students were introduced each other, and talked about their own courses at University of Kent as warm-up. During the interview, it is weighted to elicit information to maximize the advantage of a semi-structured interview. Therefore, the depth of answer was varied between the questions and the answerers. It is also important to note that the interview was often stopped to clarify what the interviewee meant or answered. In some cases, it was confirmed at cool-off stage or after the interview by exchanging e-mail. Analysis During the data collection, the interviewer tried to record annotations, memos, coding (Newing in press). At an initial stage of an analysis, the coding procedure was conducted followed the instruction described by Newing (in press: 218). As top codes, several values from Kellerts nine values (1996) (see Table 1) were employed as predefined codes. For sub-codes, the detailed information related to the defined top codes was identified. At next stage, the procedure suggested by Sarantakos (2005) was taken to develop from open-coding to the concept. However, the coding procedure for this interview description was not sufficient for axial, selective coding since top codes used at open-coding stage and core category were similar with each other. Result All Chinese students showed their favourable attitudes towards the giant panda. It is likely that the species has a special meaning for Chinese students, and a good illustration of this is the answer that if the giant panda becomes extinct, it is going to be chaos, I mean panic feeling. As in Yangs study (2005), the symbolic value seemed to play the important role in determining the attitudes towards giant pandas. However, unlike Yangs study (2005), the other five values, utilitarian, ecologistic-scientific, humanistic, moralistic, and negativistic values, are also the important factors on individual attitudes. In contrast to above values, three of nine values, naturalistic, aesthetic, and domestic value, were difficult to detect during the interview. The reasons for this are (1) in order to obtain information for understanding of Chinese students naturalistic and aesthetic value, the follow up questions about students experiences and view of nature should have been asked during the interview. However, these questions would carry us far away from the purpose of this paper, (2) the domestic value of the giant panda was hardly discussed throughout the survey, although Yang (2005) suggests that this value is also one dominant value in Chinese people attitudes towards the giant panda. From these two reasons, the detailed findings about only utilitarian, ecologistic-scientific, symbolic, humanistic, moralistic, and negativistic values will be described in following subsection. Utilitarian value Students indicated two types of answers regarding this value; for ecotourism and for diplomatic relations. Concerning ecotourism, some students mentioned that they would like to have giant pandas in their towns to attract tourists. This concept can be seen in the answer the giant panda bring the money to our town. Moreover, a student illustrated the species as money when asked to choose one word for the giant panda. It was also mentioned that tourism for the giant panda is a benefit for the development of local villages by opening the road for the facilities, developing transportation service, and providing employment opportunities. The second type of answer was using the giant panda for diplomatic relations. Several words such as the tool for diplomatic/international exchange, gift for foreign countries, and the advertisement for China were used when interviewees explained the relationship between Chinese people and the giant panda. Ecologistic-scientific value All Chinese students showed their ecological knowledge about the giant panda, and their knowledge is supplied by environmental education, education in primary and middle school, media, and books. All respondents mentioned that the giant panda is endemic to China, thus, it is important to protect the species. One interviewee continued to say we treat them as a treasure. It was also mentioned that the species requires specific diet and habitat to survive. Not all but most of Chinese students imply the population of the giant panda in wild was not stable and mentioned captive breeding to conserve the species. Moreover, two students expressed their concern about over-attention to the giant panda status in China. For instance, one student insisted that the giant panda was just a bear with the knowledge about the classification of the species and the rate of extinction for other species in the world. Their knowledge comes from various sources from formal education to movies. However two st udents did not remember how they learned about the giant panda since it was common sense for them. Symbolic value It is noteworthy that all Chinese students in this research described that the giant panda represents China with remarkably similar words such as symbol of China, stand for China, pride of China and image of China. Three possible explanations for this answers were identified from interviewees answers; (1) the giant panda only occurs in China, (2) the species represents Chinese people, for instance, one student chose the word modest for the giant panda, and this student referred to that the national animal represents the own culture and personality. Other student answered identity to explain the relationship between Chinese people and the giant panda. (3) In the Chinese mythology, it is assumed that Chinese people are children of the giant panda, which is told by one interviewee. It seems reasonable to suppose that the giant panda has the high symbolic value as national animal on the grounds that all students defined the species as the symbol of China. Humanistic value Interviewee tended to see giant pandas from an anthropomorphic view. Chinese students showed the feeling of love and strong attachment for this species. All students described the panda as cute at least once in the interview. Students illustrated this species by the words lovely, warm-hearted, animal of love, friendly, funny, honest and modest. In addition, their strong attachments for the giant panda can be seen the phrases such as everyone cannot help falling love with Panda, all Chinese like panda, all people like panda, he brings a lot of happiness, I know them from my childhood, [so I will feel pity if they become extinct], and the panda has special meaning for us. Moralistic value Interviewees showed their concern about the giant panda. Of those who refused to have the species in their towns, all stated that they do not let the giant panda put in the difficult situation for survival because of unfavourable habitat. Furthermore, a specific question about the extinction of the giant panda was asked to explore students attitudes towards the moralistic value. To this question, all interviewees indicated their concerns about the dying out of the giant panda. Two students stated that the giant panda should not become extinct owing to its intrinsic value as one species, as can be seen in the answer they belong to the earth. Although these two students expressed their moralistic concern, the major reason for the other students might not be moralistic. The major reason why eight students opposed the extinction of the giant panda was the fact that the giant panda is an endemic species and the national animal. Negativistic value The ecological feature of the giant panda was the key to understand the negativistic value towards the species. Nine of ten Chinese students did not show their fear of the giant pandas. Some of them chose the word for or the image of the species such as friendship, friendly, warm, close to people, and community. When they were asked the reason for using those words, they explained that the giant panda eat only bamboo, never attack people, stay at mountains, and do not compete with people for food resource. Based on these characteristic of the giant panda, nine students seemed not to express their fear. On the other hand, one student mentioned that giant pandas attack people when they get furious. Discussion and conclusion This study set out to explore Chinese students attitudes towards the giant panda and its result showed that generally students have strong favourable attitudes. It was also shown that the major values contributing to their attitudes were utilitarian, naturalistic, ecologistic-scientific, symbolic, humanistic, and moralistic. The most significant value among ten Chinese students at University of Kent was the symbolic value of the giant panda, which correspond with the Yangs study (2005). There may be two reasons behind this answer; the anthropomorphic view towards the giant panda throughout history and the fact that the species is endemic to China. Regarding the anthropomorphic view, some students answer that the species represents Chinese personality. The other explanation is that the species is an ancestor of Chinese people in the mythology. These two explanations demonstrate that the anthropomorphic attitudes to the giant panda may lead to consider the species as the symbol of China. This anthropomorphism for the giant panda can be also seen in the humanistic value. In addition to an anthropomorphic view, the fact that the giant panda is endemic species in China can be the main factor of being the symbol of China. Students showed their understanding of the uniqueness of the giant panda such as habitat preference or specialist diet with their ecological knowledge, as described in the ecologistic-scientific value. Therefore, it could be assumed that the ecological f eatures of the giant panda can be also one of major factors for identifying the symbol of China. These two reasons provide more depth of the Chinese attitudes towards the giant panda than literature review conducted by Yang (2005). As she suggests, this study also found that the symbolic value plays the key role in determining the attitudes towards the giant panda, and that few students indicated the influence of the media. However, the behind of this attitudes, there are several factors, which related to the anthropomorphic view in their culture including the mythology, and the ecological knowledge from school education about giant pandas, according to this interview survey. Moreover, it should be also noted that students revealed contradiction statements towards the giant panda. While interviewees showed their emotional attachment for the species, they also mentioned the use of the species as an attraction of tourist and the tool for the diplomatic relation. In this research, it is difficult to discuss this inconsistent stance of the students because of the lack of information. More information on following points would help to establish a greater degree of accuracy on this matter; (1) the relevance of nine basic values towards the giant pandas to test whether the symbolic value is the most significant determinant, (2) the influential agencies, such as the media or school, to construct peoples attitudes towards this species, or (3) further investigation of the contradictory attitudes towards the giant panda. However, for further research, it should be considered following difficulties this research faced. Firstly, at the design stage, sampling method and questions should be changed. This research did not used random sampling, thus, it might cause sampling bias. Concerning questions, although the main six questions were designed to be neutral and to avoid using simple and direct questions (Newing in press), follow-up questions which was improvisational question could cause error, bias or leading the answer. Thus, it is essential to conduct more pilot intervi ews until the interviewer become able to create proper follow-up questions during the interview. Secondly, at the interview stage, interviewers skill was not ideal. Several errors might be included to some extent in this interview, such as recording error, instruction error, or leniency effect (Sarantakos 2005) which might cause students inconsistent statement. Finally, at the analysis stage, to understand more depth of Chinese students attitudes, an analysis of the detailed information and a coding of the data should be more sufficient at the interview stage (Newing in press; Pole and Lampard 2002). In this research, an analysis of the interview during data collection with annotations, memo, and coding was not sufficient for the in-depth analysis. In addition, the top codes used for the data sorting should be well-defined in the context of the answer. Even though the previous study used the same codes for an analysis of attitude survey, the coding followed previous survey might be subjective rather than objective. In conclusion, returning to the aim posed at the beginning of this paper, it is now possible to state that ten Chinese students at University of Kent generally have favourable attitudes towards the giant panda. Although the symbolic value as the symbol of China plays the key role in the students attitudes, it should be noted that the factors behind their answers are more various and complicated than the previous study described. Literature Cited Goedeke, T.L. 2004. In the eye of the beholder: Changing social perceptions of the Florida manatee. Society Animals 12: 99-116. IUCN (The International Union for Conservation and Nature and Natural Resources). 2009. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Ailuropoda melanoleuca. Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/712/0/full [Accessed: 28th November 2009]. Kellert, S.R. 1996. The value of life: Biological diversity and human society. Island Press, Washington, DC. Kontoleon, A. and T. Swanson. 2003. The willingness to pay for property rights for the giant panda: Can a charismatic species be an instrument for Nature Conservation? Land Economics 79: 483-499. Lorimer, J. 2007. Nonhuman charisma. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 25: 911-932. Newing, H. In press. Conducting Research in Conservation: A Social Science Perspective. Routledge, London. Pole, C. and R. Lampard. 2002. Practical Social Investigation: Qualitative and quantitative methods in Social Research. Parsonal Education, London. Reid, D. and J. Gong. 1999. Giant panda conservation action plan. Pages 241-254 in C. Servheen, S. Herrero and B. Peyton, editors. Bears. Status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Bear and Polar Bear Specialist Groups, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Robson, C. 2002. Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers (Regional surveys of the world). 2nd edn, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford. Sarantakos, S. 2005. Social Research. 3rd edn, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Yang, L. 2005. Biosocial reciprocity in environmental communication: A study of giant panda conservation communication in China. MSc thesis, Texas AM University, US.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Dukes of T-Town :: essays research papers

Dukes of T-Town   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Yo, Balls, that sheriff is following you pretty close, how drunk are you?† Chris asked me just before I looked in my rearview mirror to see if anyone was following us. I saw that a sheriff was about two city blocks behind us. Looking at my speedometer to check my speed and sure enough, I was speeding. We were going 51 in a 45 so I slowed down to give him one less reason to pull us over. All we wanted to do was get home safely without any tickets for a DUI or minor having Consumed (MHC), and my turn was just up ahead. When I got in the turning lane, I saw the sheriff take a quick turn behind me on a road that would lead to county road 116 that goes straight to the county 127 which I was turning on. So with some quick thinking we turned onto county 127 and then took an immediate right that led to another dirt road that couldn’t be seen by the sheriff.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’m gonna ditch this fucking pig,† I said, as I turned off the lights in the Subaru that I had borrowed from my blind grandma. I was now trying to drive â€Å"blind† on a dirt road, and to make matters worse I was going about 65 mph. We hit big potholes; the shoulder, along with most of the road, was washboard. The road was hard enough to drive on straight while sober, let alone drunk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Holy shit this is fun as hell! Hey, Balls, that was one bad-ass party don’ cha’ think?† I hear Brionne yell as I slam on my breaks to shop behind a tree on a bend in the road so that we were not visible from any road. The three of us watched with our breath held as the sheriff shined his spotlight all around, but it never made it to us. We were too far away and hidden much too well. Then he hit his other spotlights on top of his truck and they made it to about 50 yards out in front of us, but still he can’t see us. During all this time, we could hear the fleas jumping off Chris’ nuts. Not a word was spoken, even when the lights went off and the truck pulled away.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Still we were silent and still careful not to make any quick movements; half from fear of the sheriff and half from the fear of rolling into the narrow dry ditch that the car was now teetering on.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Social Concerns in the Romantic Period :: essays research papers

In the Romantic period, many authors make references to different social concerns. This enabled the authors to hint towards different concerns in their writing, but not come directly out and state their concerns. Three great examples of authors like this include: William Blake, Robert Burns, and Anna Laetitia Barbauld. Each of these authors had unique concerns that they were able to get across in their own way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blake wrote two poems with entitled â€Å"Chimney Sweeper.† One version was found in his ‘Songs of Innocence’ and the other was found in ‘Songs of Experience.’ Although the first was told with a child almost in mind, and the second was told in a darker, colder point-of-view, they both contain the same concern. This concern is having very young children working as chimney sweepers. Blake talks about how you boys are almost forced into this career   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"When my mother died I was very young,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  And my father sold me while yet my tongue,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Could scarcely cry â€Å"’weep! ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So your chimney’s I sweep and in soot I sleep† This was a horrible was to live, yet hundreds and hundreds of little children do this work on a daily basis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another author that alluded to social concerns in his writing is Robert Burns. His poem, â€Å"To a Mouse† makes references to different classes and the effects of social order on them. The poem tells a simple story of a mouse who builds a house to with-hold winter, only to have it knocked down by a man with his plow. Now although its house is gone, the mouse doesn’t seem horribly bothered by it. In the more complex story, the mouse represents the lower class, and the former with the plow represents the upper class. To the lower class material possessions do not surround their life as they do in the lives of the upper class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gong aft a-gley,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An’ lea’ us naught but grief an’ pain,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For promised Joy.† Burns starts out life in the lower class, but due to the high success of his poems he ends up more in the middle class. This poem is a way for him to show how he feels life was better when he was in the lower class, because he didn’t have to worry about the things he worries about in the upper middle class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Barbauld tried to get across some of the responsibilities of women in the nineteenth century through her poem, ‘Washing-Day.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Hispanic Community

Based on the United States (U. S. ) Census Bureau in 2011, there were roughly 52 million Hispanics living in the nation, which represented about 16. 7% of the total population (Zepeda, 2011). People of Hispanic origin are the nation's largest ethnic minority group (Zepeda, 2011). Arizona's Hispanic population grew faster than other groups over the past decade (Zepeda, 2011). Arizona had nearly 1. 9 million Hispanic residents as of April 2010, an increase of 46% over the previous decade (Zepeda, 2011). By tradition, the Hispanic family is dependent on one another and possesses the most important social unit (Zepeda, 2011).In the Hispanic culture, it is customary to be morally responsible for other family members and help them in their time of need when they are experiencing financial problems, unemployment, poor health conditions, and other life issues (Zedpeda, 2011). Respect for the elderly and authority is a major point of teaching as well as preserving the Spanish language within the family (Zepeda, 2011). The Hispanic population have low rates of educational attainment, family income, insurance coverage, and a higher rate of poverty compared to non-Hispanic Whites (â€Å"Summary health statistics†, 2012).Value/Belief Pattern The Hispanic community is predominately Catholic (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ). Hispanics consider health to be â€Å"a gift from God and should not be taken for granted† (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. , para. 1). Illness prevention is practiced through prayer, wearing religious medals or amulets, and by keeping certain home artifacts (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ). They are present-oriented and thus may fail to seek preventive care (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ). They may arrive late or not go to appointments (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ).Their culture emphasizes family interdependence over independence (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ) . In times of illness, they depend on family and friends for assistance as opposed to social workers. (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d). Health Perception/Management Pattern The Hispanic culture emphasizes wellness rather than illness and holistic ideologies pertaining to health (Young, 2001). Decisions to seek medical assistance and treatment are often based upon cost, which frequently results in utilizing a licensed physician as a last resort (Young, 2001). They mostly rely on home treatments and community healers (Young, 2001).Many barriers exist for Hispanics to obtain high quality healthcare, including lack of insurance, socioeconomic status, language, and communication challenges. The most frequent minority health issues in Tucson, Arizona are heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and HIV/AIDS. The top three leading causes of Hispanic deaths in Arizona are from cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and cancer (ADHS, 2009). Nutrition/Metabolic Pattern The H ispanic population has a low intake of vitamins A, D, E, B2, B6, folic acid, and minerals (Ortega, Lopez, & Serra, 2004).According to a 2009 report on emergency food distribution in the U. S. , Hispanic children had a higher rate of food assistance (29%) compared to Whites (11%) (Feeding America, 2010). The obesity rate among Hispanics in Arizona (33. 1%) is disproportionately high and exceeds the national Hispanic obesity average of 30. 6%. The three sources of water supply in Tucson are groundwater, Colorado River water, and recycled water . Specific foods and drinks like beverages, caffeine/energy drinks, carbonated beverages, whole fat milk, sport drinks, fried food and fruit/vegetable drinks are prohibited in school campuses.Elimination Pattern (Environmental Health Concerns) Hispanics are environmentally friendly. According to research, Latino Americans (Hispanics) â€Å"are the greenest population in the U. S. † (Arsian, 2011, para. 1) as they tend to look for greener products for their daily use. Many environmental issues affect Hispanics. Research shows that Hispanic children of low-income families are â€Å"more likely to live in unsafe areas with poor street environments† (Zhu & Lee, 2008, p. 282). In 2009, Hispanics had the second highest percentage of those residing in inadequate housing (CDC, 2011).In 2006, about 25% of Hispanics resided in counties that exceeded fine particulate matter standards for air – representing the highest percentage of any ethnic group (CDC, 2011). Activity/Exercise Pattern Hispanics have a low physical activity level which has contributed to their elevated obesity rate (Lee & Laffrey, 2008). In a survey, over 67% of Hispanics did not exercise at least 150 minutes per week as national guidelines recommend (Bautista, Reininger, Gay, Barroso, & McCormick, 2011). More men than women and more single individuals than married individuals exercise (Lee & Laffrey, 2008).The three most preferred methods of ex ercise are walking/running, stretching and resistance activities, and aerobics (Lee & Laffrey, 2008). Sleep/Rest Pattern Research shows that Hispanics are at greater risk for reduced sleep hours and sleep disorders like apnea (Loredo et al. , 2010). Tucson’s Children’s Assessment of Sleep Apnea Study compared Hispanic and Caucasian children residing in Tucson, Arizona. Hispanics were found to have a 3% increase of sleep disorders compared to Caucasians of the same age group residing within the same geopolitical area (Quan, Goodwin, Babar, Kaemingk, & Morgan, 2003).A hypothesis for differences is unclear; it is possible that socioeconomic variables with the ability to speak limited English may have had a reflection on this study (Quan, Goodwin, Babar, Kaemingk, & Morgan, 2003). Cognitive/Perceptual Pattern Disparity exists among the Hispanic population in Tucson, which is growing into a majority status while lagging in educational attainment (Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, n. d. ). Low educational attainment is linked to low earning power and poverty.Educational and social deficits in perception/cognition may be based on the inability for many Hispanic residents to effectively assimilate to Western society. This is a border community in which many residents continue to reside in Mexico while maintaining a home in Tucson. This appears to decrease acculturation, education, and communication by minimizing the use of English as a second language. Self-Perception/Self-Concept Pattern Hispanics usually place a great importance on their look and appearance as it is viewed as a sense of honor, dignity, and pride (Zepeda, 2011).They prefer to dress formally for church attendance, parties, and other social gatherings, but recently jeans and tennis shoes are becoming more popular among the women (Zepeda, 2011). Another cultural habit is that they are flexible about time when attending social events – they tend to be less punctual than other popu lations in the nation (Zepeda, 2011). Lastly, Hispanics are shy about public speaking because of their heavy accent (Zepeda, 2011). Role/Relationship Pattern The Hispanic family usually lives as an extended family, playing an important role in the life of each family member (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n.  d. ).They place family needs ahead of their own (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n. d. ). Children are taught to be respectful of authority, the elderly, and of members of the extended family (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n. d. ). Most often the father is the head of the family and the mother has responsibilities for the home (Zepeda, 2011). They also believe in order to succeed and advance in life, a child or individual needs the whole family’s support (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n. d).Sexuality/Reproductive Pattern Hispanics have one of the highest birth rates in the United States – y et they face prenatal health care disparities that predispose them to pregnancy related complications (Jarvis, 2012). Hispanic women are not as likely to receive family planning services (Martinez, Chandra, Febo-Vazquez, & Mosher, 2013). In Southern Arizona, they have the highest birth, teen pregnancy, abortion, and birth to unwed mother rates (â€Å"Abortions†, 2013; AZDHS, 2011). They were also the highest user of the state’s Medicaid program to pay for births (AZDHS, 2011).Coping/Stress Pattern Violent crime is up 16. 6% compared to 2011 and crime over all is up 15. 6% compared to the previous year. Tucson’s poverty rates remained among the nation’s highest last year, with 1 in 5 living below the poverty threshold. Between October 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013 there were 22,161 incoming communications to the Child Abuse Hotline that met the criteria for a report of abuse or neglect. Compared to one year ago there has been an 8. 3 % increase in reports rec eived by the CPS Hotline.Statistics have shown that there are approximately 25,043 marijuana users, 10,967 prescription drug and 4,103 cocaine addicts, 1,862 abusing hallucinogens, 1,046 people that use inhalants, and 232 heroin addicts. About 145 people will die from alcohol and 29 lives will be lost to illicit drug use. Conclusion The Hispanic population of Southwestern Arizona has increased exponentially in the last decade. Hispanics in the Tucson area take great pride in their cultural heritage. They are family and spiritually oriented.They take pride in their appearance and honor family by caring for one another in time of need. Several factors facilitating unhealthy lifestyle habits were identified for this community. One hypothesis is relative to the geographical area of Tucson, Arizona. Being a border community could cause resistance to acculturation and assimilation of mainstream society. â€Å"Hispanics residing in U. S border communities tend to be less acculturated and have higher poverty rates† (Ghaddar, Brown, Paggan, & Diaz, 2010, p. 191). Poverty rates in the Tucson area remained among the highest in the nation for 2012.Socioeconomic disparities, lack of educational attainment, and communication challenges compounded by lack of access to affordable health care have left this community with many opportunities for community intervention and health care promotion. Specific areas of concern are unplanned pregnancies, nutritional deficiencies with a disproportionately high rate of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Additional health care preventative programs assimilated to the unique needs of this population will assist to provide improved health outcomes for a community in need.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Benefits of LED Lights Vs CFL Essay

While the most walking spaces discourse regarding energy efficiency revolves around highly visible feature like solar panel, other efficiency technologies have the potential to reduce the amount of energy consumption significantly in walking space. With organizations such as Saudi Aramco where employees walk, jog, the ride bike and other different activities, the use of energy conservation can have meaningful environmental and monetary impacts. This report aims to provide Saudi Aramco’s board useful information about new technologies for energy and cost saving by making improvements to their Golf course. This report offers a starting point for considering energy efficiency improvements in the organization’s environment. It has been projected that electricity for lighting consumes around 20% of the world’s power station’s production. Introducing energy efficient lighting to all our lighting needs will dramatically reduce the overall consumption of worldwide energy. Any small changes in our lighting use will produce substantial energy savings in the end. The high-energy use can be addressed by using cleaner energy sources, such as solar panels, and by using light sources that require less energy and produce the same levels of lighting. This report will propose an efficient lighting project to reduce the energy consumption of the lights used to illuminate the walkway around the Dhahran Golf Course. Background The Walkway around the Dhahran Golf course is approximately 5.6 kilometers long. The walkway is used daily by Saudi Aramco employees to walk, jog, bike and other different activities. Most of this walkway’s use happens at night, after working hours, meaning that it needs to be well lit for the employees use. Currently, Compact Fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs that are fixed to poles all around the walkway illuminate the sidewalk. CFL light bulbs are considered to be more efficient than traditional Incandescent Light bulbs, having a service life of approximately 8000 hours compared to a maximum 1,000 hours  for Incandescent light bulbs. This longer service life results in fewer light bulb replacements, but more efficient technologies exist. For the Dhahran Golf Course walkway efficient lighting project, the team proposed the use of three innovative energy reducing technologies. The three techniques are, Light Emitting Diodes (LED), solar panels to power the LED’s, and a special material that uses energy gathered during the day to glow in dark. A brief summary of each technology will be given to better understand its use can contribute to providing more efficient lighting for the walkway. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) LED light bulbs emit light through the use of a semiconductor that releases light energy when an electrical current is passed through it.  This way of producing light differs from CFL light bulbs, which pass energy through mercury vapor to generate UV light, which is then enthralled by a  phosphor covering inside the lamp, causing it to glow. LED light bulbs have been in existence for some time now but were very expensive compared to Incandescent and CFL light bulbs. Over the last couple of years LED light bulb prices have dropped significantly, making them a more economically viable solution, especially when considering their very long service times. The table below details the differences between CFL and LED light bulbs. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Compact Fluorescents (CFLs) Life Span (average)   50,000 hours 8,000 hours Watts of electricity used   6 – 8 watts 13-15 watts (Equivalent to 60 watt bulb).   Annual Operating Cost  Ã‚  Ã‚   $32.85/year $76.65/year Contains the TOXIC Mercury   NO. Yes-Mercury is highly toxic to your health and environment Carbon Dioxide Emissions 451 pounds/year 1051 pounds/year Sensitivity to low temperatures None Yes  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ may not work under-23  ºC or over 49  ºC Sensitive to humidity No Yes On/off Cycling  (Switching on/off quickly) No Effect Yes  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ can reduce the lifespan drastically Turns on instantly Sure No  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ takes time to warm up Stability Highly Stable  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ LEDs can handle jarring and bumping Not highly stable  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ glass can break easily Heath Emitted 3.4 btu’s/hour 30 btu’s/hour Failure Modes   Not typical Yes. May catch fire As depicted from the above table using LEDs for lighting make both economic and environmental sense. Solar panels Solar panels are used to produce energy by converting sunlight directly into electricity. The electricity generated by solar panels is stored in batteries for later use. Just like LEDs, the costs of solar panels the past several years have been dropping, making them more economical. They have also become more efficient in converting a higher percentage of the light captured into electricity. Glow in the Dark Paint/Stones Consists of a luminescent material and synthetic resins that get excited by being exposed to daylight or a light source giving it an afterglow that initially is very radiant, then slowly dissipates as time passes by. This material provides a soft glowing light that only needs the sunlight during the day for it to produce light at night. This material can provide 10 hours of burning when exposed to only 2 hours of daily sunshine with a Luminescence Life of up to 20 years. Methodology First the team obtained data set from the Saudi Aramco accounting department which contained a listing of cost energy spent. The data set also provided estimated energy use in lighting in Saudi Aramco. From here, the team was able to filter the data only for lighting around the Dhahran Golf course. With this data set, the group generated summary statistic to find distribution for energy consumption (mmBTUs). The purpose of defining statistical use was to estimate energy consumption for the Golf course as well as understanding the range of the golf course. Next, the team then evaluated different technologies to gain energy saving potential. An early obstacle the team faced was how to estimate the impact of each technology on various places in the Golf course. To find a solution for this issue, the team conducted case studies and independent research to evaluate the other technologies. The team performed a systematic analysis of each of the techniques named above. Each technology was eluted based on: cost estimate for the project, difficulty of installation, a percentage expected efficiency gains, estimated payback periods and consistency of paybacks. Results The figure that follows represents the consumption of energy (from 2013). Discussion A case study analysis of the literatures suggested that the combination of all the technologies had a greater benefit-cost ratio than one and net present values hence indicating the benefits of energy saving brought by the technique. To prevent the high rise of energy consumption as suggested by the figure above, ultrasonic and infrared technology would be of greater benefit. These methods detect sound, heat, and motion, hence more efficient in spaces where people move more efficient. A more inventive technology such as this would increase the energy saving potential, but also may be unattractive to administration who have less control as to when the lights turn off in particular spaces. Despite their advantages, they remain much more costly to purchase than alternative lighting types. Inspiration This proposed design was first constructed by Daan Roosegaarde, a scene night painter, who developed a bycle path in Nueener, East of Eindhoven forming a part of the Van gogh cycle through Noord-Brabant in Netherlands. According to Roosegaarde, this proposed technology is â€Å"more gentle to the eye and surrounding environment† compared to other existing technologies (De zeen magazine, 2014, par 4). Recommendation and plan of action The solution I am proposing is a combination of the three technologies explained, LED lighting, Solar panels, and glow in the dark materials. First all the CFL lighting should be removed. CFL bulbs have a much shorter service life and have higher energy requirements. Due to the long-life and very low energy use, LED lights will be used instead. The LED lights will be powered by the proposed solar panels, making the solution self-reliant with no need to connect to the electrical power grid. In addition to the LED lights, the glowing material/paint that is placed on the walkway itself, will utilize the sunlight during the day to provide a glowing light at nighttime. With this combined solution, we will realize the following benefits: Lower energy cost (no need to connect to the electrical grid) Environmentally friendly solution Self-reliant, all power is from the sunlight Eliminate the need for CFL that contain hazardous mercury Lower maintenance cost: Less frequent bulb replacement, due to LED long service life and durability. Energy efficiency avails an incredible opportunity for positive local, national and international impact. While organizations save money, the organization strain on the electrical system is relaxed, hence lowering of the global pollutant emission. Whatever the motivation, energy efficiency should be viewed as an opportunity to upgrade organizations. Saudi Aramco is encouraged to use this report as a supplemental resource in their decision process. After reading through the report, Saudi Aramco is heartening to learn further details about energy efficiency technologies of their interest. Reference Benefits of LED Lights Vs CFLs retrieved from: http://lifx.co/lighting101/advantages/led-vs-cfl/Comparison Chart: LED Lights vs. Incandescent Light Bulbs vs. CFLs. Retrieved from: http://www.designrecycleinc.com/led%20comp%20chart.htmlDe zeen magazine (2014). Daan Roosegaarde’s glowing Van gogh cycle path to open in the Netherlands. Retrieved from: http://www.dezeen.com/2014/11/12/daan-roosegaarde-van-gogh-bicycle-path-glowing-patterns-nuenen-netherlands/Pacific lamp Wholesale. Retrieved from: http://paclamp.com/news/light-bulb-moment-how-lighting-became-efficient-over-yearsPath V. G. Glowing lines Smart Highway. Retrieved from: https://www.studioroosegaarde.net/project/van-gogh-path/The History of the Light Bulb: http://energy.gov/articles/history-light-bulb Source document

Sunday, September 15, 2019

How does Steinbeck create tension in Section 5? Essay

Steinbeck creates tension in Section 5 through sound and emotion. While Lennie was in the barn minding his own business, panicking about killing the puppy, Curley’s wife entered. _†She came very quietly so that Lennie didn’t see her†_ this makes the reader feel worried as to why she came in so soundlessly, and question to if she is up to something. When Lennie and her get into a conversation, she begins to grow very angry at Lennie as he mentions that he isn’t allowed to talk to her because of orders he had been given, and when her emotion does suddenly turn to this, it makes you feel sorry for Lennie, and the tension builds as the reader doesn’t know how much she will lash out. It is very well described that whenever the clang of horseshoes from outside the barn from the other men playing a game, the entire barn goes silent. No matter what conversation Lennie and Curley’s wife are having, they instantly go quiet. This separates the reader and character from the barn to make them acknowledge the outside world. Curleys wife soon comes to know that Lennie likes feeling textures, and so tells him to stroke her hair for it is very soft†¦ This makes the reader worry as to previous knowledge of Lennie and the girl in weed. When Curleys wife starts to get angry as he is messing up her hair, he panics and holds on tighter. _†Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on†_ This makes the reader feel sorry for Curleys wife as most people know how painful it is when someone pulls on your hair, also the fact Lennie is very strong. _†She struggled violently under his hands† â€Å"Her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie has broken her neck†_ When the reader realises she is dead it causes them to worry for not only Curleys wife but for Lennie as he didn’t kill her intentionally and he could get into a lot of trouble for it. _†For the first time, Lennie became conscious of the outside†_ this shows how  terrified Lennie really is as he is always in his own little world and it is clearly shown throughout the book that he never takes notice of what others are doing and only what he wants to do†¦ When he remembers what George told him about hiding in the bush if he gets in trouble, it makes the reader hope he has a chance and that George will remember to go and find him there. The way Steinbeck uses description also causes a lot of tension for the reader. _†It was very quiet in the barn†_ as Curley’s wife is dead it blends in with the atmosphere of what has happened. When candy and George are talking in the barn and have realised what has happened, it is all very tense then as well as the reader is so desperate to know what is going to happen. â€Å"Outside the noise of the game stopped. There was a rise of voices in question, a drum of running fee and the men burst into the barn.† During the time of all the men being in the barn, George was quite quiet, he never usually is. Usually he is cursing and being moody, this shows the readers he is worried and not feeling his usual self. â€Å"I’m gonna shoot the guns outta that big bastard myself† Knowing that lots of men want to kill Lennie creates a lot of tension as the reader doesn’t know whether they will be able to or not†¦ In conclusion, Steinbeck uses emotions and sounds to create the tension made in Section 5.