Bethoven and Joseph Haydn's relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bethoven and Joseph Haydn's relationship - Essay Example Their relationship is said to have become sour and started to decline due to Haydn’s insistence that Beethoven mentions him as his student in one of his composition. Beethoven had a temper and was impatient and this only added to declining their relationship even further than it already was. The success of Haydn’s musical career became a source of envy for Beethoven. All in all, Haydn taught Beethoven very greatly and he contributed greatly to the success of Beethoven’s musical career despite their constant fall out. His constant absence also taught Beethoven to be independent and be confident of his own compositions based on the lessons he had and was receiving from Haydn. In spite of the sour relationship between the student and the tutor, they maintained a cordial relationship and Beethoven also kept in touch with his tutor way after he had stopped becoming his student and it continued that way till Haydn passed away. Haydn also admired his student’s determination and success and was proud of what he had achieved under the numerous tutors including him (Schindler and MacArdle,

Action Potential Essay Example for Free

Action Potential Essay What opens first in response to a threshold stimulus? Voltage Gated (activation gates) Na+ channels open and Na+ diffuses in the cytoplasm What characterizes depolarization, 1st phase of action potential? Membrane changes from a negative value to a positive value What characterizes repolarization, 2nd phase of action potential? Once the membrane depolarizes to a peak value of 30+, it repolarizes to to its negative resting value of -70 What event triggers the generation of an action potential? The membrane potential must depolarize from the resting voltage of -70 mV to a threshold value of -55 mV. ( This is the minimum value required to open enough voltage-gated Na+ channels so that depolarization is irreversible.) What is the first change to occur in response to a threshold stimulus? Voltage-gated Na+ channels change shape, and their activation gates open Resting State All gated Na+ and K+ channels are closed Step 2 Depolarization; Na+ Channels Open During the depolarization phase of the action potential, open Na+ channels allow Na+ ions to diffuse into the cell. This inward movement of positive charge makes the membrane potential more positive (less negative). The depolarization phase is a positive feedback cycle where open Na+ channels cause depolarization, which in turn causes more voltage-gated Na+ channels to open. Step 3 Repolarization; Na+ channels are inactivating and K+ Channels Open Step 4 Hyperpolarization; Some K+ channels remain open and Na+ channels reset How many gates/states do voltage gated Na+ channels have? two gates and three states Closed Na+ at the resting state, no Na+ enters the cell through them Opened Na+ opened by depolariztion, allowing Na+ to enter the cell Inactivated channels automatically blocked by inactivation gates soon after they open How many gates/states do voltage gated K+ channels have? one gate, two states Closed K+ at the resting state, no K+ leaves Opened K+ at depolarization, after delay, allowing K+ to leave Why is an action potential self-generating? depolarizing currents established by the influx of Na+ flow down the axon and trigger an action potential at the next segment The Na+ diffusing into the axon during the first phase of the action potential creates a depolarizing current that brings the next segment, or node, of the axon to threshold. Why does regeneration of the action potential occur in one direction, rather than in two directions? The inactivation gates of voltage-gated Na+ channels close in the node, or segment, that has just fired an action potential At the peak of the depolarization phase of the action potential, the inactivation gates close. Thus, the voltage-gated Na+ channels become absolutely refractory to another depolarizing stimulus. What changes occur to voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels at the peak of depolarization? Inactivation gates of voltage-gated Na+ channels close, while activation gates of voltage-gated K+ channels open Closing of voltage-gated channels is time dependent. Typically, the inactivation gates of voltage-gated Na+ channels close about a millisecond after the activation gates open. At the same time, the activation gates of voltage-gated K+ channels open. What marks the end of the depolarization phase? As voltage-gated Na+ channels begin to inactivate, the membrane potential stops becoming more positive This marks the end of the depolarization phase of the action potential. Then, as voltage-gated K+ channels open, K+ ions rush out of the neuron, following their electrochemical gradient. This exit of positively-charged ions causes the interior of the cell to become more negative, repolarizing the membrane. The repolarization phase of the action potential, where voltage becomes more negative after the +30mV peak, is caused primarily by __________. The opening of voltage-gated K+ channels allows K+ ions to exit the cell, repolarizing the membrane. In other words, the exit of K+ ions makes the membrane potential more negative. K+ also exits through leakage channels during this phase because leakage channels are always active. However, most of the membrane permeability to K+ during this phase is due to voltage-gated channels. Voltage-gated K+ channels make the action potential more brief than it would otherwise be if only leakage channels were available to repolarize the membrane. During an action potential, hyperpolarization beyond (more negative to) the resting membrane potential is primarily due to __________. The large number of voltage-gated K+ channels opening during the repolarization phase quickly makes the membrane potential more negative as positively-charged K+ ions leave the cell. K+ ions continue to leave through open channels as the membrane potential passes (becomes more negative than) the resting potential. This hyperpolarization phase of the action potential is therefore due to K+ ions diffusing through voltage-gated K+ channels. The membrane potential remains more negative than the resting potential until voltage-gated K+ channels close. This period of hyperpolarization is important in relieving voltage-gated Na+ channels from inactivation, readying them for another action potential. During the hyperpolarization phase of the action potential, when the membrane potential is more negative than the resting membrane potential, what happens to voltage-gated ion channels? Voltage-gated K+ channels are opened by depolarization. This means that as the membrane potential repolarizes and then hyperpolarizes, these K+ channels close. With the closing of voltage-gated K+ channels, the membrane potential returns to the resting membrane potential via leakage channel activity. Resetting voltage-gated Na+ channels to the closed (but not inactivated) state prepares them for the next action potential. During the hyperpolarization phase of the action potential, voltage eventually returns to the resting membrane potential. What processes are primarily responsible for this return to the resting membrane potential? Voltage-gated K+ channels close. K+ and Na+ diffuse through leakage channels.

Sam Walton :: essays research papers

Sam Walton a small-town merchant who had operated a variety of stores in Arkansas and Missouri, Walton was convinced that consumers would flock to a discount store with a wide array of merchandise and friendly service. When Sam Walton opened his first Wal-Mart Store in 1962, it marked the beginning of an American success story that no one could have predicted. Wal-Mart is a place where prices are low and value and customer service are high every day. Because Wal-Mart carefully controls expenses to maintain its low price structure, customers do not have to wait for a sale to realize savings. Sam Walton had no idea his business would take off like it has. Today, years after his death, the company is still growing steadily. He never thought that his little $25,000 investment in a retail store would be a huge success, but Walton had an idea that no one had ever thought of. This would be the thought that would not only change his life, but the lives of millions of customers as well. The creator of K-mart Said he fabricated up the idea that if he offered well-know brands and sold them around 15% cheaper than other retailers, then this would make them a powerful source in the retail business, and little did the creator of K-mart knew Walton was right. Regarded by many as the entrepreneur of the century, Walton had a reputation for caring about his customers, his employees and the community. Walton proved to be a visionary leader and was known for his ability to quickly learn from his competitors' successes and failures. In fact, the creator of Kmart once claimed that Walton "not only copied our concepts, he strengthened them. Sam just took the ball and ran with it". In the 70’s and 80’s K-mart wasn’t going into towns that had a population lower than 50,000 people, so Walton decided that he would put his stores in small towns that all the major retailers were ignoring. As Walton stated, â€Å"When people want to simplify the Wal-Mart story that’s usually how they sum up the secret of our success, â€Å"Oh, they went into small towns when nobody else would.†Ã¢â‚¬  Walton realized early on that he couldn’t build stores in just large cities like his competitors. So realizing this, he built his stores around his distribution centers and warehouses, in which each store was no more than a days drive away.

Fashions Influence Essay

Fashion is a popular thing for a period of time. It keeps changing and developing. Fashion and trend are very similar however fashion is almost always related with the way people dress. Trends are related more with technology and such. When asked the question ‘What is fashion?’ globally known model, icon and business woman Claudia Schiffer replies with ‘It’s become synonymous with clothing but ultimately fashion is anything popular in a culture at any given time.’ The same question was asked to Pulitzer prize winning fashion writer Robin Givhan and she replies with ‘For me, fashion is the way we choose to present ourselves in the public square. It captures whether or not we choose to be on the trend, but also addresses those people who have a belligerence towards fashion and are very stern in the announcing of their lack of interest in the subject.’ see more:why fashion is important Also head of the iconic Prada fashion conglomerate, Miuccia Prada, says one element of fashion is so simple it’s often overlooked: ‘Fashion is the ï ¬ rst step out of poverty. You have nothing and then you put something on. It is one of the ï ¬ rst things you do to elevate yourself. Why are people scandalized by spending money on clothes? Everybody is so passionate about this, there’s a resistance to fashion, an idea that to love fashion is to be stupid. Clothes are very intimate. When you get dressed, you are making public your idea about yourself, and I think that embarrasses people.’ The common idea here is that fashion is a way of self-expression. Fashion is very important because it is mean of self-expression, enabling us to say something important to the world about who we are, what we want and about whom we want to be. The clothes we wear say things about us whether we want it or not. It addresses to the human need to belong, to identify ourselves with a group of others like us. It can be a lifestyle, a religion, a profession, or an attitude. For example there are terms in society, which refers to a particular group of profession and their stereotyped clothing such as white-collar worker. A white-collar worker is someone who performs managerial, professional or administrative work. Typically they work in office or cubicles. And then there are blue-collar workers whose job requires manual labor. Clothes show a lot about us, maybe even more than we think. There are prejudices and stereotypes about them, which are usually true since stereotypes are there for a reason. Fashion and trends also show our socio economic level. For example if one is wearing a $15000 suit with a Rolex on his arm you would automatically assume he is someone important. There are some indicators for this in the eyes of society; in this case it was the watch he was wearing. One of the biggest indicators is the phone he is using. Especially in our country there are millions of people who barely afford feeding their kids but they buy phones that are worth 4 months of their salary. Fashion and trends are important in the eyes of people since others form a profile of us at first sight. First impression is really important and these are what makes other people think you are some kind of a ‘big shot’. Some companies abuse this need of self-expression. Once fashion was movie stars and models wearing haute couture on glossy magazine covers. People saved money and shopped once or twice a year for high-quality clothes that could be worn for many seasons. However in todays world fashion is changing very fast and it is cheap thanks to retail brands such as H&M, Zara. Fashion is more accessible than ever. But is it a good thing? Researches show otherwise. The average price of clothing has dropped vastly in the past decades and cheap clothing is branded such that it is no longer seen as a lack of fashion. Rather it is called ‘street fashion’. However the demand raises everyday and this created a huge waste. For example US writer Elizabeth Cline says: ‘Then one day came the epiphany. In a supermarket sale, I ended up buying seven pairs of identical canvas flats marked down from $15 to $7.’ She also explains perfectly how this ruins the whole fashion=a mean of self-expression thing: ‘Buying so much clothing, and treating it as if it is disposable, is putting a huge toll on the environment and is simply unsustainable,† she writes. What’s more, cheap clothing destroys our relationship with our self-image. Fashion should be flexible and reflect personal taste. But global chains are trying to reduce risk by selling the same carefully packaged trends. These trends â€Å"are repeated on the racks of virtually every retailer, making our store-bought looks feel homogenous and generic.’ There was a time when the concept of fashion was only in the occasions.  Teenagers today care a lot about fashion. Maybe more than what should be. Fashion reflects a lot in the school students. The bags they carry, the watches they wear and such. Teenagers seem to be more in to fashion than the adults. In the old times fashion was something for the upper class but as mentioned above now it is not the case. Class doesn’t matter in any way for becoming fashionable. Nowadays being fashion conscious makes you popular among your friends an also boosts your self-confidence. Especially teens are so concerned with fashion that they do not spend enough time doing productive stuff; instead they read fashion magazines. In the past teens went out with their parents in the weekends. Nowadays they go out with their friends and most favorable place to go out is a shopping mall since they can do a lot of shopping there apart from having actual fun. Again in the past children used to dream becoming a scientist, an astronaut, a doctor, an engineer but the priority changed for the teenager of today’s world. Most of them desire being in the glamour world. They find fashion world better than any other profession. In fact one that is not fashion conscious these days don’t get much attention. One who appears trendy in the first appearance takes away all the light. The reason of this is mainly peer pressure. Many teens are concerned about trends in an effort to dodge a possible humiliation and mocking from the peers. Poor fashion choices are often a reason for mockery. Teens today feel the need of being a part of a group and the easiest way to do so is to match their clothing code. Fashion becomes an essential accessory for a teenager’s popularity. Referring to a survey of 47 people asking whether they think importance of fashion and trends to teens is excessive or not 36 of them answered by saying that it is excessive. This causes problems such as less time spent on beneficiary work and more time spent on keeping up with the trends. Also since fashion became cheaper and more accessible a vast amount of waste comes with it. In conclusion fashion and trends are extremely important for teens even though it should not be. As said by the famous designer Yves Saint-Laurent: ‘Fashions fade, style is eternal.’ SOURCES: Pru, Laura. ‘Pressure on teens to wear fashionable clothes’ eHow LaGrave, Katherine. ‘Fashion: Why is it important?’ Huffington Post 06/04/2012 Shah, Vika. ‘The role of fashion in human culture’ Thought Economics 09/15/2012 Meetehariyani, ‘The importance of style and fashion’ StudyMode March 2012 Aeysha, Mona. ‘The Effect of Fashion on Teenagers in School’ Self Growth Peacock, John. ‘Fashion since 1900 : the complete sourcebook’ London, Thames&Hudson 2007: Priny Seeling, Charlotte. ‘Fashion: The Century of the designer 1900-1969’ Cologne,Germany Kà ¶nemann 2000: Print

Human Nature in The Great Gatsby Essay

Human nature refers to the general psychological characteristics, feelings, and behavioral traits of humankind, regarded as shared by all humans. F. Scott Fitzgerald with the use of selection of detail, selective diction, and imagery, portrays both condescending and bona fide aspects of human nature. Death brings denial, memories, remorse, and perspective. To Nick Carraway, who is utterly incredulous and lachrymose over Gatsby’s death, the passing-away of a dear friend is a period of reflection. Denial is the most prominent psychological aspect following one’s death. â€Å"Gatsby’s house was still empty when I left. Fitzgerald implies that Nick is waiting upon Gatsby’s return — the return to normalcy. But the period of stagnation lingers and Nick continues to reminisce on the past. Fitzgerald invokes imagery by appealing to the five senses. Nick is trying to relive the condition of Gatsby’s infamous house parties by spending his Saturday nights in New York. The â€Å"gleaming, dazzling parties† draw out the visuals of a celebratory scene. The â€Å"music and the laughter, faint and incessant† excites the aural senses and characterizes the mood of the party. Nick begins to notice the most dismissive and discreet details. He acknowledges the length of the Gatsby’s unmanaged lawn as compared to his, in which he posed little to no interest prior to the death. Juxtaposing his brief observation is one far more conspicuous. â€Å" One of the taxi drivers in the village never took a fare fast the entrance gate without stopping for a minute and pointing inside†¦perhaps he had made a story about it all his own. † Nick takes to mind the change in attitude and persona of those who were acquaintances of Gatsby. His death brings a cessation to lively parties and expansive gifts. Therefore, they who once lauded and idolized Gatsby, act as if one has never heard of him. The cruel and selfish face of human nature proves to be nothing less than pathetic. Nick concludes Gatsby’s story by paying attention to the green light and reminiscing Gatsby’s extraordinary spirit and pursuit to come as far as he did. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter –– to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther†¦so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. † Gatsby’s spirit and passion will continue on in those who remember him most.

The Laws and Governmental Structure of Iran

The Laws and Governmental Structure of Iran In the spring of 1979, Irans Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was ousted from power and the exiled Shia cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to take control of a new form of government in this ancient land in what has become known as the Iranian Revolution in 1979. On April 1, 1979, the Kingdom of Iran became the Islamic Republic of Iran after a national referendum. The new theocratic government structure was complex  and included a mixture of elected and unelected officials. Who is who in Irans government? How does this government function? The Supreme Leader At the apex of Irans government stands the  Supreme Leader. As head of state, he has broad powers, including command of the armed forces, appointment of the head of the judiciary and of half of the Guardian Councils members, and confirmation of presidential election results. However, the Supreme Leaders power is not entirely unchecked. He is selected by the Assembly of Experts, and could even be recalled by them (although this has never actually happened.) So far, Iran has had two Supreme Leaders: the Ayatollah Khomeini, 1979-1989, and the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 1989-present. The Guardian Council One of the most powerful forces in Irans government is the Guardian Council, which consists of twelve top Shia clerics. Six of the council members are appointed by the Supreme Leader, while the remaining six are nominated by the judiciary and then approved by the parliament. The Guardian Council has the power to veto any bill passed by parliament if it is judged inconsistent with the Iranian Constitution or with Islamic law. All bills must be approved by the council before they become law. Another important function of the Guardian Council is the approval of potential presidential candidates. The highly conservative council generally blocks most reformists and all women from running. The Assembly of Experts Unlike the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council, the Assembly of Experts is directly elected by the people of Iran. The assembly has 86 members, all clerics, who are elected for eight-year terms. Candidates for the assembly are vetted by the Guardian Council. The Assembly of Experts is responsible for appointing the Supreme Leader and supervising his performance. In theory, the assembly could even remove a Supreme Leader from office. Officially based in Qom, Irans holiest city, the assembly often actually meets in Tehran or Mashhad. The President Under the Iranian Constitution, the President is head of the government. He is charged with implementing the constitution  and managing domestic policy. However, the Supreme Leader controls the armed forces and makes major security and foreign policy decisions, so the power of the presidency is rather sharply curtailed. The president is elected directly by the people of Iran for a four-year term. He can serve no more than two consecutive terms  but can be elected again after a break. That is to say, for example, that a single politician could be elected in 2005, 2009, not in 2013, but then again in 2017. The Guardian Council vets all potential presidential candidates and usually rejects most reformers and all women. The Majlis - Iran's Parliament Irans unicameral parliament, called the Majlis, has 290 members. (The name literally means place of sitting in Arabic.) Members are directly elected every four years, but again the Guardian Council vets all candidates. The Majlis writes and votes on bills. Before any law is enacted, however, it must be approved by the Guardian Council. Parliament also approves the national budget and ratifies international treaties. In addition, the Majlis has the authority to impeach the president or cabinet members. The Expediency Council Created in 1988, the Expediency Council is supposed to resolve conflicts over legislation between the Majlis and the Guardian Council. The Expediency Council is considered an advisory board for the Supreme Leader, who appoints its 20-30 members from among both religious and political circles. Members serve for five years  and may be reappointed indefinitely. The Cabinet The President of Iran nominates the 24 members of the Cabinet  or Council of Ministers. Parliament then approves or rejects the appointments; it also has the ability to impeach the ministers. The first vice-president chairs the cabinet. Individual ministers are responsible for specific topics such as Commerce, Education, Justice, and Petroleum Supervision. The Judiciary The Iranian judiciary ensures that all laws passed by the Majlis conform with Islamic law (sharia)  and that the law is enforced according to the principles of sharia. The judiciary also selects six of the twelve members of the Guardian Council, who then must be approved by the Majlis. (The other six are appointed by the Supreme Leader.) The Supreme Leader also appoints the Head of the Judiciary, who selects the Chief Supreme Court Justice and the Chief Public Prosecutor. There are several different types of lower courts, including public courts for ordinary criminal and civil cases; revolutionary courts, for national security matters (decided without provision for appeal); and the Special Clerical Court, which acts independently in matters of alleged crimes by clerics, and is overseen personally by the Supreme Leader. The Armed Forces A final piece of the Iranian governmental puzzle is the Armed Forces. Iran has a regular army, air force, and navy, plus the Revolutionary Guard Corps (or Sepah), which is in charge of internal security. The regular armed forces include approximately 800,000 troops total in all branches. The Revolutionary Guard has an estimated 125,000 troops, plus control over the Basij militia, which has members in every town in Iran. Although the exact number of Basij is unknown, it is probably between 400,000 and several million. The Supreme Leader is Commander-in-Chief of the military  and appoints all top commanders. Due to its intricate set of checks and balances, the Iranian government can get bogged down in times of crisis. It includes a volatile mix of elected and appointed career politicians and Shia clerics, from ultra-conservative to reformist. Altogether, Irans leadership is a fascinating case study in hybrid government - and the only functioning theocratic government on Earth today.

Individualized Education Programs That Support Self Esteem

Individualized Education Programs That Support Self Esteem Self-esteem has fallen from the pinnacle of academic and scientific practice.  There is not necessarily a direct link between self-esteem and academic success. Resilience is getting a great deal of attention because the culture of coddling children for fear of injuring their self-esteem often discourages them from risk-taking, which has been shown to be related to success in school and life. Still, children with disabilities do need some extra attention paid to activities that will build their ability to take those risks, whether we call that resilience or self-esteem.   Self Esteem and Writing Positive Goals for IEPs The IEP, or Individualized Education Program- the document that defines the students special education program- should attend to ways in which instruction is mediated and success is measured that will enhance a childs self-confidence and lead to further success.   Certainly, these activities need to reinforce the kind of academic behavior you want, while at the same time pairing the childs sense of self-worth to success in school activities. If you are writing an IEP to ensure that your students will be successful, you will want to make sure that your goals are based on the students past performance and that they are stated positively. Goals and statements must be relevant to the students needs. Start slowly, choosing only a couple of behaviors at a time to change. Be sure to involve the student, this enables him/her to take responsibility and be accountable for his/her own modifications. Be sure to provide some time to enable the student to track and or graph his/her successes. Accommodations to Develop and Enhance Self-Esteem: Academic expectations will be reduced to ensure success. Be very specific about the exact curricular expectations that will be omitted or modified. Recognize and reward quality performance.Student strengths will be highlighted by recording and sharing evidence of growth.Honest and appropriate feedback will occur on a regular basis.Opportunities for the student to demonstrate strengths will be maximized as often as is possible. This could include, oral presentation and opportunities for the child to share his responses as long as the child is ready and can be successful.The student will be encouraged to become involved in extracurricular activities that support his/her interests and strengths.The student will use a form of personal expression which will include teacher response/feedback through a journal, one to one, or computer entries. Goal-Writing Tips Write goals that can be measured, be specific as to the duration or the circumstance under which the goal will be implemented and use specific time slots when possible. Remember, once the IEP is written, it is imperative that the student is taught the goals and fully understands what the expectations are. Provide him/her with tracking devices, students need to be accountable for their own changes.

Visas de turista, trabajo y estudio solo para mexicanos

Visas de turista, trabajo y estudio solo para mexicanos Obviamente, los  mexicanos pueden obtener todas las visas americanas disponibles para todo e mundo. Adems, tienen visas disponibles solo para esos nacionales para visitar, trabajar y estudiar. Todas esas ventajas afectan a visas no inmigrantes. Por el contrario, en las visas de inmigrantes para obtener la green card los mexicanos resultan perjudicados. En este artà ­culo se explican por un lado, los  caminos abiertos a mexicanos con  ms facilidades y, por otro,  tambià ©n los caminos cerrados. Visas de turista para los mexicanos Los mexicanos pueden obtener las visas de turista y de negocios conocidas como B1/B2 que aplican a todos los extranjeros. Pero adems, si viven en la zona fronteriza con Estados Unidos, pueden solicitar si asà ­ lo prefieren una visa lser  que tambià ©n se conoce como tarjeta de cruce. Hay que tener claro que las lser son muy cà ³modas para cruzar la frontera de una manera rpida. Pero tienen importantes limitaciones que las distinguen de las visa que se sellan en el pasaporte. Por ejemplo, con una visa lser la estancia en Estados Unidos no puede ser superior a 30 dà ­as. Adems, est limitada la entrada a 25 millas a contar desde la frontera. Con la excepcià ³n de ciertos puertos fronterizos como Nogales o Douglas que permiten internarse en el interior de EEUU hasta 75 millas. Adems, es muy importante saber que sà ³lo se pueden utilizar en puestos aduaneros terrestres. No sirven para viajar a Estados Unidos por barco o avià ³n. Por à ºltimo, estas visas tambià ©n las pueden solicitar los extranjeros que residen legalmente en Mà ©xico y tienen su domicilio en la zona fronteriza. Visas de trabajo para mexicanos Adems de las visas de trabajo disponibles para todos los extranjeros, existen visados que sà ³lo aplican a los mexicanos o a un grupo limitado de nacionales de ciertos paà ­ses entre los que se encuentra Mà ©xico. Los profesionales pueden acceder a una visa TN, creada al amparo del Tratado de Libre Comercio de Norteamà ©rica (NAFTA). Tienen una tramitacià ³n especial y pueden beneficiar a un amplio abanico de profesiones que se encuentran listadas en Apà ©ndice 1603.D.1 y que son estas 60. Para poder solicitarla, es preciso tener una oferta de trabajo a tiempo completo o parcial. Est expresamente prohibido el autoempleo. Adems, existen visas no inmigrantes para trabajar temporalmente en Estados Unidos a las que pueden acceder los nacionales de ciertos paà ­ses, entre ellos los mexicanos, que de hecho son la nacionalidad con ms visas aprobadas en las categorà ­as H-2A y H2-B. Por ejemplo, las H-2B  sirven  trabajar en una gran variedad de empleos, muchos de ellos en el sector turà ­stico y que no requieren de estudios superiores. Para esta categorà ­a se pueden ofertar un mximo de 66.000 mil visas por aà ±o fiscal. Generalmente se conceden por un aà ±o, pudià ©ndose extender hasta un mximo de tres. Adems, estn las H-2A para trabajar en el sector de la agricultura. El cà ³nyuge y los hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os de una persona a la que se le dà © esta visa pueden viajar con à ©l o con ella a Estados Unidos, si bien tienen prohibido trabajar mientras dure su estancia. Pero lo hijos podrn estudiar en las escuelas americanas. Este es un listado de ms de 60 reclutadores mexicanos de trabajadores temporeros para trabajar en Estados Unidos. Diferentes a las visas de trabajo son las de inversià ³n, pero permiten trabajar en la empresa que se crea. Los mexicanos pueden acceder a las E-1 para empresas de import/export y a las E-2, donde hay que tener claro desde el principio cà ³mo entender el monto de capital que se debe invertir.   Las visas de inversià ³n E-1 y E-2 pueden ser disfrutadas, adems, por ciudadanos de otros paà ­ses, pero no de todos. Visas para estudiar en Estados Unidos Adems de las tà ­picas F-1 y M-1, los mexicanos y los canadienses que viven a lo largo de sus respectivas fronteras con Estados Unidos pueden estudiar en este paà ­s con una visa F-3. Esas visas son atractivas pero tambià ©n tienen inconvenientes, como por ejemplo que sà ³lo se pueden utilizar para estudiar en escuelas y universidades que estn a un mximo de 75 millas de la frontera. Cà ³mo acelerar el paso por el control migratorio de Estados Unidos Los mexicanos pueden formar parte de programas que permiten un pase ms rpido por el control de las autoridades de Inmigracià ³n de los Estados Unidos.   Para las fronteras terrestres y marà ­timas, se puede utilizar SENTRI, mientras que para ingresar a USA por un aeropuerto el programa correcto es Global Entry. Malas noticias para mexicanos En los prrafos anteriores se seà ±alaron importantes ventajas para mexicanos. Sin embargo, no todo son buenas noticias. Y es que la alta tasa de inmigracià ³n mexicana en los Estados Unidos provoca que en algunas categorà ­as migratorias debe esperar ms aà ±os para emigrar o, simplemente, algunos caminos les està ©n prohibidos. Por ejemplo, los mexicanos, junto con los indios, chinos y filipinos deben esperar ms aà ±os que el resto de nacionalidades en ciertas peticiones de familia, como por ejemplo las peticiones de ciudadano para hermanos o hijos casados o hijos mayores de 21 aà ±os. Asimismo, no pueden participar en la loterà ­a de visas de la diversidad, que permite obtener la green card a los ganadores de un sorteo. Este es un artà ­culo legal, es meramente informativo.

Course Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Course Work - Essay Example While the differences are that while hormones are produced by the endocrine system in our body neurotransmitters are created at nerve terminals and they need to be triggered by an electrical impulse sent by the brain. Hormones have to be secreted directly into the bloodstream since they can only travel short distances where the neurotransmitters are secreted at the nerve synapse. The hormones can be synthesized artificially outside the body and neurotransmitters have to make inside the body. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s pleasure centers which also helps to regulate emotions and movement. It functions to help us see pleasurable things and also attracts us towards them. Drugs like cocaine affect the dopamine in the brain and make it work better and faster so people get addicted to the sensation of being drugged. The association cortex is the cerebral cortex located outside the primary areas of the brain and it is needed to perform essential mental tasks that are more complicated than the detection of dimensions of sensory stimulation. In the animal kingdom, the cerebral cortex is more developed in the humans than any other species since it is absolutely necessary for perceptual activities like recognizing and understanding the differences in objects rather than edges or color. Repeated drug abuse causes damage in the association cortex which tends to signal the brain to produce a ‘happy sensation’ with drug abuse. Most of the time, the people may not be technically addicted to the drug itself however the emotional response that it produces brings pleasure to the body and mind. Since the cortex is damaged by substance abuse, the ‘happy’ sensation is not produced until the drug is taken so it makes the user vulnerable. These responses can be produced by narcotics, he roin and cocaine and alcohol. "We now know that many

Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Motivation - Essay Example There is also Ray, the hot sandwich server, who has also helped Ann to take up the slack as well as Peter, who works the hot entrees spot and interacts well with Lenny, who also entertain an expectancy of gaining the job based upon the efforts they have put into their work so far. Moreover, in arriving at a replacement, when Artie is restricting himself to Averil and Gloria as choices, he has failed to take into account the Lenny factor. Since Lenny is a temperamental sort and Artie already has problems with him, he must ensure that the candidate who is finally selected is one that can get along with Lenny as well as Ann did, in order to ensure that the kitchen functions smoothly without extra temperamental outbursts from Lenny, who is a very important employee. The key to successfully selecting the right candidate will involve a current identification of the expectancies of each employee. The Expectancy theory suggests that individuals, acting on the basis of their own self interest, will adopt those courses of action at work which are likely to maximize the probability of desirable outcomes for themselves.(Pitt, 2001:1). The theory is based on the assumption that valence, expectancy and force are the three determinants that influence a person’s motivation in choosing one decision over another. (Vroom, 1995). For example, factors that motivate employees to perform better is better wages, how their time is spent or how much appreciation they receive, or even how well they interact socially with other employees. Applying this in Lenny’s case, the expectancy model suggests that Lenny is not comfortable with changes. He is unlikely to respond well to an unknown employee such as Gloria for example. A desirable outcome for Lenny would be to maintain the status quo as far as possible, therefore an employee like Peter may be acceptable to him because he knows he can control

Use and analyse the use of a range of Lean tools ( Engineering Essay

Use and analyse the use of a range of Lean tools ( Engineering Business ) - Essay Example Bicheno & Holweg (2008) distinguished between four types of flexibility, namely process flexibility, product flexibility, volume flexibility and labour flexibility. These are detailed in the table below. The organisation can then devise its strategy according to the type of flexibility desired. Some other tools are histograms, Pareto charts, cause and effect diagrams, flow charts and control charts. It is pertinent to point out that strictly; lean is not merely a set of tools. Individual tools are useful for specific purposes, but they are designed to be used together in such a way that increases overall efficiency. The combination and synchronisation of tools allows for a wide range of strategic options. The improvement in competitiveness is made possible by â€Å"an end-to-end value stream† (Bicheno & Holweg, 2008). It is therefore a complete system, which involves processing for enhancing value by reducing waste. Lean tools serve to be applied such that they improve specific and overall efficiency. Mistakes could be made at any time during ordering, but most of these tend to be the result of human errors. It is important to prevent mistakes, for example because it could lead to producing defective parts, giving the wrong service, and ultimately to customer dissatisfaction. Moreover, â€Å"mistakes in one area have consequences in all others† (Nicholas & Steyn, 2008: 485). The alternative could be to make inspections but this itself is not mistake proof, and it is also an inefficient method. Preventing mistakes could eliminate the possibility of failures, and thus producing wastes. This could in turn avoid time wasting and prevent unnecessary costs. Mistakes with an order can be prevented by implementing a safety mechanism at any stage of the ordering process where mistakes would be likely to occur. The Japanese term for making processes protected from mistakes is ‘poka yoke’ (ãÆ' Ã£â€š «Ã£Æ' ¨Ã£â€š ±), which

Management Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Management Principles - Essay Example All managers are accountable for performing the four management functions namely, planning, organizing, leading and controlling work (Schermerhorn, 16). While planning involves objective and goal setting as well as designing methods or procedures to achieve the goals, organizing functions involve arranging tasks, people and other resources to achieve these goals. In order to achieve goals through people and by the use of available resources, managers must be able to effectively inspire their workforce in the right manner. All activities performed by the workforce need to be constantly monitored in order to ensure the tasks are being performed in the right manner. Moreover, managers need to monitor other resources for optimum output and for achieving the targeted performance. These core functions require specific skills and competencies, which managers need to learn by adopting specific behaviors and learning skills related to technical, human and interpersonal, concept and analytic a spects (Schermerhorn, 21-23). Management is greatly influenced by a variety of external and internal factors. External environmental factors that can impact organizational processes include competition, innovative products/services, governmental regulations etc.

Michaels Stress Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Michaels Stress - Case Study Example Michael would like to change his job responsibilities to be more adaptive to a broader visitation schedule, however the financial worries associated with his move seems to conflict with his ethical and emotional stability, thus creating anxiety and physical health problems. This scenario is causing conflict so intense that it is physically impacting Michael’s long-term health prospects. Additionally, workplace concerns over potentially losing his job further complicates his ability to approach the situation as it would lead to financial ruin and homelessness associated with unemployment. He worries, essentially, that he would be short-listed as a potential layoff candidate if he were to ask his superiors to adjust his schedule. Question 2 Fortunately, Michael is fully functional and there is no evidence that his own self-concept or self-esteem has been impacted negatively. It is mostly the anxiety caused by a variety of family-related and workplace-related situations that are causing his frustration and internal conflict. Anxiety is not necessarily a product of self-esteem problems, but is an outcome of externalized stressors that are creating the scenario where Michael must choose between two consequences, both of which maintain negative consequences if he approaches them in the pursuit of improving his family lifestyle. Michael seems to be withdrawing from his problems by avoiding managing them, such as asking his superiors for a more flexible schedule. There is no evidence that his self-concept has been affected negatively, only that Michael seems to have a lower locus of control, meaning that he believes external scenarios are directly responsible for his problems. Otherwise, Michael does not seem to manifest long-term self-esteem problems. Question 3 Adjustment is defined as â€Å"any effort to cope with stress, whether successful or not† (Morris & Maisto, 2005, p.452). Michael, as a fully functional person, is weighing the demands of his ext ernal environment against his desire for more realistic possibilities related to his career and his family life. He seems to understand, fully, the burdens that the external environment places on his life and feels trapped by circumstance with his externalized locus of control beliefs. His recent life changes have left him unable to adjust successfully, however he is at least not manifesting more complicated emotional or cognitive problems such as avoidance or concentrated withdrawal. He is clearly feeling pressured by what is occurring in his work life and family life and is doing the best he can to maintain a positive outlook despite the consequences of approaching the situation with direct confrontation. In Michael’s case, personal growth can be achieved, since he really is affected by circumstances out of his control, through exercise, meditation, and practical physician visits or counseling sessions. Question 4 Michael, again, shows all of the traditional signs of a full y functional person and does not seem to be manifesting any of the traditional defense mechanisms commonly found in such scenarios. He recognizes the source, effectively, of his problems and considers their impact if he were to confront them head-on. For example, he is not projecting his anger, denying the existence of the problem, or displacing his feelings by shifting his aggressions onto another person or object, as described by Freudian beliefs related to defense mechanisms. Instead, Michael is simply allowing his externalized stressors to create physical symptoms that could be controlled with active counseling and a trained person to help him work through his difficult

Management Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Management Principles - Essay Example All managers are accountable for performing the four management functions namely, planning, organizing, leading and controlling work (Schermerhorn, 16). While planning involves objective and goal setting as well as designing methods or procedures to achieve the goals, organizing functions involve arranging tasks, people and other resources to achieve these goals. In order to achieve goals through people and by the use of available resources, managers must be able to effectively inspire their workforce in the right manner. All activities performed by the workforce need to be constantly monitored in order to ensure the tasks are being performed in the right manner. Moreover, managers need to monitor other resources for optimum output and for achieving the targeted performance. These core functions require specific skills and competencies, which managers need to learn by adopting specific behaviors and learning skills related to technical, human and interpersonal, concept and analytic a spects (Schermerhorn, 21-23). Management is greatly influenced by a variety of external and internal factors. External environmental factors that can impact organizational processes include competition, innovative products/services, governmental regulations etc.

Luxury e-commerce advantages & disadvantages Essay

Luxury e-commerce advantages & disadvantages - Essay Example Though advancements like e-commerce or e-business has favored to an extent, but there are some drawbacks too, which often gets sidelined by the human setting of the present world. This study will give a critical view of how luxury e-commerce is important and what are the gaps that need to be covered in the modern business system (Okonkwo, 2007). Background As trends changed it brought changes in the human setting, like people got more to the use of e-commerce and e-business. On a similar node, luxury is part of the glimpse where e-commerce brought luxury brands on high human accessibility. There came up luxury e-portals like Net-a-Porter which facilitated buyers on luxury boutique and designer clothing. Net-a-Porter being UK’s top selling online forum stocked 3000 brands at one time of selling, which was all to favor the luxury patrons on the internet (Roberts, 2010). On the earliest luxury facilitated people where it became more than a necessity and something associated with the desires. Luxury was first sought as an idea of a peculiar, but later as fashion industry revolved and brands came up luxury became part of peoples’ lives (Danziger, 2005). The same perception revived on e-commerce where an estimated 95% buyers’ populace was only on the luxury. ... Today consumers not only trace luxury in goods or service, but they also expect luxury in the method of deliverance and service (electronic trade and provision). It was the year 1990 when Amazon gave origin to the concept electronic trade and distribution. Ebay was the second major contributor to e-commerce, a competitor of Amazon which evolved in the same year of e-business (Schneider, 2011). It was the start of electronic based distribution (1995) when AltaVista, Lycos and Yahoo! came more with the luxury brands on their distribution and selling (Schneider, 2011). Later on MSN and Hermes also promoted luxury on the online buying and selling, as they were on a great response from luxury excavators (Okonkwo, 2010). Apart from all the persistence of luxury on e-commerce and trade has also aware the modern business specialists (Schneider, 2011). They have understood that luxury is a core preference of the buyers, where e-commerce is the right forum to distribute it. This is how luxury is widespread to all parts of the business system, from buyers to sellers and from marketers to branders respectively (Danziger, 2005). Definition to E-Commerce and E-Business With the plethora of globalization and internationalization, small and large business firms have identified e-commerce as a forum to exchange (Saunter, 2012). The core activities of a business like supply, distribution, promotion and marketing of goods have become achievable on the e-commerce and e-business. E-commerce is a term that indicates electronic business commerce, where businesses are sold, expanded and developed on the basis of large consumer presence on the internet (Dave, 2008). E-commerce is a combination of two things,

Use of Phone Cameras Essay Example for Free

Use of Phone Cameras Essay Over the years, technology has reached new heights in terms of the services it offers to today’s generation. Our youth’s ingenuity has also evolved into higher levels in terms of getting away from studying. The rampant use of modern electronic devices to cheat on examinations have been so that carrying a cell phone, digital camera or some other electronic gadget has been banned in schools in China, South Korea, and the Philippines. (West, 2000) Cell phones have proved to be the leading gadget used for cheating in secondary school. The earlier method was using text massages to forward questions to other people outside the classroom who would look up the answers. With the advent of digital cameras being augmented to cellular phone features, the application has reached greater levels. In the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, students photographed test questions using their cell phone cameras. These images were then sent to classmates outside the exam room who had the job of looking up the answers and sending them back to their friends in the examination room. Ros Yabin, the dean of their college was amazed at the students’ ingenuity and at the same time exasperated at the dishonorable act saying: If theyd spend as much time studying, theyd all be A students. (Glater, 2006) In China, a move to ban the use of cellular phones during examinations has been implemented to prevent massive cheating that has supposedly happened during their previous nationwide examinations. Further more, cell phone scramblers have been procured for the examination sites to beef up proctoring security. China’s minister of education hopes that these measures will be sufficient to regain the quality of their nationwide exam results. Similar actions are being done by South Korea, ever since 183 students in four organizations, including six female high school students were involved in an exam scandal that offered students to send correct answers to a nationwide examination in exchange for money. (Lee, 2004) These techniques are not limited to cellular phones. Another student from a California secondary school loaded his notes onto a Sidekick digital micro recorder and tried to access it during the examination. When questioned by the teacher, he initially reasoned that he was merely using the dictionary feature. The student was investigated by school authorities and was eventually proven guilty. (Glater, 2006) iPods have not yet achieved high popularity as a tool for cheating, but it is quickly rising through the ranks. Since it has gotten a lot easier to record one’s voice with the use of a computer, students have begun to take advantage of their iPods in their examinations. One Pepperdine student in 2004, who dictated all his notes in a file in his iPod and listened to it while taking the exam. He would have gotten away with it had it not been for one of his classmates who told on him. (Glater, 2006) At the journalism school at San Jose State University, students who were caught using spell check on their laptops, their examinations were invalidated because part of the writing test was to measure their ability in spelling. Whether they’re cell phones, digital camera features, micro recorders, or any other new-fangled device out on the market, student ingenuity will make use and abuse the possibilities of his new toys in making it easier for him to pass his weekly quizzes. It is up to teachers and proctors to keep open eyes and ears, to be mindful about any device that the student brings to the table. It is also the responsibility of school officials and the government to uphold the quality of education in their respective areas. References: Glater, Jonathan (April, 2006).Cheating gets easier with gadgetry. New York Times V. 125 Is. 43 23 – 24 Glater, Jonathan (May, 2006). Colleges Chase as Cheats Shift to Higher Tech. New York Times V. 125 Is. 44 11 – 13 Lee, Howard (2004). Exam Scandal: Answers Relayed From Other Organizations. Seoul Today V. 87 Is. 13 28 32 China Moves to Block Cellphone Cheats. Retrieved April 24, 2007 from The Chronicle website: http://chronicle. com/wiredcampus/article/1307/china-moves-to-block-cellphone-cheats West, Jordan (2000). Cheating and Technology. San Diego: Holdfast

Safeguarding the Wellbeing of Children and Young People

Safeguarding the Wellbeing of Children and Young People Explain how to support children and young people’s self-confidence and self-esteem A fundamental part of emotional development is the development of a young person’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Self-esteem can be defined as how you feel about yourself and your perceptions of yourself. Self-confidence is how you feel about your abilities and is dependent on each situation; it is shown through an individual’s behaviour and personality. There are four ways in which we can support our children in this area: interest, listen, expression and support. INTEREST : It is important to show a genuine interest in what a child is doing, learning about, discussing etc. In the class, ensure that you lower your body to their level and encourage them while they are working using lots of praise individually and in front of the class. This will also help to build a strong trusting relationship with pupils. LISTEN: By listening to a child this will also develop a strong bond and allow you to tune into a child’s behaviour and pick up on anything that may be upsetting them. I always make sure I make time to listen to whatever news and information the children tell me, giving them my undivided attention. This can gain trust as well especially if they need to express any worries. â€Å"The child needs to know that you are there to listen and, most importantly, that you will believe what he or she tells you† (Meggit 2013 p.142) EXPRESSION: A child must be able to feel that is perfectly normal to show a range of emotions they can feel sadness and also happiness and enjoyment. This creates a well-rounded individual that should feel confident enough to understand and express any concerns they may have. SUPPORT: Staff must always support and be there for the children in all situations whether they are related to school or home life. A friendly face and a smile at the start of the day can work wonders and will make you more approachable. Children need also to be supported through the school day, encourage pupils to try a more challenging activity like a complicated sum or climbing on a piece of gym equipment. This will motivate them and allow them attain higher levels. 6.2 Analyse the importance of supporting resilience in children and young people â€Å"Resilience is the capacity to bounce back from adversity. Protective factors increase  resilience, whereas risk factors increase vulnerability. Resilient individuals, families and  communities are more able to deal with difficulties and adversities than those with less  resilience. (www.gov.uk 2014) Teaching staff can help children to become confident individuals, to grow in independence and think for themselves. The more confident a child the more likely they are to be able to overcome adverse situations. In the class room children need support and encouragement but they also need a certain element of freedom to become more independent. For example for younger age groups allow them to dress themselves for PE or encourage them to put a dressing up costume on independently. This will teach them important skills, they may be frustrated initially but will feel a great sense of achievement when they can button up a shirt. With modern life being more pressurised and hectic we need to take time to reward and praise, recognise great efforts being made by a pupil in all areas of school life. This can help develop their own self-awareness, have a more positive attitude about themselves and set goals for the future. â€Å"Emotional intelligence or emotional well-being involves developing: positive self-esteem and self-image; emotional strength to deal with life’s highs and lows; confidence to face the world with optimism; and an awareness of our own feelings and those of other people† ( Kamen, 2012, p.300) 6.3. Explain why it is important to work with the child or young person to ensure they have strategies to protect themselves and make decisions about safety Nowadays we need to teach our children and young children both the dangers of face to face contact but also online contact too. They need to understand and recognise potential dangers and to be able to prevent putting themselves at risk and avoid harm. â€Å"You can teach children to be safe without scaring them – You just need to know how.† (www.kidpower.org 2014) Developing awareness starts in the early years foundation and continues right through to KS4 and by building trust with students as a support assistant they will be able to confide and talk to you if needs be. When explaining the need for safety it is important that it is dealt with calmly as you don’t want to increase fear and anxiety in the pupils. Local police officers often come into schools to discuss stranger safety, pupils are constantly reinforced about the importance of e-safety, road safety and the green cross code is often taught by outside groups in a fun but informative way and as they mature discussions which involve relationships, solvent/alcohol abuse must take place. PSHE (personal, social and health education) lessons do provide a perfect forum for such issues and to discuss problematic issues. As an adult you must remember to address these issues using age appropriate language, make sure they have the knowledge to safeguard themselves, explain what is appropriate/inappropriate, not to keep secrets and that you can say no. My school setting also communicates with parents over the issues of e-safety and stranger danger. 6.4 Explain ways of empowering children and young people to make positive and informed choices that support their well-being and safety. Children and young people need to be empowered in order to make positive and informed choices and this in turn will support their well-being and safety. â€Å"Therefore, the most effective way to teach children they have the power to take positive action to work through the challenges before them (now and later in life), is to encourage this belief in ourselves, and to make choices take action that reflects this belief.† (www.earthkids.com 2014) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), changed the ways children are treated and viewed and outlines children’s rights and this document has empowered children. Within schools, teaching staff must help pupils to make the safe decisions, be supportive but discuss reasons. Children always push boundaries and as adults we must allow them to take and manage risks and grow in independence. For example when teaching children about road safety , they will be shown how to cross a road safely – stop, look ,listen and holding an adults hand, then the next step would be to cross with them without holding their hand and eventually the last stage would be crossing on their own. They are now empowered to make their own decision but throughout the process they have been supported and will understand the reasons for each stage. REFERENCE LIST www.earthskids.com/empwr.aspx (accessed November 2014) www.gov.uk/resilence_in_schools_health_inequalities 2014 (accessed November 2014) Kamen, T. (2011) Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 3: Supporting Teaching and Learning in schools. Hodder Education www.kidpower.org/library/article/safe-without-scared (accessed November 2014) Meggit.C., Bruce.T., Grenier.J., (2012) Child Care and Education (2nd Edition) Hodder Education

Computers and Technology :: Technology Essays

Computers and Technology One of the most pivotal technological moments that I can remember from my academic career is the first research project that I had to do early in high school when the internet was considered a valid resource. My school had just established an internet connection, and instead of going to the card catalog in the library, there was a rush for the computers. Encyclopedias and periodical guides had been usurped by this relatively new network of information, and it has changed the way that students do research. Why settle for a couple of magazine articles and a book in a library with limited resources when the World Wide Web offers an almost limitless supply of information on almost every topic known to man? Human beings have been able to perform extensive research on a subject ever since the printed word came into the daily life of scholars, but the advent of the cyberculture era has given us a completely new tool that has both its advantages and disadvantages in the pursuit of knowledge. The one thing that can be said for sure though is that research, whether sparked by casual curiosity or a deadline for a thesis, will never be the same. Until the last decade or so, the bastion of knowledge and information was that building full of books that was known as the library. Print, in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, journals, encyclopedias, atlases, etc., was the primary source for information on virtually any subject. Even dialogue about information was exchanged with printed words on paper or handwritten letters. Then, something strange happened, and all of a sudden, you cannot find a library in a school anymore, there is only the media center. The media center is still a place to gather information, but now computers seem to overshadow the bookshelves. A small school with only a few hundred books is very limited in what topics it can cover, but place one computer in there with an internet connection and it opens a flood of information on everything from socialist realism to belly button lint. As Steven Johnson points out in his article â€Å"Links,† the very nature of the web, with its links that carry the user from one source of information to the other, provides something that seekers of information have never seen before. Computers and Technology :: Technology Essays Computers and Technology One of the most pivotal technological moments that I can remember from my academic career is the first research project that I had to do early in high school when the internet was considered a valid resource. My school had just established an internet connection, and instead of going to the card catalog in the library, there was a rush for the computers. Encyclopedias and periodical guides had been usurped by this relatively new network of information, and it has changed the way that students do research. Why settle for a couple of magazine articles and a book in a library with limited resources when the World Wide Web offers an almost limitless supply of information on almost every topic known to man? Human beings have been able to perform extensive research on a subject ever since the printed word came into the daily life of scholars, but the advent of the cyberculture era has given us a completely new tool that has both its advantages and disadvantages in the pursuit of knowledge. The one thing that can be said for sure though is that research, whether sparked by casual curiosity or a deadline for a thesis, will never be the same. Until the last decade or so, the bastion of knowledge and information was that building full of books that was known as the library. Print, in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, journals, encyclopedias, atlases, etc., was the primary source for information on virtually any subject. Even dialogue about information was exchanged with printed words on paper or handwritten letters. Then, something strange happened, and all of a sudden, you cannot find a library in a school anymore, there is only the media center. The media center is still a place to gather information, but now computers seem to overshadow the bookshelves. A small school with only a few hundred books is very limited in what topics it can cover, but place one computer in there with an internet connection and it opens a flood of information on everything from socialist realism to belly button lint. As Steven Johnson points out in his article â€Å"Links,† the very nature of the web, with its links that carry the user from one source of information to the other, provides something that seekers of information have never seen before.

A Critical Analysis of “My Kiowa Grandmother”

A Critical Analysis of â€Å"My Kiowa Grandmother,† and â€Å"Take My Saddle from the Wall: A Valediction† A Critical Analysis of â€Å"My Kiowa Grandmother,† and â€Å"Take My Saddle from the Wall: A Valediction† The essays, â€Å"My Kiowa Grandmother,† by N. Scott Momaday and â€Å"Take My Saddle from the Wall: A Valediction,† by Larry McMurtry, both seek to understand the values and traditions of an old way of life that has been lost to the trials and tribulations of time.By reaching back into history through their families, both authors achieve the same effect, while using starkly contrasting narrative structure; they show the characteristics that have been lost to younger generations. The purpose of N. Scott Momaday’s essay, â€Å"My Kiowa Grandmother,† is personal self-expression, because he attempts to define his own values and judgments through an exploration of the memories and stories he has of his grandmother and ance stors. The title of Momaday’s essay sets the stage for the rest of his words. My Kiowa Grandmother,† becomes an exploration of who she was and the values that she lived by as part of the last generation of true Kiowa Indians. The essay that ensues is about Momaday collecting his interpretations of her life and analyzing the stories to find the values that the Kiowa honored and followed. Through his exploration, Momaday establishes a system of values that he chooses to try to follow himself. The essay’s content is divided not by a beginning, middle, and an end, but rather through a series of episodes and recollections that are slightly disconnected but belong to a larger picture.The essay is filled with descriptions of the land the Kiowa dwelled on and the manner in which they lost that land, thus forcing them onto a reservation. He discusses the journey his ancestors took as he himself travels in their footsteps a century later across North America, from Montana to Arkansas, where the Kiowa lived for many decades. He then begins to offer a more personal view of his grandmother and his memories of her when the weight of age has come upon her (290). He illustrates for the reader a very intimate moment where he watched and listened to her praying.Despite not speaking the native language, â€Å"there was something inherently sad in the sound† of her prayers (290). He ends the paragraph by revealing that he knew that he would not see her again after watching her pray that night. As Momaday tells the stories, they are completely separate of one another but all share in a relationship as a whole. His words indicate that the Kiowa Indians were a proud people who faced the cruelties of manifest destiny as the United States spread westward across the Great Plains, forcing Native Americans onto reservations.Momaday sets out on his proud journey to understand his people and to adapt their culture and values in the present day, but ultimately con cludes that those traits have died with â€Å"the last great moment of their history† (288). Similarly, Larry McMurtry also seeks to identify old values and traditions that are long lost to history in his essay, â€Å"Take My Saddle from the Wall: A Valediction. † Unlike Momaday, however, he constructs his essay with an introduction, followed by the body of his essay, and then offers a conclusion that links the entire narrative together from beginning to end.McMurtry’s approach presents a cleverly braided narrative utilizing literary devices, such as drama and humor, to reflect his main ideas. Still, both essays are expressive in nature. The authors delve deep into their thoughts in order to construct the personal essays in which each man seeks to find his values within himself. Even though McMurtry’s essay is significantly longer and â€Å"prolonged in thought† (142) compared to Momaday’s essay, he seeks to achieve an understanding of the v alues and traditions of his ancestors as well.McMurtry includes a metaphor that equates the departing of his relatives, and the other cowboys of their day, as a train that has left. In a few years, the tail end of the train will pass out of sight; a way of life has come and gone (142). McMurtry creates a story about his family, based on their accounts left to him in memoirs and letters throughout the years. McMurtry’s ultimate purpose is to narrate an expressive literary essay that uses humor and drama to attract the attention of the reader.While discussing cowboys and their straightforward wisdom, he concludes that cowboys’ observations turn into aphorisms. One such aphorism he finds particularly appealing is as follows: â€Å"A woman’s love is like the morning dew, it’s just as likely to fall on a horseturd as on a rose† (149). McMurtry also includes a great deal of drama and suspense as well. At one point, he recalls his grandfather’s tro ublesome drinking; one day his grandmother issued an ultimatum, sober up or she would leave him. â€Å"The threat was undoubtedly made in earnest, and he took it so immediately to eart that he stopped drinking then and there, with a jug half full of whiskey hanging in the saddle room of the barn† (143). Additionally, a substantial difference between the two essays is the author’s view of their ancestors. McMurtry admits that he â€Å"never considered genealogy much of an aid to recognition, and thus never pursued [his] lineage any distance at all† (143). On the other hand, Momaday is very curious of his lineage. So curious in fact that he actually sets out on a â€Å"fifteen hundred [mile]†¦ pilgrimage† (289) to see where his ancestors began their journey onto the plains.Momaday describes his ancestors as people of the Earth, whereas McMurtry’s cowboy ancestors preferred the company of minorities, such as Mexicans and Blacks, to the company of farmers. â€Å"The plow and the cotton patch [were] not only tasks [his ancestors] loathed† they were qualities of a soul that the McMurtry’s despised (146). The method of organization that authors use is important to the overall presentation of their thoughts. Momaday’s attempt at self-definition is an integral part of the pattern of his essay.Momaday achieves his goal by organizing his thoughts in a descriptive, associative pattern that allows him to tell multiple disconnected stories that are a part of a larger picture. Momaday portrays the Kiowa people and where they lived. He describes his grandmother and his memories of her, then recounts the sad and lonely home that once belonged to her, and the commotion that once filled the rooms of the house during reunions. Each of the parts of his essay comes together as pieces of a whole puzzle do when he ventures out to her grave.Ultimately, his quest to understand the values of the Kiowa, and to find himself with in their stories and traditions, is lost as are the generations of old Indian warriors. After visiting his grandmother’s grave, the weight and understanding of the loss prevails and â€Å"looking back once, [he] saw the mountain and came away† (292). His journey to understand his people, for him, ended with the death of his grandmother. As he departed the ancient burial ground at the base of Rainy Mountain, he left not only his ancestors there, but also his dream of carrying out their traditions as well.Each part of Momaday’s essay is a static representation in time, or snapshots of an event that occurred. Conversely, McMurtry’s essay follows a dynamic pattern; the details he provides change from one event to another. McMurtry excels at offering a great deal of description through his narration, and the pattern that he follows is an expressive narration of process. The events that McMurtry depicts are unique to him, and will differ from other accounts of the same stories provided by family and friends. This pattern allows him to eliminate the five stages that a narration of an event demands.All the parts of his narrative are equally important in their accounts, and the resolution is the last event the McMurtry draws from. In addition, tension does not increase throughout the events that are presented. This allows McMurtry to describe a level account of many great stories that prevents the reader from feeling as if he omitted any accounts that would provide additional insight. Although each author’s essay follows a certain format for organization, the patterns the two men use are very similar as well.In describing his essay, Momaday uses a good deal of narration to move the story along from snapshot to snapshot. McMurtry, on the other hand, uses a tremendous amount of description in each of his small stories within his essay to deliver his narration in its literary purpose. For example, when McMurtry shares one of his favorite aphorisms about dew falling on a horesturd or a rose, his description of the cowboys before and after the statement is necessary in order for the statement to make sense. In addition, McMurtry uses a fair amount of description when discussing a country club that was host for a family reunion.The details of that paragraph range from â€Å"rusty slot-machines† to the â€Å"sights and sounds which one associates with big-city country clubs† and finally â€Å"the ploop of badly hit tennis balls† (157). His description allows the reader to generate in their mind the same picture that McMurtry portrays. The two approaches that each author uses, although similar in style, are structurally different and therefore allow each man to express his thoughts using different methods. Both authors utilize an expressive tone that opens their minds to the reader in order to grasp a better understanding of the goal of each essay.Overall, despite the varying structure, both article s are successful in their attempt to find the values and traditions among their families and ancestors. Both endings are concise and manage to bridge the gap between the introduction and the conclusion. Similar to Momaday, McMurtry closes with a scene describing the departure of his Uncle Johnny from a family reunion only a few months before his passing: When he smiled at the children who were near, the pain left his face for a second, and he gave them the look that had always been his greatest appeal – the look of a man who saw life to he last as a youth see it, and who sees in any youth all that he himself had been (172). The final snapshot of McMurtry’s uncle before his death has stuck with McMurtry through the trials of time. Both authors realize that the traditions of their rugged ancestors were gone, â€Å"such as it was, such as it can never be again† (172). Works Cited McMurtry, Larry. â€Å"In a Narrow Grave. † New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc. 20 06. Kindle Edition. Electronic book. 24 May 2010. Momaday, N. Scott. â€Å"My Kiowa Grandmother. † Purpose, Pattern, and Process. United States of America: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2005. 287-92. Print.

Cvs Annual Report Essay

Executive Summary/Company History/Products and Services CVS/Pharmacy has shown a consistent growth for the last three years. Three years ago CVS/Pharmacy has merged with Longs Pharmacy and Caremark to form the largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States. CVS/Pharmacy- CVS/Pharmacy began operations in 1963, and added the pharmacy department in 1967. In 2007, CVS merged with Caremark Rx, Inc. Finally, in 2008, CVS bought the Longs Drug Store chain. CVS has over 7000 stores(Cvs.com, 2010). At the end of 9 months of 2010, the company has lost 9.25% against 2009 net income. However, the company has increased their assets and liabilities by .1% against 2009 figures(Cvs.com, 2010). As the company stands now in trends, Net revenues for this 7,100-store drugstore retailer were $23.9 billion for Q3 2010, down 3.1% from $24.6 billion in the prior year’s period. Poor performance by the company’s Pharmacy Services segment—its revenues dropped 8.5%, to $11.9 billion—was a major contributor to the company’s woes. CVS’ Retail Pharmacy segment revenues actually increased 4.1%, with total same-store sales climbing 2.5%(Trendwatch, 2010). CVS/Pharmacy is in the process of transitioning their leadership at CEO. Tom Ryan will be stepping down at the end of the year as CEO, and Larry Merlo will be promoted to CEO. Tom Ryan has been the CEO of CVS/Pharmacy Inc. since 1994, and it has been the consistency at the top that has lead to the expansion of CVS/Pharmacy as being largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States. Now that Tom’s tenure is coming to a close, a new dawn is  occurring for the corporation with Larry Merlo taking the helm. Competitor Analysis In the retail pharmacy industry, there are only three pure pharmacy firms: CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid. Pure pharmacy firms are pharmacy retailers whose business is built around the pharmacy. Wal-Mart, Kroger, and local grocery stores have pharmacies as an extension of their business plan, but it is not the focus of their company. CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens have been battling over the top position for years, and Rite-Aid has been ranked at a steady third in the market place. Walgreens- Walgreens is CVS/Pharmacy’s chief competitor. Founded in 1901, Walgreens is considerably older. Unlike CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens began with the pharmacy department. With 6000 stores, Walgreens is smaller than CVS. In 2010, Walgreens has increased sales against last year by 6.4%, and net earnings by 4.2%(Walgreens.com, 2010). Moreover, they have posted 36 straight years of sales gains, and 35 straight years of dividend payments(Walgreens.com, 2010). Finally, Walgreens has posted net earnings for 5 consecutive years. Despite Walgreens smaller size, it has a bigger market share at 31.2% compared to CVS/Pharmacy’s 25%(Wikinvest.com, 2010). The last 10 years has been the first decade that a Walgreens family member was not at the helm of the Walgreens Pharmacy chain. Charles Walgreens retired from the CEO position in 1998, but stayed on a member of the board of directors. Mr. Walgreens will officially retire for the company this year. Gregory D. Wasson is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Wasson has worked with Walgreens for 31 years. In conclusion, Walgreens & CVS/Pharmacy are the giants in retail pharmacy. Their strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures have brought them to a virtual dead heat. The purpose of this research is analyze the financial strength of both to determine which is in the best financial health. Common Size Statements We will first compare CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens through common size financial statements. Commons size financial statements allow for comparisons to be made between companies of different sizes and volumes in order to see the true performance. CVS/Pharmacy has over 7000 stores, and Walgreens Pharmacy only has 6000 stores. The difference in size will have an  impact on expense, revenue, and income. Every company plans to get the most out of every dollar spent. Consequently, we will be comparing the their financial performance from 2007-2009. From the beginning, Walgreens has yielded a better gross profit by an average of 8% over CVS/Pharmacy. Gross profit is the amount left over after cost of goods sold is taken from revenue. Although, both have been steady with their percentage gross profit, CVS/Pharmacy 21% & Walgreens 28%, Walgreens has gained more. However, Walgreens’ celebration is short lived because the balance statement is more than gross profit. In fact the 8% edge in gross profit they gave back in operating expenses. Walgreens’ operating expenses took, on average, 22.5% away from their total revenue. CVS/Pharmacy operating expenses took only 14.5% away from their total revenue. Moreover, other indicators of return on investment to the company are higher for CVS/Pharmacy than Walgreens. CVS/Pharmacy has had a higher operating income than Walgreens since 2007. For the last two years CVS/Pharmacy has posted higher income before taxes than Walgreens. Finally, the biggest trend difference between the two firms is that CVS/Pharmacy’s net income has increased three years in a row, while Walgreens’ net income has steadily decreased three years in a row. As a company, CVS/Pharmacy received a 20% gross profit margin. The next biggest payment went to operating expenses at 14.12%. After the expenses, income before taxes and operating profit account for 13% and net income accounts for nearly 4%. In 2009 alone, Walgreens’ gross profit and operating expenses nearly cancel each other out. There is only a 4% variance between gross profit and operating expenses for Walgreens. Operating profit and income before taxes accounts for only 10% of the revenue, while Walgreens’ net income accounts for barely over 3%. On the key financial statements, Walgreens’ performance has been diminishing over the last three years, and CVS/Pharmacy’s performance has risen. The reason behind the growing strength of CVS/Pharmacy has been the general, consistent financial growth. This will be illustrated by the financial ratios. Liquidity is the firm’s ability to meet its current obligations(Marshall, McManus, Vielle, 2010). Working capital is the excess of a firm’s current assets over its current liabilities(2010). In this case, Walgreens’ has higher working capital than CVS/Pharmacy. On other tests of liquidity,  Walgreens’ out performs CVS/Pharmacy. Walgreens has a higher current ratio, acid test ratio, and they turn over their assets 8 more times a year than CVS/Pharmacy. Although Walgreens has yielded their lowest net income in three years, they have a high comparable liquidity. Moreover, the higher net income for CVS/Pharmacy has not translated into higher liquidity. However, the increased in income has translated into a higher inventory turnover for CVS/Pharmacy. Conclusion The findings of this paper are illustrating the transition in the marketplace between CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens. For the last 20 years, these retail pharmacy firms have battled for supremacy in the industry. Over the last decade, CVS/Pharmacy has had one Chief Executive Officer, Tom Ryan. However, since Tom Ryan took over in 1999, Walgreens has had 3 CEO changes. The result of inconsistency in their leadership has translated to a lower return on investment. Walgreens has higher liquidity, but they have shown three years of decreasing net income. As a result, they are getting weaker as an organization. However, CVS/Pharmacy has shown consistent growth over the last three years. Their increasing strength has been represented by their purchases of Long’s Pharmacy and Caremark. It is my conclusion that this trend will continue

Our Environment: the Sum Total of Our Surroundings

I. Our environment is the sum total of our surroundings A photograph of Earth reveals a great deal, but it does not convey the complexity of our environment. Our environment (a term that comes from the French environner, â€Å"to surround†) is more than water, land, and air; it is the sum total of our surroundings. It includes all of the biotic factors, or living things, with which we interact. It also includes the abiotic factors, or nonliving things, with which we interact.Our environment includes the continents, oceans, clouds, and ice caps you can see in the photo of Earth from space, as well as the animals, plants, forests, and farms that comprise the landscapes around us. In a more inclusive sense, it also encompasses our built environment, the structures, urban centers, and living spaces humans have created. In its most inclusive sense, our environment also includes the complex webs of scientific, ethical, political, economic, and social relationships and institutions t hat shape our daily lives.From day to day, people most commonly use the term environment in the first, narrow sense—of a nonhuman or â€Å"natural† world apart from human society. This connotation is unfortunate, because it masks the very important fact that humans exist within the environment and are a part of nature. As one of many species of animals on Earth, we share with others the same dependence on a healthy functioning planet. The limitations of language make it all too easy to speak of â€Å"people and nature,† or â€Å"human society and the environment,† as though they are separate and do not interact.However, the fundamental insight of environmental science is that we are part of the natural world and that our interactions with other parts of it matter a great deal. II. Environmental science explores interactions between humans and our environment Appreciating how we interact with our environment is crucial for a well-informed view of our place in the world and for a mature awareness that we are one species among many on a planet full of life.Understanding our relationship with the environment is also vital because we are altering the very natural systems we need, in ways we do not yet fully comprehend. We depend utterly on our environment for air, water, food, shelter, and everything else essential for living. However, our actions modify our environment, whether we intend them to or not. Many of these actions have enriched our lives, bringing us longer life spans, better health, and greater material wealth, mobility, and leisure time. However, these improvements have often degraded the natural systems that sustain us.Impacts such as air and water pollution, soil erosion, and species extinction can compromise human well-being, pose risks to human life, and threaten our ability to build a society that will survive and thrive in the long term. The elements of our environment were functioning long before the human species ap peared, and we would be wise to realize that we need to keep these elements in place. Environmental science is the study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment.We need to understand our interactions with our environment because such knowledge is the essential first step toward devising solutions to our most pressing environmental problems. Many environmental scientists are taking this next step, trying to apply their knowledge to develop solutions to the many environmental challenges we face. It can be daunting to reflect on the sheer magnitude of environmental dilemmas that confront us today, but with these problems also come countless opportunities for devising creative solutions.The topics studied by environmental scientists are the most centrally important issues to our world and its future. Right now, global conditions are changing more quickly than ever. Right now, through science, we as a civilization are gaining know ledge more rapidly than ever. And right now, the window of opportunity for acting to solve problems is still open. With such bountiful challenges and opportunities, this particular moment in history is indeed an exciting time to be studying environmental science. III. Natural resources are vital to our survivalAn island by definition is finite and bounded, and its inhabitants must cope with limitations in the materials they need. On our island, Earth, human beings, like all living things, ultimately face environmental constraints. Specifically, there are limits to many of our natural resources, the various substances and energy sources we need to survive. Natural resources that are virtually unlimited or that are replenished over short periods are known as renewable natural resources. Some renewable resources, such as sunlight, wind, and wave energy, are perpetually available.Others, such as timber, food crops, water, and soil, renew themselves over months, years, or decades, if we are careful not to use them up too quickly or destructively. In contrast, resources such as mineral ores and crude oil are in finite supply and are formed much more slowly than we use them. These are known as nonrenewable natural resources. Once we use them up, they are no longer available. We can view the renewability of natural resources as a continuum (Figure 1. 1). Some renewable resources may turn nonrenewable if we overuse them.For example, overpumping groundwater can deplete underground aquifers and turn a lush landscape into a desert. Populations of animals and plants we harvest from the wild may be renewable if we do not overharvest them but may vanish if we do. In recent years, our consumption of natural resources has increased greatly, driven by rising affluence and the growth of the largest human population in history. IV. Human population growth has shaped our relationship with natural resources For nearly all of human history, only a few million people populated Earth at any one time.Although past populations cannot be calculated precisely, Figure 1. 2 gives some idea of just how recently and suddenly our population has grown beyond 6 billion people. Two phenomena triggered remarkable increases in population size. The first was our transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural way of life. This change began to occur around 10,000 years ago and is known as the agricultural revolution. As people began to grow their own crops, raise domestic animals, and live sedentary lives in villages, they found it easier to meet their nutritional needs.As a result, they began to live longer and to produce more children who survived to adulthood. The second notable phenomenon, known as the industrial revolution, began in the mid-1700s. It entailed a shift from rural life, animal-powered agriculture, and manufacturing by craftsmen, to an urban society powered by fossil fuels (nonrenewable energy sources, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, produce d by the decomposition and fossilization of ancient life). The industrial revolution introduced improvements in sanitation and medical technology, and it enhanced agricultural production with fossil-fuel-powered equipment and synthetic fertilizer.Thomas Malthus and population growth   Ã‚  Ã‚  At the outset of the industrial revolution in England, population growth was regarded as a good thing. For parents, high birth rates meant more children to support them in old age. For society, it meant a greater pool of labor for factory work. British economist Thomas Malthus (1766–1834) had a different opinion. Malthus claimed that unless population growth were controlled by laws or other social strictures, the number of people would outgrow the available food supply until starvation, war, or disease arose and reduced the population (Figure 1. ). Malthus’s most influential work, An Essay on the Principle of Population, published in 1798, argued that a growing population would eventually be checked either by limits on births or increases in deaths. If limits on births (such as abstinence and contraception) were not implemented soon enough, Malthus wrote, deaths would increase through famine, plague, and war. Malthus’s thinking was shaped by the rapid urbanization and industrialization he witnessed during the early years of the industrial revolution, but debates over his views continue today.As we will see in Chapter 8 and throughout this book, global population growth has indeed helped spawn famine, disease, and social and political conflict. However, increasing material prosperity has also helped bring down birth rates—something Malthus did not foresee. Paul Ehrlich and the â€Å"population bomb†   Ã‚  Ã‚  In our day, biologist Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University has been called a â€Å"neo-Malthusian† because he too has warned that population growth will have disastrous effects on human welfare.In his 1968 book, The Populat ion Bomb, Ehrlich predicted that the rapidly increasing human population would unleash widespread famine and conflict that would consume civilization by the end of the 20th century. Like Malthus, Ehrlich argued that population was growing much faster than our ability to produce and distribute food, and he maintained that population control was the only way to prevent massive starvation and civil strife. Although human population nearly quadrupled in the past 100 years—the fastest it has ever grown (see Figure1. a)—Ehrlich’s predictions have not materialized on the scale he predicted. This is due, in part, to agricultural advances made in recent decades. As a result, Ehrlich and other neo-Malthusians have revised their predictions accordingly and now warn of a postponed, but still impending, global crisis. V. Resource consumption exerts social and environmental impacts Population growth affects resource availability and is unquestionably at the root of many envir onmental problems. However, the growth in consumption is also to blame.The industrial revolution enhanced the material affluence of many of the world’s people by considerably increasing our consumption of natural resources and manufactured goods. Garrett Hardin and the â€Å"tragedy of the commons†   Ã‚  Ã‚  The late Garrett Hardin of the University of California, Santa Barbara, disputed the economic theory that unfettered exercise of individual self-interest will serve the public interest. According to Hardin’s best-known essay, â€Å"The Tragedy of the Commons,† published in the journal Science in 1968, resources that are open to unregulated exploitation will eventually be depleted.Hardin based his argument on a scenario described in a pamphlet published in 1833. In a public pasture, or â€Å"common,† that is open to unregulated grazing, Hardin argued, each person who grazes animals will be motivated to increase the number of his or her animals in the pasture. Ultimately, overgrazing will cause the pasture’s food production to collapse (Figure 1. 4). Because no single person owns the pasture, no one has incentive to expend effort taking care of it, and everyone takes what he or she can until the resource is depleted.Some have argued that private ownership can address this problem. Others point to cases in which people sharing a common resource have voluntarily organized and cooperated in enforcing its responsible use. Still others maintain that the dilemma justifies government regulation of the use of resources held in common by the public, from forests to clean air to clean water. Weighing the issues:| The Tragedy of the Commons| Imagine you make your living fishing for lobster. You are free to boat anywhere and set out as many traps as you like.Your harvests have been good, and nothing is stopping you from increasing the number of your traps. However, all the other lobster fishers are thinking the same thing, and the fishing grounds are getting crowded. Catches decline year by year, until one year the fishery crashes, leaving you and all the others with catches too meager to support your families. Some of your fellow fishers call for dividing the waters and selling access to individuals plot-by-plot. Others urge the fishers to team up, set quotas among themselves, and prevent newcomers from entering the market.Still others are imploring the government to get involved and pass laws regulating how much fishers can catch. What do you think is the best way to combat this tragedy of the commons and restore the fishery? Why? | Wackernagel, Rees, and the ecological footprint   Ã‚  Ã‚  As global affluence has increased, human society has consumed more and more of the planet’s limited resources. We can quantify resource consumption using the concept of the â€Å"ecological footprint,† developed in the 1990s by environmental scientists Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees.The ecologica l footprint expresses the environmental impact of an individual or population in terms of the cumulative amount of land and water required to provide the raw materials the person or population consumes and to dispose of or recycle the waste the person or population produces (Figure 1. 5). It measures the total amount of Earth’s surface â€Å"used† by a given person or population, once all direct and indirect impacts are totaled up. For humanity as a whole, Wackernagel and Rees have calculated that our species is using 30% more resources than are available on a sustainable basis from all the land on the planet.That is, we are depleting renewable resources 30% faster than they are being replenished—like drawing the principal out of a bank account rather than living off the interest. Furthermore, people from wealthy nations have much larger ecological footprints than do people from poorer nations. If all the world’s people consumed resources at the rate of N orth Americans, these researchers concluded, we would need the equivalent of two additional planet Earths. VI.Environmental science can help us avoid mistakes made by past civilizations It remains to be seen whether the direst predictions of Malthus, Ehrlich, and others will come to pass for today’s global society, but we already have historical evidence that civilizations can crumble when pressures from population and consumption overwhelm resource availability. Easter Island is the classic case (see â€Å"The Science behind the Story†), but it is not the only example. Many great civilizations have fallen after depleting resources from their environments, and each has left devastated landscapes in its wake.The Greek and Roman empires show evidence of such a trajectory, as do the Maya, the Anasazi, and other civilizations of the New World. Plato wrote of the deforestation and environmental degradation accompanying ancient Greek cities, and today further evidence is acc umulating from research by archaeologists, historians, and paleoecologists who study past societies and landscapes. The arid deserts of today’s Middle Eastern countries were far more vegetated when the great ancient civilizations thrived there; at that time these regions were lush enough to support the very origin of agriculture.While deforestation created deserts in temperate regions, in more tropical climates, the ancient cities of fallen civilizations became overgrown by jungle. The gigantic stone monuments of the Angkor civilization in Southeast Asia, like those of the Maya in Mexico and Central America, remained unknown to Westerners until the 19th century, and most of these cities remain covered by rainforest. Researchers have learned enough by now, however, that scientist and author Jared Diamond in his 2005 book, Collapse, could synthesize this information and formulate sets of reasons why civilizations succeed and persist, or fail and collapse.Success and persistence , it turns out, depend largely on how societies interact with their environments. I. People vary in their perception of environmental problems Environmental science arose in the latter half of the 20th century as people sought to better understand environmental problems and their origins. An environmental problem, stated simply, is any undesirable change in the environment. However, the perception of what constitutes an undesirable change may vary from one person or group of people to another, or from one context or situation to another.A person’s age, gender, class, race, nationality, employment, and educational background can all affect whether he or she considers a given environmental change to be a â€Å"problem. †   Ã‚  Ã‚  For instance, today’s industrial societies are more likely to view the spraying of the pesticide DDT as a problem than those societies viewed it in the 1950s, because today more is known about the health risks of pesticides (Figure 1. 6). At the same time, a person living today in a malaria-infested village in Africa or India may welcome the use of DDT if it kills mosquitoes that transmit malaria, because malaria is viewed as a more immediate health threat.Thus an African and an American who have each knowledgeably assessed the pros and cons may, because of differences in their circumstances, differ in their judgment of DDT’s severity as an environmental problem. | Different types of people may also vary in their awareness of problems. For example, in many cultures women are responsible for collecting water and fuelwood. As a result, they are often the first to perceive environmental degradation affecting these resources, whereas men in the same area simply might not â€Å"see† the problem.As another example, in most societies information about environmental health risks tends to reach wealthy people more readily than poor people. Thus, who you are, where you live, and what you do can have a huge ef fect on how you perceive your environment, how you perceive and react to change, and what impact those changes may have on how you live your life. In Chapter 2, we will examine the diversity of human values and philosophies and consider their effects on how we define environmental problems.II. Environmental science provides interdisciplinary solutions Studying and addressing environmental problems is a complex endeavor that requires expertise from many disciplines, including ecology, earth science, chemistry, biology, economics, political science, demography, ethics, and others. Environmental science is thus an interdisciplinary field—one that borrows techniques from numerous disciplines and brings research results from these disciplines together into a broad synthesis (Figure 1. 7).Traditional established disciplines are valuable because their scholars delve deeply into topics, uncovering new knowledge and developing expertise in particular areas. Interdisciplinary fields ar e valuable because their practitioners take specialized knowledge from different disciplines, consolidate it, synthesize it, and make sense of it in a broad context to better serve the multifaceted interests of society. Environmental science is especially broad because it encompasses not only the natural sciences (disciplines that study the natural world), but also the social sciences (disciplines that study human interactions and institutions).The natural sciences provide us the means to gain accurate information about our environment and to interpret it reasonably. Addressing environmental problems, however, also involves weighing values and understanding human behavior, and this requires the social sciences. Most environmental science programs focus predominantly on the natural sciences as they pertain to environmental issues. In contrast, programs incorporating the social sciences heavily often prefer using the term environmental studies to describe their academic umbrella. Whic hever approach one takes, these fields reflect many diverse perspectives and sources of knowledge.Just as an interdisciplinary approach to studying issues can help us better understand them, an integrated approach to addressing problems can produce effective and lasting solutions. One example is the dramatic improvement in one aspect of air quality in the United States over the past few decades. Ever since automobiles were invented, lead had been added to gasoline to make cars run more smoothly, even though medical professionals knew that lead emissions from tailpipes could cause health problems, including brain damage and premature death.In 1970 air pollution was severe, and motor vehicles accounted for 78% of U. S. lead emissions. But over the following years, engineers, physicians, atmospheric scientists, and politicians all merged their knowledge and skills into a process that eventually resulted in a ban on leaded gasoline. By 1996 all gasoline sold in the United States was unl eaded, and the nation’s largest source of atmospheric lead emissions had been completely eliminated. III.Environmental science is not the same as environmentalism Although many environmental scientists are interested in solving problems, it would be incorrect to confuse environmental science with environmentalism, or environmental activism. They are not the same. Environmental science is the pursuit of knowledge about the workings of the environment and our interactions with it. Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world—and, by extension, humans—from undesirable changes brought about by human choices (Figure 1. ). Although environmental scientists may study many of the same issues environmentalists care about, as scientists they attempt to maintain an objective approach in their work. Remaining free from personal or ideological bias, and open to whatever conclusions the data demand, is a hallmark of the effective scientist. We will now proceed with a brief overview of how science works and how scientists go about this enterprise that brings our society so much valuable knowledge.