The Pros and Cons of Different Energy Sources free essay sample

They are an important source of energy that we have come to rely on, however, these days there many discussions have been taking place concerning their usage and the impact they play on the environment. As such, I will now list the pros and cons of fossil fuels. The pros of fossil fuels are as follows: 1) One of the advantages of fossil fuels is their existence as high efficiency sources of energy. The reason for this is that, when consumed they produce large amounts of usable energy. 2) Another one of the advantages of fossil fuels is their availability. Fossil fuels are not difficult to obtain from the earth. Also, due to the fact that the extraction and refining processes don’t take long, the fuels are able to be converted from their crude form into forms that could be used for a number of different purposes (Buzzle. com, 2013). 3) The third advantage that fossil fuels have is the ease at which they can be transported. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pros and Cons of Different Energy Sources or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Fossil fuels like coal are able to be transported by train, while oil and natural gas are transported by pipelines. This ease of transportation enables the places that convert these fossil fuels into usable forms, to not have to worry much about location (Buzzle. com, 2013). 4) And lastly, fossil fuels are not only used for energy, but also to create byproducts such as plastic that are used in almost everything (Locsin, n. d. ). Now, the cons of fossil fuels are as follows: 1) One of the major cons of fossil fuels is the danger they pose to the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels causes the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is bad because carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. And that is not all, another one of the gases that is released when burning fossil fuels is sulfur dioxide. This toxic gas produces acid rain when it interacts with the atmosphere. 2) Another one of the cons of fossil fuels is the damage that is done to the landscape when collecting it. An example of this can be seen in coal mining. The landscape where coal is mined is damaged to the point where it is not able to be used for anything else. ) And last but not least, fossil fuels are a non-renewable source. And right now they are being used at an alarming pace because of how modernized our society is these days. So it might not be too far off in the future, when a time will come where we won’t be able to obtain anymore fossil fuels (Buzzle. com, 2013). What are the pros and cons of nuclear energy? The pros of nuclear energy are as follows: 1) One of the pros that nuclear energy b rings is a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. 2) The second advantage is their relatively low operating costs. ) And lastly, nuclear energy has a large power generating capabilities, that allow for it to be used for industrial and city aspects (Buzz, 2009). The cons of nuclear energy are as follows: 1) The cost of constructing a nuclear energy power plant is high. And that is due to the equipment that is needed to contain the radiation. 2) One of the major concerns of nuclear energy is the disaster that could follow in the event of an accident. 3) And last but not least, another con that really is troublesome is the trouble of disposing of the waste. For one, the waste can last for a couple hundred years. Also, there is the ever present danger that it could leak out and contaminate ground water sources in the area (Buzz, 2009). What are the pros and cons of solar energy? The pros of solar energy are as follows: 1) Solar energy is renewable source of energy. As long as the sun is shining, solar energy is able to be produced. 2) The second advantage is that it is a clean source of energy. 3) And lastly, solar energy is a free source of energy, and its solar panels require almost no maintenance (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). The cons of solar energy are as follows: 1) Solar energy can only produce its maximum of energy during the day, and when the sun is shining the longest. 2) Solar panels are very expensive. 3) And lastly, a lot of space is needed in order so the exact amount of solar panels that are needed could be installed (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). What are the pros and cons of wind power? The pros of wind power are as follows: 1) It is a renewable source of energy. 2) It is also clean and free source of energy. 3) It won’t take long to recover the cost of purchasing and installing the wind turbine. ) And finally, a cool advantage of wind power is the fact that the electric company will reward for any excess energy that you produce but don’t use (Bernard, n. d. ). The cons of wind power are as follows: 1) One of the cons of wind power is its inconsistency. Since wind does not blow continually, wind turbines usually operate at 30% of their capacity. 2) Wind turbines have expensiv e upfront costs. 3) And lastly, another con of wind power is location. A wind turbine requires a lot of open land, in order to operate properly (Bernard, n. d. . What are the pros and cons of water (hydro) power? The pros of hydro energy are as follows: 1) Hydro power is a clean, renewable source of energy. 2) With the construction of a dam, there will be an abundance of electricity produced for many years. The cons of hydro power are as follows: 1) One of the cons of hydro power is the cost of constructing the dam. 2) The dams have to be built to the highest of standards. Precision, accuracy, and the right materials need to be utilized in order to achieve that goal (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). What are the pros and cons of biofuels? The pros of biofuels are as follows: 1) Biofuels produce less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than a fossil fuel like oil. 2) Another advantage of biofuels is that they are immediately useable. 3) And lastly, Biofuels are high quality fuels that have allowed us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels (Biofuel sustainability pros amp; cons, 2006). The cons of biofuels are as follows: 1) One of the cons of biofuels, is an increase in the clearing of rainforests in developing countries, in order to grow biofuel crops like corn. ) The growth of biofuel crops can have a negative impact on the prices and security of food. 3) And lastly, the creation of biofuels burns more energy than what is contained in the finished product. Therefore it isn’t an efficient fuel (Cunningham, n. d. ). When it comes to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, two of its provisions that I found interesting are the daylight savings time extension, and the creatio n of the energy star program. In the provision concerning daylight savings time; the daylight savings time was extended two weeks in the spring, and one week in the fall. These changes were to take place in the month of August of 2006. On the other hand, in the provision about the creation of the Energy Star program, the government created the program under the DOE and Environmental Protection Agency. The symbol of the Energy Star serves as an indicator of energy-efficient products and buildings. Last but not least, some of the tax incentives included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, were for the installation of energy efficient appliances, residential energy properties, new homes, commercial buildings and more (Think Energy Management, LLC. n. d. ). References Bernard, M. (n. d. ). Pros and Cons of Wind Energy. Retrieved from, http://greenliving. lovetoknow. com/Pros_and_Cons_of_Wind_Energy Biofuel sustainability pros amp; cons. (2006). Retrieved from, http://curtrosengren. typepad. com/alternative_energy/2006/08/biofuel_sustain. html Buzz, P. (2009). Nuclear Energy: Pros and Cons. Retrieved from, http://www. triplepundit. com/2009/02/nuclear-energy -pros-and-cons/ Buzzle. com. (2013). Fossil Fuels Pros and Cons. Retrieved from, http://www. buzzle. com/articles/fossil-fuels-pros-and-cons. html Cunningham,

Sweatshops Working Condition

Sweatshops Working Condition Sweatshops refer to working conditions that are dangerous and unhealthy for any human being to work. People working in sweatshops are forced to work for long hours without receiving adequate pay regardless to the laws enacted to govern the workplace. Though the employees work for long hours which may exceed the normal working hours in a day, they are not paid for overtime.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sweatshops Working Condition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In sweatshops, employees are exploited and overworked by their employers. The employer also prohibits such employees from joining workers unions which can protect them. Though sweatshops have unfavorable working condition and the employees are paid less, the sweatshops provide a means for the low class people to earn a living. Sweatshop conditions are usually in manufacturers and companies with unfair, risky and dirty working environment. These conditions exploit workers who cannot afford employment in a good environment. They create opportunities for uneducated and unskilled young people to work and earn a living. This encourages students to drop out of school and seek employment in the sweatshops. Additionally, some companies take advantage of children and overwork them sweatshops. They capitalize on child labor and force children to work like adults (Featherstone United Students Against Sweatshops 2002). Companies which contract sweatshops to manufacture their products claim their practice in good for them since they are able to take advantage and compete favorably offering low cost products to their customers. Social economists and analysts have varied views on that issue. Some say that, use of sweatshops labor harm workers who lose job when a company contract manufacturing works abroad (Fraser, 2001). Machines that are used by workers in sweatshops are poorly maintained and dangerous to operate. These faulty equipments cause in juries to workers. Some workers suffer minor injuries while others suffer severe injuries that leave them disabled. When a worker is injured the employer fails to take responsibility and leaves the employee to suffer alone. Other injuries make workers unable to do their job and they are fired. In such cases, the employer fires the affected employees without compensation. Poor ventilation in manufacturing factories results in poor air circulating. This makes the place stuffy and increases the chances of contracting airborne diseases. Due to lack of proper ventilation, the workers are affected by poisonous gas which they breathe from materials being processed. This leads to workers suffering from health problems. Additionally, there are conditions where there are bugs and rodents. These make the situation worse resulting in diseases (Thomas J. DiLorenzo (2006).Advertising Looking for essay on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Le arn More Even if sweatshops provide job opportunities, working in a sweatshop is not the best option for employees. They would opt to work in better working environment. It is seen that in sweatshops, workers are forced to work for long hours and in return, they receive low pay. Companies try to keep their cost low by giving low wages and fail to meet the requirements of minimum pay standards. These wages are low and are considered starvation pay. Sweatshops increase with growth in industrialization which creates new job vacancies. The new job opportunities attract people and they leave farming to join the factories. The conditions in the factories are grim: workers operate machinery without safety gadgets, poorly ventilated workplaces and in environment vulnerable to accidents, fire and even suffer from physical abuse. Businesses opt to use sweatshops in their search to minimize cost of production through cheap labor and maximize profit. They exploit workers by providing ha rsh working conditions and taking advantage of people who are desperately looking for jobs (Sweatshops, 2010). Sweatshops violate human rights and do not provide protection to employees at the workplace. Working in a sweatshop is risky to one’s health. The conditions of a sweatshop are not fit for human health. Sweatshop owners are the sole beneficially and regard workers in their factory as expenditure and they do not treat them like human beings. Workers receive low wages to keep the company expenditures low. The workers decide to stay in the sweatshop with all the harsh conditions because they can easily lose the opportunity. There is no room to bargain since workers are forced to take the position, or forfeit the opportunity. It is evident that in sweatshops there is low demand for more human labor and this makes managers to enslave their workers (Williams, 1999). Sweatshops have always been dangerous and uncomfortable for workers. The working conditions in the sweatshops do not pay well as the average modern white color jobs. Though the working conditions are unfavorable, most of the things used in everyday life such as clothes and shoes are made in these sweatshops. People imagine that the items they use are made in clean automated factories where workers are well remunerated. The society imagines that no pain or suffering is involved when developing these goods. When people realize the conditions that the workers go through when producing goods in sweatshops, they are quick to judge and curse the employers for mistreating the employees. However, it is important to note that these factories provide jobs for the low working class in the society. Without these jobs, such people would be in abject poverty. This would only lead to more people begging on the streets.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sweatshops Working Condition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If there are a lot of unem ployed people in the society, other problems would arise as well. There would be increased prostitution and crime. This would not promote quality of their life instead; it would further deteriorate and put their lives in danger. People who work in sweatshop remain there for a long time because they are not qualified for better jobs. Though it is evident that the sweatshops owners exploit their employees, they also present to them a livelihood. The employers find that it is not possible to increase the wages for the workers since these would translate to a loss on their side. The only logical method to end the problem of sweatshops that would not lead to employer making loses would be to automate the process of production. This would lead to the workers losing their jobs. Though the employer would require a huge capital to set up the machinery for the company, it would lead to high production in the long run. The company would be able to produce more goods at prices affordable by the average consumer. However, this would have the disadvantage of rendering most of the workers jobless. Having human workers at the factories doing the work that would otherwise be done using machinery increases the cost of production. This also reduces the number of products produced per unit time. This translates to high prices for the goods produced; these goods end up unaffordable to the average consumer. The customers would no longer afford the goods that the company produces due to increased prices. The employees who work in the sweatshops prefer to maintain the status quo since this would mean that they will keep their jobs although the working conditions are unfavorable. Companies that capitalize on using sweatshop labor are able to sell their products at lower prices compared to the companies that do not use sweatshop labor. Sweatshops labor is voluntary and people who decide to work there do it because they feel they are unable to acquire a better job due to various reasons such as level of education or qualification. Due to the intensity of work at sweatshops, a lot of labor force is required. Therefore, a sweatshop is able to employ a lot of people who would otherwise be jobless. Research indicates that most people who support sweatshops are employees who work there. This is because, such employees are aware of the fact that if they would demand high payment for their work, the employers would not be able to sustain them. This is because; the business would become unstable due to high cost of production. In an attempt to lower the cost of production, the employers would be forced to seek less costly labor such as use of machines and automation.Advertising Looking for essay on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More If the employers are not able to make profit, there would be less investment in other new businesses as well. This would lead to slow economic growth for the country, and in turn, the currency would weaken. Weakening of the currency of a country would lead to poor quality of life for all citizens. For example, the Americans citizens protested against the outsourcing of the textile mills. The companies wanted to outsource because they felt that the factories were horrible and polluted the environment. There was also the problem of low wages for the employees who worked in those companies and poor working conditions. However, the Americans protested against the idea of outsourcing the textile mills because, despite being unfavorable, employment at the textile mills was the only job that they could secure (Woog, 2003). If the employees are provided with better working conditions and they are paid well, the cost of production would increase. This will lead to the company increasing the cost of the goods sold in order to cover for the production cost. Due to increased cost of goods and services offered by such companies, less people in the society will afford the items due to the sudden increase in cost. This would lead to reduced sales. If people do not buy the products, the company would have less money to spend on its employees and thus, it would be forced to either fire the employees or reduce their wages in order to sustain them. Such company will be forced to either pay the workers less and less, or continue firing its employees until it shuts down. The employer would opt to replace the large number of people with a machine that would be able to produce more goods per unit time at a lower cost of production compared to people working in the sweatshops (Sweatshops, 2010). Though the working conditions of a sweatshop are unfavorable, they are a good source of income and provide employment opportunities to many people. It is through these sweatshops that most lo w income earners are able to afford food for their families. References Featherstone, L., United Students Against Sweatshops. (2002). Students against  sweatshops. London: Verso. Fraser, J. A. (2001). White-collar sweatshop: The deterioration of work and its rewards in corporate America. New York: Norton.  Sweatshops. (2010). Detroit, Mich: Gale. Thomas J. DiLorenzo (2006). How Sweatshops Help the Poor. Retrieved from https://mises.org/library/how-sweatshops-help-poor. Williams, M. E. (1999). Child labor and sweatshops. San Diego, Calif: Greenhaven Press. Woog, A. (2003). A sweatshop during the industrial revolution. San Diego, Calif: Lucent Books.

A Babel of Tongues †The Dialectic of Communication and Solitude in Virginia Woolf

A Babel of Tongues – The Dialectic of Communication and Solitude in Virginia Woolf Virginia Woolf’s answer to Mr. Ramsay’s philosophical pursuits in To the Lighthouse is a reconciliation of both worlds – subjective perception and interpretation, and external objectivity. The first chapter of the novel is entitled â€Å"The Window,† and serves to represent the point of contact between subjective and objective states. This, Woolf believes to be our reality. External facts are arbitrary and meaningless until they are apprehended by a subjective state which gives them form; on a social level, communicating as a participant in society exposes the individual to an incoherent tumult of impressions that have to be reorganized into a coherent whole in solitude. Only then can one achieve peace. The individual is hence continually in search of an equilibrium in the dialectic of communication and solitude. Peter Walsh summarizes this concept in Mrs. Dalloway: For this is the truth about our soul†¦our self, who, fish-like inhabits deep seas and plies among obscurities†¦suddenly she shoots to the surface and sports on the wind-wrinkled waves; that is, has a positive need to brush, scrape, kindle herself, gossiping. However, to re-enter society as a participant entails at least a partial suspension of one’s subjectively constructed reality. Creative organisation is forfeited, and the â€Å"infinite richness† of life that Peter experienced a moment ago gives way to anxiety and a sense that events are spiraling out of one’s control. The city appears to be â€Å"floating off in a carnival,† and the febrile party of life – â€Å"the flare and the glare† – becomes lurid and chaotic. The coherent whole fragments and becomes meaningless isolated elements of reality that wash past Peter in an incomprehensible manner: â€Å"the cold stream of visual impressions failed him now as if the eye were a cup that overflowed and let the rest run down its china walls unrecorded.† The consequence of this is that â€Å"the brain must wake now†¦the soul must brave itself to endure.† Previously, as an invisible flà ¢neur amidst the bustling city, Peter could relax his mind to appreciate the myriad impressions of London life. To join the party would entail shedding invisibility and arresting these mental excursions in order to function socially. He takes out his pocketknife again, as he did when he first went to see Clarissa in the morning. T.E Apter suggests that the pocketknife is â€Å"a tool with which to pare down his perceptions, to preen his identity, and to defend himself against others’ views.† This is observed in Peter Walsh’s proleptic defense constructed in his thoughts against society’s voice, including Clarissa’s. He defends himself against the labels â€Å"Socialist† and â€Å"failure,† asserting that the future of civilization lies in the â€Å"hands of young men like[himself],† a nd diminishes Clarissa’s negative opinions of him by suggesting that she is superficial and snobbish. While Apter feels that Peter Walsh’s pocketknife is not a â€Å"worn-out masculine symbol,† Peter’s self-defensive maneuvers are undeniably offensive. Watching Peter handle his pocketknife, Clarissa imaginatively formulates his self-defense as revealed in his interior monologue – that she was â€Å"frivolous; empty minded; a mere chatterbox.† His self-defense invariably becomes an attack – interaction and communication hence turn into a battleground. Clarissa retaliates â€Å"like a Queen whose guards have fallen sleep and left her unprotected,† and â€Å"summoned to her help the things she did; the things she liked; her husband; Elizabeth; her self, in short†¦to come about her and beat off the enemy (my italics).† Her self, violated by misrepresentation, seeks to validate itself and emerges as the â€Å"indomitable egotism† that safeguards her vanity by overriding Peter’s claims. As a result, both Peter and C larissa â€Å"challenge each other† as in a â€Å"battle.† Clarissa validates her identity through external indicators – â€Å"the things she did; the things she liked; her husband; Elizabeth.† This is because a pattern of symbolic interpretation preexists the objects she names. Husband, daughter and hobbies can therefore be used as symbols representing success and felicity to vindicate Clarissa’s choices in life and challenge Peter’s position. However, these external indicators often make reductive summaries of their characters that they would not accept so easily in solitude. Clarissa chooses to define herself in these terms insofar as they offer her protection against Peter’s accusations; they cannot, however, fully represent her essential being, which explains â€Å"the feeling†¦of dissatisfaction† she often experiences of â€Å"not knowing people; not being known.† On the other hand, using social language to â€Å"preen one’s identity† does scale down the task of defend ing oneself against the whole of society into manageable proportions. One tactic Peter employs is in reproducing the external indicators imposed upon him in a dismissive tone (hence â€Å"preening his identity†), as he does later during the party. This subverts the significance of the criticisms and places him in a more enviable light than the term â€Å"failure† would normally allow. This is done without necessitating a head-on battle against society’s rather ill-founded impositions and labels – a task which would only make him appear insecure and, indeed, even more of a â€Å"failure.† Another means of self-defense is to appeal to another set of external indicators, which Peter does in response to Clarissa’s attack. He draws upon his â€Å"praise; his career at Oxford; his marriage† and tackles society’s implicit criticisms with another implicit social argument, and hence simultaneously defends and misrepresents himself. When one is alone, the self is relieved of the tedious tasks of self-defense and self-validation. The individual is allowed his own subjective understanding of events passing in the world and meets no resistance in his interpretation. Peter, upon leaving Clarissa, can therefore criticize her as having â€Å"something cold,† â€Å"a sort of timidity which in middle age becomes conventionality,† without facing Clarissa’s offensive self-defense. These criticisms are individual interpretations and are expressed in terms that are more subjective and descriptive, though less peremptory (which reduces their defensive power) than the predetermined arguments implicit in reductive and generalized social indicators. While these interpretations would afford a more meaningful debate, their lack of defensive power causes them to be eschewed on social battlegrounds where the more imperious external indicators are favoured. Only in solitude is Peter able to organize a more meani ngful representation of reality based on his own subjective interpretation of the events around him. Social language can be seen to impose frameworks of identity on characters, denying them the validity of their subjectively construed self-representations. It is this imposition of identity that characters in The Hours find unbearable. Cunningham describes his text as a â€Å"riff† on Mrs. Dalloway. Faithfully enough, his text is informed by the same theories of identity as a fluid concept as is seen in Woolf, where the self is constantly foiled and resurrected in an etiology concerning identity shaped by communication and solitude. Richard feels that the party could go on â€Å"with the idea of [him].† His self identity has been subsumed into facile social categorization, and he is defined as the tragic and sick artist who writes â€Å"weird book[s].† It is for this reason that he feels he â€Å"got a prize for [his] performance†¦for having AIDS and going nuts and being brave about it.† The external indicators – his sickness and his lengthy book – once again triumph over the true qualities of the self, here partially represented by the actual contents of his work, which nobody seems to understand. Laura Brown likens her anxieties about meeting her husband to the feeling one gets when â€Å"about to go onstage and perform in a play for which [one] is not appropriately dressed, and for which [one] has not adequately rehearsed.† She is acutely aware of the disparity between her self-perceived identity and the identity society has constructed for her, which she has to assume. She finds social identity – â€Å"the inchoate, tumbling thing known as herself, a mother, a driver† – superficial and meaningless, and liberates herself from the constraints of being a wife in a perfect home by escaping into a hotel. She experiences there â€Å"a sensation of deep and buoyant release,† which is the solace of self-reconstruction in solitude. Having â€Å"slipped out of her life† and escaped social imposition, she experiences â€Å"a sensation of unbeing,† for she has just lost social definition. Formerly, the being and the living had been the existence defined by society – the meaningless performance. The dissolution of the social â€Å"I† in solitude allows her self to emerge and conceive how â€Å"it is possible to die,† how death has a â€Å"dreadful beauty.† The â€Å"neutral zone† of the hotel room is void of socially imposed reality, and it is there, for the first time, that L aura is able to understand the appeal of death. This appeal is Laura’s subjective interpretation of the world (and of death in particular), and is an interpretation that has thus far been suppressed by social definition. Her â€Å"patriotism† for her husband – her civic responsibility to remain by his side and uphold the social tenets of familial duties – previously made such an idea unthinkable. A more insidious aspect of social interaction and communication is highlighted in Mrs. Dalloway and is represented by the two â€Å"Goddesses† of â€Å"Proportion† and â€Å"Conversion.† These are essentially abstractions of social establishments that enforce definitions regarding moral, political, emotional, or aesthetic realities, and which are given a satirical mythological status. They â€Å"smite out of [the] way roughly the dissentient, or dissatisfied† and â€Å"bestow†¦blessing on those who†¦catch submissively from [their] eyes the light of their own,† asserting their blinkered positions to be the only truths. Hugh Whitbread, who kissed Sally Seton to â€Å"punish her for saying that women should have votes,† could be said to be an agent of â€Å"Proportion† and â€Å"Conversion.† He masquerades under the â€Å"venerable name† of â€Å"kindness† and does more harm than â€Å"the rascals who get h anged for battering the brains of a girl out in a train.† Having been converted, he becomes a proponent of the â€Å"Goddesses†: by embodying outward social perfection without real depth of character, he is empowered, under the aegis of society, to stifle imagination, creativity and understanding, and repudiates Sally’s self-conceived reality, which made only the very modest claim that equal voting opportunities are appropriate in a civic moral society. Michael Cunningham, in The Hours, examines Woolf’s â€Å"Proportion† and â€Å"Conversion† in the context of the homosexual identity. By transposing Woolf’s diegesis of anomie onto the postmodern constructionistic concepts of identity, Cunningham is able to intensify the paradoxical tensions concerning the need for validation of one’s subjective experiences and the longing for social acceptance and integration. Walter Hardy, desiring acceptance, succumbs to â€Å"Conversion.† He possesses physical health, wealth and happiness – the touchstones of social success – leaving not a trace of the â€Å"overweight, desperately friendly† child â€Å"able to calibrate the social standing of other ten-year-olds to the millimeter.† But by accepting society’s criteria for judging success, he affirms its truth. Richard is hence justified in saying that â€Å"eternally youthful gay men do more harm to the cause than do me n who seduce little boys.† At least in seducing little boys, these men are affirming their subjective life experiences (which are their homosexual attractions and emotions), whereas men like Hardy, by their outward subscription to the social norm and passive assimilation of society’s ideological truths, allow the cycle of self-invalidation to continue into the next generation, and end up as simulacra of the â€Å"boys who tortured them in high school,† becoming the very forces that convert other individuals into the â€Å"Proportions† of masculinity and success. Oliver St. Ives is another character that embodies â€Å"Proportion.† Sally remarks â€Å"how much Oliver resembles himself.† The Oliver as movie star is almost identical to the Oliver of real life. As a movie star his image on television is defined through popular appeal, through society’s ideals. That his private image should correspond so well with society’s golden standard reveals Oliver’s lack of true self-identity – â€Å"as if all other brawny, exuberant, unflinching American men were somehow copies of him.† He is the face of the American male. Characteristically, his movie panders to society’s â€Å"Proportion†: an action thriller with a guy â€Å"who saves the world, one way or another.† An additional caveat attached reveals that â€Å"this one would have a gay man for a hero.† Unfortunately, saying that â€Å"it’s not a big deal. He wouldn’t be tortured about his sexuality. He wouldn ’t have HIV† is once again to deny the homosexual experience, to insist homosexuals had â€Å"never been strange children, never taunted or despised,† and to reinforce the experiences of society’s heterosexual norm. As David Bergman points out in â€Å"Gaiety Transfigured: Gay Self-Representation in American Literature,† â€Å"the child who will become gay conceives his sexual self in isolation. I cannot think of another minority that is without cultural support in childhood.† This precarious identity developed in solitude is allowed to be stampeded by the need for social confirmation, and Oliver becomes the very force of â€Å"Conversion.† Sally’s anger with â€Å"every optimistic, dishonest being† who denies their subjectively construed identity in favour of society’s brutal misrepresentation is hence vindicated. Such are the perils immanent in social participation that make a retreat into solitude so appealing. â€Å"Our apparitions, the things you know us by, are simply childish† – here, Mrs. Ramsay recognizes that the self is inevitably distorted by and heavily concealed from society. Human relations are â€Å"flawed,† â€Å"despicable† and â€Å"self-serving at their best,† because people inevitably choose to understand the world in a manner most gratifying to one’s vanity. She relishes the solitude wherein â€Å"she needs[s] not think about anybody,† and needs not continually fight for self-validation. â€Å"Having shed its attachments,† her self is free to wander uninhibited, and â€Å"the range of experience seem limitless.† These â€Å"strangest adventures† are not merely Mrs. Ramsay’s escapist fantasies of traveling to Rome and India; they are life experiences that are reorganized and refashioned by the â₠¬Å"unlimited resources† within one, and which form a subjectively conceived coherence – â€Å"a summoning together, a resting on a platform of stability.† Society foists itself on the individual, and it is only through â€Å"losing personality† and escaping social participation – whether as mother, wife or host – that the external world is held back, enabling one to lose â€Å"the fret, the hurry, the stir† and create â€Å"this peace, this rest, this eternity† by and for oneself. In retreating into the â€Å"wedged-shape core of darkness† of her self, subjective experience seemingly overwhelms the external objective world and turns it into a self-referential mirror – â€Å"She (Mrs. Ramsay) became the thing she looked at.† This mirror affords â€Å"peace† because it is the expression of the â€Å"core of darkness,† the moi splanchnique. Seeing the self reflected on the face of the world lets i t conceive of a harmonious unity, as if the essential truths of reality are indeed within oneself. Woolf, however, as a lover of parties, maintained that communication with the external world is not only desirable, but also necessary. Septimus’ decline into solipsistic insanity corroborates the idea that â€Å"communication is health; communication is happiness.† Septimus may also be seen as Clarissa’s doppelgà ¤nger. The tragic force gathers him, the alienated individual, in its nihilist folds and leads him to a premature death just as the comic force in Clarissa repeatedly pulls her back into society’s embrace in an affirmation of the positive and the social order. Shell-shocked after the war, Septimus appears to repudiate the impositions of the objective world – the social and the external – and constructs a reality based almost exclusively on his thoughts and emotions. His preoccupation with Evans conjures up images of him with hardly any objective stimulus – he hears him sing and speak where there could only possibly be birds singing or people talking. The objective world is lost to him, and he reveals: â€Å"I went under the sea†¦ but let me rest still.† He has collapsed into himself; his reality implodes. â€Å"Under the sea† he stays immersed in his own self and society’s call for him to emerge is feverish, lurid and cacophonic: But let me rest still; he begged†¦and as, before waking, the voices of birds and the sound of wheels chime and chatter in a queer harmony, grow louder and louder and the sleeper feels himself drawing to the shores of life, so he felt himself drawing towards life, the sun growing hotter, cries sounding louder His â€Å"doom† was hence â€Å"to be alone forever.† By the end of the novel he turns away from life and his doctors who are â€Å"forcing (his) soul,† committing suicide to preserve â€Å"the thing†¦that mattered.† This is the self which is â€Å"wreathed about with chatter, defaced, obscured†¦let drop every day in corruption, lies, chatter.† â€Å"Closeness draws apart† because social language is inadequate. He cannot survive in this solitude and appealed to death for â€Å"death was an attempt to communicate.† Clarissa does come to intuit his self-identity in the solitude of her â€Å"little room† by imaginative recreation of his death, drawing material from her own experiences and emotions. She feels his â€Å"terror; the overwhelming incapacity,† the â€Å"indescribable outrage† of a â€Å"soul† being â€Å"forc[ed]† and experiences his death vicariously – â€Å"her dress flame d, her body burnt.† She appeals to her own understanding of the world, remembering how she once felt â€Å"if it were now to die, ’twere now to be most happy.† She seeps into Septimus’ consciousness thus by an empathetic subjective understanding. If Septimus’ death is a triumph against Time’s transience and an offering to the epiphanic moments of life, then Clarissa’s quote from â€Å"Othello† would be representative. In solitude, through these references to her subjective world she achieves communication with Septimus. Woolf thus presents a paradox of opposites which is developed further in To the Lighthouse. Lily Briscoe, the artist, finds that â€Å"distance had an extraordinary power.† Distance enables withdrawal from social participation. As she paints, Lily retreats into solitude, going â€Å"out and out†¦further and further, until one [she] seemed to be on a narrow plank, perfectly alone, over the sea,† in order to peer into â€Å"the chambers of the mind and heart† of Mrs. Ramsay. To understand the â€Å"sacred inscriptions† of Mrs. Ramsay’s soul, Lily has to rely on her subjective understanding of the people and places which completed her. As Clarissa Dalloway suggests, â€Å"to know†¦anyone, one must seek out the people who completed them; even the places.† It would hardly be conceivable to accomplish this mammoth task physically. Lily, however, is able to â€Å"make up scenes,† of which â€Å"not a word†¦was true.† While objectively speaking these events had never occurred they are nonetheless completely plau sible, extrapolated hypothetically based on one’s understanding of other people. Fiction, formed by the creative self, is hence a useful tool for exploring human responses to various situations and elucidating their characters. Lily realizes that â€Å"it was what she knew them by all the same,† and views and reviews Mrs. Ramsay from the subjective viewpoints of the Rayleys, of Mr. Carmichael, Mr. Bankes and the other Ramsays. She felt she needed â€Å"fifty pairs of eyes to see with† in order achieve reconciliation amongst the kaleidoscopic representations of Mrs. Ramsay, so that her portrait is not saturated with her limited perspective. Eventually, like Clarissa, she has to experience Mrs. Ramsay’s emotional and intellectual experiences vicariously to achieve understanding. â€Å"What did the hedge mean to her, what did the garden mean to her, what did it mean to her when a wave broke?† – all these questions Lily strives to answer through imaginative enactment of events. She eventually manages to apprehend the world through Mrs. Ramsay’s consciousness and her fear for Mr. Ramsay segues into love and need – â€Å"she wanted him.† This is probably one aspect of Mrs. Ramsay’s emotional response to her husband which Lily has never shared. In this rare instance of human communication, Lily achieves the same unity and peace that Mrs. Ramsay experienced with the lighthouse beam earlier on, for she had become, â€Å"like waters poured into one jar, inextricably the same, one with the object [Mrs. Ramsay] one [she] adored.† The mirror returns, and she solves Mr. Ramsay’s philosophical conundrum – the relationship between subjective and objective worlds – by creating a work of art that affirms the expression of the subjective self using material from the objective world. Her portrait is accurate for the â€Å"odd-shaped triangular shadow† corresponds with the â₠¬Å"wedge-shaped core of darkness† so essential to Mrs. Ramsay’s identity; the finishing stroke scored through the middle of the canvass is also reflective of the severance in human relationships that Mrs. Ramsay has always fought against. Lily, like Woolf herself, rejects the notion of art as mimesis. â€Å"To be on level with ordinary experience† is to experience the phantasmagoric flux of fact and dream, to interweave between objective reality and subjective organization of that reality. Her painting is hence a â€Å"razor edge balance between two opposite forces; Mr. Ramsay and the picture† – the uncompromising facts of objective reality embodied in Mr. Ramsay and Lily’s own subjective understanding of them come together, equipoised, â€Å"clamped together with bolts of iron. Objectivity in society and subjective latitude in solitude soldered together – this is Woolf’s answer to the dialectic of the comforts of solitude and the asperity of communication in external society.

Responsibility Audit Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Responsibility Audit Report - Essay Example Moreover, Greggs employ over 20,000 numbers of employees ranging from its retail outlets, savoury production units and the entire supply chain management networks that are located in different regions in the UK and other global destinations (Greggs plc, 2012). According to the past financial performance of Greggs, the organisation can be apparently observed to attain considerable growth in terms of gaining better financial results from its different bakery and savoury foods production units. Moreover, the company gained better business reputation for its exceptional roles emphasising serving towards the environment and the customers as well (1Greggs plc, 2013). With regard to the current business portfolio of the organisation, this essay aims to critically examine the business practices of Greggs regarding its contribution made towards the environment, demonstrating responsible corporate behaviour. Additionally, the essay would also analyse the ethical practices that perform by the o rganisation along with its other responsible acts that enabled it to accomplish superior competitive position. In this regard, the essay also tends to suggest effective business practices ensuring enhancing the efficiency of the responsible acts that perform by the organisation and most vitally refurbishing its leading position in delivering environmental and customer based practices in the respective business industry. 2. Examining the Business Practices of Greggs 2.1 Environmental Business Practices of Greggs In relation to the present business performance of Greggs, the organisation has been recognised to operate huge number of bakery and savoury production units across different parts of the UK. Currently, Greggs tends to manufacture its range of bakery items and savoury products through its well-developed production units and delivers quality based products through its wide supplying networks. In this similar context, the organisation also ensures its existence within different locations such as high streets, commercial and business places, universities and other local shopping parades across different locations of the UK (Greggs plc, 2012). It is worth mentioning that Greggs tends to comply with strong environment protection policies and regulations while practicing its wide bakery production and delivery related operations. In relation to the business practices of Greggs, it can be affirmed that the formulation of several strong along with effective environment protection policies might lessen unfavourable impacts that are imposed upon the environment. Although the organisation is viewed to impose considerable impact on the environment through its wide range of production and supply operations, it also tends to perform a responsible role in terms of encouraging wellbeing of each community across the UK (1Greggs plc, 2013). With respect to the recent environmental related practices of Greggs, the formulation of effective environment protection strategies have significantly empowered the organisation to minimise its potential impacts on the environment. In this regard, the organisation has also been observed to maintain its effective operational control and management in terms of using natural resources and protecting them from any sort of hazard. The various initiatives of the organisation

Fascism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fascism - Essay Example Although a more full and complete analysis of fascism would necessarily require a comparison of fascism around the globe, this particular analysis will merely be concentric upon European fascism and the means by which it was defined in elaborated on by its most visible proponents; Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini. According to this level of analysis, the research will investigate Benito Mussolini’s â€Å"The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism† and compare and contrast it to Adolph Hitler’s Mein Kampf. Further, the analysis will seek to consider what Hitler viewed as the primary and core weakness of democracy, his thoughts and beliefs with regards to individualism, and the underlying reason why Marxists and fascists must necessarily hate one another under the definitions of fascism that will be presented. Moreover, an analysis of bigotry and anti-Semitism will be discussed as a core and fundamental compound that fascism, regardless of its form, seeks to en gage. Most importantly of all, a fundamental level of comparison and contrast between these two characters and the means by which fascism evolved within their respective states will be engaged. One of the clearest levels of comparison exists between the writings of Benito Mussolini and Adolph Hitler is with respect to the degree of contempt that they both shared towards democracy and the idea and/or understanding that people or groups of people should have the determinant right to decide what the future of their nation/state might look like. As a means of understanding this, one should consider the following quote from Mussolini which is as follows: â€Å"The Fascist conception of the State is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism is totalitarian, and the Fascist State—a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values—interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of a people† (Muss olini 14). Likewise, from a careful analysis of Mein Kampf it can be concluded that some of the primary reasons for Hitler detesting the concept and practice of democracy was due to the fact that he considered it to be socialist inspired, week, ineffective, inefficient, effeminate, and patently un-German. Due to such a strong distaste for the concept, it comes as little to no surprise that Hitler, although democratically elected, sought immediately to garner power to himself and his henchman as a means of rapidly turning the German Republic into the Third Reich. An important concept for the reader to grasp is the fact that although Hitler and Mussolini necessarily defined the epiphany of fascism within their respective systems as well as helped to pen some of fascism’s most memorable and defining texts, they were nonetheless merely the figureheads and dictators of these respective peoples. As such, the ills of fascism and the means by which it grew, if all, and was exhibited within both Germany and Italy necessarily engages the reader with the understanding that the people of these respective systems also identified heavily with the series and approaches that their leaders put forward. At multiple times throughout Mein Kampf particular refers to what key defines as Jewish Bolshevism/Jewish Marxism. Due to the fact that

Dementia in the world Essay Example for Free

Dementia in the world Essay Alongside traditional A Levels in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, QMC offers an A Level in Applied Science. This is an ideal course for pupils who have studied the GCSE Applied Science and who are interested in a science based career. COURSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS General entry requirements are 5/6 GCSEs at C or above to include Double Science, English and Mathematics. WHAT KIND OF JOB/DEGREE CAN THIS SUBJECT LEAD TO? Success in the A Level will enable you to apply for work in science based companies, the NHS or apply for Foundation degrees at university such as: FdSc Applied Medical Technology FdSc Medical Imaging (Radiography Technician) FdSc Medicines Management (Pharmacy Technician) FdSc Oncological Therapies (Oncology and Radiography Technician) FdSc Paramedic Science, currently available at Portsmouth DURING THE AS COURSE YOU WILL STUDY THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: In the AS year you will be studying 3 units which cover all 3 sciences. Two of the units are assessed by portfolio with the third unit being assessed by examination. This course is therefore best suited to students who find producing a steady flow of written reports preferable to sitting several exams at the end of the year. The portfolio units look at how science is put to use in the workplace. You will visit a range of local organisations and see science in action. Back at College you will learn how to carry out some of the techniques that scientists use at work and write reports about issues relevant to the use of science. As you go you will build up a portfolio of evidence of your growing skills. The examined unit focuses on the use of science in healthcare. You will look at how the body’s circulatory and respiratory systems work, and how they can be monitored and investigated. This will include considering the ethical issues involved when diagnosing and treating illnesses. DURING THE A2 COURSE YOU WILL STUDY THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: In the second year you will be learning how to carry out an extended investigation and then choose one you would like to study in depth. This investigation, and a unit on the techniques involved in genetic engineering and biotechnology, are both assessed by portfolio. A final examined unit brings together all the skills you have developed during the course on working as a scientist, including collecting samples, developing methods for carrying out tests, working safely, analysing data, and ensuring accuracy and reliability in all you do. HOW IS THIS COURSE ASSESSED? AS Level A2 Level 3 Units. 2 units portfolio evidence, 1 unit examination 3 Units. 2 units portfolio evidence, 1 unit examination IF YOU REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION †¦ Please contact the Head of Department, Dr Eddie Grimble, on (01256) 417500

Civil War Sectionalism :: essays research papers

North and South The United States of America, the great democratic experiment, was just that. Not since the great Greek culture had a government of, for, and by the people existed. The entire world felt, that on a large scale, democracy would inevitably lead to anarchy; our founding fathers were determined to prove them wrong. But as the political stand off with the British became a secession issue, a great issue split the future nation. Slavery, a southern necessity, both social and economic, threatened the unity of our nation. A nation that would one day be the greatest the world had ever known. During the development of the thirteen colonies, diversity set in early. In the south the temperate climate made the growth of tobacco a suitable and very profitable business. Cultivation of this crop required a lot of land, and therefore settlers lived far apart. Northern Colonies, though, were much more dependent on small farms, with closely knit communities. These differences were the se ed of a sectional division that would plague the nation for a century. During the late seventeenth century, this fissure in the ideals of the colonies became apparent. Following the constant political irreverence from Britain, a majority of colonial representatives felt the need for independence. The Declaration of Independence was the document written to do this. It called for an abolition of slavery as well as freedom from British rule. Unfortunately, the South would hear nothing of it. Being strong defenders of states rights, most of the Southern states adhered to their believe in a government less like a supreme authority and more like a dominion of independent states. They would rather stay loyal to their oppressive government than participate in one that shunned their way of life. In order to keep their dreams of independence, they North was forced to make the one cession they did not wish to make. In order to keep a unified nation, the slavery issue was deliberately absent fr om the Declaration. Some of the Northern delegates were outraged, but none more than John Adams. A renowned proponent of equal rights, he was one of few that saw the irony in establishing a free society without freeing those in bondage. John Adams seems now more like Nostrodamus when he voiced his concern about the slavery issue for future generations. He did not know it, but the couldn’t have been more right.

Argumentative Essay Essay

Analysis of â€Å"We should cherish our children’s freedom to think† â€Å"We Should Cherish Our Children’s Freedom to Think† is written by Kie Ho and expresses his belief of the education in the US. Throughout the article he argues that the American school system â€Å"is not perfect, but it is a great deal better than any other† (Ho, 2007, p. 114). His arguments are reflected through his thoughts and experiences but are weakened by vague evidence. Ho (2007) states that since public school has provided children with opportunities and direction to fulfill their creativity, the US has developed into a country of innovation. He strongly supports this claim with his own experience and idea. On a (2007)â€Å"excursion to the Laguna Beach Museum of Art, where the work of schoolchildren was on exhibit† (p. 113) Ho got the idea that supports his argument. (2007) When public schools give students opportunities to participate in creative activities, the general public assumes that this freedom to choose is universal. This is not true according to Ho’s different personal sources. (2007) A Polish refugee, a German friend and a Lebanese believe that the American education system is far behind their home countries. Ho’s evidence for his first argument favors his reasoning, but is vague on documenting sources. This weakens his argument a lot and results in less persuasive evidence. He assumes that the idea of people who thinking freedom to choose is a norm without any supporting evidence and that the information from his friends is trustworthy knowledge. Furthermore, Ho (2007) makes a comparison between the imagination of his childhood in Indonesia and his son at school in the US. Ho explains that, (2007)â€Å"When I was 12 in Indonesia, where education followed the Dutch system, I had to memorize the names of all the world’s major cities† (p. 13). While (2007) his son at the same age grew up in California had not much knowledge about world’s major cities but had a better imagination because he took creative geography at the age of 6. Both these examples are good strong arguments and support his belief that the American school system has given children a better imagination by introducing creative thinking in class. But then again his personal sources are weak evidence towards making a conclusion that (2007) imagination helps children to learn because it can help them to visualize what they are learning. This idea is also drawn from his son’s life, but is not supported by any other evidence than what he believes. Additionally he feels like the education system took away an important factor in his learning; the ability to â€Å"experiment freely with ideas† (Ho, 2007, p. 113) and gain confidence. (2007) When looking at the quality of the school one does not include the factor of freedom but only how knowledgeable a student is. Consequently this takes him to the counter part of his story were his son was awarded for using his imagination in an essay at school. The evidence strengthens Ho’s argument of that the school system gives a student freedom to choose and gain more confidence when awarded for trying new ways. When looking at the quality of his sources the argumentative appeal weakens a lot. He draws a conclusion from his own experience and assumes that â€Å"disgruntled American parents forget†¦[that] their children are able to experiment freely with ideas† (Ho, 2007, p. 113). If he would have had a supporting source to this claim, rather than only his own experience the argument would stand much stronger. Ho’s next evidence is based on his statement where he admits (2007)â€Å"that American education does not meet high standards† (p. 113) but only because of how the system is now. If one would make American education meet high standards, students wouldn’t be able to function in the way they do now. This is the weakest point of Ho’s argumentative appeal. The argument in some sort misleading because he is later claiming that â€Å"Our public education certainly is not perfect, but it is a great deal better than any other† (Ho, 2007, p. 114). When combining these two ideas he’s saying that (2007) a school system that does not meet high standards in basic courses is basically still a great deal better than any other because of the creativity and confidence it gives students. Ho wants to keep the school system how it is now and not put any more stress on the students with providing them with a higher quality education. Here again Ho doesn’t cite any of his sources. How can he know that providing students with a higher quality education will make them not function the way they do now. It is no doubt that the American school system is bad, but there is no proof that making it better would â€Å"retard their impulses, [and] frustrate their opportunities for self-expression† (Ho, 2007, p. 113). Overall the argumentative appeal in this argument is weak because of the lack of sources and misleading evidence but leads you in some way towards his overall belief. Finally, Ho argues that (2007) critics of American education do not understand the real purpose of the education. In all studies that are done on education the only measurement that has been left out is freedom. He explains that it’s omitted because people have never had freedom in education and therefor never seen the positive effects. To clarify this he applies this to that the importance of freedom in education â€Å"extends even to children the license to freely speak, write and be creative† (Ho, 2007, p. 114). Here Ho relates the first amendment into to right to freely speak or write. This makes a lot stronger evidence for his argument. But on the other side he still doesn’t cite any of his sources and in particular the last sentence were he writes â€Å"Our public education certainly is not perfect, but is a great deal better than any other† (Ho, 2007, p. 114). These words are very strong and almost make it look like he exaggerates to make his cause clearer. Ho is right in some way of his saying but from the general public viewpoint he is wrong. If Ho look at school as an institution that is supposed to teach students to experiment with ideas and fulfill their creativity he is absolutely right. However this is not the real purpose of school. School is an institution made for students to gain knowledge and not mental skills. Ho has several good arguments for his cause but I think his arguments are not strong enough. The starting argument I would say connects to the topic well, but is not very strong. The reason the US is a country of innovation is not only because of the school system, there is other more important factors that made this happened. Later he draws a conclusion about that children need the American school system the way it is to function. This is a little less good of an argument, he doesn’t cite the evidence anywhere and here a chance he made this up by himself. Continuing on, he claims that increasing the quality of the school will retard student’s impulses. This claim is also vague. There is no evidence of this happening, and he doesn’t say that it has even been tried. At last he finishes of saying that American education is good enough the way it is now. I would say I disagree with him at this point. American education does provide a lot of freedom in education, but this generates a lot lower level of knowledge and therefor goes against what education really is about, to learn as much as possible and get a broader perspective of the world.

Empowerment: Transforming Power and Powerlessness

The precise definition of transformational politics is a never ending issue in the governmental realm.   Consequently, Edward W. Schwerin stresses the idea in a connotation with deliberative state that such is a social and scholarly movement wherein such adherents are sharing an interest towards building a political community basically coherent to norms and other significant details in the concept of empowerment. Conceivably, these factors that build up the connotation are also based on standards such as cooperation, grassroots democracy, equality, environmental awareness and other demonstrative dynamics which possess the ability to the implications and the answers to how these dynamics are able to gain what tends to be the root on how â€Å"politics† and the people shall actually change or live with political decisions. Obviously, Shwerin’s definition and characterization of empowerment is derived from the philosophical works of Plato as well as with the idea that empowerment is in point of fact dependent on how the individual believes how one can be empowered or be disempowered for that instance. To quote his line with regard to the definition of â€Å"empowerment†Ã¢â‚¬â€the process of gaining mastery over one’s self and one’s environment in order to fulfill human needs (p.81)—perhaps his ideological definition may be correct in the factual basis, but if collaborated with the contemporary scenario, empowerment is not only conquered through an individual’s conception on such idea, but it must also be given by the environment upon which that person who wants to achieve such will be vested in the most holistic sense possible. Further, it would also be taken to assumption that Schwerin’s basis for stressing his views on â€Å"empowerment† are too vague and broad that upon arguing on the aforementioned perspective as a composition of the following: â€Å"self-worth, self-effectiveness, piece of knowledge and of abilities, awareness on the political aspect, and participation on socially and politically inclined events—it may be taken to assumption that he is nevertheless referring on the ideological perspective alone on transformational politics and not barely lingering on the schemes of contemporary deliberation and analysis on empowerment. However, his views on mediation experiences (p.93)—as empowering factors on individuals who participate on the ‘activities’—may be acceptable in further delight.   Specifically, his prediction that mediation trainees shall have personal empowerment is a great ordeal on understanding empowerment and the objective of empowering those who are powerless, per se. On the aspect of â€Å"grouping† and on the mediation strategy towards building a highly empowered group, his research has led him good value worth the critical analysis.   As far as political threshold is concerned, it is indeed realistic to say that mediators possess the higher chance to achieve â€Å"empowerment† rather than those who do not get exposed on the organizational activity—those who are experienced shall have the highest empowerment scores—more experience, greater the chance.   In the classroom basis, a â€Å"group of leaders† will have the highest score of getting â€Å"empowered† than only those who are considered as â€Å"group of mediators†Ã¢â‚¬â€intensive training is effective at teaching recruits (Schwerin, 1995).   Precisely true enough to prove his worth on his research. Levels of personal empowerment may be brought upon by training and the acquisition of knowledge, so to speak.   But the â€Å"real† empowerment comes from experience—dispute resolution, bringing up conflicts to a formal legal system—all these are piously given ample importance in trying to distinguish the definition of â€Å"empowerment.†Ã‚   Hence on personal opinion, empowerment may come from â€Å"own† beliefs but making other people believe that one is capable of such â€Å"high regard† is the best empowering method to be taken into account. Reference Schwerin, E. W. (1995). Mediation, Citizen Empowerment, and Transformational Politics. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers.      

Space Junk Danger

Space Junk Danger Earth doesnt orbit the Sun alone. Of course, there are the other planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. But, in near-Earth space, our planet is accompanied by a LOT of space junk left over from launched vehicles. Does it pose a danger? In some cases, it does. In the movie Gravity, a group of astronauts finds out first-hand what it might be like for space  explorers to run into an orbiting bit of space debris. The results are not good, although at least one  astronaut makes it through safely. When it came out, the movie has generated a lot of discussion among space experts  about its accuracy in some places, but the general story highlights a growing problem that we dont often think about here on Earth (and probably should): space junk returning home.   What Goes Up often Comes Down Theres a cloud of space debris around Earth that planners have to deal with as they set schedules for rocket launches and low-Earth missions. Most of the material out there eventually comes back to Earth, such as the object WTF1190F. It was a piece of hardware likely dating back to the Apollo mission days. Its return to Earth on November 13, 2015, told scientists a lot about what happens as material plunges through our atmosphere (and burns up on the way down). Of course, spent satellites are often de-orbited, too, with similar results. The idea is that only little pieces make it back to the planet, and the bigger stuff is destroyed. Knowing about space junk and where it is at any given moment is particularly important for people in the space launch business. This is because there are nearly  20,000 pieces of space debris up there. Most of it  ranges from such small objects as gloves and cameras to  pieces of rockets and artificial  satellites. Theres enough stuff up there to pose a real danger to observatories such as the  Hubble Space Telescope,  weather and communications satellites and the International Space Station. It also poses some risk to those of us on Earth. The good news is, the chances of something hitting us on land are fairly small. Its far more likely that a piece of space debris will fall into the oceans, or at least into an unhabitated part of a continent.   To keep launch vehicles and orbiting satellites from running into these bits of space junk, organizations  such as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) observes and maintains a list of known objects orbiting Earth. Before every launch (and as satellites orbit the globe), the positions of all known debris must  be known so that the launches and orbits can proceed without risk. The other good news is that most space debris burns up before it hits the planet. The Atmosphere Can be a Drag (and Thats Good!) Pieces of junk in orbit can and do get caught up in our planets atmosphere, just as meteoroids do. That slows them  down, in a process called atmospheric drag. If were lucky, and a piece of orbital debris is small  enough, it will likely vaporize as it falls to Earth under the tug of our planets gravity. (This is exactly what happens to meteoroids when they encounter our atmosphere and the resulting flare of light we see as they vaporize is called a meteor. Earth regularly encounters streams of meteoroids, and when it does, we often see meteor showers.)  Ã‚  But, larger  pieces of space junk  can pose a threat to folks on Earth as well as get in the way or orbiting stations and  satellites.   Earths atmosphere is not the same size all the time. At some times it stretches out much farther from the surface due to solar activity. So, scientists monitor the density of the atmosphere changes over time in the low-Earth orbit (LEO) zone. Thats an area several hundred miles above the surface of our planet where most orbiting materials (including satellites and the International Space Station) exist.   The Sun Plays a Role in Space Junk Re-entry In addition to heating by the Sun (which helps swell our atmosphere), heat waves propagating from lower in the atmosphere can also have an effect. There are other events that affect our atmosphere and could have the effect of catapulting larger objects toward Earths surface. Occasional solar storms cause the upper atmosphere to expand. These erratic solar storms (caused by coronal mass ejections)   can zip from the Sun toward Earth in less than two days, and they produce rapid changes in air density.   Again, most space junk falling to Earth can and does vaporize on the way down. But, larger pieces can land and pose the potential for damage. Imagine being in the neighborhood if a large piece of a defunct satellite fell on your house! Or, imagine what would happen if a large solar storm resulted in enough atmospheric drag to pull a working satellite (or a  space station) into a lower and more potentially dangerous orbit? It would not be good news for anybody in the path. Predicting Re-Entry The U.S. Air Force (which is involved with NORAD), and the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center work together to forecast space weather events and the effects they have on our atmosphere. Understanding those events will help us all in the long run by understanding the same effects on the orbits of space junk. Ultimately, the junk trackers will be able to forecast more accurate orbits and trajectories of space debris in near-Earth space.   Fast Facts about Space Junk Space junk is made up of objects left over from space flights, such as cameras, rocket pieces, and other small pieces of debris.Occasionally space junk takes the form of a satellite directed to re-enter Earths atmosphere. Its usually directed to impact Earth in the oceans or in uninhabited areas.Agencies monitor thousands of pieces of space junk, charting the orbits of these objects.  Much space junk vaporizes due to friction with Earths atmosphere and never reaches the surface.

Violence and Teachers Perception of the Zero Tolerance Policy Essay

Violence and Teachers Perception of the Zero Tolerance Policy - Essay Example Further, the high profile incidents of school violence that culminate in death instigate fear and undermine various stakeholders’ belief in safety of schools and the children they accommodate. The worrying trend of heightened school violence, coupled with the acute need for students to learn in a secure environment, necessitates further analysis into the extant "get tough" disciplinary measures, their efficacy or lack thereof, teachers’ perception of the same and potential improvement strategies. Following the occurrence of serious cases of violence in schools over the past ten years, dealing with and preventing violence and consequent disruption of learning is a crucial and urgent concern for all parties involved. While these efforts are directed towards preventing deadly violence, they also aim at restoring security within learning environments. It is common knowledge that instructors cannot convey crucial lessons to learners and neither can the latter get adequately educated in a setting characterized by disruptive violence and insecurity. With the increase in fears of violence, children’s safety as well as education is put at risk and a chance for success in academia and later in professional fields is significantly jeopardized (Smith, 2000). This is because both students and teachers fear going to school. Further, the sole perception of violence is capable of causing physical and psychological harm to individuals, impeding them from reaching their optimal level o f social and academic potential. Currently, "Zero Tolerance" is the official disciplinary policy used in schools to counter cases of violence. At the policy’s inception, it constituted actions like expulsion and enforced suspension, as a response to possession or use of weapons, violent acts and drug possession or usage within school environs. The policy has progressively come

Argument and Persuasion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Argument and Persuasion - Essay Example Marijuana is a drug which has a susceptibility of being misused and the wrong use of the drug can produce deleterious effects on the health of people. Opponents argue that marijuana is an addictive drug and it should not be allowed to be used in any circumstances. This is owing to the fact that the drug affects the normal conscious state of the people and it intoxicates them. The permission of using it in medical conditions will pave ways for the misuse of the drugs by the patients and by other people owing to its easy availability. They believe that this will not only affect the people but it will also have negative effects on the society. Thus, opponents of the allowing of marijuana in medical conditions present that this drug should not be legalized. In the United States, a few states have allowed the usage of marijuana for the management of certain medical problems. California is one of these states. Certain medical conditions like AIDS and cancer are life taking diseases. The management of these diseases is focused upon improving the quality of life of the patients by prescribing them pain killers. Marijuana is a drug which can truly be helpful for the patients suffering from such life hampering pathologies. It can assist in improving their living and help them to live an easier life. Considering the health status of these patients, the usage of marijuana should be permitted for these health conditions. Substances like alcohol and cigarette also have deleterious effects on the health of the people who use them. If marijuana is banned, these substances should also be made illegal. The true fact is that every individual is responsible for his own health and actions. Thus, the medical benefits that the patients would achieve by using marijuana should not be blocked owing to a small group of people who would use this drug for addiction. Furthermore, illegal drug