Analysis of Virtual Distance Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Virtual Distance Learning - Essay Example To this effect, it can best be answered that distance learning will not face out the traditional classroom, though elements of these two modules are likely to be fused to enhance learning standards in both models. The wider pool of intelligentsia which comprises students and lecturers, college departmental heads, and education policymakers serves as the wider audience. The paper specifically intends to win over those who are postulating that since virtual/ distance learning is becoming increasingly popular, it will elbow out into inexistence, the traditional mode of learning. The lecturers supervising this paper and the heads of department form the basic audience. The secondary audience is made up of those who may later refer to this academic piece later. Students, lecturers, education policymakers and researchers from the secondary audience. This means that the audience is complicated since it is trifurcate of those who may endorse the position statement, those who may repudiate it, and the neutral parties. Above all, the audience is part of the intelligentsia. This means that the paper or the argument must be above partisanship, logical fallacies, and factual inaccuracies. First and foremost, fusing traditional classes with elements of e-learning will be helpful in ensuring a comprehensive and concise coverage of the topic being covered. For instance, having a traditional classroom watch an excerpt of Noam Chomsky’s illustration of Universal Grammar will greatly help in inculcating concepts needed by the second language acquisition class. Elements of virtual learning can also be used by students of the traditional model of learning for further referencing and extensive learning. This is especially the case when virtual learning materials are availed in libraries of traditional teaching models.

The Father She Needed Essay Example for Free

The Father She Needed Essay Over time, her relationship with her stepfather strengthens, which in turn gives her the encouragement that she wanted, and the true father figure that she desperately needed. When Stephanie sees a shot-put match take place that her newest stepfather takes her too, she immediately falls in love. She begins to strengthen herself so much that it begins to bother her mother Helen. She is completely against Stephanie’s sport and constantly puts her down. There are many instances in which Helen opposes Stephanie’s steadfastness toward shot-put. As a former Avon consultant, her mother’s view of beauty greatly differs from Stephanie’s. Helen sees beauty as more of an outer aspect rather than inner and this the first step toward extreme conflict with Stephanie. Secondly, Helen simply speaks her opinion on the matter by telling her husband, â€Å"I have to sit alone and watch my daughter, by beautiful Stephanie, do dynamic tension to her neck and arms. Every morning while she chews her toast I look to see if facial hair has started to grow† (Apple, 132). Throughout Max Apple’s â€Å"Stepdaughters,† her mother Helen is antagonizing Stephanie for pursuing a career in shot-put and it’s because of this that her relationship with her new stepfather blossoms. Stephanie has never really developed a relationship with any of her previous fathers. She begins to develop a relationship with her new stepfather when he takes an interest in her life and introduces her to shot-put. There are many instances in the story where her father openly supports her shot-putting. First of all, he ants to develop a real lasting relationship with Stephanie and Helen, and because he openly supports Stephanie, she begins to trust him and consider him a true father figure. One instance of this is that at the beginning of â€Å"Stepdaughters,† he gives her a poster of the band Genesis in hopes that â€Å"it would signify a beginning for the three of us† (Apple, 129). Secondly, he is so steadfast in supporting her dream that at the end of the story he explains â€Å"[Stephanie] has a lot to throw away, this stepdaughter of mine; in eight-pound chunks she might be able to manage it, maybe all the way to the Olympics† (Apple, 135). In the end he supports her and he always will. Despite the confrontation between Stephanie and her mother, he is always there to back her up as she pursues her dream. This was the perfect time when Stephanie needed a father figure; not just to provide for her, but to love, care, and support her in whatever she does. If Stephanie were to start up shot-put, when her mother was single, her dream might have been abruptly ended by her mother opposition to it. Stephanie’s new stepfather was the person to introduce to her a sport that she loves and become the father that she never had. In the sum of it all Stephanie is at a povital point in her life, and her mother may oppose her dream for a long time. But because her new father that she is just getting to know supports her, she may have it a little easier through her new few years than they would be without him. Stephanie tells her father near the end of the story, â€Å"You can pack up whatever you want. You don’t have to put up with us. You must know by now that this not is going to stop. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got for the next three years and you can bet that Mom’s going to fight me every inch. Life around this house is not going to be a picnic† (Apple, 134). Stephanie has seen so many stepfathers come and go that she’s basically saying that she wouldn’t be surprised if he left her too. As he has proved throughout the story, he not going anywhere. He is there to stay because he cares for her and he cares for her mom. She is working steadfastly toward a goal and her father will stand by her side every step of the way. Works Cited Apple, Max. â€Å"Stepdaughters. † The Norton Introduction to Literature. Alsion Booth and Kelly J. Mays. 10th ed. NY: WW Norton, 2010. 129-135. Print. Outline Thesis: In Max Apple’s â€Å"Stepdaughters,† Stephanie, despite constant criticism from her mother Helen, pushes herself to perfect her trade to the best of her ability with her stepfather. Over time, her relationship with her stepfather strengthens, which in turn gives her the encouragement that she wanted, and the true father figure that she desperately needed. Body Paragraph I. Stephanie’s begins to clash with her mother because Helen’s view of beauty greatly differs from Stephanie’s. When Stephanie, starting shot-put, her mother Helen became very critical and annoyed. Her relationship with her father helps her deal with this. A. Helen used to work as an Avon consultant and her view of beauty greatly differs from the narrator’s and Stephanie’s. (Page 132, Paragraph 60) B. Helen disapproves of Stephanie’s love of shot-put. (Page 132, Paragraph 59) C. Helen is also very critical about Stephanie’s choice. (Page 132, Paragraphs 76, 77) Body Paragraph II. Stephanie has never really developed a relationship with any of her previous fathers. She begins to develop a relationship with her new stepfather when he takes an interest in her life and introduces her to shot-put. A. Stephanie’s new father has a desire to make lasting relationships with her and her mother. (Page 129, Paragraphs 11-15) B. Stephanie is introduced to shot-put by her stepdad. (Page 130, Paragraph 15 C. Stephanie’s relationship with her stepdad begins to blossom when he takes a real interest in her life and her activities. The conflict with her mother helps to strengthen the bond between her and her stepdad, because he supports her, when her mother does not. (Page 134, Paragraph 89; Page 135, Paragraph 92) Conclusion

Impact of Mobile Phone Technology

Impact of Mobile Phone Technology Modern Technology In the past two decades, technology has advanced and changed the manner in which people relate within family ties and social groups. Research suggests that in the 1990s, mails and letters were the most used channels for long distance communication and the postal services were very essential in fulfilling this duty. At the moment, communication has evolved from the use of land lines fixed in peoples homes to mobile phones carried everywhere to facilitate easy and quick communication. In this paper, the new possibilities unlocked by modern technology are examined and analyzed in an argumentative manner with close reference paid to mobile phones and communication. The mobile phone is a very interesting device that among all emerging trends in technology has captured the greatest number of audience with a great percentage of people owning one in reference to Elliott et al (25). The services offered by the mobile phone are so diverse from making of voice and video calls, sending text messages, to accessing social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, and also taking pictures among many other functions. The rate at which this device has been embraced by consumers of all age has brought a controversial debate on its impacts and whether people are over relying on it. The debate majorly lies on the question of whether mobile phones have taken over real human interaction and changed the manner in which people relate. A person with a mobile handset can reach anyone they want to, despite of the geographical distance between them in an instant based on Elliot et al (85). Today, text messages and the WhatsApp application have revolutionized communication by enabling people to chat and send each other pictures and videos with a lot of ease. The current generation enjoys all these services availed by the modern technology and have a different experience from their parents and guardians who grew up in a different era. Take for instance, the manner in which people in the 1900s depended on newspapers for daily updates and every morning crowds of people could be seen grasping to get a copy. A hundred years later in the 2000s, the difference is notable as one can easily witness a mobile phone in every persons hand at any time of the day, performing different tasks with their device. In this controversial topic, there are two kinds of groups, those who would condemn the embracing of mobile phones and label them as an obsession while others label it as a necessity and defend its presence. In my opinion, the mobile phone is being misused and overused. The percentage of people owning a mobile phone in the United States is approximated to be at 70% of the entire population with the rates continuously increasing in each year. The major users of these devices range in between the age of 16 years and 30 years while those above this age bracket having a lowered dependency on their phones despite owning one. The major functions performed using the mobile phones by this dominant group include; WhatsApp chatting, taking of pictures, listening to music, playing games and accessing social media sites in the internet. According to research, individuals in the mentioned age group spend more than 50% of their time on the phone, and their subconscious mind is fixed on the functions they could be doing on their phones 75% of the time. It is practically impossible to separate some individuals from their mobile phones even at family gatherings and during outdoor activities as they remain engrossed in their handsets. This is the kind of attachment associated with the mobile phone as one of the most popular modern technology. The mobile phone is associated with the most amount of distraction based on psychological research which reveals how peoples brain responds to notifications from the phone. In most cases, people have set a notification sound on their phones which alerts them in case of an incoming message or call. The notification sound takes a minds attention from whichever activity it was performing to first respond to the incoming message or call. The amount of time taken to achieve a similar level of focus by the mind after such distractions from the phone could be significant in conclusion of the ongoing activity and thus such distractions are obstructions to progress. In the case of human interactions, mobile phones have been constantly viewed as obstructions to how people relate. In the present times, it is common to find people during a face to face conversation frequently checking their mobile phones for communication with people in other parts of the world according to research from Siemens (42). The intrusion of mobile phones in human interaction is to the extent of family set ups where teenagers and kids with mobile phones carry their handset to the table during meals and repeatedly get carried away from the rest of the family. It is such behaviors that cause parents and their kids to clash during family time as real family conversations cannot be addressed while the phones are at the table. The family bond is ruined and at times, the entire family is engrossed on their phones interacting with distant friends and ignoring family members. The vice in this act is that distant connections are nurtured at the expense of real life relations where family values and bonds should be first in the priority from Turkle (135). The mobile phone was invented to ease communication and improve peoples relations but it can be said to be doing the exact opposite. The handset created a platform for people to interact, exchange information and more importantly socialize. These functions are in relation to the positive side of using a handset as it was intended to perform. The real life facts on the immediate effect of handsets on peoples relationship suggest that mobile phones are harmful to couples relations. Technology is prevalent to introverted people who find comfort in inanimate interactions rather than personal relations. The introduction of the social media technology in the mobile handset, therefore, has caused people in the modern world to become antisocial in real life. Interactions are based online and people are more comfortable relating on the Facebook and WhatsApp platforms in comparison to personal face to face relations. The negative impact on dating couples brought by the mobile phone is the stress placed on relationships due to a diversification of attention to the distant population rather than the ones nearby. The platforms introduced by social media through the mobile phone also ruin relationships by enabling couples to cheat on each other through these avenues. The internet is a hub of all possibilities, dating sites and hook up sites have been established to connect people who may intend to find new lovers online. In this way, couples who intend to cheat are aided in this task by their mobile phones through the internet access. They are also able to hide these connections by erasing any evidence which may exist on their devices or by simply locking their phones with passwords and patterns availed in the handset during the infidelity process. Modern technology aims to make peoples lives convenient by introducing an easier way of doing things that is less stressful. A shift of attention from the mobile phone and its impacts on human relations suggests that the general incorporation of technology in individuals lives contributes to a significant percentage of laziness among people. Take a remote control for instance, it is meant to facilitate easy control of technological gadgets from distance and in the process it contributes to laziness. Research indicates that most people with remote controlled gadgets within their houses have less mobility and perform such tasks at the comfort of their seats denying themselves any physical exercise. At the moment, kids have gadgets within their houses such as play stations which they use to play games after school. These indoor games have denied the kids in the current generation from engaging in outdoor activities and games which are beneficial to their health. The importance of outdoor games has been lost due to technological games which slowly replace the physical aspect of child growth. Playing outside is very healthy to the development of kids according to medical practitioners since it offers children the chance to exercise and also interact with each other. Take for instance, kids engaging in a game of baseball with a neighboring child of the same age, this fosters new friendships and improves their physical health as well as their social skills. The games played on technological devices are also very addictive and in some instances harmful to the mind. Once a child begins playing the computer games, their minds get engaged with a sense of excitement which makes them to want to play it more. In this attachment, their brains can be harmed by an increased level of anxiety and loss of sleep when they reach this level of attachment. Technological advancements in the modern day have increased dependency on easy quick fix solutions for every human problem. The easy fix solutions to problems are beneficial to individuals who gain an easy way of performing stubborn functions such as cleaning among many other operations but the general result is negative. Take for instance, an introduction of a machine or robot which performs the task which used to be performed by a human being in the early days. The indirect result is that many people will be laid off in the process of easing a specific task through technological advancements of this kind. Modification is a superb inclusion in the modern technological world but too much embracing of technology in every service is detrimental to the jobs of some human beings. When technology is embraced in every sector, it solves some problems as it creates others. The ultimate aim of human beings is to fix their problems and not to transfer them to another field. Technology in this case offers new ventures for human beings to explore while directing them to new challenges as suggested earlier. Take the practical example of the introduction of plantation harvesting machines within a society that depends on agricultural labor as their main source of employment. The owner of the plantation enjoys a reduced labor cost solving one problem while the people of the society risk losing their jobs due to the introduction of a technological solution to their work place. The level of unemployment in such an area will definitely rise as the machine eliminates the need for physical labor. Technological solutions in such a case will solve one problem and create another one. Modern technology is creating more harm than good in other areas where their complexity is too high for all humans expected to utilize its services. There is a close difference between the ways in which modern technology should be applied and how human beings without the necessary knowledge apply it. Utilization of chemical fertilizers is an additional modern technology aimed at improving the manner in which people farm and the products grown from the farms. In the process of applying fertilizers, heavy chemicals used in its preparation require an informed procedure of application that will not be harmful to the soil or the crops themselves based on Elimelech and William (712). The wrong use of these fertilizers is the reason some crops have become extinct while the soils lose their productivity after a period of application. The inability of some farmers to follow the application instructions is responsible for the environmental degradation being experienced. The soil loses its natural fertility and is unable to sustain the growth of crops as it is required. In the long run, continued application of chemical fertilizers could lead to soil poisoning which eventually harms the health of other living organisms such as animals and even human beings. The climate on the other hand has been on the negative end of technology as pollution from companies with mechanical advancements is a common aspect in the modern world. These machines require a source of fuel to run them and in the process of operation, some produce smokes known to be harmful to the earths atmosphere. Mechanization in this essence brings a negative impact to the climate and as humans embraces its operations in their daily routines the world climate suffers the most. It would be wrong to label modern technology as a demon in the current society due to human beings obsession and wrong use of the inventions brought to them. The reliance placed by human beings is the part where vices are created and modern technology produces negative results that were not expected in the start. For instance, the mobile phones inclusion in the modern world can be a very beneficial tool in the society with its capability to connect people even in different localities. The vices of the use of mobile phones appear when people get addicted to their phones and in the long run misuse them losing sight of real life connections in reference to Elliott et al (113). According to research from Bertot et al (30), addictions are harmful to ones mental and emotional health as signs of anxiety and restlessness appear when people are detached from their items of comfort such as mobile phones. People who are used to carrying their phones everywhere display a sense of stress when they forget them at home and at times compare the feeling to being naked. In terms of couples, this may be due to insecurities of what ones lover might discover in their phones during their absence. The stress associated with the mobile phone in this case becomes negative and this solidifies the argument that modern technology should be limited according to Ayyagari et al (831). The solution to this kind of dependency on modern technology lies in replacement of the gadgets with other physical activities which can shift ones focus to social events and interactions. The elimination of modern technology in this century is an attempt close to impossible but limitation of time spent on ones devices, and restriction of how people apply mechanization in all their daily routines. References Bertot, John Carlo, Paul T. Jaeger, and Derek Hansen. The impact of polices on government social media usage: Issues, challenges, and recommendations. Government information quarterly 29.1 (2012): 30-40. Elliott, Anthony, and John Urry. Mobile lives. Routledge, 2010. Siemens, George. Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. (2014). Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2011. Print. Elimelech, Menachem, and William A. Phillip. The future of seawater desalination: energy, technology, and the environment. science 333.6043 (2011): 712-717. Ayyagari, Ramakrishna, Varun Grover, and Russell Purvis. Technostress: technological antecedents and implications. MIS quarterly 35.4 (2011): 831-858.

Why Do Governments Find It So Hard To Control Public Expenditure? :: essays research papers fc

Why Do Governments Find It So Hard To Control Public Expenditure? Since the 1970's rising public expenditure has become a politically salient issue, with the focus being on the difficulties experienced in trying to control it. In order to answer a question concerning why governments find it hard to control public expenditure it is first necessary to look at the reasons for the growth in public spending. There are three approaches which attempt to give reasons for growing public expenditure which I intend to scrutinise, these are, the societal system approach, the political system approach and the governmental system approach. An evaluation of these approaches should in turn shed light as to why governments find rising public expenditure hard to control. Following this approach which gives a wide outlook on the problems facing governments in controlling public expenditure, I will look at the post 1979 conservative government as it in particular targeted controlling expenditure upon taking office. Under the societal system approach one reason why a growth in public spending can be seen to have occurred is due to Wagner's ‘law of increasing state activity.' Wagner's claim is that as per capita real income increases in particular nations, they will spend a higher proportion of national product through government. As Wagner's reasons for increased public expenditure tend to be centralised around industrialisation and its associated effects it is not surprising to find that he thought the density of urban living would increase social frictions to such an extent that the government would be called in to handle it. That is to say, urban living would result in the need for enhanced police protection and other forms of government regulation. Wagner also believed that with growing industry certain investments would require so much capital that the state would have to provide it. He thought there would also be public goods that may not be in the interests of an entrepreneur to provide. There are counter arguments to Wagner's suggestions, the first of these is that it could be argued that increased density would provide opportunities for economies of scale. Thus, the proximity of people to one another could result in networks of personal support, lessening the need for public services. Secondly, contrary to Wagner's arguments for public good provision by the state, it is possible to show other countries that either do without it, or provide for user charges. This shifts the burden from general revenues to those who benefit most directly. Another reason for rising government expenditure under the societal system approach is expressed via Tarschy's ‘demonstration effect.' He suggests that the coming of television "has led to increased awareness of the standard of

The term public opinion

The term public opinion, as observed by many, is very much popular during the election period and or during those times wherein critical decisions are made or critical issues are dealt with in a manner that not everybody in the society agrees with. It is defined by any lexicon, as the aggregate of individual views, beliefs, and attitudes toward a certain issue.Public opinion can actually serve as a tool for people, especially those who are part of the governing body, in deciding on which would be the best option and or courses of action to undertake. To illustrate, during the election season, public opinion serves as a medium for people to decide on whom to vote.This is so because with the aid of public opinion, individuals gain access to various types of information pertaining to every electoral candidate (i.e. educational background, professional training, projects, etc.), thus enabling them to assess who will be the right candidate to for a particular key position. Public opinion may also serve as an acceptability measure for proposed laws and public policies.Public opinion has four distinct characteristics to wit: direction, stability, intensity, and saliency.   Direction, as a characteristic of public opinion, allows individuals to predict the most likely results of a certain issue, concern, and the like.To illustrate, during elections, an individual may be able to predict the probable outcome for presidential elections simply by relying on statistical data, i.e. 40 percent in favor of Mr. X and 60 percent in favor of Mr. Y. Thus it can be said that direction would refer to the proportion of the population that holds a particular view.Stability on the other hand, refers to the trends exhibited by the series of data on directions. Taking the elections as an example, knowledge on stability allows us to have a gut-feel or enables us to predict the most likely results of the said activity by means of reading the trends signified by the series of fluctuations of poll results.As for intensity, intensity would refer to the depth of feeling towards a certain issue and or concern. To illustrate, in the case of approving a house bill to become a law, the strong support to make the said house bill into a law exhibits how depth the feeling is towards that house bill or it can also be assumed that since there is a very strong support towards the passing of the bill, then the said house bill must be very important to each individual of the society and or the groups that will benefit most from its provisions.Lastly, saliency, this characteristic of public opinion allows us to assess how likely the people will act on the basis of their opinions.There are three agents of political socialization that influences the political views and attitudes held by every individual. This includes the family, schools, and the mass media.

Cultural Barriers within Healthcare essays

Cultural Barriers within Healthcare essays According to Health Resources Services Administration, sixty-five to seventy-five percent of all patients seen in a non-profit healthcare clinic live below the poverty level. Providing effective health care to low income families requires an understanding of the potential cultural barriers, which may be faced. These barriers include social, language, religion, and technological issues. The majority of our patients from foreign cultures are Hispanic or Asian. Due to this fact, we will discuss the barriers of dealing with those from Hispanic and Asian Cultures, and offer possible solutions to overcome these obstacles effectively. The number of immigrants entering the United States has been rapidly increasing over the last few years. For instance, the number of Asians in the United States has grown to more than 9 million in 1996. In 1996, there were over 28 million Hispanics in the United States, and the numbers are only increasing. The rapid growth of these two cultures in United States has made overcoming cultural barriers crucial in managing a non-profit healthcare clinic. A predominate social barrier in dealing with those from the Asian culture is their reluctance to disclose personal information to anyone outside of their family. Due to this, they may not be honest and forth coming in giving physicians or other medical staff personal or critical information needed for their treatment. When it comes to healthcare for Asian women, they do not seek out medical care for Gynecological exams because they feel it is an invasion of their body and considered improper and very humiliating for the women. Differences between Asian culture and the American culture are the majority of health issues of Asians are not often addressed in the American health care system. However, the Asian culture is not the only culture that is facing social and economic barriers to healthcare. With the numbers of immigrants increasing, what can we...

The Thriving Tourism Industry in Egypt essays

The Thriving Tourism Industry in Egypt essays Egypt is a country that is extremely rich in its historical background. With such a background it is easy to see why tourism is a big component of its gross national product. The well being of the Egyptian economy is highly dependent on a good year of tourism. The whole business of tourism has relied on the ancient monuments and relics of the past, but in recent years there has been a huge effort to create more modern tourist attractions like resorts and golf courses. The combinations of the old and new attractions comprise the biggest sector of the Egyptian economy. For the most part, it is said that Egypt consists basically of six different tourist sites. Three of the sites; Alexandria, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh are coastal hotspots. They consist of many of the newer resorts offering many activities to its guests like water sports, casinos, nightclubs, and golf courses. These three sites would be considered the more modern sites. The other three sites; Aswan, Cairo, and Luxor are the more historical tourist sites. Although Aswan doesn't hold that many historical monuments, the other two, Cairo and Luxor, are overflowing with them. These sites are highly geared towards the tourist and offer a wide variety of transportation and guided tours (Egypt Ministry). Within a few of these sites are contained some of the most awe-inspiring and ancient monuments known to man. Now when you first hear the word Egypt, you directly focus your attention to the Great Pyramids of Giza. It is easily one of Egypt's most visited monuments and one of the world' s largest tourist attractions. The ancient Greeks considered the pyramids to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Another one of the great monuments to come out of ancient Egyptian society is the Sphinx. One of the greatest things about the Sphinx is that the purpose of it is still unknown and highly debated on. The Sphinx is known in Arabic as Abu El Hol, which means "Father of Terror"...

Essay on Baseball, the American Dream

Essay on Baseball, the American Dream Essay on Baseball, the American Dream Essay on Baseball, the American DreamStarting from ancient times people liked sports, along with historical development of human population, various types of sports appeared and the existing were transformed. Nowadays there are numerous types of sports and it is really easy to choose the one, appropriate exactly for concrete individual, taking into consideration his type of character, age, physical form, state of health and so on. For millions of teenagers as well as adult people baseball remains the only beloved sport in their lives. Further we will study the general information about this type of play, some facts from its historical background, cultural and social meaning, it is considered to have for America.Baseball – this is a bat-and-ball game, which is played between two teams, each of them consisting of nine players. â€Å"The offense attempts to score runs by hitting a ball thrown by the pitcher with a bat and moving counter-clockwise around a series of four bases: f irst, second, third, and home plate. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases and returns to home plate† (Block 15). Nowadays baseball is considered to be the integral part of America’s national leisure time. This game is rather old, it appeared around the early 1800s in America. Interesting is the fact, that at that time there were no unified rules, they could have some differences, depending on the concrete locality. Another specific detail was the absence of the commonly accepted type of bats for plating, so people used the variants, which were comfortable for them, sticks of bats. The name of Alexander Joy Cartwright is historically associated with the appearance of the first baseball field in 1845. In the same year, he issued a unified list of rules for baseball, which were further used in all regions. During those years, the players used variety of bats – they were of different size and length, some were heavy, others were lighter and so on. Soon most players came to the conclusion that bats should be with rounded barrels for easier use. â€Å"The bats could be no larger than 2.5 inches in diameter but they could be any length the players wanted. Ten years later in 1869, another rule was added stating the bats could be no longer than 42 inches in length† (Block 22). This length is still actual till nowadays. By the 1890s the concrete rules were issues, which regulated not only the play itself, but also the bats used. Nowadays, there are special uniforms, bats and other equipment for baseball available, as this type of sports really won the hearts of numerous people all over the world and of all ages.Most researches, taking into consideration the fact how wide spread is baseball and how much loved it is by its fans and players for many decades already, started to investigate the problem of cultural connection between baseball and American life. Often baseball game is closely related to the famous notion of America n Dream. Some scientist talk about â€Å"the increasing corporatization, changing material conditions, and technological improvements that have created the same disparities of wealth in the sport as in the society† (Block 48). Others find the reflection of social implications of women in baseball in the culture of the country. According to Elias, one of the scientists, who studied the relations between the vision of American Dream and playing baseball, â€Å"hard work is no guarantee of financial reward, gender and racial equality remain fictions, and injustice, political repression, and limited economic choices are reality for many Americans. Baseball represents the American Dream and reflects both the successes and failures of the American way (Riess 13). Finally the researcher concludes, that baseball has all the chances to contribute seriously to the formation of the egalitarian society and make the notion of American Dream more real.Viewing baseball from the social and cultural points of views helps partially to understand, why so many people adore this game, are fascinated by watching it and playing it. Baseball is considered to be a great combination of team- sports, at the same time integrating some features of non-teams sport activities. Thus it is often compared to tennis in this relation. Tennis players are taking part in duels, standing one opposite of the other, baseball could be considered a duel only for some period of the game, still being not less intense and attention attracting than that of tennis.Some people tend to criticize baseball for the lack of action, but in fact this is a huge mistake. They think that the action itself is when the ball is put into the play by the batter, others think, that action in baseball starts only as soon as one of the players gets a hit. Such conclusions could be made only by those, who are not really interested and involved into the game itself and are not able to realize that the real action in this game is the pitch. As soon as you view and follow each pitch, you will not be able to complain that there is not action in this game or the actions are too slow. In this relations baseball is even quicker than a football. The problem of those, who don’t like the game is that they simply don’t know it sufficiently enough to be able to get pleasure from at least watching it, moreover even playing it. Not all views of baseball are able to single out the differences between a curve ball and a fastball for example. And in reality each pitch – this is a strategy, and baseball is really a metal game along with physical abilities.There are a lot of professional and amazing baseball players nowadays, but my favorite is still Bryce Harper, professional baseball outfielder for Washington Nationals. He earned the Golden Spikes Award in 2010 and later on became the youngest player ever selected to All –Star-Game. Baseball analytics considered him to be the number two corner outfielder in the MLB.Overall, baseball is a great game a great sport activity, it has a long history, to could be without any doubts called one of the most â€Å"American† sports, as it is closely related to the history of our country, to its social development; baseball seems to have wide future perspectives and is absolutely not likely to lose its popularity and be forgotten. The beauty of baseball can not be understood by all usual watchers, there is a need to sink deeper into the rules, into the strategy of the game, into the game itself. The long baseball season is able to bring a lot of tension, a lot of fun, a lot of new discoveries, related to this game.

Customer portfolio and Strategic Account Management 04256 Essay

Customer portfolio and Strategic Account Management 04256 - Essay Example Arguments made by Johnson and Selnes (2004), states that focus should be made on the wider managerial perspective that considers the company’s entire customer portfolio rather than focusing on the few close customer relationship in order to maintain profitability, shareholder’s value and company growth. According to the authors Harri Terho and Aino Halinen (2007), customer portfolio analysis is an action by which a firm examines the present and the future customer values for building a balanced consumer structure through efficient allocation of resources to individual or customer group. The equilibrium of the customer portfolio can be considered as the vital goal of the customer portfolio analysis due to its explicit presence in all the proposed. Therefore the portfolio models earlier were based on mathematical optimization and have major focus on the formation of a favourable portfolio of products (Sackmann, Kundisch and Ruch, 2010). Ryals (2003) also stresses on the need to analyse the total relationships as an investment portfolio where the balance would be the consequence of the customer relationship related long term revenues and risks. The main focus of the customer base is to determine the significance of customer relationships to the company and differentiating between consumers of different worth. The analysis is the future outcome which is not restricted to the monetary value of the customers but also involves the varied consumer roles in providing present and future value for the company (Johnson and Selnes, 2004). The theory of customer portfolio study is related to the theory of segmentation but still varies considerably. Portfolio analysis centres on analyzing the existing value of customers as stated by H. Terho, A. Halinen in the Journal of Business Research (2007) from the main companys point of view whereas segmentation usually focuses on segregating the market into

Case studies College Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Studies College - Case Study Example (citation omitted but mentioned in this case) Answer to Question 2: The duty to use reasonable care in assigning the student to internship was not changed by the fact that the student arranged her own internship or practicum because this did not change the special relationship of student-institution imposed by the mandatory internship program of the school. In the other hand, even if it is the student who arranged her own practicum, she still needs the approval of the school on the selected site. Part of the duty of the school before approval is to determine the condition of the site whether it a conducive place and to warn the student of any foreseeable risks. Answer to Question 3: Aside from waivers to be signed by the parent/s of the student, another way that the institution could protect itself from liability is to have the employer, student, or school sign indemnity agreements or releases of liability which is appropriate in the case of mandatory internship program. ... ) PAPER 2 Bradshaw v. Rawlings 612 F. 2d 135 (3d Cir. 1979) Answer to Question 1: It is a settled rule beginning from this case that college students, mostly 18 and above, are already adults, and the supervisory duty of an institution imposed by the doctrine in loco parentis no longer applies as the doctrine only applies to minors. Therefore, regulating the conduct of students and school-sponsored student activities outside the institution is no longer the responsibility of the school. Once the school, in its own initiative, took the responsibility in regulating those activities, it created a "special relationship" imposing to itself a responsibility to protect the students from the foreseeable risks of the activity. As a result, the failure to provide a reasonable care for the students in the conduct of school-sponsored activity will make the school liable for injuries that may be sustained by the students, if any, even if it is an off-campus activity. In this connection, the school could have better protected itself form the potential liability in situations involving student activity and the consumption of alcohol by limiting the coverage of the school policy prohibiting alcohol consumption during school or student activities within the school premises only. It is therefore suggested, that a change in the school's written policy of regulating alcohol consumption by the students to be limited only on in-campus activities or in activities sponsored by the school. In cases of off-campus activities where an adviser is involved, it should be clarified before the activity as to what level of interaction should the adviser exercise. The type and level of

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

SWOT Analysis - Assignment Example External and internal factors that may affect Catering and Ballroom Rental’s growth are therefore discussed forthwith. As a local catering company which serves both private clients and businesses in Doeuvreville and its surrounding towns, Sumptuous Cuisine Catering enjoys a longer term of experience which dates back to 2005. This experience has seen Sumptuous Cuisine Catering run catering kitchens and create itself a niche in setting logistics for upscale events within the region and providing fulltime catering services. This seven year experience has seen Sumptuous Cuisine Catering to create its domain in the perennially competitive market. Likewise, the wide variety of services that make up Sumptuous Cuisine Catering’s services include an array of breakfast cuisines, event staff and managers (logisticians), dinners, lunches, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, appetizers, space and floral designs, musicians and DJs, decor, furniture rentals and event equipment hirin g services, among others. This shows the ingenious dexterity that Sumptuous Cuisine Catering employed in crafting its business plan since the plan fully diversifies risks that come with highly specialization of operations. Sumptuous Cuisine Catering’s factoring of its strengths is also underscored by the cash reserves it not only has, but also plans to use to expand its operations. The same commitment to a tenable working plan is exemplified by the company intending to improve its gross margins to soar above previous levels as a way of preparing for extension. The company anticipates that due to this action, the loyalty of already existing clients is likely to be strengthened. Likewise, the volume of top line sales is bound to grow to more than double by the end of 2012. From the same move, the company expects a threefold rise in net profits, despite the high operational costs that are equally anticipated. Other factors that serve as Sumptuous Cuisine Catering’s source of strength include management expertise that exceed clients’ expectation, balanced expert opinions, optimal sense of professional showmanship and protection of the clients’ interests. Should the company continue to envision these values in its expansion plan, then the company is bound to continue benefitting (Anyim, 59). Despite the intricate expansion plan that Sumptuous Cuisine Catering has, it still has not managed to extricate itself from some weaknesses. Particularly, the protracted chain of operations and the plan to expand mean that the company will sustain extra operational expenses. The need to pay an increased number of employees, open and rent new premises and increase and diversify its operations, translate into high employee turnover and other forms of expenditure. The fact that Sumptuous Cuisine Catering will only have utilized the ballroom on 40% of days at the end of the oncoming three years is also a form of weakness. There are several opportunities that come with the Sumptuous Cuisine Catering plan. For instance, by extending its services to cover outdoor services such parties, banquets and business holidays, the company will have realized increased volume of sales by extending itself in the market. This diversification and extension makes up for the proneness of the market to economic cycles. Sumptuous Cuisine Catering is therefore bound to benefit from the market, given that the American market for

Introduction and Letter of Transmittal on Taco Bell Case Study Essay

Introduction and Letter of Transmittal on Taco Bell Case Study - Essay Example om their governmental agencies arguing that their grocery store might have been selling the brand containing a corn ingredient which is harmful to the public (Hall and Viola, 2003). The report targeted Taco shells, which the brand name of the Taco Bell and distrusted by the Kraft Food industry, the media as well as other consumer’s reactions proved the damage of the Taco Bell reputation. This made the Taco Corporation to face the crisis of destroying brand reputation due to selling of tinted food known as Cry9c, which is harmful to human consumption. The public hold the perception that the company was selling the same product in their restaurant. However, Taco Bell has nothing to do with the manufacturing of the genetically modified corn but it is licensed under the company’s brand name known s Taco shells. Although Kraft already recalls that the food was announced to be having side effects to the consumers, they still distribute and sell it using Taco’s brand na me. Therefore, Taco bell should take action through communicating effectively about the crisis management. They should communicate in order for the corporate to maintain food safety standards and regulations in the restaurants; thus maintaining brand reputation. In compliance with the Kraft Food Industry, the company should make effective communication in order to come up with the conclusion of payment owing that the Taco Bell is undergoing a severe threat of the brand reputation. This is because the company would be interfered especially on revenues that may decrease. This is due to brand reputation; thus, the agreement should be made on transfer of funds. The main purpose of the letter is to inform Taco Bell Company to communicate effectively with Kraft Food Industry and solve the problem the company is facing. Taco Bell Company should also formulate and make the follow-ups of a comprehensive and effective action plan in order to address the issue of food safety. This is essential because it will

Discription of three habitats Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discription of three habitats - Essay Example lowing water and since it transports rocks and sediments downstream, sand, rock and woody debris are seen at the banks and toward the end of the river. Vegetation at the banks appears deep rooted, since it remains anchored even as water flows by. Unlike in a river, where water is constantly flowing, a swamp is a wetland area where water partially or completely submerges vegetation for the greater part of the year. Swamp water flows at a slow rate and it actually seems stagnant. The edges of a swamp are covered with sedges or reeds, which look like long straw grass. The elevated areas within a swamp, which are drier than the watered areas, have trees. The land seems marshy in the relatively dry areas. A lake is basically defined as a body of freshwater surrounded by land. This implies that the lake is characterized by open water. A lake has suspended organisms like plankton. On its banks, where there is sedimentation of sand or soil and organic matter accumulation, there are floating but rooted aquatic plants like smartweeds and water lilies. These floating plants provide support and food for many herbivores that live around the

Discussion Forum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Forum - Essay Example Confucius lived 2,500 years ago in Lu, a small state in Eastern China. During this time, China was riddled with political strife and confusion during the reign of Zhou dynasty by which it prompted him to develop his doctrine/philosophy of Confucianism on how to create a society that is founded on harmony and balance of which his political environment is devoid. After the died at the of 73, his teachings spread throughout China and its influence still storngly revererates until today. Confucianism as a philosophy and social ethic encourages a lifetime pursuit of moral excellence or to become better founded on the belief that everyone possesses the inherent capability to develop into an autonomous and self-governing person by developing the Ren. Ren is being perfected or inculcated through practice which is facilitated by Li or the process of cultivating one’s goodness. Confucius also cited the Golden Rule or the law that states to treat everybody the way we want to be treated as one of the mechanism that promotes virtue in the indivdual and society as well. The practice of the Golden Rule benefits everyone and such provides the necessary environment to cultivate the

Introduction and Letter of Transmittal on Taco Bell Case Study Essay

Introduction and Letter of Transmittal on Taco Bell Case Study - Essay Example om their governmental agencies arguing that their grocery store might have been selling the brand containing a corn ingredient which is harmful to the public (Hall and Viola, 2003). The report targeted Taco shells, which the brand name of the Taco Bell and distrusted by the Kraft Food industry, the media as well as other consumer’s reactions proved the damage of the Taco Bell reputation. This made the Taco Corporation to face the crisis of destroying brand reputation due to selling of tinted food known as Cry9c, which is harmful to human consumption. The public hold the perception that the company was selling the same product in their restaurant. However, Taco Bell has nothing to do with the manufacturing of the genetically modified corn but it is licensed under the company’s brand name known s Taco shells. Although Kraft already recalls that the food was announced to be having side effects to the consumers, they still distribute and sell it using Taco’s brand na me. Therefore, Taco bell should take action through communicating effectively about the crisis management. They should communicate in order for the corporate to maintain food safety standards and regulations in the restaurants; thus maintaining brand reputation. In compliance with the Kraft Food Industry, the company should make effective communication in order to come up with the conclusion of payment owing that the Taco Bell is undergoing a severe threat of the brand reputation. This is because the company would be interfered especially on revenues that may decrease. This is due to brand reputation; thus, the agreement should be made on transfer of funds. The main purpose of the letter is to inform Taco Bell Company to communicate effectively with Kraft Food Industry and solve the problem the company is facing. Taco Bell Company should also formulate and make the follow-ups of a comprehensive and effective action plan in order to address the issue of food safety. This is essential because it will

Discussion Forum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Forum - Essay Example Confucius lived 2,500 years ago in Lu, a small state in Eastern China. During this time, China was riddled with political strife and confusion during the reign of Zhou dynasty by which it prompted him to develop his doctrine/philosophy of Confucianism on how to create a society that is founded on harmony and balance of which his political environment is devoid. After the died at the of 73, his teachings spread throughout China and its influence still storngly revererates until today. Confucianism as a philosophy and social ethic encourages a lifetime pursuit of moral excellence or to become better founded on the belief that everyone possesses the inherent capability to develop into an autonomous and self-governing person by developing the Ren. Ren is being perfected or inculcated through practice which is facilitated by Li or the process of cultivating one’s goodness. Confucius also cited the Golden Rule or the law that states to treat everybody the way we want to be treated as one of the mechanism that promotes virtue in the indivdual and society as well. The practice of the Golden Rule benefits everyone and such provides the necessary environment to cultivate the

The percentage energy loss when a ball Bounces Essay Example for Free

The percentage energy loss when a ball Bounces Essay This investigation will be to determine the relationship between the length of a conductor and its resistance. The aim is to test a number of different lengths of nichrome wire to measure the resistance of each length. To ensure a safe procedure, a low voltage battery of 12 volts will be used, and the samples to be tested will be located on an insulating mat to prevent any shorts occurring. In addition a 2 Amp fuse will be placed in the circuit as a protective measure. For a fair test, all other parameters that can affect the resistance will be kept constant. These are the sample material, the diameter of the wire, and the temperature of the wire. To keep the temperature of the wire constant, it will be necessary to keep the current flowing in it constant. This is because the power dissipated in the conductor is I2R, so an increase of current by a factor of 2 will increase the power dissipated by a factor of 4, which can seriously affect the resistance. Thus only the length of the wire will be changed, and the corresponding voltage across it to give the same test current will be varied and measured. The resistance of the test sample will then be given by Ohms Law: Resistance = Voltage (Volts) ( Ohm) My prediction is that the resistance of the wire will be proportional to its length, all other variables being kept constant Equipment The equipment used for this investigation consisted of: 1) 12 volt power pack with on/off switch 2) Variable resistor (rheostat) 3) A 2 amp ammeter with digital readout to 0. 001 amp accuracy 4) A 20V voltmeter with digital readout to 0. 01V accuracy 5) Crocodile clips for connection of the test sample into the circuit and the voltmeter to the connecting crocodile clips. 6) Test samples consisting of varying lengths of 24 SWG The equipment and the circuit configuration used is shown in Fig 1. A 12-volt power pack will be connected in series with a switch, a 2-amp fuse, an Ammeter, a variable resistor and a sample test wire. A voltmeter will be connected across the test sample by crocodile clips. The test sample was connected into the circuit using crocodile clips. The voltmeter was connected across the sample into the rear of the crocodile clips. The plan will be to vary the sample length from 10 cms to 100 cms in 10 cm increments to provide a good range of results. Also to take readings of three samples for each length, and average the voltage readings to reduce possible errors. There are four factors that will affect the resistance of a wire. These are: 1. As the length of a wire increases, the resistance of the wire also increases. A variable resistor or rheostat is used to vary the current in a circuit. As the sliding contact moves, it varies the length of wire in the circuit. 2. As the cross-sectional area of a wire increases, the resistance of the wire decreases. An analogy of this is a water pipe, if the diameter of the water pipe is small the water flowing through will. Experience high resistance to the rate of flow. However if the diameter of the water pipe is large, the water flowing. Through it will experience low resistance to the rate of flow. 3. Different types of materials will affect the resistance in different ways. Materials such as copper, are very good conductors, and is used for connecting wires. Other materials such as nichrome (as used in the investigation) have a higher resistance than copper, and so is used in the heating elements of electric fires. 4. As the temperatures of a wire increases, the resistance of the wire increases as well. This is used in resistance thermometers, which use the fact that electricity does not flow so easily through a wire when the wire gets hot. Resistance is the opposition to the flow of charge. In metals, a sea of free electrons enabling it to conduct electricity surrounds a lattice of positive ions. The shorter the length of wire, the less energy is needed to move the electrons across the wire If the metal is attached to a power supply then the electrons flow through the metal but collide with atoms. Resistance is shown below in the diagram below: The resistance of a metal can be regarded as arising from the interaction, which occurs between the crystal lattice of the metal and the free electrons as they drift through it under an applied potential difference. This interaction is due mainly to collisions between defects in the crystal lattice (e. g. impurity atoms and dislocations) also play a part, especially at very low temperatures. Resistance is measured in Ohms (? ) Georg Ohm discovered that the current flowing through a metal wire is proportional to the potential difference across it (providing the temperature remains constant). Therefore: Resistance, R (? ) = Potential difference across the wire (V) I= V i R V= I x R R= V i I TABLE 1 RESULTS: Table 1 shows the data recorded and the resulting values for resistance for each length. These were those separate samples of the conductor tested for each length, and the average voltage was used to determine the resistance volume. Graph 1 plots the resistance against length for the range of test samples from 10cm to 100cm. The graph shows the data to be in very close proximity to a straight line, verifying the prediction to its length. From the best fit line drawn on the graph, the resistance per unit length of 24 SWG nichrome wire is found to be 0. 362 ohm/cm. When current passes down a wire, the wire gets heated. The moving electrons collide with ion and cause them to vibrate thus increasing the temperature ths is a waste of energy-when a current flows, heat is transferred to the air surroundingggs which explains why computers get hot in operation. However we can make use of the heating effect e. g. in fuses which are designed to melt when too much current flows e. g. in kettles. We can calculate the heat transferred per second using the following formula: Power = (Current)2 x Resistance (Watts) = (Amps)2 x (Ohms) (W) = (A)2 x (? ) Length (cm) Current (Amps) Resistance in Ohms (R=V/I) Power (Watts) From the table above we see that there is a relationship between the resistance and the current. We see that from the results table that the power (in Watts) is equivalent to the current (in amps) squared multiplied by the resistance of the wire. From the graph showing Power Vs Length, we can work out the heat transferred in one centimetre of nichrome wire. Power i Length =Thermal energy transferred (J) Length (cm). Current (Amps) Power (Watts)Â   From these results we can work out the coulombs of charge in each separate length of nichrome. This result will then allow us to calculate how many electrons had passed through the wire, which further allows us to calculate the time taken for the experiment to take place.

Farm Size and Productivity Research

Farm Size and Productivity Research 1.0 Introduction The relationship between the size of Farm in hectares and the productivity in Yield/hectares is hotly debated issues in Indian agriculture economics. This issue was first raised by AK Sen in 1960s with respect to Indian economy. The major objective of this paper would be to analyze the relationship and the major factors influencing this relationship along with its implication. The size of holding depends on certain factors and the productivity also depends on certain economic factors. These factors such as irrigation, fertility, labor and capital input have an influence on the relationship between the size of land holding and productivity. Most of the economist like AK Sen and Saini have done their analysis and considered this relationship to be inverse. Countries like USA and Australia have very large holdings and the relationship between size of farm and productivity is not inverse in such cases. The application of Green revolution has been believed to change the inverse relationsh ip to a directly proportional relationship, but still it has been not very clear. Some analysis has been done in the paper related to aggregated data with regard to present status of this relationship by comparing the factors of productivity with the size of holding. Moreover the average size of holding has been decreasing with time due to increase in population and some other factors. At the same time the government has tried to implement policies like land ceiling and consolidation of land in some relatively developed states to solve the problem of excessively large holdings (in Indian average) and small and fragmented land respectively. 2.0 Farm land Holdings, Productivity and the factors influencing them independently Agricultural holding indicates the average size of agricultural land held by the farmers in India.. An economic family land holding can be defined as one which could provide a reasonable standard of living to the cultivator and give full employment for a family of a normal size. There are five categories of farmers in India according to their holdings. A)Marginal farmers (≠¤1 hectare), b)Small farmer (1 to 2 hecteres), c)Semi medium farmers (2 to 4 hectors),d) Medium farmers (4 to 10 hectores), e) Large farmers (>10 hectors). The size of holding would ideally depend on method of cultivation and nature of the crop. Productivity here refers to the productivity of crop output so productivity in agriculture is measured as the output of the crop per unit area. Its unit is yield/hectares. At a national level the demand for agricultural product will keep rising due to increasing population of India and high GDP growth rate so the supply of agricultural products has to match up the increasing demand to keep the prices reasonable. Hence agricultural farm land productivity becomes an important parameter for the economy. India being a huge country, these factors vary a lot from region to region but artificial means can be used to enhance the factors of fertility and irrigation. The following list gives us the factors of productivity Fertility of land Natural fertility cannot be changed but input of fertilizers, farm yard manure and nutrients can improve the fertility but all these will increase the cost. Irrigation facility Any irrigation project requires heavy investment and it depends on the level of underground water and nearest source of fresh water supply. Labor supply and quality of labor Labor supply will depend on the presence of any other scope of employment and quality will depend on traditional work culture and climatic conditions and both the factors vary a lot in India. Climatic condition Floods and drought due to unpredictable nature of monsoon affect the productivity. Since last three decades economists have been debating over issue of relationship between the size of farms and agricultural productivity in India. The debate was initiated by Prof. Amartya Sen in 1962. According to him with increase in size of farm holding, productivity declines and thus the productivity is more on small farms as compared to large farms. India has a labor surplus economy. The opportunity cost of labor is low. Small farms use much of family labor to the extent that marginal productivity of labor approaches zero. In case of small farms, output per acre is maximized while in the case of large farms using hired labor, output per unit of labor is maximized. The intensity of cultivation in case of small farm is greater than that of the large farm. Moreover, heavy input of labor on small farm is not on one crop only but in two or more crops produced in the same piece of land during a given production year. It is more so in case of irrigated land. Self-employment in the fam ily farm equalizes the opportunity cost which is not different from market wage. Statistical validity of the inverse relationship between farm size and productivity is a confirmed phenomenon in Indian agriculture prior to Green Revolution. Green revolution is a capital intensive programme which was implemented in 1960s for growth of agricultural production. This capital was invested in the form of important factors of production like irrigation, fertilizer, Mechanization, Manure, pesticides, nutrients. The objective of the following analysis would be to determine all the factors like irrigation, fertilizers, Farm Yard Manure and nutrients vary with the size of farm for the present set of data 3.0 Aggregated data analysis For all the graphs below in X-axis, 1 = Marginal holding, 2 = Small Holding, 3 = Semi-Medium holding, 4 = Medium Holding, 5 = Large holding. In Y-axis, graph A), B), C),E),F) are values of percentage and D) is ratio value. The calculations of these percentage value from been mentioned in tables in appendix Graph A) and B) have been taken from table 1.C), D), F) from table 2 As per the graph A) above we can find that the marginal holding has the larger area of farm wholly irrigated about 46% and we can also observe that the percentage of the wholly irrigated land decreases with increase in the size of the holding with large holdings showing the lowest percentage of wholly irrigated area that is about 21%. The second graph B) shows us the percentage of area of different size of holding for wholly unirrigated farm land and it show us, a lot of gap between the marginal holding(44%) and large holdings(55%) in terms of percentage change. As observed from the graph C) the application of fertilizers decreases with the increase in the size of holding with the marginal holding having an area of 77% and large holdings having an area of 52% under the application of fertilizers. The graph D) related to nutrients does not show us the % of area but it shows us the quantity to area ratio. In this case the slope of the graph is steeper and it shows us trend that the intake of nutrients reduces with the increase in the size of holding. The marginal holding has a ratio of 126 and the large holding has a ratio of 56. In case of farm yard manure graph E) there is a slight increase in the percentage application from marginal holding to small holding but after that the fall continues. Here the small holdings has the highest percentage of application that is 34% and the large holding has the lowest percentage that is 18%. Application of pesticides in a in farmland is an important preventive measure to prevent pests. The graph F) does not show a negative trend completely in relation to percentage of area with relation to holding size but the large farm land shows a dip in 4%. The data above is for 2001 agriculture census which is the latest. In post green revolution period the application additional inputs i.e. factors of production like irrigation, fertilizers, farm yard manure, nutrients, pesticides shows that their intensities of application is inversely proportional to size of land.(As studied above with various data and corresponding graphs.). In other words the application of additional factors of production is more in case of small farms compared to large farms. The resultant output which is directly proportional to application of input to a reasonable extent must increase yield proportionately. Thus logically it follows that after green revolution also the inverse relationship between size of farm and productivity should hold good. Its not a direct cause and effect relationship between all the factors of productivity and farm size but there might be some common factors which might be affecting these relationship. On the other hand there can be an alternative hypothesis to this, stating large farm land are in naturally fertile and irrigated regions of this country so they do not need artificial irrigation or fertilizers to enhance their productivity. Therefore a direct inverse relationship cannot be established between Farm size and productivity by only using aggregated data related to factors of productivity. If we observe the distribution of various size of holding throughout India in table 3 of appendix larger and medium size holdings are mostly found in bigger states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra which are not densely populated but have a larger area. The more densely populated states like West Bengal and Kerala have more number of marginal and small holdings. The natural factors of productivity are distributed among these states so the main hypothesis cannot be rejected. The alternative hypothesis can be true in some regions but not true everywhere because the different sizes of holding have been di stributed as per density of population and not as per natural factors of production. Although it can be said that inverse relationship between productivity and farms size is present in some areas of India but it is not a general law for the whole country. 4.0 Methodology for analyzing disaggregated data The analysis above shows us the analysis done for aggregated data but this same analysis can also be done using disaggregated sample data taken from various villages. If the sample data is taken from nearby villages then the conditions like Fertility , Irrigation, climatic condition and labor can be assumed to be constant. Y1,Y2,Y3,Y100 can be the data set for productivity in yields/hectares X1,X2,X3,X100 can be the data set for size of holding hectares The data above can only be obtained by doing a doing a direct survey in a particular area having common factors of productivity. Then we can do a regression analysis for the dataset having Y = Productivity and X = Size of farm land. The relationship thus obtained either positive or negative can be used to find out the relationship between productivity and size of farm for a particular area at a micro level. And this method can be used in various areas of the country having same factors of productivity . And then the trends can be observed whether its positive or negative or has no affect. This kind of analysis using disaggregated data can be done by also taking the same crop . 5.0 Labor as a factor As discussed before labor input is an important criteria for better productivity in farm land and becomes more important if the process in more manual .In Indian agriculture the Farm land labor can be divided into two type, family member workers and the other is hired workers. Generally in case of smaller size of holding the family members are mostly involved in the cultivation process and in larger farms it is a mix of both. In case of a marginal and small holding where in most of the cases only the family members are involved in farm cultivation the marginal productivity is not a factor. If required all the family members can be involved in the agriculture productivity process because the situation is more desperate and as result the intensity of cultivation is also more. The owner of smaller farm land does not have to employee hired peasants but in case of larger farms the situation changes. In case of larger farm land the owner has to take the marginal productivity of hired labor into consideration. As the intensity of cultivation for the small farm is more, the application of fertilizers, farm yard manure and nutrients might be affected as per the aggregated data analysis done before. As the small farm owner is more desperate even he can use manual means of irrigation to irrigate his land and its not possible in large farms due to its large size. It can be argued that the large farm owner would have more access to mechanized methods and capital for investment so his productivity can be higher at least after green revolution. Here the problem looks more like management of farm input resources rather than their availability. The better management of resources for small farm owner with more intensive cultivation has a bigger impact on productivity than the impact of advantage the large farm owner has in terms of more mechanization and capital availability. But the characteristics of land size holdings that is reduction in the average size of holding with time . Even the relationship between irrigation and fertilizers is also very direct. If one wants for apply more fertilizers then the irrigation facilities have to be very good so as per the irrigation data and fertilizers data both seem to follow the same pattern even if we consider labor not be a major factor here. This is clearly evident in Table 2 where more fertilizers are always applied when irrigation is high. 6.0 Changing pattern of Size of Farm land holding with time The tables 4 and 5 in appendix shows us the distribution of holdings in various states of India but there is one more important factors to this analysis that is the average size of holdings have been decreasing with time. The number of marginal holdings and small holdings have increased and the also area under marginal holdings and small holdings have increased. At the same time the number of Medium and Large holdings have decreased and also has the area under them decreased. There are two major reason for such a trend, they are as follows Increasing population With the rapid increase in population the same area of cultivable land is getting divided among more people. As a result of this the size of the holdings is reducing and area under marginal and small farms increase. To control the growth of rural population is even tougher in rural India due to lack of awareness of people due to limited education. Law of inheritance Under Hindu as well as Muslim Law of inheritance the landed property of a person has to be equally divided among all his sons and daughters which has led to more and more division of land and hence increase in marginal and small farms. Even if the land size is large now, it will get sub-divided when it goes to the next generation. Decline in the joint family system Earlier lot of families used to be joint families but this has declined over time and people generally prefer to stay with only single families. As a result the farm land is also divided more. Slow growth in handicraft industry In the villages the handicraft industry used to a source of employment for the village labor. But it has not grown sustainably with increase in rural labor so the rural population have had to depend more on agriculture as a source of employment. 7.0 Problems related to subdivision of land holdings If the fragmentation and subdivision of land continues at this rate then average size of the holdings will become even smaller and there will be more marginal holdings. Application of new technology becomes more difficult. A lot of cultivable land will be lost in making boundaries. One may argue that as in case of India the productivity of farm land will be more due to more intensive cultivation. But the per capita income of the owning family of the farm reduces with reduced farm land. Moreover if the whole family is involved to increase the intensity of cultivation the labor might be under employed for the same return. If the labor is flexible then he can move to a bigger farm as peasant if there is a demand. As seen from the statics the number of large holdings is reducing in the country and hence is the employment opportunity for hired peasants. Another factor which limits the labor flexibility is when labor tries to move from one region to another language is a big barrier. Altho ugh Hindi is Indias national language and English is the official one still lot of rural population speaks only the local languages and to be more specific only the local dialect. Skill becomes a barrier when the labor wants to move to industry in urban sector. As per our analysis till now the inverse relationship between the productivity and size of farm does hold good at least in some areas of the country if not throughout the country. At the same time if the farm land gets more divided and sub-divided the holding no longer remains economic for a single family. The ideal holding size has to be somewhere between the smaller and large holdings of around 4-5 hectares. The farm size are large and they are well managed and supervised by using modern methodology like it is done in USA and Australia they achieve high productivity. But the same thing is not easy to achieve in India as discussed beforehand. The government has introduce land ceiling in some developed states. This means that family owning excessively large farm land have to give up their excessive land to public authorities and it will be distributed among families having uneconomic holdings. This process is not at all easy because if the land is fertile than none of the owning fami lies would like to give up their land and also have to think about their future generations. Moreover any kind of ceiling will go against the market forces of demand and supply and affect the prices of land. When we talk about division and fragmentation then in many cases the farm land of a single owner is scattered throughout the village. In that case all the land in the village can be converted into a compact block and then the same land can be proportionately distributed among all the families which is called consolidation of Farm land. In states like Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh this process has been taken up seriously but in some other states like Assam and West Bengal the process has not even started. There are few reasons for which consolidation process is not easy. People in India are more attached to their piece of land, if someone has a better piece of land he would not like to sacrifice them. Both land ceiling and consolidation of farm land are policies to reach tha t optimal size of holding but they have not been easily to implement for the factors as mentioned before. 8.0 Final remark The inverse relationship between size of holding and productivity was considered to be very strong when it came for the first time under observation of AK Sen. But after the green revolution this relationship should have change to a directly proportional one as per expectation. This might be happening in some areas of India but still there are areas where the inverse relationship between size of farm and productivity still exists. As per the aggregated data analysis the factors of productivity are being affected by some common factors which helps to maintain the inverse relationship between productivity and size of farm in some areas. As mentioned before these common factors are intensity of labor and problems of management and supervision in large farms. At the same time the size of the land holding have been reducing which is leading to more uneconomic holdings for small farm owners. At this point the government should implement the policy of land ceiling and consolidation of holdi ngs judiciously in order to increase the number of semi-medium and medium size holding where optimal productivity can be achieved along with economic holding. In long term consolidation of holdings and cooperative farming should be encouraged in an organized way. The proper management of labor along with other factors of productivity and usage of mechanized technology in large farms would go a long way to improve productivity in larger consolidated farms. This would be made easier if lesser population is dependent on agriculture only if more employment opportunities are created in other sectors and the rural population upgrades to new skill requirements of the market.

Obesity in Australia :: Health, Diseases

Obesity is becoming a major health problem in developing countries like Australia, North America, Europe and other developing nations. The Australian Diabetes, obesity and life style study (AUSDIAB) predicts the changes in glucose indices; health behaviour and incidence of diabetes in 5 year follow up experiments among 5842 participants (Barr et al., 2007). This study suggests that a large number of Australians suffered mortality due to cardiovascular diseases associated with abnormal glucose metabolism every year. The Framingham Heart Study revealed that hypertension, diabetes and left ventricular remodelling lead to the development of congestive heart failure (Levy et al., 1996). The Framingham Heart Study also found that a 5% increase in weight increases the chance of hypertension by 30% over a four-year period of time. An increased sympathetic activity, impaired renin-angiotensin system, retention of fluid volume, peripheral vasoconstriction, dyslipidaemia, increased blood visco sity due to the increased haematocrit and fibrinogen may increase pressure overload on heart in obesity (Schunkert, 2002). Several studies also suggest that the cause of hypertension itself may contribute to left ventricular hypertrophy in obese individuals as the increase of BMI increases the chance of hypertension (De Simone et al., 1994; Avelar et al., 2007). High dietary fat intake increases the expression of angiotensin IB(AT1B) and Endothelin A (ETA) receptors (Neilsen et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2005). Plasma concentrations of angiotensin II and endothelin 1 (physiological vasoconstrictor agents) were increased in both obese patients and animal models (Barton et al., 2000; Neilsen et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2005). Recent studies have shown that reduced synthesis of nitric oxide (NO; a major vasodilator) from L-arginine in endothelial cells is a major factor contributing to the impaired action of insulin in the vasculature of obese and diabetic subjects. Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Growing evidence suggests that arginine plays an important role in regulating metabolism of energy substrates in mammals (Frank et al. 2007; Jobgen et al. 2006). NO is synthesized from L-arginine by NO synthase. As a signalling molecule, physiological levels of NO stimulate glucose uptake, as well as glucose and fatty-acid oxidation in skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and adipose tissues (Jobgen et al. 2006). Nitric oxide also inhibits the synthesis of glucose, glycogen and lipid in liver and adipose tissues and enhances lipolysis in subcutaneous adipocytes (Jobgen et al. Obesity in Australia :: Health, Diseases Obesity is becoming a major health problem in developing countries like Australia, North America, Europe and other developing nations. The Australian Diabetes, obesity and life style study (AUSDIAB) predicts the changes in glucose indices; health behaviour and incidence of diabetes in 5 year follow up experiments among 5842 participants (Barr et al., 2007). This study suggests that a large number of Australians suffered mortality due to cardiovascular diseases associated with abnormal glucose metabolism every year. The Framingham Heart Study revealed that hypertension, diabetes and left ventricular remodelling lead to the development of congestive heart failure (Levy et al., 1996). The Framingham Heart Study also found that a 5% increase in weight increases the chance of hypertension by 30% over a four-year period of time. An increased sympathetic activity, impaired renin-angiotensin system, retention of fluid volume, peripheral vasoconstriction, dyslipidaemia, increased blood visco sity due to the increased haematocrit and fibrinogen may increase pressure overload on heart in obesity (Schunkert, 2002). Several studies also suggest that the cause of hypertension itself may contribute to left ventricular hypertrophy in obese individuals as the increase of BMI increases the chance of hypertension (De Simone et al., 1994; Avelar et al., 2007). High dietary fat intake increases the expression of angiotensin IB(AT1B) and Endothelin A (ETA) receptors (Neilsen et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2005). Plasma concentrations of angiotensin II and endothelin 1 (physiological vasoconstrictor agents) were increased in both obese patients and animal models (Barton et al., 2000; Neilsen et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2005). Recent studies have shown that reduced synthesis of nitric oxide (NO; a major vasodilator) from L-arginine in endothelial cells is a major factor contributing to the impaired action of insulin in the vasculature of obese and diabetic subjects. Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Growing evidence suggests that arginine plays an important role in regulating metabolism of energy substrates in mammals (Frank et al. 2007; Jobgen et al. 2006). NO is synthesized from L-arginine by NO synthase. As a signalling molecule, physiological levels of NO stimulate glucose uptake, as well as glucose and fatty-acid oxidation in skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and adipose tissues (Jobgen et al. 2006). Nitric oxide also inhibits the synthesis of glucose, glycogen and lipid in liver and adipose tissues and enhances lipolysis in subcutaneous adipocytes (Jobgen et al.

Breaking Down The Metamorphosis Essay -- essays research papers

Breaking Down â€Å"The Metamorphosis†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Franz Kafka’s beginning of his novel, â€Å"The Metamorphosis,† begins with what would seem a climactic moment: â€Å"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.† From this point on, the reader is determined to make sense of this transformation. However, the reader later comes to realize that Gregor is actually not an insect, but this metamorphosis into a vermin was purely symbolic. It symbolizes the degrading lifestyle that Gregor leads to support his family. This leads the reader to understand Gregor’s absurd dilemma.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gregor’s insignificant and outcast lifestyle of supporting his family proves that â€Å"the universe is irrational, and man’s place in it is absurd.† This is proven by the fact that Gregor is working to pay off his father’s debts and provide for his family. His work is mundane, and strictly business. Yet, when the metamorphosis of Gregor takes place, his family practically shuns him from their contact. Still however, Gregor’s first thoughts after believing that he is an insect, are to get dressed and go to work. This attitude is seemingly absurd, however Gregor is so deep into trying to help his family, that he makes an attempt at ignoring the impossibility of working.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The idea that â€Å"Humankind is disconnected from reality,† is set in stone by Kafka when he writes about the transformation of Gregor’s families’ lives, and his own. The Samsa’s treated Gregor simply as a means to get out of debt, although the reader comes to realize later that the family was not as bad off as Gregor had believed. Also, the father returns back to work after Gregor cannot, which proves that his disability not nearly as severe as he had Gregor believed. Although Gregor is the family member that turns into a bug, he remains the only one of them to retain humanity. The family cannot grasp that the bug in the bedroom is Gregor, their son and brother. They disconnect themselves from him, forgetting that they have known him his entire life, and once perhaps loved him. After his metamorphosis, Gregor became the member of the family in need, yet instead of helping him, as he helped them, Gregor became a burden to the family. T he family, especially the father and mother do not make an attempt... ...top loving him. Without his initial function, he became an outlaw of family life. Gregor eventually wanted the family to give up all hope in him, a hope that he wanted to exist but did not. â€Å"He thought back on his family with deep emotion and love. His conviction that he would have to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister’s.† Immediately after this line, Gregor Samsa committed suicide. As a the family came to learn of Gregor’s death, the father said, â€Å"Well, now thanks be to God.† The sister appears to not be upset, but rather in a state of disbelief that the burden on their family is finally gone. When Gregor’s mother learns of his death, she questions it, to check the validity, and then tell her daughter to come join them with a â€Å"tremendous smile.† However, it is arguable whether he killed himself, or Gregor died of a broken heart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Gregor Samsa and his metamorphosis is one of sorrow, but more a story to unveil the cruelties of Humankind. Kafka’s brilliance and understanding of human nature can not be fully grasped by quickly reading the story, but instead divulging into the hidden messages Kafka inserts within the text.

Critical Movie Review Psychology: Girl, Interrupted Essay

Critical Movie Review â€Å"Girl, Interrupted† This movie revolves around a young woman named Susanna in the 1960s who is experiencing mental issues and ends up in a mental institution. Her journey focuses on her relationship with several of the other patients and nurses. At first she doesn’t believe she is ill, and resists her treatment, instead befriending another patient, Lisa, who takes her on many adventures inside and outside of the hospital. Lisa leads her down the wrong path which ends in the death of a former patient. This event leads Susanna down the right path and she dives into focusing on making herself well. The lead characters include Susanna, a young woman with borderline personality disorder. She doesn’t know what she wants to do or where to go in life. She finds herself admitted into a mental institution after taking a bottle of aspirin and drinking a bottle of vodka. Lisa is a â€Å"lifer† patient in the ward, and she clearly has some major personality, social and mental issues. It was never clearly spoken what her diagnosis was, however, some of the other girls on the ward mention sociopath, and criminally insane. She has no empathy for others around her unless it benefits her. She is manipulative and conniving. She uses the weakness of the minds in her circle to get what she wants. This intrigues Susanna, who befriends Lisa, to Susanna, she personifies freedom. Another character is Valerie, a black woman, and head nurse of Susannas ward. She doesn’t take any lip, and is a very strong mother figure in the story. Valerie is a single mother, and I believe this ad ds to her strength with dealing with the girls in the ward. There are several mental disorders depicted in Girl, Interrupted. Susanna has borderline personality disorder. This was portrayed very well, considering the clinical description of the disorder. She feels that time can go backward and forward, she frequently has flashbacks, is generally pessimistic, tends toward the company of men, whereas she is quite promiscuous. Susanna also made a feeble attempt at suicide by taking aspirin and vodka, which is what landed her in the hospital. Our book states that one thing borderline disorder sufferers do is threats or attempts at injuring themselves for attention. I believe that the talk and attempts at death are more a call for help than a desire to injure oneself. Lisa, well, she is textbook sociopathic. She is classically crazy, and portrayed well. Lisa has no empathy or feelings unless she can be benefited. She latches herself onto Susanna because she sees that Susanna can be manipulated. Lisa shows a lot of violence and false threats to acts of violence. I also believe that Lisa loves the attention, and craves it. She also gets off on pushing peoples buttons, to see how far she can push a person. This was perfectly shown when she and Susanna run away and stay with a former patient, Daisy. Lisa pushes Daisy’s buttons to a point that she hangs herself. This was a turning point in the movie where Susanna realizes that she needs and wants to get better, as well as being able to see Lisa for who she really is. Susanna initially has issues coping with her diagnosis. She believes that her being in the mental hospital is a ploy and a way to hide her by her parents. She doesn’t really understand why she is the way she is, or why she thinks the way she thinks. Befriending Lisa, is her way of rebelling in a small way. She struggles with her diagnosis but after Daisy’s death, she becomes committed to getting better. She uses the resources of the hospital to get everything off her chest, which makes her feel more normal. Wynona Rider and Angelina Jolie did a fantastic job portraying Susanna and Lisa. Ms Rider has always been a fantastic actress and her look is perfect in portraying the malaise of Susanna. You really begin to believe and feel what Susanna feels. One begins to understand the pain and suffering that Susanna is going through. She wants to fit in, maybe too much. Yet she does not want to be like her mother. She wants to be different. She is ambivalent. Ms Jolie, well, she gets the Oscar for being able to show how smart a crazy person can be. Sometimes we think of a person with a mental issue as drooling and head banging. Lisa is very smart. She sees the world like no other person can see it. Lisa believes this is an advantage, that she can see the real truth. Ms Jolie put you right in the middle of that image and almost made one afraid to open their door to a stranger. I love this movie. It has been in my collection for years and I have watched  in many times. This time through though, I was really focused on the girls’ behavior and the symptoms they displayed. I’ve always thought this movie applied to me a lot, helping me to suppress some of the feelings I have sometimes, and revealing that I need to stay on my meds as well. It also helps me know that â€Å"crazy† isn’t always â€Å"crazy† and that there is a way to get well, and stay well.

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Essay

Oliver Twist is a novel written by Charles Dickens. The novel follows an orphan boy named Oliver through many trials and tribulations he must endure. Through this he does have a few kind, compassionate, and stable people to rely on. Two of the most important were Nancy and Rose Maylie. Within this essay I will give a detailed description of both Rose and Nancy and also compare and contrast the two. First I would like to introduce you to Nancy. Nancy is the only female character of Fagin’s group. Being a part of this group Nancy must steal from the rich in order to make money for basic necessities and keep her relationships with the crew. This lifestyle puts he in the criminal social class or otherwise know as the lowest of the low social class. Nancy, much like Oliver, was also an orphan growing up. She acquires no formal education; therefore she can neither read nor write. Even though Nancy was not blessed with the luxury of the basic upbringing, she maintains very impressive street smarts. She displays this when bringing stolen goods to Fagin that are bundled like a baby so it is not witnessed as suspicious. Nancy may have been a criminal but she had a great heart. She had a great relationship with all of Fagin’s boys and cared for all of them. She also cared greatly for her boyfriend Bill Sikes who, in my opinion, did not return this love. Bill was very abusive towards Nancy and seemed to threaten her on a regular basis. When confronted with the question, â€Å"Do you love me Bill?† by Nancy, he did not directly answer and proceeded to ignore the question. In the end it was also Bill who ended up murdering Nancy. Apparently, Bill Sikes thought Nancy telling Mr. Brownlow and Rose where to find Oliver was punishable by death. By following through with the action of â€Å"peaching†, Nancy shows how much she truly cares about Oliver. Another major character in Oliver’s life was Rose Maylie. Rose Maylie was a ward of Mr. Brownlow, therefore also making her an orphan. Mr. Brownlow was an Upper Middle Class man, which made Rose and Upper Middle Class â€Å"Victorian woman.† She, like many others from her social class, was well educated. She even was very talented at playing the piano. Mr. Brownlow’s grandson, Edward, wanted to marry Rose. Rose, seeing that Edward’s thinking was wrong, expressed to him how against the idea she was; something very uncommon for that day in age. Oliver was brought into the home by Mr. Brownlow after Oliver was wrongfully accused of pick pocketing him. While Oliver is changing into clean, more appropriate clothing, Rose notices scars on Oliver’s back due to beatings. From then on Rose feel obligated to protect poor Oliver. She becomes somewhat of a sister figure to him. Throughout the novel Rose protects and defends Oliver. As you can see Nancy and Rose are different in many ways. However, both women do have a few things in common. Rose and Nancy both had very different social classes.