Role of Environment in Learning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Role of Environment in Learning - Research Paper Example Accommodation is the process by which children learn things through the process of failure. It changes the mental representation of the things through new experiences. On the other hand, assimilation is the process through which children get to absorb new things and experiences into their already present framework. Environment is one factor that cannot be ignored in any way as through the presence of the environment, people gain newer experiences and they also learn things that they were never aware of. Learning styles are different from culture to culture and from country to country. It has been seen that people from some country are very good in numbers or very quick to comprehend things that they are not aware of, while some people have very good oratory skills and are very fluent in languages and can even learn them easily. Learning methods that are used in Asia and Africa are very strict and controlled as children are not allow questioning the teacher or their teacher’s v iews. While in European countries people tend to be freer in knowledge sharing and questioning teachers. This is in serious contrast with the methods that are used in Asian countries. The environments in US and other counter parts are all quite less controlled and thus children are freer in their decision making and questioning. The methods of learning are far more interactive in the European countries and the teacher and student are all quiet confident in interacting with each other. In Asian countries the process of learning is very less interactive and children tend to be more quiet and the teachers are the ones who only talk and share the knowledge. The children hardly interact with their mentors or teachers. The kinds of environment that people belong to also play a very crucial role. If the people belong to an environment where learning is preferred and newer knowledge encouraged then people from such environments are very willing to learn newer things and impart it as well. H owever, in environments where learning is not an encouraged process and where learned people are treated as aliens or as people who should be avoided, then people are less receptive of such knowledge. It’s a common understanding that children who come from developed countries are more willing to learn newer things and adopt them while children coming from less developed countries are shy and not keen in learning new things as they might be in clash with their own traditions and culture. A major factor that affects learning is the facilitation that is present in the environment. If the environment is helpful and promotes learning then people tend to learn quickly. The other factors that are present in the environment are distractions that affect the learning process of the people. The most disastrous distraction that can be there in a child’s life and that can affect the learning process is that of family life. If a child grows in a negative environment then he will be very distracted and will never be able to learn properly. On the contrary, if he grows up in a family that has a positive environment then the child will be able to grasp things easily and will also be able to apply them positively in his life.

Pursuing Happiness Essay Example for Free

Pursuing Happiness Essay We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness All men are created equal, but are we all really treated equal? As of January 2013, nine states — Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington — have legalized same-sex marriage. Thats a mere 5.5% of the nation, whereas countries such as Canada, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Sweden have already granted full marital status to same-sex couples and other countries (France, Columbia, the UK, Taiwan, etc. ) have pending bills to legalize it as well. We are a leading nation in the world, we should be setting an example. So why are we so behind on this important matter? It is hit by a number issues, many of which are religion-based. Personally, I do not follow any religion but I respect the belief of others because I wouldnt like someone to insult something I believe in and thus I wouldnt do the same to another human being. But I dont understand why they cant understand my beliefs. I believe in love. Crazy, stupid, happy love. Tell me, what is so wrong with seeing two people in love get married? Should it matter what gender they are? Just because someone is of a different sexuality than you are doesnt mean that they arent human. They have feelings just like you and I. They dont look any different from us either. These people could be your brother or sister, your uncle or aunt, your schoolmates or teachers, they could even be your best friend. Speaking of best friends, one of mine, Christian, is the reason this issue hits so close to home for me. Ive been to 6 different schools in my life and befriended many people but Ive never really been open about myself in any of them. But with Christian and our other best friend, Nardos, there were no secrets. I remember the day Christian came out of the closet to us as clearly as if it were yesterday, I recall him blushing when we asked if he liked anyone and gushing over his crush of five years. Someday, I hope to see him in a relationship with someone and as maddeningly happy as he was that day. I hope to see him get married, to see him be happy. I hope that someday hell be able to come out to a world that judges him less on love than who he loves and more on who he is. Sadly, I doubt that day will come anytime soon. That isnt to say that it will never come. I mean, interracial marriage was illegal in the US till anti-miscegenation laws (laws that banned interracial marriage, cohabitation and sex) were declared unconstitutional in 1967. Doesnt it seem ridiculous to you that it took a supreme court decision to define that it was alright for two people of different races to love and marry each other? Well, thats how it seems to me with same-sex marriage.

Telling the Truth and its Impact in Friendships Essay -- Christianity,

An article by John Piper titled â€Å"Truth & Love† offers up a compelling relation between how the world defines and handles education and relationships to what the bible has to say about it. Piper says, â€Å"I find in place of the words, "education" and "relationship," the words, "truth" and "love."† (Piper, 2011) The way those two are entirely parallel can teach people an enormous amount about how to go about having meaningful relationships. If education is truth, and relationship is love, then they are connected. To love someone is to have a relationship with them, to tell someone the truth is to educate them about something. Therefore, how cruel is it to withhold knowledge, or worse yet, teach them an altered education. To have one without the other is like taking away a vital working part of a machine, it simply wont work like it was created to. Friendships wont work like they were designed if either love or truth is absent. Just as truth supports love, Piper follows that by speaking on how love is equally as supporting to the truth. â€Å"But there is a way to speak the truth in love, and that we should seek. It is not always a soft way to speak, or Jesus would have to be accused of lack of love in dealing with some folks in the Gospels.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ But it does ask about what is the most helpful thing to say when everything is considered. Sometimes what would have been a hard word to one group is a needed act of love to another group, and not a wrong to the group addressed. But in general, love shapes truth into words and ways that are patient and gentle (2 Timothy 2:24-25).† (Piper, 2011) A general misconception that speaking truth in love must be meek and soft spoken is often what keeps people from being bold in love in their relationships. Th... ...itual-well-being/5580-education-and-relation-truth-and-love The bible. NLT Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2010). Interpersonal communication, relating to others. (6th ed., pp. 288-292). *Sources up until this point were congruent with the requirements of the paper, the rest are extras. Ekman, P. and Friesen, W.V. â€Å"The Repertoire of Nonverbal Behavior: Categories, Origins, Usage and Coding,† Semiotica 1 (1969): 49-98 McCornack, S.A. and Levine, T.R. â€Å"When Lies Are Uncovered: Emotional and Relational Outcomes of Discovered Deception,† Communication Monographs 57 (1990): 119-38 iPerceptive. (2011). Honesty quotes. Retrieved from http://iperceptive.com/quotes/honesty_quotes.html Foundation, C. (n.d.). Pondering point: Does this make me look fat?. Retrieved from http://www.charmmdfoundation.org/PonderingPoint/PonderingPoint_RB100909.pdf

Anion Root Tip

In the experiment, onion root tips are choosen to be observed under microscope. It is because the chromosomes are larger than most of the others plants. The root tips of onion are picked to observed as the root tips are the region where the cell division occurs mostly. The cells at the tips of the onion are actively dividing, therefore they are always in stages of mitosis. The tips on the slide are squashed with the aim to show a better and clearer observation of the chromosomes of individual cells. Adding Feulgen stain is to visualize the onion root tip cells.Normally the chromosomes are not visible in nondiving cells because the DNA is still uncoiled. After adding Feulgen stain, supercoiling of the chromosomes into a highly compacted form happen. The supercoiled chromosomes are formed so that the chromosomes can be visualized under microscope. Be precautious when treating with Felgen stain because it is a type of DNA specific stains and carcinogens. Gloves should be wore. Based on the results, it shows that interphase is the most abundantly stage that is found in onion root-tip cells, and is followed by prophase.The other phase: metaphase, anaphase and telophase only show lower amounts. The larger amount of interphase shows that the duration taken in interphase is longer than other phases. Interphase is a stage for the growth and also development of the cells. Majority of the cells are in interphase as replication of genetic material,DNA and organelles for production of new cells take a longer time. Prophase is the common phase after interphase. More times is needed for the process of condensing of sister chromatids into chromosomes. During prophase, mitotic spindles are developed from microtobules that produced by centrosomes too.Therefore, more times is needed for the more complicated stages, which are interphase and also prophase. Interphase is a stage when the cell is not dividing but preparing for its next stage. The nucleus have one or more dark-stained nucleoli that is filled with network of threads. The threads are actually the chromatin. During interphase, the genetic material and organelles are replicated. Interphase is divided into three phases which are G1, S and G2 phases. G1 is the longest phase as the work to resume growth following mitosis is carried out here. The preparation for replication of DNA occur S phase is the phase when the DNA synthesis.During this phase, the cell's DNA replicates. G2 is a gap between the synthesis of DNA and beginning of mitosis. It is a period of rapid cell growth and synthesis of protein. During prophase, the chromatins super coiled and become thicker and shorter. Thickening continues till they condense into chromosomes. Each chromosomes has been duplicated, consists of two sister chromatids. Soon, the spindle which is made up of microtubules start forming. The disintegration of nuclear envelope and nucleoli occur. At metaphase, the chromosomes have moved to the center of the nucleur.The ch romosomes have aligned at the metaphase plate and the centromeres of each sister chromatids, chromosomes have attached to the spindle. The nuclear membrane disintegrates totally at the same time. The centromeres are divided during anaphase. Sister chromatids are seperated and pulled to the corresponding poles by the spindle fibres. While the telophase is the last stage of mitosis division. A new nuclear envelope is formed around each group of chromosomes. The chromosomes uncoil. The nucleoli and nuclear envelope are formed and reappearred again. The cytoplasm is divided equally and two daughter cells are produced.

My Most Unforgettable Character

He is a tall, thin man with a hunched back. His dark, suntanned face with its countless wrinkles and creases, reminds you of a prune. He has sunken cheeks and you will know why when he gives you a broad smile-only one golden tooth is left on his upper gum. He looks around ninety years old. But when you ask him how old he is, he will shake his head and say he was born on the day the Japanese invaded Malaya. It is left to your historical knowledge to count the number of years he has been around. I first met him when I was collecting seashells along the seashore. My parents had always wanted a house by the sea and their dream came true when they inherited some money from a rich uncle. I was walking along the seashore when I saw this old man. He was stooping and picking up something and throwing it into sea. When I drew near, I saw that he was throwing the bright starfish that were washed up along the shore by the high tide. I told him that he was being silly as he could not possibly save all the starfish, as there were countless ones gasping for breath along the seashore. He told me that although he could not change the destiny of all the starfish, he could surely save some, and that made a difference. He said that we were born on this earth to make a difference. It was up to us to choose whether we wanted to or not to contribute towards a better world. From that day on, I became his shadow. I would meet him in the morning and help him throw as many starfish as I could into the sea. It was only when I was much older that I understood the joy of throwing those sea creatures back into the sea. It has been five years since I met Embon Mat. We have become inseparable. I have learnt t appreciate the man with a heart of gold, who leads a simple and humble life. When I approach him in an angry mood he will be quiet until I pour out all my troubles to him. Then, he will advise me. My acquaintance with him has changed my perspective towards life. He has taught me that honesty, diligence and determination are important for success. He tells me not to let success go to my head. â€Å"A courteous, generous, kind and caring nature will attract true friends to us,† he tells me. â€Å"Always speak the truth,† he advises if I ever complained that I was treated unfairly by someone. He is my mentor, my patient listener and my counselor. He gives his advice freely and does not hesitate to scold me when I am in the wrong. Now that I am working in a busy cosmopolitan city, I look forward to the opportunity to drive down to my seaside haven to be with my mentor. I will recognize him from afar-the hunched figure stooping low to pick another starfish and throw it back into the sea. He will not turn to look at me for he knows that I will soon join him in changing the destiny of some starfish. I am truly blessed to have known him.

Philosophy On Education essays

Philosophy On Education essays I do not believe the practices of our current public education reflect the aims of Philosophy on education from Plato to Dewey because of the Context Statement and questions Rorty ask in The Ruling History of Education. What are the directions and limits of public education in a liberal pluralist society? How can we best assure an equitable distribution of educational opportunity? Should the quality of education be supervised by national standards and test? Should public schools undertake moral and religious education? These same questions or controversies have been asked from Plato to present day. In America today we are breaking away from the roots of philosophical and educational thought. We implement new ideas for education without thinking them through. For instance, No child left behind is a prime example of not weighing all the pros and cons of instituting a new concept. We have experts with ideas of what educators should do and how to teach but no proof that it will be a success. After 8 to 12 years we abandon it for some new idea published in an educational journal. Today students forget what they are taught because most of what we teach is subject matter. They are not taught problem solving through experience. We have gotten away from the ways of education that worked for millions, which go back to the ancient philosophers. These ancient philosophers believed in the idea of family first, the state second, and that school should be like home as much as possible (Aristotle). I agree with Dewey that teaching is an art and students learn through activity or experienc es. Education begins at birth and ends with death. Contempory educators have little interest in Plato and Aristotle, the late nineteenth and twentieth century thinkers like Nietzsche, John Dewey, Peirce, Habermas, or Gadamer whose works include serious reassessments of the contemporary relevance of the ancient Philoso...

What to Expect on College Move-In Day

What to Expect on College Move-In Day The excitement on a college campus during move-in day is palpable. New students are moving in, parents are trying to figure out how to help, and there are usually just enough student orientation leaders and staff members to create the perfect mixture of confusion and assistance. How can you keep yourself on track? Know the Schedule and Stick to It If youre moving into a campus residence hall room, you most likely have been assigned a very specific time for unloading your items. Make sure to stick with this schedule. Not only will things be easier for you during your time to unload, but they will also be easier for you for the rest of the day. Move-in day is usually crammed full of events, meetings, and to-dos, so sticking to your assigned move-in time is of high importance.  Every minute of your move-in day is scheduled for a reason: there is a lot to cover and all of it is important. Go to every event youre assigned to, be there on time, and take notes. Chances are your brain will be overloaded by the time the day is over and those notes will come in handy later. Expect to Be Separated from Your Parents At some point during move-in day, you actually will have to be separated from your parents. Often, however, this will happen before they officially leave campus. Your parents may have a special schedule to go to that has separate events from yours. Expect this to happen and, if need be, brace your parents for it. Try Not to Be Alone Its no secret that the plan for the day is to keep you from being alone. Why? Well, just imagine what move-in day would be like without all of those scheduled events. Students would be kind of  lost, unsure of where to go, and would probably end up just hanging out in their new rooms- not the best way to meet a lot of people and get to know the school. So, even if you think the event after dinner sounds totally lame, go. You may not want to go, but do you want to miss out on what everyone else is doing? Keep in mind that the first few days of orientation are often when a lot of students meet each other, so its critical to get out of your comfort zone and join the crowd- you dont want to miss out on this vital opportunity to start making new friends. Get to Know Your Roommate There may be a lot going on, but spending a little time getting to know your roommate- and setting up some ground rules- is also super important. You dont have to be besties with your roommate, but you should at least get to know each other a little bit on move-in day and during the rest of the orientation. Get  Some Sleep! Chances are, move-in day- and the rest of orientation- will be one of the busiest times of your college life, but that doesnt mean you shouldnt take care of yourself a little, too. True, you will probably be up super late talking with people, reading all the material you were given, and just enjoying yourself, but remember that its also important to get at least a little sleep so you can stay positive, healthy, and energetic over  the next few days. Know That Its OK to Feel Sad Youre in college now! Your parents have left, the day is over, and youre finally all settled down in your new bed. Some students feel overwhelmingly happy, some feel overwhelmingly sad and scared, and some students feel all of these things at the same time! Be patient with yourself and know that you are making a humongous life adjustment and that all of your emotions are totally normal. You worked hard to get where you are and, while it may be scary, it can still be fantastic at the same time. Congratulate yourself on a job well done, let yourself be sad when you need to, and get ready to start your new college life- after a good nights sleep, of course.

How to Resolve and Solve Problems

How to Resolve and Solve Problems A great skill to have is the ability to solve problems specifically interpersonal and behavioral problems,   effectively. At the same time it is also a great skill to teach students. There are a few key requirements to resolving problems collaboratively.   Both inside and outside the classroom teachers deal with problems, and knowing how to resolve problems, either conflict between students, with students or with parents, require following some steps.   Here are the steps to becoming an more effective problem solver. Heres How: Understand why the problem exists. What is the actual root cause for the problem? If you know something about why the problem exists, youll have a better time of resolving the problem. Lets take the example of a child who doesnt want to come to school. Before you can help identify a solution, it is important to find out why the child doesnt want to come to school. Perhaps bullying is occurring on the bus or in the halls. One of the first steps to effectively solve problems, is delving into the root cause of the problem.Be able to clearly identify the problem and the obstacles that the problem presents. All too often when attempting to address a problem, those problems surrounding the principal cause are considered rather than identifying and resolving the root problem.   Clearly state the problem and what obstacles the problem presents to you. Again, the child who doesnt want to come to school has the problem of it having a negative impact on his/her academic success.Once you have clearly stated the problem, you need to understand what you have control over and what you dont. Your efforts to resolve the problem must be within the areas where you have control. You may not have control whether a child comes to school, but you do have control over dealing with the bully who is creating the barrier to the child not wanting to attend school. Solving problems must focus on the things which you can control. Do you have all the information you need? Solving problems is often like becoming involved in investigations. Have you thoroughly researched why the problem exists? Do you have all the information you need? If not, be persistent and seek out all information before tackling the problem.Dont jump to conclusions. Once you have all of your information, analyze it carefully and look at it from various viewpoints. Be as objective as possible and dont be quick to judge. Remain judgement free as much as possible. This is a time for you to use your critical thinking skills.Now determine your options for solutions. How many options do you have? Are you sure? Which options seem reasonable? Have you weighed the pros and cons of your options? Are there any limitations to your options? Are some options better than others and why? Are there advantages and disadvantages you need to take into consideration?You should now be ready to act. A well thought out strategy/solution is now in place. However, what is your plan to monitor its outcome? How will you know that your solution is working? Once your solution is in place, it is important to monitor and evaulate the outcome regularly. In SummaryYou can use this approach to many of the challenges that arise in your classroom. A child who wont comply, a parent who is unhappy with their childs IEP, an educational assistant with whom you are having some conflict with. The strategies used in this problem solving plan are merely good life long skills to have. Tips: Clearly state the problem.Know what the obstacles are related to the problem.Determine what you have control over and what you dont.Make sure you have ALL the information you need.Identify all of your options and implement the best option for a solution.

Benjamin Franklin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Benjamin Franklin - Essay Example Benjamin writes about 13 virtues in his autobiography which he wants to make part of his life one by one. Franklin wanted to seek God’s assistance for wisdom. He considered God, the fountain of wisdom. He was considered the wisest man on American soil due to his clear mind and right approach towards life. In the early days of America, Benjamin knew that very few Americans have access to books. One reason was that books were very costly and rare and secondly there were no public libraries for the Americans in 1730. Men of middle status were also unable to get books for reading. Only the rich and clergy could afford expensive books in abundance. Franklin tried to gather some books in a little room of Mc Grace which could be later consulted for different jobs. They gathered the books but after one year every member took his books back due to less care of books (FRANKLIN, Chapter 8). Then Benjamin made a plan to construct subscription library in Philadelphia. With the help of his friends, Benjamin started collection of subscriptions in Junto. Initially 50 subscribers paid 40 shillings each to start the public library. Subscribers also promised to give additional 10 shillings for maintenance of the library (FRANKLIN, Chapter 8). Benjamin’s publications got fame due to format and material. He showed his democratic spirit with the help of his publications. He got a lot of lead and understanding from a fiction â€Å"poor Richard†. Now with this fiction Benjamin started motivating people on politics and philosophy (FRANKLIN, Chapter 10). Benjamin laid emphasis on moral protection and wished to live without committing any fault in his life. Benjamin writes about 13 virtues in his autobiography which he wants to make part of his life one by one. He knows that it is difficult to implement all of them simultaneously. He preferred â€Å"Temperance† as a first virtue because it

The Cask of Amontillado Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Cask of Amontillado - Essay Example He is insensitive to people’s feelings, but it does not seem to be coming from a place of malice, but more of a place of always thinking â€Å"what’s the big deal?† Burger is the opposite – he apparently was poor, worked his way up on the ladder, was not given anything, had to work for everything, and takes everything very seriously. So, both men came upon fame and fortune, but in very different ways. As indicated above, there is nothing in the early part of the story that would indicate that horror would be befalling Kennedy by the end of the story. This is in contrast to â€Å"The Cask of the Amontillado,† the story upon which this story was evidently based. In â€Å"The Cask of the Amontillado,† we know from the beginning that the narrator had a problem with Fortunato, who is the man who eventually has the same fate that Kennedy does in this story, for we know from the very first paragraph that the narrator is angry with Fortunato, althoug h we know not for what, and never do find out. However, in the â€Å"The New Catacomb,† there is initially not a hint that there is anything amiss. The two men are enjoying one another’s company, and there begins almost a casual conversation about two things – the fact that Burger has artifacts from a new catacomb that he has discovered, and the fact that Kennedy had had a scandalous affair, the details of which is not yet known. As the two men spar a bit – Kennedy is eager to know about the new catacomb, and Burger does not want to give up the secret – one does not necessarily get the sense that Burger has anything against Kennedy. Initially, the reader is led to believe that Burger is only asking Kennedy about the affair to prove a point – that, as Burger has a secret that he does not want to reveal, so does Kennedy. And, if Kennedy does not want to reveal the details of the affair, then Burger is not going to reveal the details about the new catacomb. Initially, it seems that this is all that there is to it. Of course, Kennedy does reveal the affair, and, in the process, the reader is brought into Kennedy’s mind. He comes across as callous and insensitive, for he had an affair with an engaged woman, all for the sport of it, and nothing else. Then he pretty much sealed his fate when he shrugged off the question about the woman’s other man by stating that it was simply survival of the fittest, and that if the other man would have been a better man, she would not have deserted him. Of course, the reader finds out at the end exactly who that other man was, but, at the moment, this information is not revealed, so the entire back and forth between the men about the affair does not seem to be foreboding. It is only when Burger states that he must take Kennedy to the new catacomb that the reader gets a sense of foreboding. Since most readers have read â€Å"The Cask of the Amontillado† at least once, th ere is, at this moment, a sense of dread for Kennedy. Although the reader does not know exactly why something will happen to Kennedy, there is immediately an â€Å"oh, no† when Burger offers to take Kennedy to the catacombs. Does Burger want revenge for the affair? If so, why is it his business? Or does he simply want a rival out of the way? After all, these men are rivals, even if they are friendly rivals. Whatever the motivation, the reader instantly can sense that this will not end well for Kennedy. As the

Assignment chapter 13 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chapter 13 - Assignment Example They came to the United States two years ago. In India, people react to strangers in different ways. Some Indians simply look at strangers, others smile, while others pretend to not care, but they surely notice foreigners around them (Bhatti). If someone is staring, the stranger can smile politely. Indians often return the smile (Bhatti). In terms of greeting, saying â€Å"Namaste† is the traditional greeting (â€Å"India Customs†). During this greeting, the person presses his/her hands together, with his/her fingers facing up and near the chin (â€Å"India Customs†). When addressing superiors or older people, a slight bow is added (â€Å"India Customs†). One must greet the most senior person or the eldest first always (â€Å"India Customs†). When entering a room, a nod and saying â€Å"Namaste† can suffice (â€Å"India Customs†). Males, especially strangers, do not touch women in public, including shaking their hands (â€Å"India Customs†). For communication practices, excessive gestures and verbal expression are considered impolite, especially when coming from strangers (Dasgupta). It is also acceptable to be late by 15 to 30 minutes because American punctuality is not widely practiced in many areas, unless for businesses who have embraced American customs (Dasgupta). In addition, when invited to an Indian family house for lunch or dinner, the invited person must bring a gift, such as a box of chocolates or flowers (Dasgupta). However, since different flowers have different meanings, it is important to ask the florist about appropriate flowers to be brought to families (Dasgupta). Furthermore, the gesture for â€Å"yes† is a slight nod of the head, while â€Å"no† is a turning from side to side. Some foreigners do not easily see the difference between the gestures for â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no,† probably because Indians do not like saying â€Å"no† out of respect (Dasgupta). Greeting a person depends on his/her social status, wherein age, university

Marginal analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marginal analysis - Essay Example If the marginal revenue is known, then the total revenue can be worked out for a specific change in sales. B. Marginal cost is the change in total cost that comes from producing one more item (â€Å"Investopedia,† 2011). The reason why organizations need to find marginal cost is to determine when economies of scale can be achieved. 1. Total cost is the cost of producing all the units of production. It is important to know and understand the total cost because it will determine whether or not it is worth it to produce one more unit. The key is to find the optimal point and then do not produce more than the marginal cost allows. C. Profit it the total revenue made in a certain period of time divided by the total expenses or costs or that same time period. It is important to have as much profit as possible because it determines the financial health of a business. 1. Profit maximization is achieved at the point where marginal revenue equals marginal cost. This is the optimal point of production because any change, whether an increase or decrease, would result in less profit for a firm, and thus not achieving profit maximization. D. Profit maximization is the output and price of a certain product that achieves the greatest amount of profit for a firm. The can be found be determining looking at a graph that contains marginal revenue and marginal cost as its axes. The point where these two lines intersect is where profit maximization can be attained. E. If marginal revenue happens to be greater than marginal cost, then a profit maximising firm must increase production until the marginal cost and marginal revenue is the same. This is because if more products are produced, then less marginal revenue can be gained, thus decreasing marginal revenue to a point where it is equal with marginal cost. F. On the other hand, if marginal revenue happens to be less than marginal cost, then a firm must decrease production until marginal revenue and marginal cost

Pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pollution - Assignment Example Some examples of air pollution include: Exhaust from motor vehicles and airplanes - The combustion of fuels in the engines releases exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and in some cases lead particles into the air. This is the addition of contaminants in water bodies that result in a significant change in physical, chemical or biological state of the water. The resultant effect of contamination can be attributed to an increase in waterborne diseases, suspended sediments, and excessive growth of aquatic plants and death of aquatic animals (Hill, 2010). Some examples of water pollution include: This may take the form of either misuse of the land surface or disposal of both industrial and household waste. Some forms of land misuse are seen in improper agricultural practices and in mineral exploitation (Hill, 2010). Land pollution may be visible or invisible as a result of seepage of the pollutants. The latter is very hard to clean up since the contaminants may be spread over a large area. Some examples of land pollution include: This is the presence of unattractive sites in the human vicinity. This form of pollution is subjective in nature since individuals possess different views in what they term as either attractive or unattractive (Meunier, 2010). Some examples of visual pollution include: I consider water pollution the worst since contamination on one point is spread over to other areas for example pollution of river water can have serious consequences downstream. In addition, water is crucial for the survival of all living things. Thus water pollution affects a wide range of living organism and destruction or death of aquatic organism. Lastly, sometimes it is not easy to know if the water has been contaminated for example, contamination from heavy metals which requires laboratory testing. Pests cause health and economic problems depending on their types and where they inflict their damage. In

The Good Soldier Svejk Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Good Soldier Svejk Analysis - Essay Example en analyzed by the author as well as the main characteristics that have been explored and satirized such as the use of national language, utilization of legal symbols, and religious objects among others. The novel describes the happenings of the First World War that resulted from the murder in Sarajevo. Characters such as Svejk display a great interest in serving the Australian emperor during the war that it was hard to decide whether he was simply crafty or an idiot who undermined the efforts of the war. Subsequently, he gets arrested by the secret police, Bretschneider, when he makes sensitive remarks about politics and later sent to penitentiary. It is then claimed that he was insane and was sent to a madhouse before he was ejected. Subsequently, he uses his intellect to join the army as batman to the chaplain of the army who is Otto Katz. Generally, the narrative recounts of how a rogue was able to use his wits and survived various misfortunes. It gives a limelight to a corrupt and complex society where the main character is always on the move from the beginning of the novel. One of the key elements that the author has used in sustaining and creating interest and making the char acteristics more credible is in developing the main character and how he is enlightened by the struggles in his life. The amazing and picaresque novel is a genre that has exemplary characteristics such as satire, which enables the author to introduce various social types in funny and bizarrely situations. This he does to expose their vanity, stupidity, and hypocrisy. The form used does not make difficult demands to have intricate plotting as in the case of detective stories but rather has detailed characterization of persons who are comic strips with regard to social types. The style employed demands an interesting and sympathetic central character as well as witty satire in order to sustain the interest’s of the reader in all the episodes. Hasek satirize s and explores various

Pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pollution - Assignment Example Some examples of air pollution include: Exhaust from motor vehicles and airplanes - The combustion of fuels in the engines releases exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and in some cases lead particles into the air. This is the addition of contaminants in water bodies that result in a significant change in physical, chemical or biological state of the water. The resultant effect of contamination can be attributed to an increase in waterborne diseases, suspended sediments, and excessive growth of aquatic plants and death of aquatic animals (Hill, 2010). Some examples of water pollution include: This may take the form of either misuse of the land surface or disposal of both industrial and household waste. Some forms of land misuse are seen in improper agricultural practices and in mineral exploitation (Hill, 2010). Land pollution may be visible or invisible as a result of seepage of the pollutants. The latter is very hard to clean up since the contaminants may be spread over a large area. Some examples of land pollution include: This is the presence of unattractive sites in the human vicinity. This form of pollution is subjective in nature since individuals possess different views in what they term as either attractive or unattractive (Meunier, 2010). Some examples of visual pollution include: I consider water pollution the worst since contamination on one point is spread over to other areas for example pollution of river water can have serious consequences downstream. In addition, water is crucial for the survival of all living things. Thus water pollution affects a wide range of living organism and destruction or death of aquatic organism. Lastly, sometimes it is not easy to know if the water has been contaminated for example, contamination from heavy metals which requires laboratory testing. Pests cause health and economic problems depending on their types and where they inflict their damage. In

Homeland Security Preparedness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Homeland Security Preparedness - Essay Example â€Å"The role of state and local governments as well as the nation's first responder community has been viewed largely as providing quick reaction and consequence mitigation to any attacks that occur despite the best effort of the federal system to prevent it...In fact, this image is not correct; local governments must do a great deal more than prepare for the consequence management role. In particular, they must also pay a great deal of attention to prevention efforts. To date they have not done nearly enough in this regard† (O'Hanlon, 2005). O'Hanlon recommends that state and local governments can be first responders in all arenas. The Governor's office should make sure that there is a dedicated anti-terrorism task force at the state level, and any sufficiently large cities should have an anti-terrorism task force operating out of a major crimes unit. Local miscommunication and planning was part of the slow response to 9/11. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, â€Å"[ A] 'generic' flight plan – prepared to get the aircraft airborne and out of local airspace quickly – incorrectly led the Langley fighters to believe they were ordered to fly due east... for 60 miles... the lead pilot and local FAA controller incorrectly assumed the flight plan instruction to go '090 for 60' superseded the original scramble order† (p. 27). Inadequate protocols for communication and coordination between local, state and federal authorities can have lethal consequences. Similarly, the FBI's limited terrorism response pre-9/11 was due to their being tied too closely with state and local agencies such that they were only interested in pursuing the needs of state and local areas such as organized crime and white-collar offenses (p. 74). O'Hanlon notes that state governments do not have to do everything and be everywhere. â€Å"it is not necessary to equip all three million first responders in the United States with state of the art chemical protective gear or interoperable communications systems. Equipping specialized teams within each major jurisdiction with such capabilities, and creating several mobile communications headquarters with interoperable technology, are less expensive and more quickly doable propositions. It is not necessary that every fireman’s radio can talk to every police officer’s radio; a certain number of mobile interoperable communications vans that can be quickly deployed to a problem site are a more cost-effective solution. They can allow quick coordination and cross-communication through the squad or team leaders of each type of organization (that would have been enough to save many firefighters on September 11, 2001 in New York). A large city could purchase several dozen, at $1 million each, for a reasonable cost of several tens of millions of dollars† (O'Hanlon, 2005). The Governor's Office should follow this approach. While all EMS and medical responders, police units, hospitals an d other state agencies do not need to have extensive anti-terror preparation, specialized units should and should have access to top-of-the line gear. As O'Hanlon illustrates, doing so not only is cost-effective but in any respect is often fungible to every day operations: Communications vans like the one above can also be used in major crimes like bank robberies. O'Hanlon recommends $5 billion

Dark Chocolate Essay Example for Free

Dark Chocolate Essay Chemistry Central Journal brings even more good news for chocolate lovers, stating that dark chocolate contains more flavanols and polyphenols than fruit juice. Cacao seeds are a Super Fruit providing nutritive value beyond that of their macronutrient composition, said Dr Debra Miller. Chocolate and Blood Pressure The important thing is that the antioxidants in dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. According to researchers from the University of Adelaide, flavanols promote vasodilation, which may consequently lower blood pressure. There have, however, been conflicting results as to the real-life effects of eating chocolate. Weve found that consumption can significantly, albeit modestly, reduce blood pressure for people with high blood pressure but not for people with normal blood pressure. added Dr Karin Ried, who is program manager and research fellow of the PHCRED (Primary Health Care Research Evaluation Development) program at The University of Adelaide. The analysis concluded that the pressure reduction caused by chocolate consumption was comparable to the effects of 30 minutes of daily physical activity. Chocolate and Cirrhosis There are also potential benefits for liver disease patients. Spanish scientists found that eating dark chocolate lowers blood pressure in the liver and reduces damage to the blood vessels of patients with cirrhosis. A study which was presented at the International Liver Congress 2010 divided 21 cirrhotic patients with end stage liver disease into two groups. The first group received liquid meal containing dark chocolate, while the participants in the second group were getting liquid meal with white chocolate devoid of anti-oxidant properties. As a result, the patients receiving dark chocolate experienced a noticeable reduction of post-prandial increase in blood pressure in the liver. one Square Is Enough However, it is not necessary to eat huge quantities of chocolate in order to experience all the health benefits. In fact, just one small square a day may be enough to experience the health benefits chocolate is offering. A study performed in Germany that compared 19 357 individuals found that those who ate the most amount of chocolate (an average of 7.5 grams a day) were at a 39% lower risk of developing a heart attack than people with the lowest (1.7 grams) chocolate intakes. To put things into perspective, the six grams of difference are the equivalent of one small square of a typical 100g chocolate bar. Our hypothesis was that because chocolate appears to have a pronounced effect on blood pressure, therefore chocolate consumption would lower the risk of strokes and heart attacks, explains Dr Brian Buijsse from the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who led the research. Small amounts of chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense food, such as snacks, in order to keep body weight stable.

Theories for Causes of Aggressive Behaviour

Theories for Causes of Aggressive Behaviour Compare and contrast social and biological accounts of the causes of aggressive behaviour. Aggression is defined as: (a) ‘a quality of anger and determination that makes you ready to attack other people’; (b) ‘violent and attacking behaviour’ (Collins, 2003). Whereas love, friendship and affiliation are positive, adaptive and constructive social influences, aggression is associated with violence, antisocial behaviour and destruction. Examples of aggressive behaviour range from arguments, to road rage, terrorism and war. Aggression then is physical or verbal behaviour that is intended to harm another person. This work examines aggressive behaviour in terms of biological and social-learning processes providing theoretical and research evidence. Ethologists like Konrad Lorenz (2002) have identified several human behaviours, including aggression, that allow animals to gather and keep the fundamental resources for survival, mating, reproducing and caring for children. Discovering, taking and holding a territory provides the background on which the life cycle occurs. Many animals engage in territorial signalling to defend their territory mostly for mating and feeding purposes. Territorial signalling is adaptive because it prevents potentially destructive aggressive behaviours. The majority of animal aggression is due to mating, therefore, natural selection predisposes animals towards aggressive behaviour. Male and female animals compete for mates and patterns of sexual behaviour help us understand various form of aggressive behaviour. Nevertheless, psychologists disagree about which of these biological inferences of other animals are relevant to humans. Evolutionary psychologists claim that they do apply to humans and postulate that territorial behaviour exists both in humans and in animals for the same reasons (Barkow, Cosmides Tooby, 1992). Most adults attempt to restrict their mate’s sexual activities, using territorial signalling and emotional displays. For example, jealousy and aggression during courtship and mating are seen in arguments (territorial signalling) and physical fighting (when signalling fails). This is obvious in that men in many cultures and subcultures continue to think of their wives as property – part of the territory they defend. Furthermore, comparison studies of identical twins that were brought up together and apart reveal a genetic effect on aggression. Twin studies (Miles Carey, 1997; Rowe, Almeida Jacobson, 1999) and the existence of gender differences (Buss Perry, 1992; Loeber Hay, 1997) support the idea that genes predispose a person towards being aggressive. The presence of the male hormone testosterone is also related to aggression. Laboratory experiments with mice and monkeys have shown that castration both lowers the levels of testosterone and aggressive behaviour. Contrary, the administration of testosterone to castrated animals and normal animals increase aggressive behaviour. Moreover, males who have been imprisoned for violent crimes and who are more violent than others while imprisoned, have higher testosterone levels than less violent prisoners (Dabbs, Carr, Frady Riad, 1995). In order to be able to decide effectively whether children learn aggressive behaviour, the theories of aggression which claim that it is an innate capacity will be considered. The view that aggression is innate comes from the fact that few parents actually teach their children to be aggressive. However, Bandura’s (1971) early work indicated that children who have seen another person behaving aggressively will be increasingly likely to demonstrate aggressive behaviour. Later he proposed that aggression is actually something we learn to demonstrate because it seems to be useful to us. The likelihood of children imitating the behaviour will increase if they see the person being rewarded (reinforced) for their aggression by getting what they want. For example, a child who has become a very aggressive bully at school because he has learned that he will get what he wants. Where has he learned to be aggressive? Bandura (1971) argues that children learn by seeing others behaving aggre ssively during their childhood, or adolescence, through their own experience of being bullied or through observation of the media. Knowing that we learn by observation is relevant to what we see on television. A number of studies have been conducted to discover whether television and cinema violence really does result in violent behaviour. Bandura (1971) reported that children who watched a video of other children punching an inflated stand-up toy (a ‘Bobo doll’) were more likely than others to behave in the same way when given the opportunity. In a follow-up to Bandura’s studies, children who watched ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ later imitated these character’s Karate kicks and mimicked their violent acts during play sessions with peers (Boyatzis, Matillo Nesbitt, 1995). Considering boys play which tends to include wrestling and fighting, Geary (1999) has claimed that play patterns represent an evolved adaptation that prepares boys for hunting and primitive warfare. Several researchers have reported short-term effects of television violence: young children (Singer Singer, 1986) and adolescents (Wood et al., 1991) behaved more aggressively immediately after watching a violent TV program. The causes of their immediate changes in behaviour were probably a result of heightened arousal and desensitisation from repeated viewings (Gunter McAleer, 1990). Overall, however, research results have been equivocal, suggesting to some psychologists that TV violence may cause less harm than first suspected (McGuire, 1986). Furthermore, environmental influences have been viewed as determinants of aggression. According to the frustration-aggression hypothesis, a person is more likely to become aggressive when frustrated; therefore, aggression is a predictable response to frustration (Dollard, Doob, Miller, Mower Sears, 1939). This theory, though, by itself does not predict aggressive behaviour but, for example, hot weather makes people uncomfortable and this result into some people behaving aggressively. Triandis (1994) claimed that the relationship between heat and violence is confounded by the gap between rich and poor and by single parent families. On the whole, research evidence supports that both biological and social learning approaches explain aggressive behaviour as internal and external influences respectively. Twin studies and differences in the way boys and girls play indicate a strong biological foundation for aggressive behaviour. People with higher levels of testosterone are more aggressive than those with lower levels. In addition, heat, poor economic conditions and TV violence are all associated with increases in violent behaviour. Nevertheless, it has been argued that some cultures are more aggressive than others. A person is 80 percent less likely to be murdered in Canada than in the United States (United Nations, 1997). The socio-biological approach postulates that genes interact with culture to produce unique examples of aggressive behaviour. References Bandura, A. (1971). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Boyatzis, C. J., Matillo G.M. Nesbitt, K. M. (1995). Effects of the ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ on childrens aggression with peers. Child Study Journal, 25, 45-55. Buss, A. H. Perry, M. (1992). The aggression questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 42-459. Collins, Cobuild (2003). Advanced learners English dictionary. Glasgow: HarperCollins Publishers. Cosmides, L. Tooby, J. (1992). Cognitive adaptations for social exchange. In J. Barkow, L. Cosmides, J. Tooby (Eds.), The adapted mind: Evolutionary psychology and the generation of culture. New York: Oxford University Press. Dabbs, J. M., Carr, T. S., Frady R. L . Riad, J. K. (1995). Testosterone, crime and misbehaviour among 692 male prison inmates. Personality and Individual Differences, 18, 627-633. Dollard, J., Doob, L.W., Miller, N. E., Mower O.H. Sears, R. R. (1939). Frustration and aggression. New Haven: Yale University Press. Geary, D. C. (1999). Evolution and developmental sex differences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 8, 115-120. Gunter, B. McAleer, J. (1990). Children and television: the one-eyed monster. London: Routledge. Konrad, L. (2002). Man Meets Dog. London: Routledge. Loeber, R. Hay, D. (1997). Key issues in the development of aggression and violence from childhood to early adulthood. Annual Review of Psychology, 48, 371-410. Miles, D. R. Carey, G. (1997). Genetics and environmental architecture of human aggression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 207-217. Rowe, D. C., Almeida D. M. Jacobson, K. C. (1999). School context and genetic influences on aggression in adolescence. Psychological Science, 10, 277-280. Singer, J. L. Singer, D. G. (1986). Family experiences and television viewing as predictors of children’s imagination, restlessness and aggression. Journal of Social Issues, 42, 7-28. Triandis, H. C. (1994). Culture and social behaviour. New York: McGraw-Hill. United Nations (1997). Information. United Nations Statistics Division. Available: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm Wood, W., Wong, F. Chachere J. G. (1991). Effects of media violence on viewer’s aggression in unconstrained social interaction. Psychological Bulletin, 109, 371-383.

Who Is Responsible For Cleanup Under CERCLA? :: essays research papers

Who Is Responsible For Cleanup Under CERCLA? What is CERCLA? The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ( CERCLA ) 1) The purpose of CERCLA is to make owners and operators of hazardous waste dump sites and contaminated areas, as well as their customers, responsible for cleanup costs and property damage. 2) CERCLA is also referred to as THE SUPERFUND. It is authorized to a level of 8.5 billion dollars. The funding for CERCLA comes 87% from taxes on the chemical industry and 13% from general revenues of the federal government. Who is responsible? After a hazardous waste site is identified, CERCLA places ultimate cleanup responsibility on those who used the site. Parties responsible for a waste dump are liable for the cost of waste removal and other remedial action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If potentially responsible parties can be identified, then they can be held liable for either cleanup costs incurred, or for replenishment of the Superfund. Who is a Potentially Responsible Party? 1.) Owners and operators of waste sites. i) CERCLA actions against dissolved corporations are permissible ii) If one is the owner or operator, liability may attach even if some other party in the past placed hazardous wastes there. ( The seller of a foundry was found liable under CERCLA when it was sold for $25,000, but was appraised at $200,000, suggesting the decision to sell was for disposal of hazardous materials.) A vendor is not an owner if it did not own the property at the time of toxic discharge from the facility. iii) A parent company may be considered the owner, despite the formation of a subsidiary with day to day control over operations. iv) Lenders and secured creditors are liable if they actively participate in decisions involving either waste treatment, or site development. They are not liable if they do not participate in management decisions. (silent partners and banks) v) An owner, employer, or waste generator may be liable for the harmful consequences of disposal practices undertaken by third parties in a contractual relationship with it. ( If I hire Fly-By-Night Disposal Corp. to dispose of my waste and they do so by dumping it in the river, then I may be liable.) 2.)Persons who accepted hazardous substances for transport or disposal. 3.)Persons who arranged with a transporter for transportation of wastes. 4.)Any person who arranged for disposal or treatment of hazardous substances.

Balanced Scorecard Study – Samsung

Kashun Davis TMAN 680 Fall 2012 Balanced Scorecard: Samsung Samsung is the technology-based organization that will be the subject for my Balanced Scorecard. Founded in 1938 in Seoul, South Korea, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of finished electronic products and device solutions worldwide. They offer consumer products, including mobile phones, tablets, televisions, Blu-rays, DVD players, home theaters, multimedia players; home appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, etc; Laptops and personal computers.The company also designs and manufactures integrated circuits for digital information storage in consumer electronics. It has operations in Korea, U. S. , Europe, Asia, Africa, Africa and China. Because of the large size of the Samsung Corporation, I will focus on Samsung smartphones, one of their technology-intensive business units. The vision of Samsung: â€Å"Samsung is dedicated to developing innovative technologies and efficient processes that create new markets, enrich people's lives, and continue to make Samsung a digital leader. Their mission statement, â€Å"At Samsung, we follow a simple business philosophy: to devote our talent and technology to creating superior products and services that contribute to a better global society. Samsung’s net sales have risen from 158. 9 billion in 2007 to 220. 1 billion in 2011. Their total assets grew from 280. 8 billion in 2007 to 343. 7 billion in 2011. Unfortunately their total liabilities went from 181. 7 billion in 2007 to 202. 6 billion in 2011. Stockholder’s equity almost doubled from 80. billion in 2007 to 141. 1 billion in 2011. Samsung’s net income also increased from 12. 9 billion in 2007 to 21. 2 billion in 2011. It’s also not strange to see their employee base increase due to their explosive growth over this five-year time span. They had 254,000 employees in 2007 and now have over 344,000 employees in 2011 (â€Å"About Samsung,† 2010). Their electronics division has 190,500 employees at the end of 2011. With respect to the Smartphone business unit out of the 1. billion mobile phones sold worldwide in 2011, Samsung accounted for 330 million of those units. Their Galaxy S II sold more than 20 million units since its launch in 2011. In 2012, Samsung launched the Galaxy S III and expects to strengthen their brand and increase market share in the mobile phone arena (â€Å"About Samsung,† 2010). The balanced scorecard is defined as a management system that maps an organization’s strategic objectives into performance metrics in four perspectives: financial, internal processes, customers, and learning and growth (NetMBA, 2002).The four perspectives mentioned above construct the balanced scorecard framework. To create a balanced scorecard for Samsung’s Smartphone business division this framework has to be applied. First, I will assess the mission, vision, c hallenges, and partners of the company. The vision of Samsung: â€Å"Samsung is dedicated to developing innovative technologies and efficient processes that create new markets, enrich people's lives, and continue to make Samsung a digital leader. Their mission statement, â€Å"At Samsung, we follow a simple business philosophy: to devote our talent and technology to creating superior products and services that contribute to a better global society. Samsung not only makes smartphones, but they also create components like displays and integrated circuits that also go into competitor’s smartphones, such as Apple’s iPhone. Samsung’s competitors in the mobile phone market are Apple, Microsoft, Google, HTC, Nokia, and Blackberry. Samsung doesn’t make their own proprietary software and hardware as Apple, Google, and Blackberry.Samsung exclusively uses Google’s Android Mobile OS for their phones. Another challenge Samsung faces, is that their mobile phon es are not only in competition with other phones that have different software platforms, but they are in even stiffer competition with other phones that also use Google’s Android Mobile OS. This market in itself is very fragmented from the fact that more than 4,000 distinct smartphone models exist that uses the Android operating system (Valazco, 2012). Fortunately for Samsung they command 25. % of the smartphone manufacture market putting them on top. LG, Apple, Motorola, and HTC own 18. 4%, 16. 3%, 11. 2%, and 6. 4% of the smartphone manufacture market respectively (â€Å"comscore reports July,† 2012). With respect to the balanced scorecard framework, a strategy map will assist with connecting the four perspectives and how they relate to each other. The strategic measures chosen for the Learning & Growth Perspective were chosen based on information listed in the Samsung’s annual report. Samsung’s employees have grown over the past few years. Samsung†™s social etwork presence is currently greater than their competitors, but there is always room for improvement. Samsung invested $8B USD in R&D, which this funnels down to organizational capital and learning from their competitors. With respect to the Internal Process Perspective $8B USD were invested into R&D for innovation. Customer Satisfaction is never perfect in any organization, thus leaving room for improvement. Not to mention customer satisfaction can translate into sales. Management of operations was chosen because process improvement is always needed in an organization.The customer perspective measurements are strengthening the brand, gaining OEM market share, and exceeding customer expectations. All of these links to financial success within the organization, thus focusing on these measures is vital to the growth Samsung expects to see in the future. Stockholder equity, net sales, and net income all affect the customer, internal, and learning & growth perspective measu res and vice versa. This provides a top to bottom and bottom to top flow balanced measures. Learning & Growth Perspective| Objective| Measure| Target| Initiative|Grow Human Capital| # Of Employees in Samsung Electronics Division| 200,000 employees| Aggressive Recruitment and Retention Program| Improve Information Capital| Social Networking Effectiveness| 6 Million Twitter Followers; 40 Million Facebook Likes| Aggressive & Interactive Social Networking Campaign| Build Organizational Capital| Submittal of Employee Ideas| 5,000 Employee Ideas Submitted| Conduct Organizational Learning Study of Samsung Mobile Division (Amiri, 2010)| Learn from our Competitors| Mobile OEM Market Share| Increase Mobile OEM Market Share by 20%| Analyze competitors customer base and meet the needs of that customer base through innovative mobile technology | Internal Process Perspective| Objective| Measure| Target| Initiative| Manage Innovations| Successful Research & Development Projects| Double R&D Project s| Allocate more capital to R&D projects and their implementation| Manage Customer Relations| Customer Satisfaction| Double and Sustain Customer Satisfaction scores| Aggressive ustomer service training for employees| Manage Operations| Value Added & Non-Value Added Operations| Increase Value Added Operations and Reduce/eliminate non-value added operations| Lean Six-Sigma Process Improvement Initiative (Qun, 2012)| Customer Perspective| Objective| Measure| Target| Initiative| Strengthen Samsung Smartphone Brand| Market Share| Increase Market Share| Aggressive Marketing Campaign| Gain Smartphone OEM Market Share| OEM Market Share| Increase Mobile OEM Market Share by 20%| Analyze competitors customer base and meet the needs of that customer base through innovative mobile technology| Exceeding customer needs and expectations| Customer Satisfaction Scores | Customer Retention| Double Customer satisfaction scores & retention | Customer Loyalty & Rewards Program | Customer Perspective| Obj ective| Measure| Target| Initiative|Increase Stockholder Equity| Stock Price| Increase from $489/share to $510/share| Increase Market Share| Increase Net Sales| Net Sales| Increase from 135B to 170B| Aggressive Marketing Campaign| Increase Net Income| Net Income| Increase by 15%| Make Operations Efficient and reducing costs| Sources About Samsung. (2010). Retrieved from http://www. samsung. com/us/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/ourperformance/samsungprofile. html Amiri, A. , Jandghi, G. , Alvani, S. , Hosnavi, R. , & Ramezan, M. (2010). Increasing the Intellectual Capital in Organization: Examining the Role of Organizational Learning. European Journal Of Social Science,  14(1/2), 98-108. comscore reports July 2012 U. S. mobile subscriber market share. (2012, Sept 04). Retrieved from http://www. comscore. com/Insights/Press_Releases/2012/9/comScore_Reports_July_2012_US_Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share NetMBA. (2002). Netmba business knowledge center.Retrieved from http://www. netmba. com/accounting/mgmt/balanced-scorecard/ Samsung Group. (2011). Samsung profile 2011. Retrieved from http://www. samsung. com/us/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/download/Samsung_Profile_2011-EN-final-revise. pdf Qun, Z. , Irfan, M. , Khattak, M. , Abbas, J. , Xiaoning, Z. , & Shah, M. (2012). CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR SUCCESSFUL LEAN SIX SIGMA IMPLEMENTATION IN PAKISTAN. Interdisciplinary Journal Of Contemporary Research In Business,  4(1), 117-124. Valazco, C. (2012, May 15). Techcrunch. Retrieved from http://techcrunch. com/2012/05/15/3997-models-android-fragmentation-as-seen-by-the-developers-of-opensignalmaps/

Literature and Online College Newspaper

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel that depicts the life of a female coming to age during a time of war and violence in Iranian. The editor of The Ithacan, an online college newspaper, criticized this work of literature as being nothing more than an â€Å"advanced comic book† and â€Å"not too challenging. † He argues that Persepolis and similar literary works do not encourage intellectual advancement and does not benefit college freshmen. Despite the more basic vocabulary, the side narratives, unique dialogues, and use of illustrations evoke understanding and compassion for not only the narrator, but also the underlying themes.Generally speaking, a novel about Iranian politics and war is a topic that is hard for most young people to grasp or to find interesting because subjects such as these are very foreign to American readers. Persepolis assists in making this topic more relatable. By using graphics to depict the character’s expressions, settings and actions it is easier for the reader to connect. For example, on page 53, Satrapi illustrates the many ways in which Iranian young people express their feelings about the violent atmosphere.They cope with this situation by turning to family, friends and God. In addition, the author shows the children creating games and a fantasy world that compares their lives to the lives of the tortured. An example of the effectiveness of the illustrations and narrative is shown on page 116. The frame depicts soldiers amidst bombs, gunshots and smoke with multiple soldiers lying on the ground, dead. Marjane, the narrator, is standing in the upper left corner appearing helpless. Marjane is then shown exiting the frame stating that the situation could have been avoided.This is a powerful message because it relates to the current situation in the Middle East where American soldiers and innocent civilians are killed everyday. The value of Satrapi’s use of dialogue to enrich the narrative is evident on page 197. In response to overhearing her collogues prejudiced comments, she angrily retorts â€Å"I am Iranian and proud of it! † (197). This simple statement shows that proud of her nationality and will not tolerate negative statements applied to it. On this page she then states her comprehension of her grandmother’s advice. If [she] wasn’t comfortable with [herself], [she] would never be comfortable† (197). This is indicative of her self-growth and acceptance of her ethnicity. Literature comes in many forms and styles. These include novels, memoirs, plays, poetry and non-fiction. Graphic novels are just another medium in which authors can express their viewpoint and influence readers. One type of literature is not better than another; the vocabulary, sentence structure and degree of difficulty does not correlate to the books worth.What is more important is how it influences a reader and the thought process and intellectual stimulation that co mes about. Therefore, Persepolis is more than an â€Å"advanced comic book†. It is an engaging, enlightening piece of literature that portrays a violent time period in the Middle East that can be universally applied to other situations in the world today. Works Cited Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Illus. Marjan Satrapi. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007. Print. â€Å"Taking Initiative: Graphic novel reading selection furthers declined reading comprehension. † The Ithacan 6 Mar. 2008: 1. The Ithacan. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. .

The other wes moore

Jodi Snyder English 101 Beth Stevens 07/18/2014 The Other West Moore Can two men with very similar backgrounds grow up to be completely different? West Moore takes us on a Journey back to his childhood as well as the childhood of a man with the same name. The author West describes how the two men, grew up Just blocks from each other, both surrounded with drugs and crime. West was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of John Hopkins, army veteran and well renowned speaker around the world teaching people about his story. The other West Moore was spending the rest of his in prison.When West learned about the other man with the same name, room the same neighborhood and the fact he was in prison, West was intrigued. West decided he needed to find out more about this man. He started writing this West Moore in prison. Not too long after, he found himself at the prison, finally meeting the other West Moore. In the book West tells us about the conversations the other West and he had. Talking about each other's lives, the similarities and the differences resulting in the book, â€Å"The Other West Moore†.In the introduction West states that, â€Å"Our stories are obviously specific to our two lives, but I hope they will illuminate the racial inflection points in every life, the sudden moments of decision where our paths diverge and our fates are sealed. † (x') He helps us realize that all it takes is one split decision could change our life forever. That you can easily stumble down the right path, even the right one. (xiv) It all starts with two young black boys. How they both ended up fatherless and with single mothers. Them both ending up in trouble with the law at about the same age.West explores the role of the mothers' of himself and the other West. He remembers how his mother took his sisters and him to vive with their grandparents after the death of his father when he was very young. He thinks about how strict his mother and grandparents were. West remains tha nkful for that today. The incarcerated West tells the author how he followed in his brother Tony's footsteps, getting into the drug scene. He recalls how Tony tried to keep him off the mean streets of Baltimore. Tony failed. One of the final breaking points for West was when his mother flushed four thousand dollars' worth of drugs.After he confronted his mother, this is what she said. â€Å"Not only did you lie to me but you were selling drugs and keeping them in my house! Putting all of us in danger†¦ ‘ don' ever want to see it in here again. Now get out of my room. â€Å"(74) His mother Mary, was not the least bit concerned about West's dilemma. Mary had pretty much lost all hope for her son. West was in and out of school and trouble. Did he try to get out of the life that was causing him to spiral downwards? Levy, a friend of West', turned him on to the Job Corps. West told him enema, man, I am ready to try something.Anything. † (139). Soon after, he was off to the Job Corps. The authors' mom had sent him off to military school around the same time. She thought that would be the best way for him to stay UT of trouble. One of his first memories of being there was, â€Å"Get up, get up, get out of your racks, plebes! † (85). That's what was yelled at him at 5:30 in the morning. West goes on to share with us the ins and outs of his time in military school. How having that structure and discipline really changed him. This is where the author's life and the other West Moor's life start to differ.The incarcerated West graduated from the Job Corps. West describes that after his return, he ended up is several temporary part time Jobs. He thought he would never get ahead. At this point, he talks about how he ended up back in the life he tried to leave. Dealing drugs, that's the only thing he really knew about. The only way he felt he could take care of his family. He explains to the author about the time he got caught up in a Jewelry store robbery with his brother and two other men which resulted in the murder of Baltimore police officer.That was the day his life was over as he knew it. He would spend the rest of his days in prison. He still claims, â€Å"l wasn't even there that day. † (125). The author proudly tells us how he graduated from military school as a very high ranked cadet. From there he went on to be a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from John Hopkins. He elaborates on the wonderful, fulfilling life he went on to have. In the first part of this book the author reveals to us how he came to hear about the other West Moore. He had read an article with the title, â€Å"Local Graduate Named Rhodes Scholar. He realized it was about him. He then read an article on the robbery, murder and the other West Moore. West set out to find out more about this man's life and how it compares to his. Again this is the basis of this book. Why did the author feel the need to tell his story? The author wants us all to realize that you can be from the same place, with the same issues and still come out on top. That yes, there will be challenges, but if you work hard enough and are lucky enough to have the support, you can do anything.Some of most enlightening moments in the book come one of the last meetings between the author West and the incarcerated West. It had been nearly three years since West first contacted the incarcerated West. The author asks West, â€Å"Do you think we're all Just products of our environments? † (126) Too this question West answers, â€Å"l think so, or maybe products of our expectations. † (126). â€Å"We will do what others expect of us,†¦ If they expect us to go to Jail, then that's where we will end up. (126) Author West Moore does an excellent Job of showing us the lives of the two West'.His hope is that this will inspire young people. To let them know that they can be whatever they want to be. It may take work, and it may be hard, but they can do it. In the end West says, â€Å"Above all, I hope that this book can provide young people with a way to identify with the success as a possibility, and a reason to believe that a story that begins with a struggle, apathy, and the pain of loss can still have a happy ending. † (183) Works Cited Moore, West. â€Å"The Other West Moore: One Name, Two Fates†. New York: Spiegel & Grab, 2011 Print The other wes moore Jodi Snyder English 101 Beth Stevens 07/18/2014 The Other West Moore Can two men with very similar backgrounds grow up to be completely different? West Moore takes us on a Journey back to his childhood as well as the childhood of a man with the same name. The author West describes how the two men, grew up Just blocks from each other, both surrounded with drugs and crime. West was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of John Hopkins, army veteran and well renowned speaker around the world teaching people about his story. The other West Moore was spending the rest of his in prison.When West learned about the other man with the same name, room the same neighborhood and the fact he was in prison, West was intrigued. West decided he needed to find out more about this man. He started writing this West Moore in prison. Not too long after, he found himself at the prison, finally meeting the other West Moore. In the book West tells us about the conversations the other West and he had. Talking about each other's lives, the similarities and the differences resulting in the book, â€Å"The Other West Moore†.In the introduction West states that, â€Å"Our stories are obviously specific to our two lives, but I hope they will illuminate the racial inflection points in every life, the sudden moments of decision where our paths diverge and our fates are sealed. † (x') He helps us realize that all it takes is one split decision could change our life forever. That you can easily stumble down the right path, even the right one. (xiv) It all starts with two young black boys. How they both ended up fatherless and with single mothers. Them both ending up in trouble with the law at about the same age.West explores the role of the mothers' of himself and the other West. He remembers how his mother took his sisters and him to vive with their grandparents after the death of his father when he was very young. He thinks about how strict his mother and grandparents were. West remains tha nkful for that today. The incarcerated West tells the author how he followed in his brother Tony's footsteps, getting into the drug scene. He recalls how Tony tried to keep him off the mean streets of Baltimore. Tony failed. One of the final breaking points for West was when his mother flushed four thousand dollars' worth of drugs.After he confronted his mother, this is what she said. â€Å"Not only did you lie to me but you were selling drugs and keeping them in my house! Putting all of us in danger†¦ ‘ don' ever want to see it in here again. Now get out of my room. â€Å"(74) His mother Mary, was not the least bit concerned about West's dilemma. Mary had pretty much lost all hope for her son. West was in and out of school and trouble. Did he try to get out of the life that was causing him to spiral downwards? Levy, a friend of West', turned him on to the Job Corps. West told him enema, man, I am ready to try something.Anything. † (139). Soon after, he was off to the Job Corps. The authors' mom had sent him off to military school around the same time. She thought that would be the best way for him to stay UT of trouble. One of his first memories of being there was, â€Å"Get up, get up, get out of your racks, plebes! † (85). That's what was yelled at him at 5:30 in the morning. West goes on to share with us the ins and outs of his time in military school. How having that structure and discipline really changed him. This is where the author's life and the other West Moor's life start to differ.The incarcerated West graduated from the Job Corps. West describes that after his return, he ended up is several temporary part time Jobs. He thought he would never get ahead. At this point, he talks about how he ended up back in the life he tried to leave. Dealing drugs, that's the only thing he really knew about. The only way he felt he could take care of his family. He explains to the author about the time he got caught up in a Jewelry store robbery with his brother and two other men which resulted in the murder of Baltimore police officer.That was the day his life was over as he knew it. He would spend the rest of his days in prison. He still claims, â€Å"l wasn't even there that day. † (125). The author proudly tells us how he graduated from military school as a very high ranked cadet. From there he went on to be a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from John Hopkins. He elaborates on the wonderful, fulfilling life he went on to have. In the first part of this book the author reveals to us how he came to hear about the other West Moore. He had read an article with the title, â€Å"Local Graduate Named Rhodes Scholar. He realized it was about him. He then read an article on the robbery, murder and the other West Moore. West set out to find out more about this man's life and how it compares to his. Again this is the basis of this book. Why did the author feel the need to tell his story? The author wants us all to realize that you can be from the same place, with the same issues and still come out on top. That yes, there will be challenges, but if you work hard enough and are lucky enough to have the support, you can do anything.Some of most enlightening moments in the book come one of the last meetings between the author West and the incarcerated West. It had been nearly three years since West first contacted the incarcerated West. The author asks West, â€Å"Do you think we're all Just products of our environments? † (126) Too this question West answers, â€Å"l think so, or maybe products of our expectations. † (126). â€Å"We will do what others expect of us,†¦ If they expect us to go to Jail, then that's where we will end up. (126) Author West Moore does an excellent Job of showing us the lives of the two West'.His hope is that this will inspire young people. To let them know that they can be whatever they want to be. It may take work, and it may be hard, but they can do it. In the end West says, â€Å"Above all, I hope that this book can provide young people with a way to identify with the success as a possibility, and a reason to believe that a story that begins with a struggle, apathy, and the pain of loss can still have a happy ending. † (183) Works Cited Moore, West. â€Å"The Other West Moore: One Name, Two Fates†. New York: Spiegel & Grab, 2011 Print

Oral Health and Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oral Health and Nutrition - Essay Example The dementia diagnosis was carried out blind from the dental and nutritional status. The study concluded that "having fewer teeth was associated in a cross-sectional analysis with incident dementia, and that this association was strongest in people who did not use dentures" (853). The study additionally found that females were significantly more likely to use dentures, and thus suffer less dementia (852). Nutrition and oral health have been associated as poor dental health makes it more difficult to consume fresh and healthy foods, while poor nutrition contributes further to poor oral health. This study linked the deterioration of dental health and teeth count to dementia. The study reported that the increased risk of dementia, and especially Alzheimer's Disease, may be due to the inflammatory processes associated with periodontal disease. Further research is needed to isolate the mechanism of onset for this important aspect of aging that affects many people worldwide, and could possibly be averted by better dental health and the increased use of dentures.

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

SWOT Analysis - Essay Example The Microsoft mission is â€Å"to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential†. The implied vision is to be the preferred provider of software , devices and services for people as Microsoft fulfills that mission (Microsoft, 2013). One goal that can be addressed with the use of a strategic plan is to continually aim for a diverse and inclusive workplace. On the other hand, the goal to provide tools and services to partners in a particular market, such as Finland, can be addressed with an operational plan (Microsoft, 2013; Brown, 2013). The company has deep financial strengths and a diversifying product and services portfolio, with its traditional cash cows Windows and Office being complemented by healthy growth in areas such as servers and tools, as well as its entertainment assets that include Xbox. It is also starting to flex its muscles in cloud computing, and mobile computing. Its large revenues and large profit margins coupled with aggressive investments in acquisitions and R&D, together with its wide presence in a large number of related technology areas, make Microsoft a bulwark of strength (Microsoft, 2013; CNN, 2012; Google, 2013; Capital Traders Group, 2013). While the company has monopoly control of large swaths of computing in enterprises and in personal computers, it is lagging severely in mobile computing and in many facets of online computing, including search and social media. These translate to poor positioning moving forward in the fastest growing areas of computing, with Google and Apple leaving Microsoft behind. These are areas of weakness that Microsoft have been slow to act on, and catch up with the big players in those spaces (Vousvounis, 2013). There are many opportunities for Microsoft moving forward, among them opportunities to get cloud computing right, as well as

Effect of Recession on International trade of UK Essay

Effect of Recession on International trade of UK - Essay Example ession has been characterized with variables such as unemployment, jobs creation and availability, the incomes of the affected population as well as aspects of housing and demography. This paper even so narrows its scope to take the gross domestic product to represent the aforementioned variables. Recession can be argued by this paper to affect the social life in terms of increase in crime, This, loosely speaking, can be said to result from the cases of lack of jobs, unemployment, and the effect of recession on higher education or education in general. Due to the recent cases of recession, there have been reports of sharp increases in unemployment rates, evident in between the years, 2008 and 2009 (Trading Economics, 2014). This happened concurrently with drastic declines in employment rates in a given span of years. The number of available jobs fell and this impacted negatively on production. This paper notes that, during the recession period, most of the lively hoods in the UK were negatively impacted. This is what prompted the analysis. As much as there exists domestic negative impacts, this paper seeks to find out if the same impact has a relationship with the international trade. This paper developed a model, Y = -73460693 -0.596*balance of trade, to relate and predict the effects of the recession on international trade. The daily activities in the world derived from quantitative techniques. Practical phenomena and decisions need to be addressed more accurately and effectively. Practically the everyday numerous decisions that must be made are assisted by analyzing datasets quantitatively. The importance of this statistical technique is the fact that unlike in the academia, the real business world is rich in information to base on in making critical decisions correctly. The development of statistics and more specifically quantitative analysis methods is majorly due to the inability to identify the characteristics of interest in most instances of business

Persuasive Speech-Problem & Solution Design Essay

Persuasive Speech-Problem & Solution Design - Essay Example Marriage is typically defined as the uniting of two people of the age of majority of their own free will and volition. In this way, regardless of culture contractual unions (often referred to as marriage) are recognized by the law of the state in every nation on the face of the planet. Child marriage is a situation where children are subjected to matrimony before they have achieved the legal marriage age. In the Middle East nearly half of Yemeni girls are married before they reach eighteen years of age. In some instances, marriages occur even before the tender age of 8. The law in Yemen set the minimum age at one that is approved for marriage to be 15 years; however, traditional customs more often than not continuously flout this law. 1. This is due in part to the fact that the law was continually interpreted differently by different individuals, the laws was changed in 1999 to allow marriage only after the point in time in which a girl reached the age of puberty. However, the issue with the change in the law meant that many tribal elders interpreted puberty to be as early as the age of 9. In the actual practice, it can be said that the law in Yemen allows women of any age to be able to wed, but it is forbidden to practice sex with them until they achieve the age where it is now considered suitable to do so. 2. The law was later to be raised from the minimum age of marriage to be 18 years after a girl, Nujood Ali, 10 years of age, in April 2008 was able to be granted divorce successfully after being raped under the set circumstances. Much later in 2008, a council for maternal care and childhood established a proposal for the minimum age to be defined at 18 years and was passed as law in April 2009. However, this law was to be dropped the very next day after maneuvers by parliamentarians opposed to it, and negotiations are still ongoing for the legislation to be

Partick O'Donnell City Councilman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Partick O'Donnell City Councilman - Essay Example Chapters 13 and 15 of the book are titled, Counties, Special Districts and Regional Agencies and Issues for the New Century, respectively. This is because; the meeting being announced is scheduled for discussions on present matters that have a strong bearing on California’s future and welfare. Particularly, in pages 90-92 in chapter 13 of the book, Field discusses how regional agencies and corporate entities affect the growth and stability of the ‘golden state.’ In chapter 15 of the book, particularly in pages 102-108, the author divulges on and discusses the challenges that continue to beset Chicago. It is not in doubt that recent events in Chicago at the time would discuss the setbacks that Chicago would be facing at the time. It is also very likely that the prospects that the 7- eleven convenience stores bring towards Chicago’s security, economic development and local employment will be applicable in the meeting (Field, 90-3, 102-8). All these are indica ted in the index page 134. The summary of the article is effective since it amplifies the intent of the article and the meeting that it is intending to communicate. The success of the meeting is premised on the manner in which it communicates the intricacies of the message: the date (May 30th, 2012), the venue (Lawn Bowling Club Recreational Park) and the theme of the meeting (the 7- eleven convenience stores of Anaheim and Ximeno). The May 1st, 2012 article titled Chat with Special Guest: LBPD Specialist Kymberly Cloughesy is also important and successful since it communicates the challenges that Chicago has faced and the solutions that O’Donnell has proposed and continues to ratify. The article O’Donnell Keeps Long Beach Moving is also important since it explains O’Donnell’s rationale that having a flowing traffic is not only an efficient and fair way of using Chicago’s budget. Likewise, by expanding 405 Freeway

Effects of temperature Essay Example for Free

Effects of temperature Essay Some of these are variables that were mentioned earlier and could not be controlled, or even variables that were not initially considered. While performing the experiment, some of the oxygen produced from photosynthesis may have dissolved into the water. Microorganisms living on the pondweed may have used some oxygen. Although the amount of oxygen dissolved or used by microbes may be insignificant to the final result, when considered alongside the other variables this factor may be attributed to a significant change in the results. Some oxygen is also used during the respiration of the plant. As only the volume of oxygen produced was recorded the change in bubble size was not accounted for when the results were analysed. For a more accurate analysis of the data, using a capillary tube in place of the test tube so that the size and volume of each bubble could have been measured would have eliminated this inaccuracy. There are also factors affecting accuracy at low light intensities. With low light intensity, the pondweed receives some light energy from background light such as sunlight seeping through curtains or the light from the lamp of another students experiment. To eliminate extra artificial light from interfering with the results, the experiment must be performed in a completely dark room. The methodology of the experiment is also likely to account for any errors made, so in order to improve reliability and validity of the results some methodological features must be improved upon or changed completely. A capillary tube and a syringe should be used in place of the test tube to accurately measure the volume of the oxygen produced. Due to the high rates of photosynthesis of the pondweed, readings should be taken within shorter time periods. Doing so decreases the likelihood of human error occurring. Due to the nature and convenience of the experiment, it could be easily modified to investigate other variables of photosynthesis. An experiment using almost identical apparatus would be to vary the colour of the light the plant absorbs. Using translucent colour filters in front the lamps could vary this. Whilst doing the experiment several times contributed to the accuracy of the experiment, there were factors that detracted from it. The method of measuring the rate of photosynthesis by the frequency of bubbles was one. The volume of the bubbles could have varied, meaning that a larger or smaller amount of oxygen could have been released without being recorded. To eliminate these errors, using apparatus like a micro-burette or some other tool for measuring small volumes of gas may overcome small inaccuracies. This would make the results more accurate and reliable. Modifications: Limitations. The room temperature may fluctuate. Â  The concentration of carbon dioxide in the water may be reduced during experiment. The rate of gas evolution is not consistent. Â  There are other light sources, which may interfere with the results. Artificial light will increase temperature, as a 60watt bulb will be used, some energy will be lost as heat energy. Â  Are the bubbles being observed actually oxygen? Setting up the apparatus and placing it in a water bath may overcome the first error. Doing so will ensure that a constant temperature is maintained throughout the experiment. To avoid other light sources interfering with the experiment shelter the apparatus up so that the pondweed only receives light from the table lamp. To ensure consistency of gas evolution when changing to a new condition, the plant should be equilibrated for at least 10 minutes before taking any readings. Using a dilute sodium hydrogen carbonate solution ensures a constant supply of carbon dioxide to the pondweed, avoiding fluctuation of carbon dioxide concentrations. To test for presence of oxygen simply lower a glowing splint into the test tube containing the gas; if the splint relights this indicates that oxygen is present. Using this test increases reliability of the results. The presence of the lamp may cause the temperature to increase; to prevent this from happening ice can be used to maintain a constant temperature. Further experiments could be implemented to test other factors that may have an affect on the rate of photosynthesis. Light intensity has been found to have an affect on photosynthesis. This can be investigated by placing a light at varying distances from the elodea plant and recording the number of bubbles produced. Other experiments in this area could also include testing the rate of photosynthesis with different amounts of chlorophyll in the plants. References: 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 Glenn and Susan Toole, (1999) Biology for Advanced level. Stanley Thornes pg. 282-5. 4, 5 and 6 D. O. Hall and K. K. Rao, (1992) New studies in biology, Photosynthesis. Cambridge University Press, pg 13-14.

Analysis of Marxist Critiques of Liberal Capitalism

Analysis of Marxist Critiques of Liberal Capitalism The standard litany of Marxist critiques of liberal capitalism rely on a common theme which presupposes that capitalism is fundamentally flawed and evil because it relies on a structure of exploitation, i.e., the bourgeoisie, those who own the means of production, ruthlessly exploit the proletariat, the individuals who sell their labor and do not own the means of production. Marx believed, essentially, that capitalist empires are built on the backs of the proletariat, who reap inadequate rewards for their work. He hypothesized that the essential difference between the various economic forms of society, between, for instance, a society based on slave-labour, and one based in wage-labour, lies only in the mode in which this surplus labour is in each case extracted from the actual producer, the labourer. (Marx, 1859[1967], p. 209) While well intentioned and valid in some ways, Marxists critiques generally fail on intellectual, practical, and empirical levels. The first intellectual failure is manifest in Marxs own quote, above, which presumes that wage-labor is effectively the same means of oppression as slave labor. This is only true if the proletariat serving as the labor have no means or hope of achieving ownership stake in the work that they do or the organizations for whom they do the work. Though it may have been true in 1859 when he wrote it, liberal capitalism has evolved, particularly in the United States, to the state of an individual-ownership society, where opportunities abound for individuals to assume a stake in the work that they do, not merely collect a paycheck for their labor.In Marxs mind, the only way for workers to free themselves from this slavery was to collectively own the means of production. The efficacy of this intellectual model has thus far been an abject failure in terms of the re sults when it has been attempted. On an empirical level, the simple truth is that the vast majority of governments that have been formed using Marxist or Communist theory have themselves tended to be exploitative disasters in comparison to the capitalist societies over which they were intended to demonstrate moral and economic superiority. The Soviet Union, which launched its Marxist revolution in 1917 under Vladimir Lenin, became a great economic and military power, but ironically did so only by exploiting its proletariat under the corrupt, oligarchic rule of totalitarian and in the case of Stalin, genocidal dictators who ruled with a combination of an iron fist and a vast, ossified bureaucracy. The Soviet Union collapsed under its own weight, a complete ideological failure, and its member states turned to capitalist economies and democratic forms of government. (To be fair, some Soviets, at the time of Lenins ascendancy, believed it was too soon to implement Marxist philosophies, since Marxs own requirement had not been met that the countrys capitalist economy had reached its evolutionary endpoint.) China, though still a viable nation-state which wields considerable economic power, has managed to avoid the Soviet Unions fate by introducing a considerable number of free-market elements into its state-controlled economy. Unfortunately, China shares the former Soviet Unions penchant for ruthless suppression of individual rights. The only other currently remaining bona fide Marxist/Communist state is North Korea, whose atrocious economic conditions, cultish culture of worship for its dictators, and lack of regard for individual rights, speak for themselves. That in 2005 Marxis m would have been so absent from the global political map would have been a heartbreaking blow to Marx, as would the fact that the only attempts at implementing his philosophies in their purest forms have led to brutal, totalitarian regimes which have arguably disrespected the proletariat as acutely as any unregulated capitalist economy. On a political level, Marx may have also underestimated the power of the marriage of democratic forms of government to liberal capitalist systems. In theory, at least, representative democracies are inherently structured to empower the proletariat by giving them participatory voice in the decision-making that goes into governing the economic systems of their nation. Democracy, as we know it today and as the pre-eminent form of government on the planet, was arguably still a relatively young paradigm as Marx was developing his theories. The primacy of the concepts of the worth and choice of the individual individual rights, individual freedoms is an inherently democratic notion which both contradicts the passive collectivism suggested by Marxism and also provides a built-in safeguard against capitalist excesses when they begin to favor oligarchies over individual rights. Democracy is unique in its ability to lessen ameliorate the harsher effects of unregulated market capitalism. When competitive markets are allowed to flourish unchecked, certainly great wealth is created, but Marxs critiques of exploitation become valid as monopolies and oligarchies spring up to choke off competition and create an environment in which the proletariat fail to benefit from the work they have put in on behalf of, for example, corporations. However, representative democracy has suffered the horrors of untempered market cycles and reacted accordingly. One of the best examples is the American Great Depression, in which a precipitous stock market crash in October 1929 set off an economic chain reaction that left tens of millions of Americans unemployed and in starvation. The collective clamor and cries of the proletariat prompted the elected government to take serious corrective measures over the next few decades to provide for means to temper the inherent boom and bust cyc les of free market capitalism, and to create a social safety net for the poor and the elderly (e.g. Social Security, guaranteeing retirement income to senior citizens). Similarly, in Europe, countries where the scourges of free market industrialism once ravaged the countryside, such as England, democratic systems of government have gradually eased their economies into socialist hybrids, market economies with considerable elements of state control and welfare systems to ensure the proletariat are well-cared for. Unfortunately, Marx either was unable to see the potential value of these future hybrid systems, such as market socialism, with their ability to compensate for inequities, or simply refused to believe in their viability because they failed to match his strident demand for idealistic purity within human interrelations: Even if such unjust inequalities were eliminated, Marx would still object to the quality of market social relations because they would continue to be predicated on a kind of self-seeking egoism contrary to the requirement of a true community. (Warren, 1998) On a psychological level, Marxist critiques of liberal capitalism also fail because they lack practical insight into how the human psyche operates and instead rely too heavily on utopian ideals of human beings operating idealistically on a collective level. Marxs theory of human nature is a biological fantasy, and we have the corpses to prove it. Which may drive us to wonder: if communism is deadly because it is contrary to human nature, does that imply that capitalism, which is contrary to communism, is distinctively compatible with human nature? (Wilkinson, 2005) The truth of the matter is that human beings are a hierarchically inclined species that thrive on power and competition. Left unchecked, these impulses can result in ghastly, fratricidal behavior, but when harnessed and properly channeled, these impulses form the heart of the free market economy, which thrives on individual initiative, healthy competition, and the quest for self-improvement and leadership. The psychological backbone of Marxist critique is the assumption of a perpetual state of victimhood on the part of the oppressed, which fails to take into account the inherent human tendency to resist oppression and reform existing systems into more egalitarian structures. In other words, Marxist-style revolutions may well be unnecessary, as the proletariat seems to frequently find ways within capitalist systems to assert their rights. People will always have their hunter-gatherer impulses, but this does not mean they are predestined to be deleterious: There is no way to stop dominance-seeking behavior. We may hope only to channel it to non-harmful uses. A free society therefore requires that positions of dominance and status be widely available in a multitude of productive hierarchies, and that opportunities for greater status and dominance through predation are limited by the constant vigilance of the peoplethe ultimate reverse dominance hierarchy. A flourishing civil society permits almost everyone to be the leader of something, whether the local Star Trek fan club or the city council, thereby somewhat satisfying the human taste for hierarchical status, but to no ones serious detriment. (Wilkinson, 2005) In the end, Marxism is a fundamentally pessimistic and pedantic philosophy, as are its critiques of liberal capitalism, which is a fundamentally optimistic and individualistic philosophy which endows each person with both the responsibility and the power to assume control of his or her own destiny and personal fulfillment. As sociologist Ellen Huang notes, under the lens of critical Marxist theories, inequality determines all human relations, and subsequently overemphasizes the oppressed nature of the colonized. Further abstractions of the dynamic of capitalism may overlook real forms of resistance, leaving utopian dreams as the only option for the oppressed. (Huang, 2003) Humanity is always in dire need of practical options rooted in dreams, not merely the dreams themselves, no matter how well intended they may be.