Personal Wellness Planning Essay

Copy and paste the questions into a word processing program. Answer all questions completely and then submit them to your instructor. Warm-Up (Questions to help you prepare to write your goals) 1. Describe your current level of physical activity. How often do you participate in moderate to high intensity activity in an average week? Moderate, I participate in About 3 or more times a week of physical activity 2. Discuss at least three physical activities you enjoy participating in or wish to participate in. I am on Soccer team for orlando city soccer I practice twice a week and have games once a week I do Horses ridding once a week for about a 1 and half Swimming I have a pool in my yard so I swim a lot and enjoy it Goals 3. Create at least one goal for each of the following wellness categories. Personalize each of your goals for the time enrolled in the course. Be sure that each goal is measureable, attainable, and has a specific deadline. Also, be sure each goal is written in complete sentences. Physical Wellness Goal: My physical wellness goal to run at least a mile every day to stay in shape. Emotional Wellness Goal: My emotional wellness goal is to attend yoga classes once a week.to reduce stress and be relaxed. Social Wellness Goal: My social wellness goal is to join a club at school before the end of the year . Academic Wellness Goal: my Academic Wellness goal is to study for every test and quiz day before   Cool Down (Reflection questions based on the goals you’ve written) 4. What do you think will be the most challenging goal for you, and why? My Academic wellness Goal will be the most challenging goal for me its hard for  me to reamber to study days before a test at least every single day till I take it. 5. Describe any challenges or hesitations you have about your goals or the activity requirements for this course. The challenges or hesitations I have about the goals and activitys for this course is having to work our all the time and record your work outs. 6. Explain how fitness testing and test results can affect your overall fitness. Test results and fitness testing can affect your overall fitness by showing you want you need to improve on and what you do better at. 7. No matter your living situation, it is up to you to make daily decisions that affect your well-being. What is your role and responsibility for maintaining and improving your health? My role and responsibility for maintaining and improving my health is maintaining a healthy body weigh, eating heathy and working out.

Water Abuse

Water is a vital to all human life, but people don’t know how they should limit their use of it, how their actions affect the purity of it, or how restricted water actually is. They do not know how to take care of water, or their environment. They need to realize that water should not be carelessly used for leisure. Also, recognize that they pollute their own water supply with chemicals and trash, and they do not seem to understand that there is a limited supply of water. Americans do not comprehend the actual meaning of water abuse, and how it applies to them.The abuse of water is going to revolve around how much American over use and waste it. People aren’t concerned or aware of the scarcity of water because they don’t see how it affects them directly. According to Karen Bouwer, in her essay â€Å"Women and Water†, the average â€Å"†¦use in the United States is 176 gallons per person per day. † (Bouwer 319) More than half of that percentage only includes bathing and flushing the toilet. While on the contrary, African nations â€Å"†¦average 10 gallons† per person per day if they are lucky. Americans probably would not be able to function without being able to use water whenever they may please.Although this may seem like something that can be fixed, the water pollution human’s cause put even more restrictions on water. Most people are aware that their trash ends up in the middle of the ocean, while some others are clueless. Some may not see how where â€Å"the trash man† drops their trash is of importance. But the reality is that most of the things that people put into their trash cans never decompose, or can take over 10 years to do so. The one thing that all Americans use everyday at some point of the day never decomposes is plastic.Over fifteen percent of all plastic made, ends up in the ocean. A majority of that fifteen percent ends up on the ocean floor. (Reuse It) For example, in San Ant onio, â€Å"†¦park personnel haul off more than 600,000 pounds of trash† (Harte 164) Plastic can over power the United States ocean water, which is one thing that puts limitations on water. Human’s thinks that water is somewhat endless because of what they learned in school, the water cycle. With the key terms condensation, evaporation, and precipitation Americans get the idea that water is always going to be in rotation.In reality, Americans are right water is in rotation, but all of that water is not usable. Yes, the water that humans drink and shower with does partially come from ground water, but people don’t understand how much water they actually have to use. Barely one percent of the water in the entire world is actually fresh and usable. That one percent is the only water that is clean enough to be considered usable by all Americans, which seems almost impossible to comprehend. Humans constantly use water and let it run without thinking. How would A mericans react if they didn’t have access to clean water anymore?They need to realize we do have an unlimited access. Americans should be aware that they are privileged to have virtually unlimited access to water. But most Americans seem to take advantage of this source, which ultimately affects everyone in the long run. Humans do not know how to limit their use of water because they’ve never had to so. These water abusers must be informed of their actions so that things can change. People need to start put limitations on how much they use water and make sure its 100% necessary to have it running.As well as, more American need to start recycling; the plastic doesn’t only affect humans, but marine animals also. Americans have to realize that the water that we currently have is all that we have. Work Cited â€Å"Water Facts. † The Water Information Program. 5 September 2012. Online Bouwer, Karen. â€Å"Women and Water. † The Water and Culture Reader. Southlake: Fountainhead,2011. 319-322. Print â€Å"Use and Toss Plastic Bottle Facts†. ReUseIt. 6 September 2012. Online Harte, Alexis. â€Å"San Antonio: A City Guided By Its River. † The Water and Culture Reader. Southlake: Fountainhead, 2011. 161-163. Print

Twelve Angry Men

According to Rose, the jury system is flawed; discuss Rose Kealy A jury is a body of people who are sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them. This is shown and demonstrated in the play, Twelve Angry men, written by Reginald Rose. However, in the play, the jury system can be seen as flawed and imperfect. The faults in the play are displayed by the twelve juries that were selected to represent the case presented. The lack of knowledge, prejudice and the personality clashes are all examples of the flaws in the jury system that are shown in the Twelve Angry Men. Rose was able to express that in the play During the play Twelve Angry Men, Rose finds the flaws in the personality chosen for the jury case. Rose demonstrates to the audience that the 12 juror members have very different personalties which in some circumstances work together but most of the time they create incidences and commotion. The personality clashes are mostly seen between the 3rd juror and the 8th juror â€Å"God damn it! I'll kill him! I'll kill him† and â€Å"Shut up, you son of a bitch! † shows the tension, suspense and displeasure between these two jurors. The two jurors are a huge part in the play and it is their personalities that clash the most. The tension however is not just shown between these two jurors. â€Å"Do you know you're a sick man? † â€Å"who the hell is he to tell me that? † is examples from the 9th and 10th jurors. These remarks are found throughout the play and underline the importance of needing to work together. Rose is able to point out the flaws in the jury system by not having each juror analysed before the case to learn their personalties and traits. These incidents however can relate and intertwine with the prejudice and discrimination found in the jury rooms. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the potential flaws that can be found in the jury system, where prejudice interferes and the pursuit of justice. This is shown mostly by the 3rd Juror in his unwillingness to change his initial ‘guilty' verdict and the manner in which he characterises, ‘kids†¦ owadays. Angry! Hostile! ‘. This view is held because the 3rd Juror relates to his troubled and tense relationship with his son as it corresponds to the defendants relationship with his father. It is displayed that the 3rd juror wants to punish the young boy for the pain that the jurors on pain put on him. The 3rd juror isn't look for the facts or details of the case, he is just acting on his own emotions. This then leads to a fault in the jury system as the personality of one jury impacts the ability for the jurors to make a logical verdict on the case. The 10th juror also makes some assumptions in deciding the boy's guilt or innocence rather than looking at the actually facts. â€Å"It's those people! I'm tellin' you they let the kids run wild up there. Well, maybe it serves em' right†¦ † In the play, Rose was able to point out that the flaws of the jury system and that not knowing the twelve people chosen can result in prejudiced and discrimination and not the truth that surrounds the case and defendant. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the importance of knowing and understanding the jury system and what it involves. There is a range of different jurors who have different knowledge and expectations of what is expected of the jury room and role. â€Å"I never knew they locked the door† is a prime example of the awareness and insight of the jury system. Whereas Juror 11, the immigrant watchmaker seemed to be more interested and fascinated by the juror system then those who are from America. â€Å"I don't believe I have to be loyal to one side or the other†¦ † demonstrates the 11th jurors judgement and appreciation for the system and the case. Rose is able to explain the importance of understanding and the importance of the jury system and the case that is presented in front of the 12 jurors. According to Rose, the jury system is flawed and this can be demonstrated through the play of Twelve Angry Men. The play is based around the personality clashes of each of the jurors, the prejudiced and discrimination found by some of the men and the lack of knowledge and interest in the jury system by all the jurors. All these contribute to a jury system that can be seen as faulty and imperfect by Rose. Twelve Angry Men According to Rose, the jury system is flawed; discuss Rose Kealy A jury is a body of people who are sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them. This is shown and demonstrated in the play, Twelve Angry men, written by Reginald Rose. However, in the play, the jury system can be seen as flawed and imperfect. The faults in the play are displayed by the twelve juries that were selected to represent the case presented. The lack of knowledge, prejudice and the personality clashes are all examples of the flaws in the jury system that are shown in the Twelve Angry Men. Rose was able to express that in the play During the play Twelve Angry Men, Rose finds the flaws in the personality chosen for the jury case. Rose demonstrates to the audience that the 12 juror members have very different personalties which in some circumstances work together but most of the time they create incidences and commotion. The personality clashes are mostly seen between the 3rd juror and the 8th juror â€Å"God damn it! I'll kill him! I'll kill him† and â€Å"Shut up, you son of a bitch! † shows the tension, suspense and displeasure between these two jurors. The two jurors are a huge part in the play and it is their personalities that clash the most. The tension however is not just shown between these two jurors. â€Å"Do you know you're a sick man? † â€Å"who the hell is he to tell me that? † is examples from the 9th and 10th jurors. These remarks are found throughout the play and underline the importance of needing to work together. Rose is able to point out the flaws in the jury system by not having each juror analysed before the case to learn their personalties and traits. These incidents however can relate and intertwine with the prejudice and discrimination found in the jury rooms. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the potential flaws that can be found in the jury system, where prejudice interferes and the pursuit of justice. This is shown mostly by the 3rd Juror in his unwillingness to change his initial ‘guilty' verdict and the manner in which he characterises, ‘kids†¦ owadays. Angry! Hostile! ‘. This view is held because the 3rd Juror relates to his troubled and tense relationship with his son as it corresponds to the defendants relationship with his father. It is displayed that the 3rd juror wants to punish the young boy for the pain that the jurors on pain put on him. The 3rd juror isn't look for the facts or details of the case, he is just acting on his own emotions. This then leads to a fault in the jury system as the personality of one jury impacts the ability for the jurors to make a logical verdict on the case. The 10th juror also makes some assumptions in deciding the boy's guilt or innocence rather than looking at the actually facts. â€Å"It's those people! I'm tellin' you they let the kids run wild up there. Well, maybe it serves em' right†¦ † In the play, Rose was able to point out that the flaws of the jury system and that not knowing the twelve people chosen can result in prejudiced and discrimination and not the truth that surrounds the case and defendant. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the importance of knowing and understanding the jury system and what it involves. There is a range of different jurors who have different knowledge and expectations of what is expected of the jury room and role. â€Å"I never knew they locked the door† is a prime example of the awareness and insight of the jury system. Whereas Juror 11, the immigrant watchmaker seemed to be more interested and fascinated by the juror system then those who are from America. â€Å"I don't believe I have to be loyal to one side or the other†¦ † demonstrates the 11th jurors judgement and appreciation for the system and the case. Rose is able to explain the importance of understanding and the importance of the jury system and the case that is presented in front of the 12 jurors. According to Rose, the jury system is flawed and this can be demonstrated through the play of Twelve Angry Men. The play is based around the personality clashes of each of the jurors, the prejudiced and discrimination found by some of the men and the lack of knowledge and interest in the jury system by all the jurors. All these contribute to a jury system that can be seen as faulty and imperfect by Rose.

Corporation and interpersonal Communication training exercise Essay

Corporation and interpersonal Communication training exercise - Essay Example (McGill, 2009) Interpersonal communication is the exchange of ideas, knowledge, information and opinion between two or more individuals, and it is quite an art to do it correctly. An organization has multiple stakeholders at one point in time which it has to cater to. And the manager of such an organization thus has the huge responsibility of communicating with these various stakeholders. From hiring someone to firing someone, from managing a team to arbitrating during a conflict, from being the change agent to giving someone constructive criticism – it all falls in the job of a manager, and it has to be done well if the manager has to experience the right level of self confidence and success for the organization. Therefore, communication is one of the aspects which should really be focused upon in all organizations. (Volkert, 2009) Training exercises and training programs which last for weeks should be built according to the demographics of the employees, and then given to the employees. I f the communication of the employee gets improved, it will take the organization a long way. Role plays, which is the training exercise selected for this report, is one of the most effective methods of showing a person the right way to do something. This is because when a person is asked to do a role play, he can easily assume that he is playing the role of someone else, and that no one can judge him for who he really is. This human psyche helps in getting role plays successful, and in getting across the message. (Windsor, 2006) The training exercise that will be developed to instill effective interpersonal communication in managers will be that of a role play. Role modeling, as it is also known, is an effective way of showing the situations that occur in daily life. The effectiveness of the role modeling method of training exercise lies in the fact that even though an employee might

Ethical argument-Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical argument-Abortion - Essay Example Ethical claims and principles suggest that women should have a right to abort a fetus because pregnancy and child birth is a personal matter and only a woman has a right to decide her destiny. The issue of moral choice centers on the factor of meaningful human life or personality. From the biological perspective, the fertilized egg is not a human being yet. The concept of individualization is not identified until the first stages of cell division are completed. So, fetus is not an individual and a woman does not violate human rights and does not 'kill'' a baby (Colker, 3). From the religious point of view, beginning with the premise that God infuses the soul at the moment of conception, church maintains that every unborn child must be regarded as a human person. The main controversy of his argument is that at what point it is morally wise to charge fetal life as human life. Too much stress on the fetus can lead to an abstracting from the important role the woman's body plays in the d evelopment of a child. In speaking of the view of convinced critics that the status of the child is the most important issue to resolve in the abortion controversy, Marquis gives examples of pain on animals (Stetson 101). The second controversy is that Marques states: "Presumably abortion could be justified in some circumstances, only of the loss consequent on failing to abort would be at least as great" (Marquis). He does not take into account that women should have a right to abort a fetus as a preventive measure not to born cripples (physical or mental). In reality, nobody will benefited from this new life: a mother will suffer all her life raising up a disabled creature, a parasitic twin will not become a society member able to work and lead an independent life. In this case, a fetus does not possess psychological characteristics and is not entitled to have full moral status, and should be aborted (Kramlich 7830. Therefore, pro-choice advocates like Warren and Thomson believe that banning abortions without any exceptions is a cruel and unjustifiable practice. Probably, Marcuqy would respond that abortion is also very bad for the morality of society as a whole. Abortion is an easy way out, so it encourages promiscuity and unprotected sex. The very notion of abortion is immoral because it ruins the whole concept of responsible parenthood. The society has the duty to protect the life of its citizens. The right to life has been the foundation of the civilized society. It seems that the most persuasive argument of the pro-choice lobby is that sometimes pregnancy occurs due to rape or incest. The most appropriate answer to this problem is the state taking a firm ground with a view to decrease the rate of rape and incest. And, in fact, not all rape and abortion victims want abortion. On the one hand, the opponents state that if humans are killed before birth, they are the same person as the other hu man beings (Stetson 32). The concept of killing contradicts with all existed religious and moral practices. Some people are content to continue with the moral traditions in which they were raised, while others are drawn toward systems of belief that they find match their needs and perceptions of this spiritual dimensions. "Fetuses seem to be like arbotraroly chosen human cells on some respects and like

International Trade Simulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Trade Simulation - Essay Example These countries have decided to enter into international trade relations with each other. In the first round of the simulation I was exposed to deciding which imports and exports to choose and which countries to realized trade with. These decisions must be made based on comparative advantage. As an importer Rodamia should choose to import products they not good at producing. These products will cost more to produce at Rodamia than to import them from another nation. The ability of being able to lower the cost of consumer products for the local consumption of the citizens of a country is an advantage of entering into international trade activity. There were advantages and limitations to international trade which were revealed during the simulation. An advantage that was fairly obvious is that international trade increases the wealth of a country by increasing the purchasing power of the people. If the goods and services can be purchased at a lower price by importing, the quality of li fe of the people improves because they can buy more goods and services with the same amount of money.... Sometimes countries are forced to impose these restrictive measures in order to protect an infant industry. In the simulation the corn industry represented a new industry in Rodamia that needed protection. A limitation of international trade was that if a country imposes a tariff on another nation there is a possibility of a retaliation that creates a tariff on a different good or service that is imported. Comparative and absolute powers are two economic terms that were discussed in the simulation. For me comparative power means that one country has a clear advantage over another country in terms of production capability of a good or service. For example Iraq has a comparative advantage in comparison to the US in the production of crude oil. The United States has a comparative advantage in comparison with Iraq in the production of automobiles. Another term of interest is absolute power. Absolute power refers to the negotiation power one country has over the other. In the simulation R odamia was the country with absolute power that could negotiate the terms of any bilateral of multilateral trade agreement. In the global economy the nation that has benefited from absolute power the most in terms of international relations is the United States of America. Two factors that give the US influence over other nations are its military and economic power. In the real world currency is a very important element of international trade. The system that facilitates international trade is currency exchange. The value of the domestic currencies of the over 200 countries around the world change in value on a daily basis. The US dollar for example may appreciate or depreciate with relation to another currency which

Timber Certification in the Building Industry Dissertation

Timber Certification in the Building Industry - Dissertation Example tion gathered through interviews with forestry officials on the timber certification methods and their company history respectful of the sustainable forest management process. These interviews will focus on timber companies who have and have not received timber certification and the impact both have their business relationships with manufacturers and consumers. Primary/Secondary Sources The primary sources are very much dedicated to one of only a few certification groups, TRADA, and the main players. The main players in timber certification include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), WWF 1995plus, PEFC, and, UKWAS as these groups are all related to the manufacturing side of the forestry industry. There are mainly two forms of primary sources to be used: journals, internet and company interviews in an effort to not only relay what, if any, timber certification has on both the forestry industry as well as on consumer impact. It will be important through interviews to obtain whether certification is fully understood or whether consumer's and merchant's tend to take heed of what certification means to them and the forestry industry in general; or, if there is a lack of understanding by both parties of what certification means. Through using questionnaires and interviews with these two parties will provide empirical data to be used in analysing whether timber certification is fully understood by the general public and if this information is being provided adequately by forestry industry officials. Secondary sources are entirely related to building and trade merchants and how timber certification can affect their business relationships with the manufacturing sector. This also includes the processes that have been put forward in developing forest management standards... The primary sources are very much dedicated to one of only a few certification groups, TRADA, and the main players. The main players in timber certification include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), WWF 1995plus, PEFC, and, UKWAS as these groups are all related to the manufacturing side of the forestry industry. There are mainly two forms of primary sources to be used: journals, internet and company interviews in an effort to not only relay what, if any, timber certification has on both the forestry industry as well as on consumer impact. It will be important through interviews to obtain whether certification is fully understood or whether consumer’s and merchant’s tend to take heed of what certification means to them and the forestry industry in general; or, if there is a lack of understanding by both parties of what certification means. Through using questionnaires and interviews with these two parties will provide empirical data to be used in analysing whether timber certification is fully understood by the general public and if this information is being provided adequately by forestry industry officials. Secondary sources are entirely related to building and trade merchants and how timber certification can affect their business relationships with the manufacturing sector. This also includes the processes that have been put forward in developing forest management standards in order to look toward further sustainable forest management. Tertiary empirical data can be gathered in an effort to recognise.

Education Inequality in Rural Areas of the United States Research Paper

Education Inequality in Rural Areas of the United States - Research Paper Example This discussion declares that  the buck does not stop at the quality of education that is provided, but also on its availability. In such areas, there is little access to educational facilities more specifically tertiary education. This has been attributed to the low penetration of higher education services in these areas. This has prompted many individuals to seek tertiary education in urban areas. Notably, there has been an exodus of persons more so of individuals who leave the region in quest for knowledge but never go back to apply that knowledge to their native lands. This further puts weight on the argument on inequality in the education realm in the countryside. In this argumentative essay, we will look at either side of the coin in regard to the different points of view in the question: is there inequality in education in the rural areas of the United States?This paper discusses that  statistics have indicated the presence of low test scores and the reduced rate graduatio n in specific fields. This information has prompted many taxpayers to take up arms in the expression of their dissatisfaction with the educational system. On   the other side, there are also adequate individuals who still express their confidence in the education system   ability to deliver the required education to the society. But both groups agree that there is a need for more efforts aimed at reducing the levels of inequality and the gap in education in both the rural and urban areas.

Production & Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Production & Operations Management - Essay Example Causes of Quality Problem on Greasex Line There are a lot of internal factors that contributes to the quality problems on Greasex line. This includes: (a) inefficient personnel – the operator that fills the equipment lacks working experience in running the machinery equipment, presence of the operator within the site, and lack of real-time report; (b) the automated filling equipment is not exclusively designed for Greasex line purposes and has no regular schedule for maintenance; (c) purchaser(s) do not have knowledge on the quality of spare parts needed for the equipment; and (d) lack of testing on the effects of contoured can on the speed of filling or filling hydrodynamics from a high-pressured filling head. Steps Hank should follow for Continuous Improvement Hank should implement a regular real-time reporting from operator(s) of Greasex line to ensure that necessary actions will be provided to cut down on ‘down-time’ errors and regular maintenance for machine. Ensure that effective training on handling the machinery should be provided by the company. Encourage purchaser to deal with operators carefully regarding the specs of materials needed. Take time to do laboratory tests on impact of contoured cans on speed of filling machine, etc). Compute for opportunity loss of using incompatible automated filling equipment for Greasex line.

MIDTERM EXAM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MIDTERM EXAM - Essay Example Once the People have promised their submission to such rules and accept to be governed by these laws made by legislatures in such forms, legislature can never delegate (Rosenbloom, 2014). On the contrary, the Supreme Court has uncovered that nondelagation principle has no restriction on Congress seeking help of the coordinate branches of the government (Rosenbloom, 2014). In the  case the between Mistretta v. United States, 488 U.S. 361, 372 (1989). Elements of Intelligence Principle must accompany the delegation to coordinate branches to which the delegated unit need to conform. The standard of delegation is potential to leave the agency that regulation is delegated to with broad discretion (Rosenbloom, 2014). However, the challenge arises from the Congress delegating a power to an executive agency based on the existing checks on the agency’s discretion. An example is the caused between INS v. Chadha, 462 U.S. 919 (1983). The Supreme Court held that the Congress may not uphold a legislative veto over discretionary agency actions since it violates the Constitutional, legislative process of bicameral passage preceded by a presentment to the President. Therefore, the Congress had to follow a formal parliamentary procedure to scrutinize the discretion delegated to a particular agency. Justice Powel concurred that the ruling could be made on a narrower grounds since in case the Congress validates that a person fails to satis fy the reasons laid by the authority for permanent residence, it is deemed to have assumed a judicial role in violating the principle of separation of powers. Therefore, the concurrence by Justice Powel validates the role of the Judiciary in the determination of the agency’s discretion. Despite this validation, Chevron U.S.A, Inc., v. Natural Resource Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984) rejected and limited the role of the Judiciary in

Fast Food Nation Fast Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Fast Essay Eric Schlosser is the author who has written about the fast food industry and he presents many of his findings in the book Fast Food Nation. However, his book is not merely an expose of the fast food industry but is even more a consideration of how the fast food industry has shaped and defined American society in America and for other nations as America exports its fast food culture to others. Schlosser describes a great deal of American culture to the fast food mentality, and he finds that globalization is taking the fast food culture around the world at a rapid rate. Schlosser addresses a number of specific issues related to food production and distribution. He connects the social order of a society to the kind of food it eats and the way it eats that food, with American society very much defined by the fast food culture that has developed. Schlosser tends to represent the theory stressing the importance of interdependence among all behavior patterns and institutions within a social system, as can be seen from how he connects fast food to other social processes and institutions. The icon that represents fast food culture for most people is McDonalds, though the fast food culture developed long before the creation of that restaurant chain. Schlosser considers the impact of such fast-food chains but also considers the primacy of the hamburger in the American diet and some of the dangers it poses. McDonalds reliance on hamburger is a questionable item for a steady diet in a more health conscious age, and interferes with local customs and food in different parts of the world. Schlosser addresses this issue from several perspectives, beginning with a consideration of how safe the meat really is, not only on the basis of nutritional value but also on the basis of additives, preservatives, diseases, and even potential radioactivity. Some beef is considered questionable, and much of it makes its way through the USDA to school cafeterias as part of the National School Lunch Program. This is a very damaging charge as the most questionable beef is sent directly to the most vulnerable population, suggesting that protecting the industry is more important to the government than protecting the consumer. The hamburger is connected to a huge industry, which in turn has a vital role in the overall American economy. More than this, the image of the hamburger represents America to many people around the world, and other icons carrying the idea of America is seen in the logos of companies like McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and similar companies. A related food item is the potato, for french fries are apart of in hamburger meals. Schlosser makes it clear to the reader that many of the foods he or she eats have been altered, with artificial flavors added even to natural foods like potatoes. French fries are not simply carved out of potatoes and then cookedthey are also laced with food additives of various sorts, including artificial flavoring, to assure that the flavor is uniform and that it comes through after the processing and cooking. Some additives are also used to maintain the color of the product, so that it appears as the color the consumer associates with a given food even if that would not be the natural color if the food were merely cooked and served. Obviously, all this raises questions about how safe the various additives may be and whether this has been as thoroughly investigated as it should have been. Schlosser points out the process involved but does not take a strong stand against such practices. The way fast food is prepared has made much of this secondary industry necessary, and supports the connection between fast food and the social order made by Schlosser. The work environment is also addressed by Schlosser, and much of what he reports is troubling. The dangerous situation in slaughterhouses has long been known. Schlosser finds that the dangers have not diminished a great deal in the processes of raising, slaughtering, processing and distributing meat products in America in spite of inspections and OSHA regulations and other efforts. Pressure on some companies to increase revenues and profits has also meant companies breaking the law and taking chances with the lives of employees and even the public. Also, many of the workers are illegal immigrants, favored because they are willing to take menial jobs for low wages to raise, pick, transport, and process food. The needs of this industry shape a number of social institutions and also have a direct effect on local communities by bringing in people who require more social services than would otherwise be the norm. Throughout, Schlosser shows not only the dangers inherent in the fast food industry itself but also ways in which this industry has altered American society and may alter society around the world. The underlying force involved is profit rather than food value, and this is raising questions/concerns about the values we are exporting. Work Cited Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. New York: Perennial, 2002.

An Educational Article for the 21st century Essay Example for Free

An Educational Article for the 21st century Essay Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell and Philippine education officials opened recently the Assessment, Curriculum and Technology Research Centre (ACTRC). Located at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Education building in Diliman, Quezon City, the facility will focus on research in support of the Philippines’ implementation of the K to 12 program, which is covered by a law recently signed by President Aquino. Tweddell, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Cynthia Bautista, UP president Alfredo Pascual, other education officials and members of the academe attended ACTRC’s opening. The Australian government gave the P150-million grant for the establishment of the center in support of the country’s basic education reform program. ACTRC will focus on curriculum development, school assessment and the application of technology in upgrading the education system. â€Å"Australia strongly supports the Philippine government’s efforts in implementing the K to 12 program. Investing in a quality education system will provide better opportunities for all and a pathway out of poverty for the most disadvantaged,† Tweddell said in a statement. ACTRC will bring together the Philippines’ and Australia’s top research institutions—the UP College of Education and the University of Melbourne’s Assessment Research Centre— in â€Å"grounded research and evaluation activities in the areas of assessment, curriculum and technology as they relate to the implementation of the Philippine government’s K to 12 program.† Through grant-funding, the Australian Agency for International Development would support the center’s first three years of operation, the Australian embassy said. â€Å"Australia shares the Philippine government’s vision that K to 12, if implemented well, will bring the Philippines’ school system closer to international standards. The interaction of curriculum, assessment and the use of technology are important facets of a successful education program,† Tweddell said. â€Å"The curriculum is the blueprint of an education system. Assessment provides a picture of where we are in that blueprint today. Technology enables the curriculum to respond to the needs of the 21st century,† he added. K to 12 is the Aquino administration’s flagship education reform program that aims to improve the quality of Philippine high school graduates by spreading the clogged 10-year curriculum over 12 years. In essence, the program hopes to give Filipino youth longer time to learn and prepare for life after basic education, whether they hope to go on to college or find employment after graduating from high school. â€Å"The University of Melbourne and its Graduate School of Education is proud to be associated with this major initiative to inform the Philippines’ education and research communities. The center will provide an opportunity to put into practice evidence-based research outcomes through its collaborative activities with the Philippines’ Department of Education,† said Professor Field Rickards, dean of the Graduate School of Education of the University of Melbourne. UP College of Education dean Rosario Alonzo said the facility and the collaboration it allowed would help promote the professional development of the UP faculty. â€Å"This is crucial to the university’s (UP) fulfillment of its mandate as a research university,† she said. A. Summary of the Article The article discussed how the Australian Government supports the implementation of the K to 12 Program here in the Philippines. It is also written how they believe that the new curriculon that was founded by the current administration will make the Philippines educational system closer to the international standards. B. Words that I have learned from the article Academe The academic environment or community; academia. Assessment The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something: the assessment of educational needs. Collaboration The action of working with someone to produce or create something. Crucial Decisive or critical, esp. in the success or failure of something. Curriculum The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college. Facets A particular aspect or feature of something. Implementation the act of accomplishing some aim or executing some order C. Ideas I have learned about the article At first i thought that K to 12 program was a bad idea, because it prolongs the years of study of students like me and making it a little much of a burden to my parents because of the added budget for the tuition but when i read articles pertaining to K to 12 implementation such as the likes of this one I simply realize that it isnt such a bad thing after all. I mean 2 years of added time is just a little sacrifice of what can be a result of a better future plus when you know that there are countries, like Australia, that are willing to support us on this kinds of program makes us a little more confident with ourselves that we can be more of a competative player in the international playfield when it comes to education. D. Comments about the article The article was really informative. For me, reading this article changed my point of view on K to 12 program and it also boosted my morale when i read the line â€Å"Australia shares the Philippine government’s vision that K to 12, if implemented well, will bring the Philippines’ school system closer to international standards.† because it gave me a heads up of what can be my potential in the future. E. Resources Site link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/412557/center-to-give-research-support-for-k-to-12#ixzz2blPK2DsX

Analysis On Strategies Used To Facilitate Workplace Learning Nursing Essay

Analysis On Strategies Used To Facilitate Workplace Learning Nursing Essay The aim of this assignment is to reflect on and analyse, strategies used to facilitate learning with a newly qualified member of staff in the authors working environment. The new member of staff will be referred to as the student during this assignment. This paper will show how one particular teaching session relates to theories of learning. Reflection has been defined by Taylor ( 2000 ) as : The throwing back of thoughts and memories, in cognitive acts such as thinking, contemplation, meditation and any other form of attentive consideration, in order to make sense of them, and so make contextually appropriate changes if required. However, the definitions from Boyd Fales (1983) and Dewey (1996), who considers that it is purposeful activity in thinking about an experience, through which learning takes place. Boyd and Fales focus more on self development. Here reflection does not only add to our knowledge but challenges the concepts and theories we hold. Furthermore as a result we dont see more, we see differently. The reflective process is at least to some degree conscious, but may not be verbalized. The author also, believes and agrees with John (2004), that reflection is often triggered by feelings and greatly influences decision making. This emphasises the importance of reflection in practice. The English National Board (ENB) and the Department of Health (DOH) 2001 defined a mentor as: denoting the role of the nurse, midwife or health visitor who facilitates learning and supervises and assesses students in practice setting would seem to be the most appropriate one to use. DOH (2001) identified that mentors need to possess a wide range of skills and to undergo a more dynamic Candidate Number 2350818 preparation in order to equip students for their working life in todays modernised, demanding National Health Services (NHS). Although this is the definition that exemplify the entirety of the mentoring role. The author feels this definition gives a somewhat rigid approach to being a mentor and find agreeable to the definition by Morton-Cooper and Palmer (2000) who states A mentor is someone who provides an enabling relationship that facilitates anothers personal growth towards competent practice and high standard making the learning experience an enjoyable and mentally fulfilling. This definition encompasses the emotional and personal part of the relationship, whether positive or negative, which the author feels is of the greatest possible degree of importance for a beneficial learning experience for both the learner and the mentor. In Intensive Care Unit (ICU), all new members of staff must have completed four weeks of supernumerary period to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to safely look after a critically ill patient. In planning to teach my student, The author need to accomplish three important aims as discussed by Wong et al, (1998); Conway and McMillan, (2000); cited in Jackson and Mannix (2001) p270, provide student with the opportunity to develop their clinical skills; Integrate theory and practice; and, assist their socialization into nursing. Prior to undertaking teaching of the student, the author ensured that the student had set realistic goals and clear learning objectives and also, encouraged to question things that were not clear or difficult to understand. After much consideration based on the students learning needs, it was reciprocally agreed that the skill of zeroing of CVP and Arterial line would be one of the essential skills taught in ICU. (Appendix II) The learner expressed the need to learn this particular skills, and Rogers (1996) views that learning is accomplished when a person feel a need, makes effort to meet that need, and feels satisfaction with the result of his effort. The student appeared keen to learn, and Hinchcliff (2001), views motivation as the major factor that encourages students to learn, and Oliver and Endersby (1994), see motivation as one of the most basic conditions for learning. Motivation is heavily influenced by need, and Gross (2005) believes Candidate Number 2350818 that how the motives underpinning behaviour are interpreted, depend upon the position of the work of a theorist or psychologist. Maslow (1970), while theorising human need, recognised that only when the needs lower down in the hierarchy are satisfied, the higher need will be met. The Intensive Care Unit is often very busy and stressful, and within the role of educator the author was very aware that the learner needed time away from the unit to wind down, as she could be very easily become over tired. On reflection, this connects with the evaluation process of Gibbs reflective cycle, in ascertaining what was good about the experience. The ICU has its own staff lounge away from the unit where tea and coffee is provided. Frequent breaks, comfortable chairs, a television, and availability of refreshments are what Rogers, cited in Downie (2003) views as necessary for providing human comfort and resulting in meeting physiological needs. Maslows theory made a significant contribution of humanist thinking and the self actualization. The learning outcomes developed from our discussion wer e for the student to; Increase knowledge of zeroing CVP/Arterial Lines; Prepare resources and equipment correctly with minimal prompting or assistance; carrying out the procedure using aseptic technique, efficiently and record the nursing procedure in the care plan or patient record. (Appendix III) In order to do this, the author needed to look at the nature of the learning process. It is therefore crucial when setting out to undertake a mentoring role that there is an understanding of the way the adults learn. Learning can be defined formally as the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skills Conner, (1997). Facilitation of learning is defined by the Royal College of Nursing, RCN as a well-planned learning opportunity with the provision to coach and support students RCN, (2002). This is supported by the Department of Health DOH, which adds that facilitation of learning allows students to develop opportunities to identify experiences that meet their learning needs DOH, (2001). Facilitation of adult learning is described by Banning (cited on Warren 2010) as the ideas and theories that are accredited to prior experiences which need to be complemented by interaction and adult-orientated strategies. A successful mentor is able to transform previous experiences via Candidate Number 2350818 experimental learning, enabling the student to make sense and learn from the experiences gained. However, facilitating student learning is not always easy in practice. Garrison et al (2004) remind us that while teaching the nursing leaders of the future, we do so in chaotic setting which is, in effect, an unhelpful learning environment. More recently, Swinny and Brady (cited on Warren 2010) found that, on a ward setting, mentors have difficulty finding time to teach because of the busy and demanding nature of clinical environment. An understanding of some theories is helpful to a mentor as it provides them with an opportunity to examine their own beliefs and assumptions about people, knowledge, motivation, environment, assessment and other factors necessary with learning Nicklin and Kenworthy, (2000). Learning help us move from novice to expert and allow us to gain new knowledge and ability. Benner, (1984). These theories provide framework for studying the processes associated with learning. Learning theories of behaviourism, cognitivism and humanism have attempted to provide explanation about learning that applies to people in general. In order to see the full potential in learning, knowledge of such theories are crucial to the success of the individual learner. Behaviourism argues that nearly all behaviour is learned. It is based on what is referred to as stimulus /response learning and originates with the Russian psychologist, Pavlovs work with the dogs whereby he linked one stimulus meat powder to a seco nd stimulus, the sound of a bell. This produced a salivation response and ultimately the dogs would salivate at the sound of the bell even in the absence of the meat powder. This experimentation produced Pavlovs theory of Classical Conditioning McKenna, (1995). The social learning theory developed by Albert Bandura could be useful within the affective areas of nursing in as much as the mentor behaves in ways he wants the learner to imitate, as a role modelling Knowles, (1990). He stressed the importance of modelling other behaviours, which is known as observational learning cited by Bahn, (2001). Because it encompasses attention, memory and motivation, social learning theory spans both cognitive and behavioural frameworks. Drawing upon humanistic psychology and behaviourism, Malcolm Knowles contributed to the art and science Candidate Number 2350818 of teaching adults, otherwise known as andragogy. This is in direct contrast to pedagogy which literally means a leader of children. Knowles bases his approach on his own observations on the differences between teaching adults and children. He argues that traditional education methods, with their emphasis on the teacher do not prepare the learner with the facility for lifelong learning. Knowles however does acknowledge that andragogy and pedagogy can work together, that could both be relevant for children and adult subject to circumstances and provided that the overall approach is andragogical. Pedagogical methods may be suitable is when new concept are being introduced to students Quinn, (2000). A day was planned in advance when the teaching would take place. The author had met on several occasions with the student therefore an introduction had been made. The author felt that effective communication is essential to facilitate learning, therefore adapted a friendly and approachable manner. (Appendix II) This view is supported by McKimm, J. (2007) who believes the learner is able to express their views and make errors when a sociable atmosphere is set and maintained. McKimm, J. (2007) also discusses the concept of teaching by humiliation and the author is very aware from past experience, of the negative effect of power relations, and so becoming more sensitive to the needs of the student. As a good example, the student had seen the procedure of zeroing the CVP line, carried out previously as a part of the daily routine with the mentor/author but had neither performed it nor understood the relevance of it. The author therefore decided that a written instruction for priming and zeroing of arterial/CVP line would be produced explaining why we zero the transducer and a detailed guide how to do the procedure. (Appendix III) While reflecting, this manifest aspect of learning period, and fits in with the evaluation phase of Gibbs reflective cycle (1988). Conversely, a negative experience was perceived during the evaluation phase of reflection when unfortunately the day set for the teaching session to take place was discontinued as the unit became very busy, involuntarily the author to asked for change of shift for a convenient day for the student. Subsequently the teaching session was Candidate Number 2350818 varied for the following day, which caused a huge amount of stress and anxiety as the student was psychologically prepared for the teaching to take place on that set day, not the next. The concept of stress and anxiety is a key psychological factor that influences teaching Quinn, (2000), and is a displeasing emotion occurring when threat or harm is anticipated, and results in generalised increased change of state. Individuals have a best level of change of state, under- change level of state results in a decreased level of learning performance and over-change of state an increased level of learning performance. Gross (2005) views that a complete absence of stress can be harmful, when humans are so relaxed they do not see a harmful situation developing, and a moderate amount of stress maintains alertness, providing energy requited to maintain interest and explore our environment. Therefore, stress is extremely detrimental when humans become stretched beyond their limit Gross, (2005). To complete the teaching session the student was given the opportunity to feed back and reflect on her learning experience. It seems that she felt the teaching session to be very helpful on her daily routine assessment and build her confidence. This has allowed the author to be productive in achieving personal goals set out in the learning contract (Appendix I ) and expects mentoring in the forthcoming. In conclusion, the author has gained an insight through reflection into the many different learning theories and strategies for learning that exist to aid in his forthcoming student. A surroundings that is beneficial, sociable and accommodating for learning. The improvement of knowledge and skills, sharing teaching and learning, and reflecting upon them both privately and with other mentors can embrace the personal and professional growth that one day all students will achieve. I I

Garrett Hardin In lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against The Poor Essay

Garrett Hardin in "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against the Poor" Garrett Hardin writes about saving the poor in his essay "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against the Poor" found in The Blair Reader. Hardin writes about how the rich countries are in the lifeboat and the poor countries are swimming in the ocean. He also writes about how the United States helps other countries. Hardin feels that if the government keeps helping other countries and letting people in then America will also drown. "We must convince them if we wish to save at least part of the world form environmental ruin"(page 765). Why should I help the poor countries? Why should I let the immigrants in? I see no reason for helping someone that is not an American. These non Americans are taking my hard-working money that they did not earn. I am tired of the United States of America giving my money to the poor countries. The government is giving these people my money for which I worked hard. The government does not ask for my permission to give these people my money. By letting these people on our lifeboat the government is drowning us all. "If we do let an extra 10 people in our lifeboat, we will have lost our 'safety factor,' an engineering principle of critical importance" (page 757). I cannot take a chance in helping people if it is going to put me in risk. Instead of giving the money to non Americans it should be used only in America. The money used to help the poorer countr...

Good Advice is Hard to Find Essay -- Personal Narratives

Good Advice is Hard to Find Advice is something that is very important in my life and in the life of most others. It allows us to ask another person their feelings and experiences about certain situations they have encountered in his/hers lifetime and then attempt use that information to help yourself. Good advice however is hard to come by. My dad has many stories that begin with, â€Å"Well when I was your age†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is an example of bad advice. It is hard to relate what he experienced to my life, because of the generations of difference. Good advice to me is something that I ask for, and in my past, has come from people who know me extremely well. I agree with most in that good advice can come from anyone, but the best has come from my friends. They know my feelings in general and how I have reacted to certain situations in my past. In general, advice also needs to come from someone I trust and respect. I also tend to listen more closely and see how I can adapt it to my life if the advice has come from someone who is close to me, especially if it is someone who I believe t...

The Scarlet Letter :: Literary Analysis, Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne has introduced a character that has been judged harshly. Because, she has been misinformed of her husband’s death; therefore, she was greave and had sought comfort resulting in a baby from the lover whom gave her comfort. When her secret had been discovered she was isolated for committing a treacherous crime of adultery, as one of her punishments she was forced to wear an A on her chest. The novel presents a structure of a society, using symbolism and diction to give underline meaning to the themes, portraying religious tendencies ruled by the philosophy of good and evil. Puritans believed in strict religious dedications, by trying to follow the holy commandment. â€Å"The discipline of the family, in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now.†(Hawthorne 9). They wanted to be considered the holiest of all people because they try to reflect a world of perfection in the sight of God. While they where trying to portray a holy life; however, they where also living a sinful life because they have been judgmental, slandering, uncompassionate, resentment, and forbearing, which are all sinful acts of the bible. Hester is being considered as the devil (Bellis 1), which is a sign that the town’s people are slanderous and judgmental. Their judgment has caused her to be isolated. â€Å"†¦ A woman who had once been innocent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is now considered as â€Å"†¦the reality of sin† (Hawthorne 39). They look at her as a threat diminishing their community’s chance for purification because â€Å"there was the taint of deepest sin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne 24). My apprehension of Pearl is that she is the fruit of evil, because she is seen as â€Å"immortal† (Hawthorne 11). Because, she has caused a ruckus, her immoral acts have disturbed the nature of their society. They think this is morally correct because, â€Å"Political and generational ambivalence has its psychological counterpart†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bellis 2), which give them the right to make her an evil outcast. Pearl is said to symbolize the result of sin but her character as a child have placed an innocent view of her contribution to the story. As any mother would accept their child she have accepted her â€Å"†¦ torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!†(Hawthorne 38). Hester â€Å"represent the violation of social contract† (Egan1), because of her simple imperfection of â€Å"struggles to meet the social demands. The Scarlet Letter :: Literary Analysis, Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne has introduced a character that has been judged harshly. Because, she has been misinformed of her husband’s death; therefore, she was greave and had sought comfort resulting in a baby from the lover whom gave her comfort. When her secret had been discovered she was isolated for committing a treacherous crime of adultery, as one of her punishments she was forced to wear an A on her chest. The novel presents a structure of a society, using symbolism and diction to give underline meaning to the themes, portraying religious tendencies ruled by the philosophy of good and evil. Puritans believed in strict religious dedications, by trying to follow the holy commandment. â€Å"The discipline of the family, in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now.†(Hawthorne 9). They wanted to be considered the holiest of all people because they try to reflect a world of perfection in the sight of God. While they where trying to portray a holy life; however, they where also living a sinful life because they have been judgmental, slandering, uncompassionate, resentment, and forbearing, which are all sinful acts of the bible. Hester is being considered as the devil (Bellis 1), which is a sign that the town’s people are slanderous and judgmental. Their judgment has caused her to be isolated. â€Å"†¦ A woman who had once been innocent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is now considered as â€Å"†¦the reality of sin† (Hawthorne 39). They look at her as a threat diminishing their community’s chance for purification because â€Å"there was the taint of deepest sin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne 24). My apprehension of Pearl is that she is the fruit of evil, because she is seen as â€Å"immortal† (Hawthorne 11). Because, she has caused a ruckus, her immoral acts have disturbed the nature of their society. They think this is morally correct because, â€Å"Political and generational ambivalence has its psychological counterpart†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bellis 2), which give them the right to make her an evil outcast. Pearl is said to symbolize the result of sin but her character as a child have placed an innocent view of her contribution to the story. As any mother would accept their child she have accepted her â€Å"†¦ torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!†(Hawthorne 38). Hester â€Å"represent the violation of social contract† (Egan1), because of her simple imperfection of â€Å"struggles to meet the social demands.

How Can Tax Cuts Help Revive the Economy

There are many opinions and predictions about how the economy will get back on track or how it will sink, and what should be the best approach of the government to take on this economic crisis. How important is the role of the government and how much a government should interfere in the economy? Introduction Unemployment has been one of the major concerns for many governments; historically unemployment reached 25% in the United States during the great depression in 1933. When there are no jobs people don’t have the money to spend, and demand for products decreases.When demand decreases many companies go out of business or just hire fewer workers, while unemployment keeps growing. The government has a very powerful tool called fiscal policy to manipulate the economy and control and manage the levels of demand. Fiscal Policy Fiscal policy is based on the theories of John Maynard Keynes also known as the Keynesian economics. The theory of Keynes state that the government can infl uence the economy by manipulating the increase or decrease of taxes and at the same time the level of government spending.By controlling the level of government spending what fiscal policy can do is to change the position of the Aggregated Demand curve (AD), since Government (G) is part of the aggregated demand. At the same time the government could cut taxes putting more money into the pockets of consumers called â€Å"disposable income†, which is another way of busting the Aggregated Demand since Consumers (C) is also part of the Aggregated Demand. The Multiplier EffectI think that there is a good question that we can formulate here: If government cut taxes and raises the level of government spending, how can the economy get better if by cutting taxes the government has less coming in, and at the same time by spending more the government is has more coming out? The multiplier effect states that when a part of the Aggregated Demand (C+I+G+(X-N) is changed, any of this compon ents which usually is (G), the result is an increase even greater than what was originally impacted by the changed and by doing this the government could push out the Aggregated Demand curve according to this rule.To explain the multiplier effect a little better let’s imagine that the government has 1 million dollars to spend, and it has several choices to do so, so let’s say that they decide to construct a new bridge. They hired 10 people who are now being paid and will spend part of that money each on another 10 more individuals. They spend 80% as disposable income and basic needs and save 20%. By spending 80% they are creating revenue for somebody else, who will use it as disposable money, at the same time by saving money they are creating more resources for a bank to e able to invest. At the end the initial money the government spent is not lost is only multiply and has created jobs, it has raised the level of demand, and it has boosted the (AD). The answer to the initial question: We can guess that the government expects to boost or better the economy by spending more, because eventually this spending will result into a greater impact into the economy by the consumers (C) Obstacles Reaching the GoalsFiscal Policies have some obstacles that can make the goals very hard to reach, and it could reverse the process and create inflation if these policies are not monitored constantly. The way this could happen is if too much money is injected into the economy while taxes are still down, and the consumer demands for goods and services are lower than the production supply. The increase in economic productivity can cross over a very fine line devaluating the real value of money and pushing the prices up, hence inflation occurs.At the same time the Multiplier effect can work in reverse because the success of the multiplier effect is based on the level of consumer spending. If the consumer doesn’t want to spend any money during difficult times th ere will be no money injected into the economy and the impact will be a decrease on the aggregated output. Conclusion The government plays a very important role in the economy, the decisions the government makes has a tremendous impact in the lives of its citizens.Making smart decisions in an economy that seems very volatile and probably unpredictable is very difficult. I believe that by making tax cuts and spending which I would call (Investing) the government is making the right decisions because in the long run my generation is eager to be part of this economy and very soon become a big spender after I am done with school, after I graduate.Bibliography/ReferencesHeakal, Reem. What is Fiscal Policy? Investopedia AForbes Digital Company File under: Bonds, Economics, Retirement URL Web Site: http://www. investopedia. com/articles/04/051904. aspWikipedia: Fiscal Multiplier:URL Web site: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fiscal_multiplier Holden, Paj.Teacher of Economics:PajHoldenâ€℠¢s Channel In Youtube fiscal policy and the multiplier effect URLWeb Site: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=0CjNlyiDAno New Law's Tax Cuts Mean Extra Cash: IRS Web Site http://www. irs. gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=109816,00. html

Response to Stuart Keisman’s Reflection Essay

I agree with what Stuart wrote about people using unique methods when they speak. Everybody does have their own, individual way of speaking, and this results from people’s personal character, combined with the environment that they were raised in. I have noticed this myself, but it also seems that people speak in different manners when they are around various people. The same person can sound like, or give others the impression of, a completely different person depending on how they speak in different environments. This particularly affects shy people. Around people that a shy person does not know very well, he or she may be reserved, but when in comfortable settings, he or she may be much more outgoing and talkative. This is also when people, such as myself, choose to use slang words or speak in familiar ways, but around strangers, people generally tend to speak in more formal manners. Stuart did a great job summarizing how most people operate when speaking. I do the same things that he described. In my own experience, I have basic ways of talking, but they are different when I am around different people. I find myself able to joke around with friends, where it would be hard for me, and make me uncomfortable to do the same with strangers or new acquaintances. In my life I have also noticed that people seem to form opinions about my character base on my word choice, just like people do about Stuart has when he refrains from using bad words. Also, when I joke around with people who do not have a good sense of humor, I find it harder to communicate or connect with them. If I were going to apply Stuart’s ideas to my teaching, I would emphasize the different word choices that people use when they are in particular settings. I think it is amazing that people may seem like different people when they are in school, or church, but they are their usual, relaxed self when in they are in familiar company. Identifying how people verbally react to particular settings is a great way to understand how individuals think and it provides insight to their character. Response to Jodi Arbus’ Reflection I agree with Jodi that particular regions of various countries have individual dialects. People in the Midwestern states speak very differently from people in the south, or northeast. Sometimes the accents are so strong that it is hard to understand what people from other parts of the country are even saying. But dialect, or accent, seems to result not at all from the personal character or word choice of someone, but from the environment he or she was raised in. People are able to adapt, and accents or dialects are examples of our adaptation, because we blend in with them. When we move to a new place, eventually most of us will lose our own accents and adopt the one of our new home. I do not know whether or not Jodi is right about male and female speech, as people of both sexes seem to have unrestricted speech characteristics based on their gender. In my own experience, I have noticed that my own accent separates me from certain people, and gives me something in common with other Mexican Americans. As English is my second language, I have a noticeable accent, and it lets people identify certain things about me. This accent also allows people to know things about how, and what community, I was raised in. Jodi also talked about the difference between male and female speech. I am not sure if I have noticed any differences other than that males usually use more slang and a more relaxed form of speech when in comfortable settings. I have also noticed the differences in formality that people use in certain areas. In the areas where I grew up, people often address each other in familiar tones, but when speaking to people from other areas, we are more formal. In the south, Jodi notices a key feature that people use when speaking: they are often very formal and courteous, even to people who are somewhat familiar. This is interesting, because in my experience, I have noticed that many people do not even address strangers in ways that are very formal or customary. But I have noticed that this is different in other areas. I would use what Jodi wrote in my teachings by emphasizing accents or dialects that people use. These are important ways of understanding the characters of individuals, and determining what is a result of people’s character, instead of a result of the environment they were raised in. Also, it would be important to teach the differences in language from certain regions. Not only are the accents different, but the formality may be different as well. In the south, where people address one another in more formal ways, and say ‘ma’am’ and â€Å"sir† more often , it is important to know the ways that people speak to know how to be inoffensive. So I would teach the differences in speech of certain regions, as that would help outsiders to seem friendly and polite when visiting. Understanding lingual characteristics in certain areas, and the differences from place to place will help people to communicate in friendly manners with people who are unfamiliar.

Creating a Level Playing Field for Wisconsin Education Essay

It is a well known fact that the educational outcome of our children is either boosted or hindered by their families’ socioeconomic backgrounds, and while this fact is hardly fair to those underprivileged students, (and despite a few halfhearted but well-meaning policies against it), this inequality is likely to persist. (Wisconsin 2006). Although the rates for high school completion between whites and minorities seem to be slowly equaling out, a 1999 report from the U. S. Department of Education showed that nationwide while 27.5% of whites had received a Bachelor’s degree, only 12. 2% of blacks had attained that same level of education (Wisconsin 2006). In the State of Wisconsin, 15. 8% of whites have a Bachelor’s Degree, while only 6. 9% of blacks have the same, only about half of the nationwide percentage for blacks. (Demographic Profile 2004). In the Wisconsin school districts, the most important reason for the disparity in education between blacks and whites seems to be centered once again on socioeconomic ills. In 1954 the U. S.   Supreme Court unanimously agreed that segregating schoolchildren by race was unconstitutional, however fifty years later, while the ideas and decisions of 1954 seem fairly straightforward, the reality of the situation is a little less clear. In the Milwaukee area, the portion of the population that is black or Hispanic is rising, and the gap between black and white in Wisconsin as a whole is among the largest in the United States. (Borsuk 2004). Wisconsin has struggled with the task of overcoming that particular stigma and in education at least has made some inroads, but much work remains to be done. The difference in test scores on a recently released federal government report between white and black eighth graders was larger in Wisconsin than in any other state in the United States. (Borsuk 2004). Keep in mind that white students in Wisconsin are on par educationally with the rest of the United States, yet a higher percentage of black eighth graders from Wisconsin scored below basic—the lowest category. Previous studies also confirm that Wisconsin again takes the lead in the gap between incarceration rates between blacks and whites, and that â€Å"racial separation is the predominant pattern for neighborhoods. † (Borsuk 2004). If racial separation is considered â€Å"normal† or usual in the average neighborhood, then changing that in the schools systems represents a huge obstacle. When the desegregation plan went into effect the Milwaukee Public School system was 60% white, and now it is about 15% white, but there are few schools that have substantial enrollment of both black and white students. This means that the white children are leaving public schools to attend private schools, which helps very little in the overall desegregation efforts. Elizabeth Burmaster, Wisconsin’s state superintendent of schools says, â€Å"I believe that in Wisconsin the gap is very directly correlated to economic disadvantage. † (Borsuk 2004). Low income kids, as we all know, do not do as well in testing areas or graduation as do children from higher economic families. Because the lower income students are more likely to be black, the success rate of the black students, particularly in Wisconsin, are at very unhealthy rates, a problem that has been addressed by both Chapter 220 and the voucher system, with some small successes, but nothing to write home about. The white children are more likely to have parents with higher levels of education, leading to more economic advantage, while the black children are more likely to have parent’s with less education, leading to lower paying jobs. It becomes a vicious cycle as the black children don’t seem to be receiving the same education as the white children which will in turn cause them to work at low-paying jobs creating yet another generation of the disadvantaged.

Roberson

Tracy Morgan Intro- Public Administration (PA301) Instructor Travis Forbes Sept, 12 2011 There were a few elements I noticed, and reflected upon while reading William Robertson: Exemplar of Politics and Public Management Rightly Understood, that I felt he drew upon, to help him successfully run the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services. Roberson utilized; people, place, physical technology, and personality, which were the specific elements that Gaus had mentioned. Let’s discuss how each event in Mr. Robertson’s life was important in reaching his goal, amongst the short term goals that were achieved because of his ability to lead.While reading Mr. Robertson’s story you could already grasp that he was a strong, yet influential leader, who believed through his military training, that you should lead from the front. Therefore be on the same level as your subordinates, so you can understand their needs, in order to meet and exceed them, for maximum mission effectivene ss could be achieved with few discrepancies. He also furthered his knowledge, not for the sake of promotion, but to have a better perspective of what was going to be needed in the future, to perform better in his job on all levels.So in case a situation arose, he would not be thrown off guard, but have the ability to correctly assess, identify, implement, and evaluate the situation, on behalf of the public, and city. Being in a large city, such as Los Angeles, afforded Mr. Robertson the prime opportunity to shine, because he was always surrounded by all the elements, which included him walking into public council meetings that were normally full of disgruntled people, but with his ability to converse (or manipulate as some would say), thus leaving many of them thanking him.It could even be coined as a slight form of social technology. He was able to accomplish all this by informing and educating, the people, and council of his duties, so when barriers were put in place, he and his t eam could work together on empowering the public to make better decisions, or be better prepared for the political battles that would surely arise, for the need for funding was on the table. Roberson’s judgment alone ancelled out Arnstein’s ladder of participation by, inadvertently giving more power to the people with knowledge, and abilities. And as a result the council members showed a little more insight, and support to Robertson, than what they did to his counterparts, thus leading to him to develop physical technologies in paving neighborhoods with limited funding, and still not overcrowding the streets with workers.

Intelligence and the Concept of G Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Intelligence and the Concept of G - Essay Example On his road to achieve this Spearman developed Factor Analysis a statistical analysis method to determine if there were correlations between independent factors. In 1904, Spearman published "General Intelligence, Objectively Measured and Observed" in which the first scientific definition of intelligence was put forth. According to Spearman, intelligent behaviour is generated by a single, unitary quality within the human mind or brain. Spearman derived this theoretical entity, called the general factor, or simply g, through a new statistical technique that analyzed the correlations among a set of variables. This technique, called factor analysis, demonstrated that scores on all mental tests are positively correlated; this offered compelling evidence that all intelligent behaviour is derived from one metaphorical pool of mental energy" ("Charles" 2007, 1). In short, Spearman's Theory of General Intelligence states "all variation in intelligence test scores can be explained by two factors. The first is the factor specific to an individual mental task: the individual abilities that would make a person more skilled at one cognitive task than another. The second is g, a general factor that governs performance on all cognitive tasks" (History 2007, 1). Researchers have long agreed that there is a wide range of ability in basic cognitive skills such as logical reasoning, spatial analogies, completion of matrices, vocabulary and other mental tests among different people. The same people tend to do better on these tests across the entire range of tests than do other people. Further, by use of statistical analysis of this raw data, researcher have isolated the cause for the differences in people's mental reasoning abilities to one factor credited for this consistent accelerated performance - that one factor is 'g'. G acts like a correlation coefficient with a value of .65 (Flynn 2003). Jensen (2002) reported that individuals with higher levels of g, in effect, have better brains. People with these higher levels of g tend to prefer more complex cognitive tasks resulting in high g loading. To explain this Jensen (2002, 153) states: "some property of the brain has cognitive manifestations that result in the emergence of g." In effect, Jensen (2002) asserts that g is a measure of the influence on brain quality. The higher the g; the 'better' the brain; this result equates to an advantage in any cognitive skill utilized. Johnson et al. (2004) conducted a study to determine whether g, in actuality, predicts a wide range of cognitive performances. The researchers predicted that Spearman's g would have a strong correlation on a diverse set of abilities. The empirical evidence proving the existence of g is well documented. However, there remains some controversy in that "the social implications of the existence of measurable individual differences in a personal characteristic that is highly predictive of a broad range of life outcomes" (Johnson et al. 2004, 96). The researchers assert that regardless of the battery of tests utilized to measure g, the results should be uniform across various test batteries. If, in fact, g varies across these different kinds of test

Market Segmentation and Product Positioning Term Paper

Market Segmentation and Product Positioning - Term Paper Example By the year 2006, the company has become amongst the most popular beer company in the African region (Smit, 2009). This was as a result of aggressive marketing of the beer by the company. This implied that advertising was exceedingly an essential factor for the success of the product. In fact, by the end of 2008, the beer was sold across the whole continent. Up to around 2010, most of the big cities and small town dwellers loved the beer at the bars and lodges. Frequently, joined by competitive alcoholic drinks, the beer has decreased in popularity. Currently, the company’s products are consumed at one billion beers rate per each single day. The company headquarter is located in Lusaka, in Zambia. It is a large firm and has many facilities and structures in different regions across the world. In addition, our company operates in seven nations, specifically in the northwest. The BERVET Company owns three manufacturing facilities with more than twenty five sales locations. The f irm is the largest beer company in the northwest region of Africa. The company offers a wide range of beer brands and services that makes it attractive to its customers. Some of the known brands include kegi, chura, and kiboko among many others. The company has several foundations and programs to assist in various services. For instance, the company has partnered with an LGC company which is an NGO to offer health services. We also support various corporate initiatives that empower girls and women around the region through economic support. We are also focused on providing services on sanitation and water to people who cannot access them. Vision The company is committed to continual renewal so that individuals, organizational structure, facilities, products, systems and our partnership remain dynamic. Mission statement BERVET produces high quality; alcoholic products with a vision of becoming the leading company in Africa by 2015. We are focusing on maintaining our customers as an a sset in expansion mission of the company. We are, therefore, committed to winning our customers loyalty to BERVET products forever. Market target BERVET targets the European market. The market segment for our company includes retailers, wholesalers, the private sector, the government and the individual customers. The company target customers by having specific lines in Europe. We expect our sales to be exceedingly high bearing in mind the variety and quality of our beer that we offer. This is because BERVET plans on reducing prices and opening more outlets for the drink in the region. We are targeting the big restraunts, bars, and lodges. However, there are some essential economic factors that will affect our products that include taxes, economic trends, and the rising energy prices. The legal factors include legislation and regulations on the operations of the business and government initiatives. Also, control from the government might affect the operations of the business. Environ mental factors might also affect the market, but some are uncontrollable like natural disasters and calamities such as fire, earthquakes, and floods. Having identified the market and the factors that might affect these will help in proper planning for strategies like price, promotion and distribution. We must come up with pricing strategies that will aid in profit maximization, current revenue maximization, and maximization of quantity, quality, and profit margin,

Assigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Assigment - Essay Example The general assumption is that wealth is equally distributed among the citizens yet it is a few individuals who are rich. Secondly, the quality of goods and services that comprises the output and externalities like pollution are not taken into consideration. In addition, increase in output may be attributed to long working hours with less leisure time. There is a lot of money in the black economy like prostitution, which is not included in the GDP computation. Non-market transactions such as volunteer and household chores are also not included. Sustainability of growth is not considered in the calculation of GDP because the country may have exploited its resources hence increasing its GDP. b) % change in nominal GDP is calculated by change in the GDP *100; from 1981 to 1991 and 1991 to 2001 , the nominal GDP has changed by 91.18% and 70.50% respectively while the real GDP has changed by 43.75% from 1981 to 1991 and by 21.96% from 1991 to 2001. (b) The last few years after the crisis have witnessed a gradual decline in productivity growth and the situation may persist for much longer (Orszag). Projections indicate that the trend is likely to persist for a much longer period. One of the reasons behind the slowdown in productivity growth is the fact that a significant percentage of the population is not engaged in active productive engagements. An aging population has also been cited as one of the reasons behind the slump in productivity. The author points out that workers usually display less enthusiasm and productivity after a crisis. The impact of the crisis manifests at the level of confidence on the part of the workers as many of them become affected by insecurities that hamper their capacity to produce. The studies indicate that the levels of productivity have been going down even before the crisis reached its peak in

Forming an International Organization Assignment

Forming an International Organization - Assignment Example The alliance also seeks to remove the barriers of trade imposed by member states, and this includes the introduction of free movement of goods and people. The alliance will also seek to prevent an emergence of another war, by promoting cohesion and peace within the region. In conclusion, the alliance will have four organizations, each performing different roles. These organizations are the office of presidents, the office of ministers, the administrative unit, and the office of security affairs. The office of the Presidents is the highest authority, and they are responsible for policy formulation. Normally, a policy will be decided by a vote, and a policy that garners majority votes will be implemented. The office of the ministers will be responsible for discussing the methods of implementing the policy, while the administrative unit will have the responsibility of implementing the policy under consideration. The office of security affairs on the other hand will have the responsibility of identifying the internal and external security threats that face the region. This is for purposes of finding a solution on how to mitigate the threats under

The Gala Event at Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour Essay

The Gala Event at Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour - Essay Example The objective is to boost the morale of the employees and the stakeholders to achieve even higher growth. With this in mind, the even logo we suggest is the symbol of â€Å"ladder† which shall be maintained at all locations, transport, hotels rooms, convention center, dining hall or wherever the group would be moving. The stakeholders that would be arriving from outstation need special consideration. To ensure maximum participation, there has to be something exciting for the guests to look forward to. The invitation itself would have to stir their imagination and make them expect something different from the usual dinners and conferences. To generate a positive emotional response, a mystical invitation would be sent out. The symbol of the ladder would serve to show heights not just in the physical life but would indicate that the event would transport them to greater heights. To ensure they have a pleasant experience at the hotel, all arrangements would be in alignment with individual needs. The invitation would carry a form with simple questions seeking their choices in certain requirements which would be provided in their rooms. The rooms too would have the symbol of the ladder and the dà ©cor would emanate a WOW from them. We can assure they would carry the memories of the event at their subco nscious level and would remember it for a very long time. Importance of site selection and venue inspection is an important part of any event planning process. Importance has not been given only to the aesthetics or physical appeal of the venue but the facilities combined with relaxation have been considered. The venue is rich in character and meets the specific business or personal needs. The location of the event has been chosen as the clients want the dinner and accommodation to be at the same location. Australia’s largest hotel, Four Points by Sheraton is ideally located and has 650 rooms and 45 suites. Thirty suites and seventy rooms will be provided.

Accounting and Managment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Accounting and Managment - Research Paper Example Coombs & Jenkins (2002) Costly: For a better idea of the real cost of budget preparation, consider a company where 160 employees devote time to some aspect of budgeting. At an average cost of approximately $105,000 per employee, the company s annual cost of budgeting is nearly $17 million. Van der Stede (2003) Are irrelevant to today's environment: Budgets are developed and updated too infrequently. In today's turbulent business environment, the budgeted numbers could change daily and, as a result, the budget would be out of date before the financial year has even begun. (Barr, p38) Inflexible: Budgets are too reactive and inflexible and are a barrier to change. There are very few companies that actually update their budget during the fiscal year, purely because it is too complex and time consuming. Management and governments also spend very little time each month working on strategy, as most time is spent on data collection, reconciliation and accountability for public funds. Niskanen (1971) Internally focused: Jeremy Hope and Robin Fraser (2003) argue that budgets focus on cost reduction and not value creation. Budgets focus on internally generated targets that are comfortably achievable by you, but appears difficult to your superior. This breeds sub-optimalisation and does not promote growth of shareholder value. Production oriented: According to Stefan Sering and Maria Goldbach (2002), the traditional budget was developed in the manufacturing era where production costs and revenues were predictable, whereas today, an event such as 9/11 can change the way you do business at the drop of a hat. Concentrate on numbers: In the form of incrementalism-where the previous year's appropriation is the starting point for budget formulation, with negotiations focused on increments or decrements, state budgets. It is quite evident that while making budgets, the emphasis is on numbers and cost cutting. Aaron Wildavsky (2001). Does not include non financial information: The budget structure does not reflect changes in the company's organization and processes, and people were budgeting many costs largely under someone else's control. Hope and Fraser (2003) argue that front line managers are unable to regulate their own performance and financial planning processes. And therefore individual behaviours are not better aligned with corporate strategy. They don't reduce costs but protect them. This comes from the age old "use it or lose it" mentality. Staff knows that if they don't use a budgeted expense, it will get pulled from the next year's budget as management sees it as unnecessary especially in the public sector. Any unused balances are cut from the next annual budget. Brimson, Antos and Collins (1999). They encourage managers to play games with it. Budgets can encourage 'gaming' and perverse behaviour. Finance managers are more than familiar with "managing the slack" and making the budget "presentable" to the board. This, however, creates a culture of dishonesty and can lead to greater troubles such as fraud. Jensen (2001) They are results oriented. According to Hansen and Mowen (2006), when budgets are resource driven rather than output driven, then managers concentrate on resources and may fail to see the link between resources and output. When the need arises for cost cutting they make cuts on

Racial Profiling 2 Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Racial Profiling 2 - Annotated Bibliography Example "Why racial profiling is a bad idea, top seven arguments against racial profiling." About.com, civil liberties 2011: 1. Web. 17 Mar 2011. http://civilliberty.about.com/od/lawenforcementterrorism/tp/Against-Racial-Profiling.htm A popular columnist for the internet site about.com, Tom Head presents a look with seven concise points showing why the use of racial profiling is a bad idea. His list includes, Racial profiling doesn’t work, Racial profiling distracts law enforcement agencies from more useful approaches, racial profiling prevents police from serving the entire community, racial profiling prevents communities from working with law enforcement, racial profiling is a blatant violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, racial profiling can easily escalate into racially-motivated violence and the most important approach, racial profiling is morally wrong. Tom Head is not simply a columnist, he is a well-educated individual who holds a Masters of Arts in humanities from California State University, Dominguez Hills and is a Ph.D. candidate at Edith Cowan University.

World war comparson Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

World war comparson - Assignment Example The WWII also witnessed the extensive use of airplanes in the battle. In terms of technological development, both wars involved the use of tanks; however, the one used in WWII were a little more advanced compared to WWI. The armaments used in WWI were slow and inefficient, for instance, the first fighter planes proved inefficient and inaccurate and were often not used.2 On the contrary, the armaments of the WWII were more efficient and faster than those for WWI. These included the use of fighter jets and remotely operated missiles. WWI appeared to be a Europe conflict, and it turned out that Europe’s economy stabilized during these periods while Japan’s economy destabilized. WWII was an economic boost for the United States, which participated in the WWI indirectly. The economic boost for US in WWII saw the expansion of its small towns. The two world wars are landmark events in history of the contemporary world. In both, there was involvement of the prevailing world powers at the time. These two battles had certain things in common. Key among things that can be compared and contrasted are in terms of military strategy, technological development, and economic

‘Friendship Changes Its Meaning and Function Through the Life Course Essay Example for Free

‘Friendship Changes Its Meaning and Function Through the Life Course Essay In many western societies, friendship is portrayed in a very positive and desirable light, and most of all something people have the freedom to choose, unlike kinship. However as examined further in this essay, friendship means and functions as many different things to different people and can be influenced by an array of different social factors. There are various stages in the life-course that provide both opportunities and threats to the development and maintenance of friendships, yet it is evident that friendship does change and evolve in meaning and function through the life course. Some sociologists believe that social change has affected the significance of friendship, and thus changed its function throughout the life course. Due to social change, choice and reciprocity have become highly valued in relationships; which is expected in today’s post-industrial society. Many see the traditional ‘nuclear’ family as diminishing. This can be explained by the individualisation thesis (Giddens 1992, Ulrich Beck and Beck Gersheim 1995), who argue that set traditions and social rules are in decline, thus giving rise to voluntarism and democracy distinct from kinship; which can be recognised in the notion of the ‘pure relationship’ (Giddens 1992). Therefore friendship can be seen as the ideal relationship in society; differing much from the ‘fixed’ or ‘given’ relationships with kin and the community, which are seen to be declining in significance. This has allowed friends to take the roles traditionally formed by families. The idea of ‘families of choice’ (Weeks et al 2001:9) suggests that trends such as increasing cohabitation, divorce rates, greater social and geographical mobility, increasing levels of female education, increased participation of females in the labour market, and the growth of non-heterosexual household arrangements along with a strong sense of individualization have led to families of choice. This social suffusion of family and friends is especially evident amongst non-heterosexuals, due to their exclusion from the ‘family’ and ‘marriage’ in which they haven’t received support from families; they’ve chosen their own networks of relationships conceived as families. However it is important not to overstate the significance of friendship compared to relationships with family with much empirical evidence stating family relationships still remain significant. Firstly, it is important to recognise that there isn’t a single universal definition of friendship; which can cause many sociologists to encounter problems when researching the notion of friendship, and thus how its meaning and function may change and evolve through the life course. There are many different forms of friendships, ranging from diverse and complex friendships which are ever-changing and evolving. Whether it is those we file in our address books to those who have a profound presence in our lives. People attach the label ‘friend’ to those whom they’ve simply had a pleasant association with or as for as those who they’ve shared a lifelong relationship with. Some believe it is ‘the valuing of the other person for whatever is perceived as their unique and pleasing qualities’ (Wright 1978), which is said to be a defining characteristic. Research into what friendship means, reveals friendship as being voluntary rather than obligatory. Though as explored further this element of choice of who we categorise as our friends, can be highly influenced by other social factors and elements of homophily; which changes as we enter different stages of the life course. There is much diversity within friendship, with every relationship being completely unique. There are many recurrent types of friendships, such as associates, useful contacts, favour friends and a fun friend which are categorized as a simple friend, which ranges to a helpmate, comforter, confidant and a soul mate; which constitute towards a complex friendship. Research has found that the degree of intimacy of a friendship is affected by the amount of time friends have known each other. Furthermore, Pahl and Spencer categories the types of friendships people have in their personal communities into different types of friendship repertoire. They identify between the basic, intense, focal and broad repertoire, these typologies allow us recognise that some friendships strengthen in meaning whereas some even tend to get lost ad fade away as people enter different stages of the life course. Through stages in the life course such as leaving school, going to college, starting work, living with a partner/getting married, having children, getting divorced, moving home and retiring etc, can provide new opportunities for friendship whilst even threaten existing ones. Kinship ties and especially primary kinship ties generally continue in some form, whereas change in friendship is routine and normal. Indeed some friendships are long-term with some even life-long, although for the majority this isn’t the case. Usually friends occupy similar social positions to one another; tending to be the same age, be of a similar class position, same gender and occupy similar positions in the life course. Friendships are active in certain periods of our life and then gradually become less significant and meaningful, due to a change in people’s circumstances as they enter in stages of the life course, therefore sustaining that relationship becomes difficult. There are a variety of domestic circumstances that can affect friendship. Typically there appears to be changes in people’s friendship patterns when they get married. This is because their existing relationships with other single people tends to become less central to their lives and be replaced by other couple friendships (Cohen 1992), this is how couples create a marital relationship in which ‘togetherness’ and mutual involvement is paramount. Along with this is sharing leisure and sociability therefore maintaining friendships with those who are single becomes difficult. Not only that but divorce can also dramatically alter friendship, for men the effect may be less who will continue to be involved in the same work and leisure activities whereas women with children, their friendships patterns will alter more significantly due a change in their social, economic and domestic circumstances (Milardo 1987). Similarly shifts can occur in friendship when children are born, the aspects of family life will affect the space available for friendship. Old activities that were once shared between two people often become problematic, especially in the early years of childhood Having children can be a very demanding job, therefore less time is left for developing new and servicing old friendships, and thus gradually old friends who are at different stages of their life course become less involved and are replaced by others who share a similar social position. In the same way, caring for an elderly relative can constrain the freedom for sociability. However, we can also see how gender is affected within childcare which affects the space for friendship. As many women have less extensive social participation, and their character of domestic and paid labour, therefore there is less opportunity to develop social ties. Whereas, men tend to have more time and financial resources to devote to sociability because of their role within the domestic and paid division of labour. Equally, as people enter old age and retirement this can also affect the opportunities for friendship. For some retirement may present them with more time to spend with friends, with the absence of work commitments. However others the reduced financial circumstances mean the engagement through social activities is limited, and the pool of social contacts is reduced through employment. Friendships can also alter due to a change in a person’s social location. For instance, if someone was to gain a promotion at work it could affect their friendship ties. Not only that but with the idea of work as someone is in a different position within a hierarchy, they may have authority over others and thus increased earning capacity and an alteration of their life-style, maintaining existing friends becomes difficult especially as friendship is seen to be based on equality. Despite friendship being based on liking and trust and not on status hierarchy or difference, in essence the friendships becomes less active, and new friends who lead similar life-styles and of similar status replace old friends. A persons work situation affects the opportunities they have in meeting others as well as the resources of time, money and energy they have for sociability (Allen 1989). The demands and organization of a person’s work can also pattern their friendships both inside and outside the workplace. For example, different shift patterns, different levels of physical and mention exertion and different times being away from home call affect and individual’s capability and willingness to participate in sociability. Nevertheless, it may be thought that due advances in technology, email and social networking increase the possibility of forming friendships with face to face conversation being absent. Yet, despite these new forms of communication, we are still more likely to have closer ties with people who live in closer geographical proximity to us. Friendship is dynamic; it may become deeper or fade as we enter different stages of the life course nonetheless as Pahl claims it does change meaning and functions throughout the life course. Patterns of people’s friendships throughout the life course are structured around, people’s social and economic circumstances which influence their opportunities for social involvement. Different aspects of structural location such as work situation and domestic situation alter during the life course and change the meaning and function of friendship’s. Friendship is also linked to broader social and economic factors, and individual’s immediate social environment influences who they come in contact with and thus who they build friendships with. Word Count: 1,575.