Security system at the United States airports Research Paper

Security system at the United States airports - Research Paper Example The FAA was mandated with the responsibility of setting the least security requirements needed to govern the airport as well as the air carriers. In addition to this, the FAA has the power to ensure the standards set are met through issuing of fine, undertaking inspections, and revoking operating certificates. The responsibilities undertaken by the air carriers were preventing unauthorized entry to the plane, screening of baggage, passengers and cargo and training of the crewmembers on emergency tactics and procedures. The airports on their part had the responsibility of ensuring ample security is provided within the airport premises by stationing of law enforcement officers. The congress is also mandated with the responsibility of legislating aviation security law and undertakes partial implementation of the same laws (Johnstone & National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, 2006, p. 24). In the past, the security policies in United States and the world at large have mainly been established after a public’s reactions to different incidents of insecurity. A good example is the use of air marshals in the 1960s by airlines due to the numerous hijacking that were taking place at that time. It was soon after, that the U.S. government established laws to tackle the air piracy. Transportation security One of the main aspects that surround the national security of United States is the transportation process from and to the United States. In addition to this transportation within the borders of the nation is also part and parcel of the national security aspects. The September 11, attacks not only indicated the weaknesses of United states air port security systems but also the role that the air transport plays in the national security of America. Privatization of airport security is said to have raised a debate in the public domain. The approach used by United States in tackling the issue of airport security is much more different as compared to its European allies. In the European nations, the security inspection is normally undertaken by private contractors, while in America government control on airport operations has become visible especially after the terrorist attacks of September 11. The mare fact that terrorists had access to the airport facilities and airlines and thus using the airlines as their weapons of mass destruction only goes on to indicate the drastic measures needed to tackle the weaknesses of our airport security systems. According to Verkuil, this airport security system has incorporated private employees who are working on the behalf of the airlines and over seen by the Federal Aviation Administration. Previously, the airlines perceived and regarded the security function as one of the item of cost control and passed on its quality measures downwards. This is one of the reasons that makes the security systems fail in their critical purposes (Verkuil, 2007, p. 57 & 58). The largest aviation system of security was implemented in 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. These terrorist attacks were not only a wakeup call to the American government but also to the world as well. The public debate still lingers on whether the government could have taken extra steps to prevent the terrorist att

How Does the Individual Influence World Events Essay Example for Free

How Does the Individual Influence World Events Essay â€Å"How does the individual influence world events?† Muhammad is the prophet of the Islam. Islam means submission to the will of Allah. Allah is the one and only Islamic God. He taught the Middle Eastern people that Allah was the only God and that all other gods must be abandoned. Muhammad was and still is a highly respected individual that created the largest religion the world has ever seen. The Muslim religion has over a billion and a half followers, which is 25 % of the world’s population. Muhammad claimed that he saw an angel while meditating at a cave. The angel told Muhammad that he was the messenger for God. From that day and on, Muhammad began to spread the word of Allah. He began to preach at Mecca in 610 but reached minimum success. In 622, a criticized Muhammad left Mecca for Yathrib. To all Muslims, this migration is known as the Hijrah. In Yathrib, Muhammad drew many followers and influenced many people. Yathrib was later named Medina meaning â€Å"the city of the prophet†. During this time, Muhammad became a military leader. In the year 630, Muhammad and 10,000 of his followers marched into Mecca and caused Mecca’s leaders to surrender. The prophet entered Mecca in triumph. Many Meccans pledged their loyalty to Muhammad and converted to Islam. â€Å"How does the individual influence world events?† Barack Obama is the president of the United States of America. Everything he does sets the mood for the entire world, so much that he is under tremendous pressure. This pressure includes living up to the change he promised the world, pleasing his people and fixing the U.S’s un-stable economy. No other political figure in today’s world may be as significant as President Obama. His decisions and actions affect both people in America and people across the world. For example Obama has sent 50 thousand troops to Afghanistan. This negatively affected his image due to the fact that he promised for change when this action shows no change between him and former president Bush. This also affected the Muslim view on Barack Obama because they thought that he would focus on peace more than war. Due to his race, the world has broken many racial barriers and racism is not as much a factor as was before. Barack Obama can be labeled as one of the most influential political leaders of all time, even though he has been in office for so little time. This is because of the racial barriers he has broken and the ideas and decisions he both promised and has fulfilled. â€Å"How does the individual influence world events?† The individual can influence today’s world in many ways. We can become more involved in the care of the environment by making small decisions that will not drastically change our lifestyles but can change the world. These changes include minimizing the time of showers, shutting off all lights when you are not using them, using renewable energy sources, switching to compact florescent light bulbs etc. The individual should educate themselves along with others on how becoming green is the way to go. China for example is making big changes when it comes to helping the environment. China has 50 % of all solar energy panels and is the number 1 producer of wind turbines.

Essay --

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE This account mainly focuses in brief on my intention, aspiration and objectives of why I want to get admitted in MS under the department of Economics, especially in South Dakota State University, as most the people of a developing country like Bangladesh, are afflicted with poverty, ignorance and lack of economic management that are like a rift in the lute in our social, economic and political arena. These problems always haunt me and my thoughts like Pluto in the deathbed. I want to contribute in a widespread way in these zones that will have far-reaching effect on the development, growth and advancement in our poverty-stricken society. For making up my dream fruitful and pragmatic, I am in a crying need for acquiring more knowledge and understanding in Economics to bring about a radical change in economic management and development. To me South Dakota State University is unique in the sense that, here Master of Science in Economics focuses on relevant topics on economics and also encompasses rigorous study in economic theory, agricultural and resources economics, research methods, quantitative techniques etc. which are essential to make my foundation stronger enough to imply this knowledge on emerging economic issues. The department of Economics offers courses with theoretical analysis and real world application and also work on a broad range of issues, such as Personnel and Labor Relations, Farming and Food Systems Economics, Economic Development, Economics of the International Sector which fit with my area of interest. By getting an opportunity of doing course work and carrying out research on my preferred area I am confident of building up myself befitting for higher studies as well as for contributing t... .... By involving myself in this project work, I enriched my knowledge on the impact of energy subsidy in Bangladesh. The probability of worsening the economic growth due to giving subsidy on that particular sector was our finding. As I am in persuasion for master degree, I have come to know about the South Dakota State University by searching in internet. I firmly believe that the chance to do my master degree in this university will be the turning move towards accomplishing my desired goal. I am confident of not only upholding the academic excellence and dignity of the institution but also make remarkable contribution. I believe that I will be able to contribute considerably to the research in your university. I also believe the education from your institution and other opportunities that come to my way will facilitate me obtaining my objectives. Thank you.

Relationship Essay -- science

Relationship The relationship between men and women has always been complicated and sometimes even a really loving relationship cannot survive if people chose their personal longing as a priority. No matter how strong are the values of a man or a woman they should never forget about feelings and happiness that are nowhere else to be found but in the heart of the beloved person. Men and women fight in relationships: fight for more independence, fight to prove their rightness and keep forgetting that love is not a fight but a â€Å"mutual support alliance†. William Carlos Williams in his story â€Å"The Buffalos† gives an outstanding example of a relationship between a man and a woman. Francie in this story has a certain notion of what a relationship should be like. She seeks for being loved, unde...

Are Shakespeare’s Sonnets Autobiographical? Essay

Are the Sonnets, wholly or in part, autobiographical, or are they merely â€Å"poetical exercises† dealing with imaginary persons and experiences? This is the question to which all others relating to the poems are secondary and subordinate. For myself, I firmly believe that the great majority of the Sonnets, to quote what Wordsworth says of them, â€Å"express Shakespeare’s own feelings in his own person;† or, as he says in his sonnet on the sonnet, â€Å"with this same key Shakespeare unlocked his heart.† Browning, quoting this, asks: â€Å"Did Shakespeare? If so, the less Shakespeare he!† to which Swinburne replies, â€Å"No whit the less like Shakespeare, but undoubtedly the less like Browning.† The theory that the Sonnets are mere exercises of fancy, â€Å"the free outcome of a poetic imagination,† as Delius phrases it, is easy and specious at first, but lands us at last among worse perplexities than it evades. That Shakespeare, for example, should write seventeen sonnets urging a young man to marry and perpetuate his family is strange enough, but that he should select such a theme as the fictitious basis for seventeen sonnets is stranger yet; and the same may be said of the story or stories apparently underlying other of the poems. Some critics, indeed, who take them to be thus artificially inspired, have been compelled to regard them as â€Å"satirical† intended to ridicule the sonneteers of the time, especially Drayton and Sir John Davies of Hereford. Others, like Professor Minto, who believe the first 126 to be personal, regard the rest as â€Å"exercises of skill, undertaken in a spirit of wanton defiance and derision of commonplace.† The poems, to quote Dowden, â€Å"are in the taste of the time; less extravagant and less full of conceits than many other Elizabethan collections, more distinguished by exquisite imagination and all that betokens genuine feeling. . . . All that is quaint or contorted or ‘conceited’ in them can be paralleled from passages of early plays of Shakespeare, such as Romeo and Juliet, and the Two Gentlemen of Verona, where assuredly no satirical intention is discoverable.† If the Sonnets were mostly written before 1598 when Meres refers to them, or 1599 when Jaggard printed two of them, or in 1593 and 1594, as Sidney Lee assumes, and if most of them, as the same critic believes, were â€Å"little more than professional trials of skill, often of superlative merit, to which the poet deemed himself challenged by the efforts of contemporary practitioners,† it is passing strange that Shakespeare should not have published them ten or fifteen years before they were brought out by the pirate Thorpe. He must have written them for publication if that was their character, and the extraordinary popularity of his earlier poems would have assured them a favourable reception with the public. His fellow-townsman and friend, Richard Field, who had published the Venus and Adonis in 1593 and the Lucrece in 1594, and who must have known of the circulation of the sonnets in manuscript, would have urged him to publish them; or, if the author had declined to have them printed, some pirate, like Jaggard or Thorpe, would have done it long before 1609. Mr. Lee tells us that Sidney, Watson, Daniel, and Constable circulated their sonnets for a time in manuscript, but he tells us also that the pirates generally got hold of them and published them within a few years if the authors did not do it. But the history of The Passionate Pilgrim shows that it was not so easy to obtain copies of Shakespeare’s sonnets for publication. It was the success of Venus and Adonis and Lucrece (the fourth edition of the former being issued in 1599, and the second of the latter in 1598) which prompted Jaggard to compile The Passionate Pilgrim in 1599; and it is a significant fact that he was able to rake together only ten poems which can possibly be Shakespeare’s, and three of these were from Love’s Labour’s Lost, which had been published in 1598. To these ten pieces he added ten others (eleven, as ordinarily printed) which he impudently called Shakespeare’s, though we know that most of them were stolen and can trace some of them to the authors. His book bears evidence in its very make-up that he was hard pushed to fill the pages and give the purchaser a tolerable sixpence-worth. The matter is printed on but one side of the leaf, and is further spun out by putting a head-piece and tail-piece on every page, so that a dozen lines of text sandwiched between these convenient pictorial devices make as fair a show as double the quantity would ordinarily present. Note, however, that, with all his pickings and stealings, Jaggard managed to secure but two of the sonnets, though a considerable number of them were probably in existence among the author’s â€Å"private friends,† as Meres expressed it a year before. The pirate Newman, in 1591, was able to print one hundred and eight sonnets by Sidney which had been circulated in manuscript, and to add to them twenty-eight by Daniel without the author’s knowledge ; and sonnets by Watson and Constable, as Mr. Lee tells us, were similarly circulated and pirated. How, then, are we to explain the fact that Jaggard could obtain only two of Shakespeare’s sonnets, five years or more after they had been circulating among his friends ? Is it not evident that the poems must have been carefully guarded by these friends on account of their personal and private character? A dozen more of those sonnets would have filled out Jaggard’s â€Å"larcenous bundle of verse,† and have obviated the necessity of pilfering from Barnfield, Griffin, Marlowe, and the rest; but at the time they were in such close confidential keeping that he could get no copies of them. In the course of years they were shown to a larger and larger number of â€Å"private friends,† and with the multiplication of copies the chances of their getting outside of that confidential circle were proportionally increased. We need not be surprised, then, that a decade later somebody had succeeded in obtaining copies of them all, and sold the collection to Thorpe. Even if we suppose that the Sonnets had been impersonal, and that Shakespeare for some reason that we cannot guess had wished to withhold them from the press, we may be sure that he could not have done it in that day of imperfect copyright restrictions. Nothing could have kept a hundred and fifty poems by so popular an author out of print if there had not been strong personal reasons for maintaining their privacy. At least seven editions of the Venus and Adonis and four of the Lucrece appeared before Thorpe was able to secure â€Å"copy† for his edition of the Sonnets. If, as Mr. Lee asserts, Southampton was the patron to whom twenty that may be called â€Å"dedicatory† sonnets (23, 26, 32, 37, 38, 69, 77-86, 100, 101, 103, and 106) are addressed, it is all the more remarkable that Shakespeare should not have published them, or, if he hesitated to do it, that his noble patron should not have urged it. He had already dedicated both the Venus and Adonis and the Lucrece to Southampton; and Mr. Lee says that â€Å"three of the twenty dedicatory sonnets [26, 32, 38] merely translate into the language of poetry the expressions of devotion which had already done duty in the dedicatory epistle in verse that precedes Lucrece.† Other sonnet-sequences of the time (including the four mentioned by Mr. Lee as pirated while circulated in manuscript, except Sidney’s, which were not thus published until after his death) were brought out by their authors, with dedications to noble lords or ladies. Shakespeare’s Sonnets, so far as I am awa re, are the only exception to the rule. Mr. Lee himself admits that â€Å"at a first glance a far larger proportion of Shakespeare’s sonnets give the reader the illusion of personal confessions than those of any contemporary;† and elsewhere he recognizes in them more â€Å"intensity† than appears in the earlier poems except in â€Å"occasional utterances† of Lucrece; but, for all that, he would have us believe that they are not personal, and that their â€Å"superior and more evenly sustained energy is to be attributed, not to the accession of power that comes with increase of years, but to the innate principles of the poetic form, and to metrical exigencies which impelled the sonneteer to aim at a uniform condensation of thought and language.† I cannot help agreeing with those who regard their personal character as no â€Å"illusion,† and who believe that they clearly show the increase of power which comes with years, their true date probably being 1597-98 rather than 1593-94. For myself, I could as soon believe the penitential psalms of David to be purely rhetorical and fictitious as the 129th Sonnet, than which no more remorseful utterance was ever wrung from a soul that had tasted the ashes to which the Sodom-apples of illicit love are turned in the end. Have we there nothing but the â€Å"admirable fooling† of the actor masquerading in the garb of the penitent, or the satirist mimicking the conceits and affectations of the sonneteers of the time? If this is supposed to be the counterfeit of feeling, I can only exclaim with Leonato in Much Ado, â€Å"O God! Counterfeit! There was never counterfeit of passion came so near the life of passion!†

The eNotes Blog Coverflip How Book Covers Differ by AuthorsGender

Coverflip How Book Covers Differ by AuthorsGender Author Maureen Johnson has had enough of gendered book covers. Just what is she talking about? Well, shes talking about books that look like this: Versus this: And yes, that is the same book in each picture. The first is what ended up in print, while the second imagines how the cover might have looked had the book written been by a man. Why the difference? Johnson gives a little insight into the sometimes unfair world of book publishing and marketing: The simple fact of the matter is, if you are a female author, you are much more likely to get the package that suggests the book is of a lower perceived quality. Because it’s â€Å"girly,† which is somehow inherentl  different and easier on the palate. A man and a woman can write books about the same subject matter, at the same level of quality,  and that woman is simple more likely to get the soft-sell cover with the warm glow and the feeling of smooth jazz blowing off of it. Think about it: have you ever seen a male author with a cover like the first one above? And before anybody reasons that female writers books look the way they do because they are specifically marketed towards women, I urge you to have a think on how condescending that sounds to women, and insulting to men who like books about and by women. (And I would also like to note that our own managing editor, a man, has read Bridget Jones Diary more times than probably any of you. So there.) Spurred by a plethora of notes from men asking her for less girly covers so that they could read her books, and endless frustrations with book publishers who give authors zero to no say in the final book cover (and sometimes in the final title), Johnson posed a challenge to her Twitter followers: take a book by an author of either gender and imagine it was written by the other. She received hundreds of picture responses within the first 24 hours. Heres an interesting sample: You can see more at Johnsons Huffington Post article and Twitter, if not for the coverflip images then for the amusing way Johnson is able to bang her head on a desk and deftly shame critics in one fell swoop. Interesting experiment, right? And somewhat of a sad look into the gender inequality in both book publishing and our society. Its worse than you thought it was. So, what book covers do you imagine looking different with an author of the opposite gender? And does a girly cover make you less likely to pick up that book? As always, wed love to hear your thoughts.

Profile of The Beatles

Profile of The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock group that  shaped not only music but also an entire generation. With 20 songs that hit #1 on Billboards Hot 100 chart, the Beatles had a large  number of ultra-popular songs, including Hey Jude, Cant Buy Me Love, Help!, and Hard Days Night. The Beatles  style and innovative music set the standard for all musicians to follow. Dates: 1957 1970 Members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr (stage name of Richard Starkey) Also Known As Quarry Men, Johnny and the Moondogs, Silver Beetles, Beatals John and Paul Meet John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met on July 6, 1957, at a fete (fair) sponsored by St. Peters Parish Church in Woolton (a suburb of Liverpool), England. Although John was only 16, he had already formed a band called the Quarry Men, who were performing at the fete. Mutual friends introduced them after the show and Paul, who had just turned 15, wowed John with his guitar playing and ability to remember lyrics. Within a week of meeting, Paul had become part of the band. George, Stu, and Pete Join the Band In early 1958, Paul recognized talent in his friend George Harrison and the band asked him to join them. However, since John, Paul, and George all played guitars, they were still looking for someone to play bass guitar and/or the drums. In 1959, Stu Sutcliffe, an art student who couldnt play a lick, filled the position of bass guitarist and in 1960, Pete Best, who was popular with the girls, became the drummer. In the summer of 1960, the band was offered a two-month gig in Hamburg, Germany. Re-naming the Band It was also in 1960 that the Stu suggested a new name for the band. In honor of Buddy Hollys band, the Crickets- of whom Stu was a huge fan- he recommended the name of The Beetles. John changed the spelling of the name to Beatles as a pun for beat music, another name for rock n roll. In 1961, back in Hamburg, Stu quit the band and went back to studying art, so Paul took up the bass guitar. When the band (now only four members) returned to Liverpool, they had fans. The Beatles Sign a Record Contract In the fall of 1961, the Beatles signed a manager, Brian Epstein. Epstein succeeded in getting the band a record contract in March 1962. After hearing a few sample songs, George Martin, the producer, decided he liked the music but was even more enchanted with the boys witty humor. Martin signed the band to a one-year record contract but recommended a studio drummer for all recordings. John, Paul, and George used this as an excuse to fire Best and replace him with Ringo Starr. In September 1962, the Beatles recorded their first single. On one side of the record was the song Love Me Do and on the flip side, P.S. I Love You. Their first single was a success but it was their second, with the song Please Please Me, that made them their first number-one hit. By early 1963, their fame began to soar. After quickly recording a long album, the Beatles spent much of 1963 touring. The Beatles Go to America Although Beatlemania had overtaken Great Britain, the Beatles still had the challenge of the United States. Despite already having achieved one number-one hit in the U.S. and had been greeted by 5,000 screaming fans when they arrived at the New York airport, it was the Beatles February 9, 1964, appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show that ensured Beatlemania in America. Movies By 1964, the Beatles were making movies. Their first film, A Hard Days Night portrayed an average day in the life of the Beatles, most of which was running from chasing girls. The Beatles followed this with four additional movies: Help! (1965), Magical Mystery Tour (1967), Yellow Submarine (animated, 1968), and Let It Be (1970). The Beatles Start to Change By 1966, the Beatles were growing weary of their popularity. Plus, John caused an uproar when he was quoted as saying, Were more popular than Jesus now. The group, tired and worn out, decided to end their touring and solely record albums. About this same time, the Beatles began to shift to psychedelic influences. They started using marijuana and LSD and learning about Eastern thought. These influences shaped their Sgt. Pepper album. In August 1967, the Beatles received the terrible news of the sudden death of their manager, Brian Epstein, from an overdose. The Beatles never rebounded as a group after Epsteins death. The Beatles Break Up Many people blame Johns obsession with Yoko Ono and/or Pauls new love, Linda Eastman, as the reason for the bands break up. However, the band members had been growing apart for years. On August 20, 1969, the Beatles recorded together for the very last time and in 1970 the group officially dissolved. John, Paul, George, and Ringo went their separate ways. Unfortunately, John Lennons life was cut short when a deranged fan shot him on December 8, 1980. George Harrison died on November 29, 2001, from a long battle with throat cancer.

Women In the Middle East essays

Women In the Middle East essays Even with the evolutionary changes within our society, women in the Middle East are still being discriminated against. Islamic views in the Middle East are the fundamental cause of the repression of women there, and remain the major obstacle to the evolution of their position. Women in this region of the world have no marital rights, are unjustly punished in comparison to men, and have a very strict dress code. In the Middle East women are denied the same martial rights as men. They are prohibited from getting a divorce, while men are free to divorce and remarry as they wish. Also women must be submissive to their husbands, because their husbands have total legal control over them. Men have control and ownership over all possessions, while women do not have any of these rights within a marriage. As well, women must seek permission from their husbands to see their parents, yet men are free to see their parents as they wish. In this region of the world women are unjustly punished in comparison to men. If a woman becomes pregnant after being raped, she could be stoned or caned to death. All that is needed for this stoning or caning to happen is a testimony of one male witness. While if a man commits adultery, there needs to be four male witnesses to the incident before the man can be punished. Also if a woman is considered to dishonor her family, they may beat or even kill her, and not be in any fear of being punished. Women in the Middle East are shackled by a very severe dress code. They must be covered head to toe in a garment called a burqu. This is a dark colored garment covering the whole body with just a hole for the eyes. This lack of choice in clothing diminishes any thought of individuality. Without individuality there will come no change, because there will be a fear of stepping out of the comfort of blending in with the rest. The burqu attacks these womens strive for self-confidence. Being caged under such a ...

MGT599 MoD 5 Case Assign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MGT599 MoD 5 Case Assign - Essay Example In this paper, efforts have been made to understand whether various organizational components complement the primary strategy of the company and consequently suitable recommendations has been provided. Kraft Foods is an American company that primarily operates in North America and Canada and is one of the largest consumer packaged goods companies in the United States (US). The company was started in 1903 but it was re-launched in 2012 with a culture of collaboration and innovation. The company has a total of thirty brands selling different food items such as cheese, toppings, beverages, dressings, snacks and spreads. According to the company, at least ten brands of the company generate about $500 million in sales. The company is growing steadily and presently has approximately 22500 employees operating in the US and Canada (Kraft Foods Group, 2014a; 2014b). In this paper, the strategic position of the company along with its organizational design, organizational culture, human resource management and strategic system will be discussed in an elaborate manner. The rationale behind this attempt is to understand the efficiency of the strategy of the company and mitigate issues that are acting as barrier to strategy implementation in the company. It was ascertained from various published reports of Kraft Foods that the company has undergone major changes in recent years such as collaboration with McDonalds and multiyear licensing agreement with Keurig Green Mountain. It is assumed that such major decisions also have a strong impact on a company’s strategy and performance (Kraft Foods Group, 2014c; 2014d). The paper will evaluate various reports and articles about the company, for the purpose of analyzing various strategic developments in the company in recent years. By means of in-depth study, it is expected that the pertaining strategic issue of the company will be recognized so that appropriate recommendations can

End of Module assesment work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

End of Module assesment work - Assignment Example One similarity is that both articles are exploring the issues of school pupils and students, together with the problems that they face. One article examines how pupils in mixed secondary schools within the UK together with their teachers experience pupil voice. It problematizes the philosophy of pupil voice, examining the idea of young people being enabled to influence the outcomes of their own education, highlighting the need for them to speak out about issues concerning them. The other article explores the feelings of students towards the literary lessons in an academic year, together with their behavior towards it (Carter-Steel & Al-Hakim 2009). A difference occurs in that while one article is a study of the feelings of several students over a course of time, the other is just an article that examines the experiences of teachers and students about a certain issue, and it does not involve an actual study. The pupil voice article applies visual methods to find out how the pupilsâ₠¬â„¢ voice, discipline, and engagement are carried out within a school, while the primary classroom article applies an actual study of the pupils involved. It uses a typology of the pupils on a basis an analysis of the school policy’s documentation (Fisher 2011). ... The pupil voice article is a study of how secondary school students express their feelings and ideas to their teachers such that they will be heard and understood. It offers advice on how the pupils and students can do this in the best possible way. The primary classroom article on the other hand, explores the perception of the students towards their lessons and the academic year as a whole, providing examples of how they are dissatisfied with the learning process although they comply with the rules and regulations. This is an apparent similarity in scope that is present in the two articles (Fisher 2011). Perhaps the only difference in the scope of the two articles occurs in the study area explored. In the primary classroom article, its study involved only the pupils that are in year six of their primary education. Although it sampled over 100 pupils, it limited its study area to just a certain class year, as opposed to the pupil voice article. The pupil voice article has a wide stud y area that is an urban secondary school for students aged between 11 and 16 years old. This means that unlike the classroom article, it examines students of several class years, not just one, thus it has a wider sampling data (Carter-Steel & Al-Hakim 2009). Similarities and differences in paradigm Paradigm involves a set of forms all of them containing a certain theme. In the two articles, the common theme is the expression of pupils and students’ feelings while they are at school. Both articles explore this theme using several ways or forms, both of which have similarities as well as differences. One similarity in the forms is the use of study techniques and study methods, involving the examination of a certain group of pupils and students. The primary

MARKET RESEARCH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MARKET RESEARCH - Essay Example It is however mainly used to show affection during special events as they are exchanged with people with emotional connections. Industry survey The last five years has not been favourable for cut flower business in Australia, this is because of the global economic downturn experienced in 2008 which altered consumer spending habits to focus on purchasing basic livelihood items. The other factor that has contributed to this is increasing competition from other developing countries producing the same; they offer these flowers at cheaper rates to the overseas markets. In the same vein, there are other retailers who are eating market share of the flower retailing industry; these are supermarkets and convenience stores. This directly affects local production and distribution since they source their products both locally and internationally. Marketing productivity Our firm has a business model that tracks how advertising expenditures influence what clients believe and feel about our product s. The chain of marketing productivity analyses the actual indicators of its effectiveness (Kilbourne, 2000)1. The diagram below shows the areas to be assessed: As outlined in this diagram, statistics that guide in assessing the effectiveness of advertising campaigns are obtained from its market and financial impact as outlined in company’s statement of accounts. The financial impacts give both short and long term perspectives on its effectiveness (Sawhney, 2012)2. Market share statistics are obtained through the company’s own market analysis and other industry analyst’s reports. Sales volume estimates are obtained on daily basis and can be monitored to assess improvements resulting from marketing drives. Business profile covering one aspect of advertising (real life scenario, twelve month period for advertising, program and budget) Products The company deals in exotic flower brands including roses, hibiscus flower and marigold since they are the highly selling as they appeal more to local consumers. It also sells other traditional Australian flowers including waxflower, kangaroo paw, eucalyptus foliage, protea, koala fern and scholtzia flower brands. Promotional activities are conducted to raise consumer awareness on their presence especially during holidays and special occasions; these are the peak periods as consumers exchange flowers on such occasions (Hainer, 2012)3. Advertising expenditure Below is a diagram that summarizes the advertisement expenditure for this company on a 12 month period. The figures are expressed in American dollars. Budget Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Television 1000 3000 800 2500 1500 2000 2000 1500 1300 1000 1500 3500 Radio 750 1000 500 800 700 1000 1000 1000 850 750 500 3000 Newspaper 750 1000 300 1000 650 550 500 800 500 200 200 2500 Internet 300 500 200 500 450 300 750 500 300 - 200 1000 Total 2800 5500 1800 4800 3300 3850 4250 3800 2950 1950 2400 10,000 Average 700 1375 450 1200 8 25 950 1050 950 750 500 600 2500 As it can be seen from the table, the highest advertisement expenditures are in the months of February and December since these are the peak periods in the flower industry. This is because of the Valentine’s Day and the Christmas celebrations which is characterised by high numbers of floral exchanges among loved ones. Television is higher than all other media since it is the most consumed channel in Australia followed

Diffusion weighted (DW) Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI Essay

Diffusion weighted (DW) Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI - Essay Example The exploration of diffusion in MRI includes the way MRI is sensitized to diffusion; the effects of spins, both stationary and moving spins; how diffusion-weighted images are affected by physiological motion; the how of the achievement of the various diffusion weightings; and information on diffusion and how those are measured (Hagmann et al. 2006; Mori and Barker 1999, pp. 102-106; Tonarelli 2012; Parker 2004, pp. S176-S178; Everdingen et al. 1998; Barker 1999; Maas 2005; Le Bihan et al. 2006; Yablonskiy et al. 2003; Koh and Collins 2007; Le Bihan 2011; Basser and Jones 2002; Battal et al. 2012; De Foer 2010; Luypaert et al. 2001; Williams et al. 1992; Topgaard 2006) II. Background on Diffusion Diffusion on the molecular level is said to be the result of natural Brownian movement, where molecules randomly move through the diffusion medium because of the agitation caused by thermal characteristics of the medium. In all the displacement of the molecules comes up to zero by mean figure s, but over time, there are positive probabilities associated with the non-zero movement of a molecule, so that over time, a molecule is said to probably have moved from an initial position at an earlier time. Here the time elapsed corresponds to a correlation with the distance moved, where different fluids acting as diffusion mediums determine the distance as characterized by the diffusion constant for that liquid type. There is a difference between the freely diffusing movement of water molecules, meanwhile, to the diffusion of liquids in the tissues of human beings, so that in human tissues one talks of an ADC, or an apparent diffusion coefficient, to be differentiated from the free diffusion coefficients of liquids outside of human bodies, such as those used to characterize water in containers at certain temperatures. On the other hand, for human tissues, various considerations further come into play, such as differences in the mobility of different fluids in different parts of the body and in different parts of a particular organ, such as the human brain. Boundary conditions also differ for liquids found in different body parts. All these affect the coefficient of diffusion in various ways, with the general observation that the ADC is generally smaller in comparison to the free diffusion coefficients of liquids like water outside of the human body (Luypaert et al. 2001; Roberts and Rowley 2003). Going into diffusion types, meanwhile, there are two, one being isotropic diffusion and the other being anisotropic diffusion. In isotropic diffusion, the rate of diffusion is the same in all directions, and so the resulting diffusion distribution is spherical. In anisotropic diffusion, the diffusion rate depends on where the diffusion is oriented, and there is uneven diffusion in different directions. The distance of the diffusion is orientation-dependent, in other words, and the diffusion distribution is characterized by an ellipsoid (Module 1 2013). III. MRI an d Diffusion A. How MRI is Sensitized to Diffusion In a hypothetical case, the typical distribution of displacement of water molecules in such a container is said to follow a bell curve, with majority of the water molecules able to travel only for short distances from their initial location, whereas a few of the water molecules are able to be displaced at further distances from average. For a given initial temperature of the water, moreover,

Seawest Services Association v Copenhaver Case Brief Study

Seawest Services Association v Copenhaver Brief - Case Study Example Residents outside the housing development that received the water services were also required to pay the supply and maintenance fee. The Copenhavers were limited members of the housing development, they purchased a house outside the housing development but received water services from Seawest Services Association. The Copenhavers paid for the water services for eight years since 2001 (Clarkson, Miller & Cross 233). In 2009, they refused to pay any water bills and maintenance bills. Seawest Services Association sued the Copenhavers. The courts found the defendant liable for the charges. The plaintiff, Copenhaver, appealed.Rule In an instance where a party enters into an agreement with another party, the courts have a mandate to decide whether there existed a valid quasi-contract between the parties. Application A quasi-contract is a contract that is implied by the law. There are not actual contracts. The Copenhavers did not have an actual contract with Seawest Services Association. Ho wever, the defendant knew the fact that no residence could be provided with water services without paying supply fee to the Seawater Services Association (Clarkson, Miller & Cross, 233). Consequently, this meant that a quasi-contract between the parties. Conclusion The court ruled that the quasi-contract does not allow for the enrichment of the Copenhavers as a result of unpaid water supply and maintenance charges (Clarkson, Miller & Cross, 233). For this reason, the defendant is found liable for the charges incurred.

Diffusion weighted (DW) Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI Essay

Diffusion weighted (DW) Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI - Essay Example The exploration of diffusion in MRI includes the way MRI is sensitized to diffusion; the effects of spins, both stationary and moving spins; how diffusion-weighted images are affected by physiological motion; the how of the achievement of the various diffusion weightings; and information on diffusion and how those are measured (Hagmann et al. 2006; Mori and Barker 1999, pp. 102-106; Tonarelli 2012; Parker 2004, pp. S176-S178; Everdingen et al. 1998; Barker 1999; Maas 2005; Le Bihan et al. 2006; Yablonskiy et al. 2003; Koh and Collins 2007; Le Bihan 2011; Basser and Jones 2002; Battal et al. 2012; De Foer 2010; Luypaert et al. 2001; Williams et al. 1992; Topgaard 2006) II. Background on Diffusion Diffusion on the molecular level is said to be the result of natural Brownian movement, where molecules randomly move through the diffusion medium because of the agitation caused by thermal characteristics of the medium. In all the displacement of the molecules comes up to zero by mean figure s, but over time, there are positive probabilities associated with the non-zero movement of a molecule, so that over time, a molecule is said to probably have moved from an initial position at an earlier time. Here the time elapsed corresponds to a correlation with the distance moved, where different fluids acting as diffusion mediums determine the distance as characterized by the diffusion constant for that liquid type. There is a difference between the freely diffusing movement of water molecules, meanwhile, to the diffusion of liquids in the tissues of human beings, so that in human tissues one talks of an ADC, or an apparent diffusion coefficient, to be differentiated from the free diffusion coefficients of liquids outside of human bodies, such as those used to characterize water in containers at certain temperatures. On the other hand, for human tissues, various considerations further come into play, such as differences in the mobility of different fluids in different parts of the body and in different parts of a particular organ, such as the human brain. Boundary conditions also differ for liquids found in different body parts. All these affect the coefficient of diffusion in various ways, with the general observation that the ADC is generally smaller in comparison to the free diffusion coefficients of liquids like water outside of the human body (Luypaert et al. 2001; Roberts and Rowley 2003). Going into diffusion types, meanwhile, there are two, one being isotropic diffusion and the other being anisotropic diffusion. In isotropic diffusion, the rate of diffusion is the same in all directions, and so the resulting diffusion distribution is spherical. In anisotropic diffusion, the diffusion rate depends on where the diffusion is oriented, and there is uneven diffusion in different directions. The distance of the diffusion is orientation-dependent, in other words, and the diffusion distribution is characterized by an ellipsoid (Module 1 2013). III. MRI an d Diffusion A. How MRI is Sensitized to Diffusion In a hypothetical case, the typical distribution of displacement of water molecules in such a container is said to follow a bell curve, with majority of the water molecules able to travel only for short distances from their initial location, whereas a few of the water molecules are able to be displaced at further distances from average. For a given initial temperature of the water, moreover,

Malden Mills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Malden Mills - Essay Example The organization faced most precarious conditions like bankruptcy and encountered considerable amount of destruction caused due to the onset of fire. The jobs of 3000 employees of the organization were at stake. But surprisingly the Aaron did not resolved to any means of employee termination rather he spent millions on the all 3000 employees and kept them on payroll for a period of three months. The result of such a step infused loyalty within the employees and the resultant production after the onset of work was much higher than the production before. This act of him prevented thousands of employees in losing their jobs and proved Aaron Feuerstein’s worth as a true leader. (Leung) He held the view of treating his employees as an asset and reflected his responsibility towards the society. He was able to think beyond the profitability and broadened his idea to deliver the best for the community by staying with the employees during such critical conditions. Aaron Feuerstein had the courage and conviction to reflect on the appropriate action and had set high values for the leaders of all the organizations to behave rationally and to implement decisions considering all the associated factors. The determination and the leadership skill as exhibited by Aaron Feuerstein is a heroic achievement. Malden mill used to operate in a 300 year old mill town. The mill went into bankruptcy in the year 1981. In order to prevent the mill from going into bankruptcy the organization could have taken some precautionary steps. The mill could have hired a budgetary advisor who could have limited the spending of the mill in comparison o the earnings. Budgetary advisor would also have provided with planning and ideas to save money by reducing unnecessary cost and other expenses. In order to pay back the debt to the creditors the mill could have sold some assets which are not in use in a great deal and this could

Identify three (3) risks of the bid strategy Essay Example for Free

Identify three (3) risks of the bid strategy Essay After identifying the customer key evaluation requirements I have identified three risks that may affect our bidding strategy. First, I want to identify why it’s important to know your risks when creating a bid strategy to help you understand why I choose these top three risks. Risk management is the process of identifying risk issues and the options for controlling them, commissioning a risk assessment, reviewing the results and selecting amongst the assessed options to best meet the goals. The purpose of risk analysis is to help managers better understand the risks (and opportunities) they face and to evaluate the options available for their control. (Vose software, 2007) The top risk of the bid strategy for this company would be price. Price was selected as the top risk because although the company would like to win the bid, the price has to be within a range where they could also make money. The second risk selected is Logistics. This risk was selected since the product has to travel overseas. Depending on the time frame and the cost to have the product shipped the product may not make it to the destination in time. It is very important to have the product delivered in a timely manner to satisfy the end user requirements. Thirdly, the last risk selected is Customer Commitment. Our company must follow all the requirements in order to make the end user happy. Since the product is going overseas it will be hard to follow up on maintenance. Without having our own personnel at the end user location or close to the location it will also be a challenge if there are any issues with the product. Based on the three risks of the bid strategies that were selected there are also three opportunities to mitigate each risk. First we have the price, now when negotiating on the rate we will really need to do our research. It’s important to have knowledge of previous pricing and to also include overhead, packaging and transportation. Although, we have to take all these things into consideration we also have to remember we are not the only company bidding on this offer so we must rate acceptable amount. Next, we have logistics. Our company would have to negotiate with a freight forwarder for a reasonable rate to have the freight transported to the final destination. In order to negotiate a reasonable rate we would mention that if the rate offered is good this would be an opportunity for extreme growth. While we are negotiating we would have to make sure the transit times would be guaranteed in order to have freight delivered to the destination on time. Finally, we have customer commitment. This may be the most important opportunity of them all. If our company is able to provide a reliable solution to the end user needs we will gain past performance while making our customer happy. We will provide this service by checking with the customer on a monthly basis and sending an employee over to the end user location every two to three months to check that our products are working correctly. The flip side of risk is opportunity. Every bid carriers with it some opportunities beyond those represented by winning the contract. Potential opportunities include future additions or changes to contract value via market share, maintaining dominance in a particular area, protecting an area or contract from assault by competitors, or using the contract as a gateway to future procurements. Osborne, 2011) In conclusion, by looking into these risks and opportunities we will be able to determine whether we want to bid or no bid. If we cannot provide the end user with the requirements they need in a timely manner at a great cost it will not be beneficial for us to move forward with the bid procedures. As a company we must protect our brand and our products. So, we need to look closely at this conclusion to make our final bid or no bid decision.

Theories Of Motivation In High Risk Sports Psychology Essay

Theories Of Motivation In High Risk Sports Psychology Essay Introduction This Chapter will attempt to give the reader a greater understanding of the windsurfing and the definitions and theories of motivation. It will use previous research that has been carried out to examine further some of these theories and observe consistencies and in-consistencies in the area of motivation in sports, outdoor sports and high risk sports. It will then use this information to Purpose of Research Justification Clarification of Terminology Historical Background of Windsurfing In the late 1940s, Newman Darby discovered how to sail a three metre sailboat without using a rudder by leaning the sail towards the fore and aft of the boat. It was not until 1964 that he designed the first universal joint, a component that connects the sail to the board that allows it to move in any direction (http://windsurfingmag.com/how-to/2008/03/26/windsurfing-glossary/). It was not until 1968 that Californian surfer Hoyle Schweitzer and Sailor Jim Drake got together and using Darbys ideas created the first windsurfer. They patented their design and in the 1970s began to produce it widely. It was Darbys concept of the Universal Joint that was at the core of their design that allowed the windsurfer to be steered without a rudder. Initially the windsurfer consisted of only one board which beginners learnt on and experts prevailed on. Everyone used the same kit regardless of the conditions or skill. (http://www.windsurfing-academy.com/information_bank/history/the_history_of_windsurfing.asp). The board was made from polyethylene, was 12 feet (3.5m) long and weighed 60 pounds (27kg) By the late 1970s windsurfing had taken a firm hold of America and Europe with one in every three households in Europe possessing a windsurfer. (http://www.windsurfing-academy.com/information_bank/history/the_history_of_windsurfing.asp, The Windsurfing Movie, 200?) The first world championships for windsurfing was held in 1973 and windsurfing became an Olympic sport for men in 1984 and in 1992 for women. Patent Abstract: Wind-propelled apparatus in which a mast is universally mounted on a craft and supports a boom and sail. Specifically a pair of curved booms are accurately connected athwart the mast and secure the sail there between, the position of the mast and sail being controllable by the user but being substantially free from pivotal restraint in the absence of such control. http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventions/a/windsurfing.htm Development of Windsurfing This section will look at how windsurfing has developed both in relation to the equipment designs and the attitudes towards it. It will also look at where windsurfing is today and attempt to predict the direction it may be heading towards. Definitions of Motivation For the purpose of this research it is important to understand what is meant by the term motivation. This section provides several definitions for motivation along with further information to bear in mind about the term motivation The term Motivation is derived from the Latin word movere meaning to move (Onions 1996) cited in (Moran, 2004). The concept of motivation can be defined as The hypothetical construct used to describe the internal and/or external forces that produce the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of behaviour (Vallerand Losier 1999) cited in (Vallerand Rousseau, 2001) Motivation can also be defined as being concerned with those factors which initiate or energise behavior (Moran, 2004, p. 38). Sage (1977) cited in (Festeu, 2002) states that motivation is the energizing element of personality which is reflected in individuals direction and intensity of effort. Within the field of sports psychology motivational issues are implicated when a person undertakes a task at which he or she is evaluated or enters into competition with others, or attempts to attain some standard of excellence (Roberts, 2001, p.6) cited in (Moran, 2004, p. 38). Various theories of motivation will be looked at in greater detail within the next chapter Theories of Motivation. According to Roberts (2001) cited in (Moran, 2004), motivation is one of the most misunderstood constructs in sports psychology. Roberts (2001) states there are three reasons for this. Firstly motivation is often confused with arousal. Roberts (2001) states arousal needs to be channeled in a specific direction for motivation to occur. Secondly Roberts (2001) states that motivation cannot be enhanced through positive thinking as commonly believed. Research on goal setting shows peoples objectives have to be controllable and realistic to be effective. Finally some coaches believe that motivation is inherited genetically something which is also contradicted by research which shows motivation can be changed through appropriate instruction. Roberts (2001) cited in (Moran, 2004, p. 39). Arousal Theories of Motivation Introduction This section will look at the various theories of motivation that have been developed over the years. These theories are not all directly relevant to the subject of this research but are necessary to allow a greater understanding of the area and theories, both past and current, of motivation. It will also look at the different types of motivation and the different factors that affect them. It will draw on information from various studies using these theories to attempt to develop a further understanding of these theories and how they are relevant to the areas of said studies. Instinct Theory Most current sports psychology can be traced back to William James (Model, 2005). James (1890) published an article called What is instinct. James suggested that interest plays an essential role towards attention and consequent behaviour. This theory bears many similarities to the Self Determination Theory proposed by Deci Ryan (1985). The Self Determination Theory will be further discussed later in this section. Sigmund Freud (1915) provided one of the earliest theories of motivation reviving James theories. Freud (1915) cited in (Model, 2005) suggested that individuals are passive beings and are moved by instincts, the main two being sex and aggression. Together these formed Freuds (1923) Instinct Theory (Model, 2005), (Vallerand Rousseau, 2001). A major criticism of Freuds theory is that instincts can be hard to identify. Freuds theory also fails to take into account the effect the environment may have on motivation. (Silva III Stevens, 2001). Need Achievement Theory The Need Achievement Theory considers both personality and situational factors as important predictors of behaviour. (Atkimson, 1974) cited in (Festeu, 2002). Personality refers to an individuals drive towards success and avoidance of failure. Murry 1938 Atkimson 1974 festeu(3) Drive Theory Drive Theory is an expansion of Freuds Instinct Theory put forward by Clark Hull (1948). Freuds Instinct Theory was originally named the drive theory but was later re-named. (Model, 2005). Hull concluded that motivational behaviours derive from one of four drives: sex, hunger, thirst and pain avoidance. A drive occurs and provides energy for action Hull (1938) cited in (Model, 2005). Hulls theory creates a link between instincts or drives and behaviour. According to Hulls theory, as these drives occur, such as hunger, we become motivated to reduce these drives to zero in this case by eating. This is the first theory that implies extrinsic motivation. (Model, 2005). Flaws observed within Hulls Drive theory came to light as better understandings of arousal and its effects on people came to light. Arousal will be discussed further in the next chapter Factors That Affect Motivation in Sport. Hulls Drive Theory also did not take into account of the differing levels of motivation between different tasks and individuals. (Silva III Stevens, 2001) Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Self Determination Theory The Self Determination Theory is a model of human motivation that stems from the innate needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness within the environment. It provides an over-riding framework for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003) The Self Determination theory proposes that these psychological needs and the social environment will determine one of many motivations. Each motivation can have varied effects on our thoughts, behaviours and feelings. These motivations fall along a continuum and are all connected to each other (Deci Ryan, 1985) cited in (Model, 2005) Self Determination Theory (cooke, Fielding).pngCited in (Cooke Fielding, 2010) As the scale above displays, motivation can be divided into six different forms from intrinsic motivation at one end of a scale to extrinsic motivation at the other end (Deci Ryan 1985) cited in (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003). Amotivation refers to no motivation at all. (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003) describe it as a way of describing behavior which is neither regulated or intentional. Extrinsic Motivation Extrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity as a means to an end and not for its own sake (Vallerand Fortier, 1998) cited in (Moran, 2004, p. 40). It can be separated into non-internalised and internalised, as displayed in the diagram above. Internalised forms of extrinsic motivation carry some intrinsic factors contributing towards behavior but the primary reasons are still external. External Regulation External regulation is the most extreme form of extrinsic motivation. (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003). This refers to the doing of an activity solely to satisfy external demands such as for a reward or to avoid punishment. Introjected Regulation Introjected regulation is based on self controlled, ego orientated behavior that is usually driven by what others may think. Introjected motivation is not autonomous but rather externally focused behavior usually carried out to avoid guilt of anxiety or to maintain status or feelings of self worth. (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003). Identified Regulation Identified regulation has elements of intrinsic motivation but behavior is undertaken for primarily external reasons. (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003). An example of this is cross-training in sports. Windsurfers may partake in other exercises such as running or cycling not for the enjoyment but to maintain or increase fitness for windsurfing. They may enjoy the running or cycling but this is not their primary reason for participation. Integrated Regulation Integrated regulation is the most autonomous form of extrinsic motivation. A person carries out this behavior because it represents what they stand for. This can be demonstrated amongst volunteers for non-profit organisations. They carry out behavior for external rewards often with little compensation or direct benefit to themselves. Intrinsic Motivation Intrinsic motivation refers to peoples reasons for undertaking an activity for itself and the pleasure and satisfaction derived from participation (ibid., p.390) cited in (Moran, 2004, p. 39). This can also be described as the pursuit of an activity that one finds interesting and is engaged in for the inherent satisfaction derived from participation. (Baldwin Caldwell, 2003). Factors that Affect Motivation and Participation in Sports This section will observe the varying factors that encourage or discourage participation in sport or physical activity as a whole. It will draw on information gathered from the previous chapter and relate them directly to sport using research already carried out in the area of motivation in sports (5 buzz junkies) (8 understanding participation in sports) (The Art of Healthy Risk Taking) Motivation in Outdoor Activities This section will attempt to further explore the area of motivation towards the area of outdoor activity. It will explore motivational factors in various areas and various sports that draw from the natural environment to provide a medium to undertake the specific activities. It will also draw on research already carried out in this area to attempt to develop a greater understanding of any consistencies or in-consistencies in this area. Arousal (5 buzz junkies) (The Art of Healthy Risk Taking)(festeu 4) Risk Taking Nature and risk in adventure sports Philosophy, risk adventure sports Is Windsurfing an Extreme Sport? Windsurfing is commonly regarded as an Extreme sport however this term may be misleading. This label was attached to various alternative sports by the media originally in North America in an effort to attract the more lucrative teenage audience. (Dant Wheaton, 2007). The term High Risk is now commonly used by researchers in the field of these sports in place of the term extreme. It can be observed that the majority of windsurfing practised by most windsurfers cannot be described as high risk due to the fairly low risk of injury. (Dant Wheaton, 2007). It is important to remember that the more hazardous conditions attempted by many windsurfers by entering the seas in winds upwards of gale force and large swells still constitutes a high risk environment to enter. With this in mind, windsurfing can only really be described as a high risk sport when undertaken in such adverse conditions that if gear failure or rider error were to occur, self rescue would be close to an impossibility. This section will examine risk taking both real and perceived in the area of motivation and attempt to create an understanding of how this may alter individuals attitudes towards general activities and then specifically high risk sports. (The Art of Healthy Risk Taking) (To the Extremes out of the gene pool) What is even stranger is that some people go beyond being observers and take real risks, and expose themselves to real harm of 2 DANGER one kind or another, and that they do so completely voluntarily. Why do people, of their own free will, participate in such activities as sky diving, mountaineering, bungee-jumping, white-water rafting, big wave surfing, pot-holing, base jumping, cave diving, and hang-gliding? In this respect, it is interesting that new forms of voluntary risk are continually emerging or being invented in different parts of the world, and this seems to have been particularly true in the last decade or so. (Danger quest for excitement) Environment This section will examine how the natural environment can affect attitudes and motivation towards participation in activities. (To the Extremes out of the gene pool) (6 Environmental Factors) Gender Differences in Motivation (5 buzz junkies) (13 where have all the windsurfers gone) Windsurfing as a subculture rather than a sport Windsurfing is part of a group of activities born during the counter-culture movements of the 1960s Midol (1993) cited in (Wilkinson, 2010), (Dant Wheaton, 2007). Other activities in this catagory include skateboarding, snowboarding and the resurgence of surfing. As Belinda Wheaton (2003) Does Windsurfing require a different motivational pattern to other sports? Sport commitment of windsurfers Sports Motivation Scale Free Time Motivational Scale Sport Commitment Model Sport commitment of windsurfers (2) Research Questions

Hypocrisy of Mr. Garner and Mr. Bodwin in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay

The Hypocrisy of Mr. Garner and Mr. Bodwin in Toni Morrison's Beloved   In Toni Morrison's novel Beloved, both Mr. Garner and Mr. Bodwin are presented initially as decent men, with views on the black race that differ from all the rest of the white men in the book. The readers first impression of each of these men is favorable. With further reading and thought however, the reader notices more and more details that tend to change their initial impression. By the end of the book both men seem to have lost their appeal. Even though there is very little said against Mr. Garner, and even less against Mr. Bodwin, it seems that Morrison was trying to cause very mixed opinions about each one of these characters. In the end, Mr. Garner seems no less racist than his fellow slave owners, and Mr. Bodwin, though opposed to slavery also appears to be much more racist than he lets on.   Mr. Garner is the owner of Sweet Home, the plantation where Sethe, her family, and others had been slaves before their escape. He is singled out from the rest of the white men right away. When his character is first introduced the narrator speaks of him fighting with other farmers about his slaves being men. "Now at Sweet Home, my niggers is men every one of em. Bought em thataway, raised em thataway. Men every one" he had told other farmers (Morrison 10). With this comment Mr. Garner was fishing for the reaction he loved to hear, "I wouldn't have no nigger men round my wife.", to which he'd retaliate "neither would I, neither would I"(11).   On the surface Mr. Garner is presented as a very admirable man. He "ran a special kind of slavery", Baby Suggs had thought, "treating them as paid labor" (140).   The way... ...s than noble. Both men seem to put on a mightier-than-thou air when in public, and try to appear as non-racist as possible. Yet Mr. Garner owns slaves, an obviously racist act, even if he does allow them more than other slave owners would. And Mr. Bodwin who claims to be against slavery, and has fought to end it, displays in his own house a figure that embodies slavery. It appears that the only difference between other slave owners and Mr. Garner, is that they don't try and hide their racism or pretend they're better than anyone else. Mr. Bodwin does not own slaves, and does not believe in the practice, but he is still racist as we can see from the figure in his house. Which of these is better? Who can say? But most people aren't fond of hipocrits. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Markham, Ontario: Penguin Books Canada Limited, 1987

Social Attitudes Toward Vietnam Veterans Essay -- Exploratory Essays R

Social Attitudes Toward Vietnam Veterans I have always been interested in the Vietnam War and the results of â€Å"the longest war in America.† Therefore, I have decided to examine the social attitudes toward Vietnam veterans. Since I feel so passionately about the way that Vietnam veterans are viewed, the purpose of my paper is to inform others about the way that the veterans have been criticized and misrepresented. Personally, I hope to gain a further understanding of the attitudes and views towards Vietnam veterans, especially since my father is a veteran. After reading my paper, I hope that my audience will walk away with more respect and reverence for those that fought in the Vietnam War and gave their lives for their country. My audience will consist of my peers, my professor, and any other person interested in learning more about the sentiment towards Vietnam veterans. My research has involved searching the Internet, going to the University Library and looking through books, and even interviewing my father, who fought in the Vietnam War. I have also examined the lyrics to Billy Joel’s ballad, â€Å"Goodnight Saigon.† Thus far, the most valuable sources have been a few books I took out from the library. These books include information about the history of the Vietnam War as well as about the aftermath. In addition, several of these books include powerful pictures and images from wartime to the present time. After examining the lyrics to Billy Joel’s song, â€Å"Goodnight Saigon,† I realized that it does not directly relate to my topic about the sentiment towards Vietnam veterans. However, it does provide a clear insight into the way the soldiers felt while they were fighting in Vietnam. At first I was unsure about the lyrics sin... ...port my beliefs about the changing social attitudes toward Vietnam veterans. As the writing process continues, I plan to gather more research materials such as new books and articles. The social attitudes towards Vietnam veterans has proven to be an extremely interesting subject to me and I hope that through my discussion of these views, my audience will gain a new understanding of some of the bravest and most heroic men of the century. Works Cited Doyle, Edward, et al. The Aftermath. The Vietnam Experience. Boston: Boston Publishing Co., 1985. Greene, Bob. Homecoming. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1989. Gustainis, J. Justin. American Rhetoric and the Vietnam War. Westport: Praeger Publishers, 1993. Joel, Billy. â€Å"Goodnight Saigon. â€Å" The Nylon Curtain. 1982. Katakis, Michael. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1988.

How Happy could Gay Men be in a Homophobic Society such as Ours Essay

Homosexuality is no longer an undisclosed idea amongst us, and their existence in our society is no longer a question to be raised. As we know, they enter the same shops we visit every now and then; they ride the same buses and subways we catch; they walk the same streets we tread everyday; they breathe the same air we do, all for one apparent reason: they are no less human than any of us in this society could possibly be. Despite the common knowledge we all have about the existence of these people who suddenly came out from the box, it still raises different reactions from the crowd of the so called â€Å"normal people†Ã¢â‚¬â€as the society itself may refer to it. While others have learned to accept the given fact that there is a possibility of alteration to the socially set standard of normality, such as this one on the area of gender, there are still some who just couldn’t practice the act of coexistence with these so called â€Å"new breeds. There are still people who religiously believe that the defiance of the â€Å"norm† such as crossing from one gender to another is absolutely unacceptable. Given this reality, a lot of attempts have been made to somehow sway these people out of their enclosed bubbles. Even media, one of the most influential elements in our society, took a step further by recognizing the existence of gays and lesbians in their projects themed after differe nt slices of life—like the top notching series Will & Grace, and the award-winning movie Philadelphia. With people’s warm embrace with the idea in moving pictures, it seemed no far from the possibility that they could, one way or another, welcome the idea in reality with open arms; the only question remaining is: how wide open could these people extend their arms based on what their televisions feed them? According to Marisa Conolly on her article entitled Homosexuality on Television: The Heterosexualization of Will & Grace in Print Media, despite the television show Will & Grace’s attempt to promote the â€Å"normality† of the existence of gay men in the society, the show wasn’t able to fully liberate the misunderstood bunch. Intentionally or not, certain limitations have been set by the said show, leaving unnecessary provisions among viewers which they could refer to in terms of classifying homosexuality unacceptable and acceptable for the public’s eyes. Generally, Will, one of the main characters of the said show who happens to play a part of a supposed homosexual, was somehow portrayed in a heterosexual manner; his mere association with Grace, a straight female character, shades the scene to a different color. Their supposed friendship was brought into a different heterosexual border of relationship, wherein platonic is brought into a twisted romantic angle—somehow portraying him caught in between the certainty of homosexuality and the tendency to lean on heterosexuality. Unfortunately, their possible interest to sell is totally negating the promotion of the other, thus making it more complicated for the viewers whether to absorb him as a subtle gay who simply seeks recognition, or as a male, in the middle of an identity crisis, still clinging on the idealism of heterosexuality through tricky dramatization of his relationship with a straight woman. The same idea was raised in the film Philadelphia by Jonathan Demme. On the said movie, instead weighing through the inconsistency of the perceived representation of character, the viewers are simply being caught in the middle of a life and death situation. Instead of making their viewers understand the real score within the extent of reality that the film itself is providing, they are subconsciously redefining pity as a substitute for this understanding. They have misused the forthcoming of death to the gay persona’s advantage by playing on it as if saying: â€Å"Hey, I am dying now of AIDS, and I am gay. Now that I will be leaving this mortal place soon, will you please have the compassion of accepting me for who I really am? † Personally, I don’t think that this is the proper way of educating the people because it is basically misleading. Though the two groups are closely knitted by its constant reception of seclusion from the society, it is unfair to define being gay no different from having AIDS. Being gay is not a deadly viral disease like AIDS; it is simply a way of life that is, more often than not, being misunderstood. Upon watching the film, I was left caught at the vagueness of Denzel Washington’s character. I thought at first that he will be the one responsible to set free Tom Hanks’ character, but by the end of the film, my hopes were dropped on the floor. His supposed homophobia, which I first thought will be the vital element he has as one of the lead character, somehow got lost in the latter part of the story. The issue tackled dealt mainly on Hanks’ viral illness and how most people generally react to it—giving the homosexuality issue, which is more widespread in reality, a weak standpoint. The common ground between the two different portrayals of gay men stated above is its tendency to seek for conditions before actually opening the idea of acceptance. For television sitcom Will & Grace, they sought for a subtle way to conform with the â€Å"norms† by partially heterosexualizing the gay character, while for the movie Philadelphia, they played with emotions, most specifically guilt, by bringing into their attention that death is an uneventful future for the character. Basically, in their own particular ways, they are always looking for certain loop holes to pull off gayness acceptable—meaning gayness itself defines no reason to stand on its own. In this case, their uncritical viewers tend to get accustomed in looking for such passages before they actually accept certain circumstances, which unfortunately not every gay man has. In the end, publication of ideas and slices of life such as these only implies that as time passed by the society is still keeping its doors closed to the recognition of homosexuality’s existence. Again it only shows the greatest weakness that any society has: a fear of the â€Å"unordinary. † They are not exactly liberation but rather a form of deception in order to switch the attention of the critical public regarding their claim for ample recognition to homosexuals. None of these moving images placed a dot at the end of the statement â€Å"we accept homosexuality†; instead, they only made the issue more complex than ever by adding up the condition â€Å"if and only if† to the said declaration. If the shows themselves couldn’t accept the fact that gay men exist, how could their viewers do? I could give credit for the attempt pull out gays and lesbians from their malicious-satirical stereotype of simply being unpleasant, loud and mischievous, but still, that doesn’t make it enough for me. Compassion may be the best way to seek approval, but seeking proofs out of the ordinary and passing it off as the best solution is nothing but a substandard achievement. Homosexuality isn’t actually an issue seeking for a special treatment; that will be way too much for a goal now that it couldn’t even reach the approval of being lined up on the average level. All gays and lesbians need is the chance to be treated in a normal way—no more and no less than how people accept heterosexuals—where in they are not shoved away as if they are infectious beasts. Since media started this crooked representation of homosexuality on screen in the first place, I believe that they will be the only one who could correct this. Next time they produce best selling stories about homosexuals on their reels, they should try taking away those â€Å"special cases† that tend to sensationalize their stories—like exploring Will’s manly side as a gay man and Hanks’ incurable illness. If they want to represent gay men as part of the normal sector in our society, then they could probably represent them as simple as being another friendly neighbor from the block without a semi-romantic relationship with a straight female, but rather a nonchalant relationship with another man, or a successful lawyer who need not die at the end of the story just to gain recognition for his success as a lawyer; instead, he could just be another lawyer who saved the day—roles as simple as that, just like most heterosexuals portray. In that way, it will seem to be more realistic and fair for these people who usually live under the shadow of our judgmental society.

Plot and central idea in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” Essay

Shirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery† concerns a small town’s annual lottery drawing and the grim circumstances that ensue. In this short but disturbingly profound piece of work, Shirley Jackson communicates to the reader the theme of scapegoatism along with its implications concerning traditions. In the village where this lottery takes place, we find many familiar elements: a post office, a grocery store, schools and a coal mine. In this village, Mr. Summers owns the coal mine, so his business has made him the wealthiest man in the village. Mr. Summers also controls the annual lottery. He is somewhat uncomfortable with his authority but has chosen to carry on with the yearly tradition. The order in which the lottery drawings take place emphasizes who does and who doesn’t have power in the village’s social hierarchy. Men or working sons draw for their families. The few exceptions involve death or illness. Only then is a wife permitted to draw. It is evident that although everyone eventually participates in this drawing (children included), women are disenfranchised from the village social structure. As the villagers anxiously wait for the lottery to begin, the young boys rough play and gather piles of stones, while the girls socialize in their circles, watching the boys. Agriculture is the main staple of this village and a great emphasis seems to be placed on the bountifulness of crops. This is reinforced by Old Man Warner, a long time resident of the town, when he cites the expression, â€Å"Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.† There is timid talk by Mr. and Mrs. Adams of nearby villages doing away with the lottery, but the notion is quickly abolished when Warner calls these new thinkers â€Å"a pack of crazy fools.† He sarcastically suggests that perhaps they would be better off if they succumbed to living in caves and eating â€Å"stewed chicken weed and acorns.† As far as Old Man Warner is concerned, there has always been a lottery. As Mr. Summers begins to address the town gathering, Mrs. Hutchinson shows up  late, hurriedly joining her husband and family. She claims to have almost forgotten what day it was. Once the drawing commences, Mrs. Hutchinson rushes her husband on when his turn comes to draw with the remark, â€Å"Get up there, Bill.† The reader gets the impression that Mrs. Hutchinson holds little respect for either Mr. Summers or the lottery. The last round of the lottery concludes with Mrs. Hutchinson drawing the slip with the feared â€Å"black spot.† As the town and her own family members move in on her with stones, she cries out several times, â€Å"It isn’t fair, it isn’t right.† Her cries go unheard and we are uneasily left to hope that the villagers were swift with their proceedings. In this story, Shirley Jackson illustrates how traditions are passed down to our children, who tend to do what they are told without asking or knowing why. By the time we are mature enough to question morality, as long as it â€Å"isn’t fair† or â€Å"it isn’t right† to us, we are more willing to accept the condition of our surroundings rather than promote change.

Renewable Energy Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Renewable Energy - Research Proposal Example The trend of FDI is common among developed countries of the world including the United States. In the US, technologies have been developed and utilized efficiently to meet the needs of renewable energy in the country (Nations, 2010). However, with the increasing population and their demands of daily use for home, businesses and transport, it has become important to secure basis for the USs future energy needs and so the need of FDI in the energy sector. In an official report by OCO Global (2012), it was stated that the United State is facing challenges and lack of opportunities in terms of Foreign Direct Investment. Though, during the government of former president Bill Clinton it was noticed that $1 billion were invested in coal plant and a great many improvements had been made in solar and wind turbines. It is evident from the fact, at that time 1900, jobs were opened in solar energy sector and 3,300 jobs were offered in wind turbine sectors of energy industry. FDI market reports have revealed that there is an exceptional form of political and social force that prop up the development and evolution of renewable energy sources. On the other hand, it has been evaluated by the researchers that political leaders of the US and other countries as well emphasize on clearer and more sustainable sources of renewable energy that can help the country to fulfill future needs of the population (Energy Politics, 2012). AEO (2012) report discusses that previous and present both governments has always targeted to have set goals, when it comes to alternatives for renewable energy sources. Likewise, in the United States the New Energy for American program has a 25 percent target for coming years particularly focusing 2025. Payne and Yu, (2011) report discusses that an increasing flow of FDI in the United State can potentially accelerate the economic growth and

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

Drama - Essay Example Henceforth, the attitude created by the actor in the stage is critical because that attitude determines the environment and the thought the audience will have towards the script. Learning the tactics of acting in a theatre is very important. The actor must familiarize with the character and afterwards learn the details of the subject, which will enable the actor to assume the character and blend with other characters in the vicinity. Before an actor presents the character to the society, the actor must subject the character to the society viewpoint. Brecht and Mueller argue that Stanislavski method of physical action as advantageous in modern acting (160). Brecht and Mueller explain â€Å"first rehearsals the actor show the plot, the event, the business, convinced that feeling and mood will eventually take care of themselves† (160). Therefore, Stanislavski method of physical action gives time to an actor to transform to the character and as the rehearsal proceeds, empathy and mood eventually develop. Brecht and Mueller states that, â€Å"Stanislavski speaks of rhythms which sweep across scene† (160). Sometimes, the rhythm may be insignificant in a scene because of the manner in which an actor expresses the words. In addition, I also agree that the use of images during acting bring forth a better understanding to the audience. Although, Stanislavski system may be challenging to some actors, the system has incredible method of harmonizing several weakness during acting. The system also provides a platform for learning to new and weak actors. Moreover, the system can measure the actor’s talent through the actor’s ability to manage incomplete

Writing a memoir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing a memoir - Essay Example I once came face to face with my own feelings toward a bully that made me reassess my own ability to feel empathy toward someone who had never done anything but expressed profound hatred toward me and others. This bully's name was Fidel and he had a habit of picking on people. One day a kid fought back and Fidel was on the receiving end of a good old-fashioned whooping. My sympathy went toward Fidel who had been such a perfect model of a bully rather than the little kid who had avenged us all. Why Why on earth did I suddenly feel this compassion toward a person for whom I had never felt anything but contempt I realized that day that the mind is far more than a mystery; it is a comic mystery, forever capable of upending expectations. What I learned from feeling an unexpected depth of emotion toward someone that I normally feared and despised was that placing some kind of expectation upon emotions is senseless. Whenever I hear someone say something like "nobody would ever react in such and such a way" what they are really saying is everybody reacts the same way to every circumstance. My compassion for a brutal bully allows me to laugh at people expressing such remarkably unimaginative beliefs. The experience with Fidel and the intrusio

Legalizition of Recreational Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legalizition of Recreational Drugs - Essay Example In fact, the Eskimos are the only people lacking tradition because they have been unfortunate to grow anything and wait for other people to bring them alcohol. The use of drug is justified in that it represents human appetite. The question of drug legalization either for medicinal or recreational value refers to whether or not people should be allowed to legally sell, buy, and use drugs for their own personal pleasure. Human beings have used psychoactive drugs as back as many centuries ago. Many drugs are produced naturally by plants and easily accessed by people in society where they grow. Therefore, recreational drugs should be legalized in society and stop criminalization of people. If recreational are not legalized, criminalizing this drugs will cause more harm than good since it will create large profitable industry which supply these drugs. In addition, it will increase level of crime in society when people try to finance habits of the users. Psychoactive drugs have been incorp orated in social events such as celebrations, religious ceremonies, and rites of passage. When discussing the issue of recreational drugs, it is sensible to talk about the harm associated with these drugs. Drugs can be taken on regular basis with no ill basis but long-term exposure and intake of drugs is harmful. Majority of people die from drug induced causes such as organ damage, heart attack, and even overdose. Apart from the self-inflicted harm, there is harm that is caused to others in society such as increased crime rate from users who cannot control their system since drugs consumed inhibits their legitimate decisions. Theft and muggings are commonly associated with addiction and women who are under the influence of drugs would engage in prostitution without their own convictions to do so. Children born in families where parents are drug user’s end up homeless while family resources are depleted. The idea of selling and using drugs has both legal and moral issues. On o ne hand, if the government legalized the use of drugs in society, we can deduce whether application of such drugs is immoral or not. If the law allows an individual to engage or do certain things, it does not mean that the person should do it. On the other hand, even if use of drugs is not morally acceptable we can question ourselves whether the use of such drugs is illegal or not. The law has many flaws in that it allows us to do many things that are immoral such as saying lies to other people. These are some of the things that people should avoid morally; we do not tolerate situations where the laws command us on how to lead private lives (Clifford 52-53). The whole purpose and motive of using recreational drugs is for pleasure that they produce to the user. Search for pleasure comes natural to us as human beings. It is human nature that people are pleasure seeking and what makes life enjoyable is in pleasure of larger variety. There are pleasures in food, drugs, or romance. This way brain chemistry is altered in manner that provides unique pleasure to our body and through this; we seek what can bring pleasures in our lives (Clifford 55). Human beings seek pleasure in moderation, whereby pursuing pleasure is morally acceptable

COMAIR Regional Airlines Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

COMAIR Regional Airlines - Case Study Example The regional airline COMAIR, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, which serves routes in the United States, Canada and Europe is poised to become very competitive and profitable in 2010. COMAIR currently has 5,800 dedicated aviation professionals and services 511 daily flights to about 77 international and domestic destinations. The COMAIR is the preferred airline of choice by most business travellers and frequent travellers as it offers affordable airfares. COMAIR has gone from strength to strength by rapidly rolling out international routes and additional services for the customers. Another important cost factor for regional airlines is the national and local taxes imposed by the US government. Most countries treat airlines like cash cows by levying national prerogatives and taxes on them that results in higher costs of doing business. Another positive trend is that inspite of the US recession, the regional airlines do offer the safest form of transportation. Although US airlines carry 3.5 million passengers annually, the accident rate is very low compared to the accident rates of motor vehicles and maritime vessels. Another interesting and positive development is that air travel has improved its safety record over time. New US airline jets have more safeguards and safety measures which help minimize untoward accidents on air and on the ground. Among the interesting market players in the US airlines industry is COMAIR. For instance, COMAIR has been effective in four general areas of operations: 1) winning customers; 2) maintaining its fleet in excellent condition; 3) close relations with its pool of human resources, 4) keeping its finances viable. In general, COMAIR's is able to grow its equity over time (McCabe, 1998)COMAIR has increased international capacity by 15 percent in 2008 to address increasing demand. (International Herald Tribune, June 4, 2008) The company has consistently upgraded its fleet on a yearly basis. As regards its salary expenses, Comair's flight attendants have approved a US$7.9 million dollars in wage cuts intended to help the company recover from its financial difficulties. Fourth, COMAIR has been able to manage its finances well. The company has managed to keep unit revenues up and unit costs down. The airlines fly all their available seats, hence, the company managers try to increase their unit revenues on a quarterly basis. The COMAIR managers understand that most of the airline's costs are fixed. Approximately ten percent of costs go to services such as airport fees and air navigation services fees. Labor costs take up an average of 38 percent in the United States. Hence, the COMAIR managers have focused on decreasing the unit cost to bring down operations cost.In addition, the managers continue to manage near-term liquidity pressures. Cash collateral posting requirements had a material impact on its unrestricted cash positions since 2008. Delta Air Lines, stated on Dec. 2, 2008 that its projected cash collateral posting requirement at Dec. 31, 2008 would be approximately US $1.1 billion dollars.In response to the situation of the parent company, C OMAIR is focused on improvements in free cash flow as the key to liquidity preservation. In addition, the company has scaled-back aircraft financing commitments and has

Minerals and How We Use Them Essay Example for Free

Minerals and How We Use Them Essay Elements combine together to form different minerals and minerals combine to form rocks. There are 92 naturally occurring elements and with exception of a few inert elements like Gold, Platinum etc. , they combine together to form as many as 4000 minerals. Out of this large number of minerals only about two dozens are common (constitutes ~ 99% of Earth crust) and these are composed of about a dozen elements. These rock forming elements can be classified in five groups – silicates, carbonates, oxides and sulfates. In following sections we will briefly describe these minerals, their formation and usage. Silicates: Silicon is the 2nd most abundant element next to oxygen on the Earth crust. It combines with oxygen to form a tetragonal compound, SiO2, which combines together to form a large tetragonal structure. Besides, SiO2 combines with other metal oxides, to form their silicates. Some examples of common silicates are Olivine, Pyroxene, Amphibole, Micas, Feldspar etc. Carbonates: Carbonates CO32- are linear molecules consisting of carbon and oxygen. These ions are arranged in the form of sheet in minerals like Calcite and Dolomite. Oxides: Metals react with oxygen to form their oxides. Some important oxide minerals are Hematite (Fe2O3), Magnetite (Fe3O4), Chromite (Cr2O3), Cassiterite (SnO2) etc. Sulfides: These are metal-sulfur compounds. Some important sulfide compounds are known as Pyrites like Chalcopyrite, Fools Gold etc. These minerals have metallic luster. Sulfates: These are composed of metal ions and sulfate ions (SO42-). These minerals have practically no ore value to the date. However, these are used as compounds. One important sulfate mineral is Gypsum (CaSO4. 2H2O). Mineral Formation: Minerals form by crystallization and growth in a liquid. The liquid can be either a molten rock or an aqueous solution. When temperature of a molten rock or magma falls below freezing point of a mineral, the mineral crystallizes. Minerals do not have a sharp freezing point; instead they solidify over a range, depending on their composition. The first to solidify is the one having highest solidification point and this is Quartz, subsequently other metal silicates solidify. Minerals solidifying towards the end have lowest solidification point. Besides, minerals crystallize in aqueous solution as well. This happens when an aqueous solution having minerals at some temperature, becomes supersaturated due to change in temperature (generally cooling, but sometimes heating as well). In case of mineral precipitation from an aqueous solution, what is important is solubility and not the melting point of the mineral Properties of Mineral: Minerals are characterized by some of their unique properties like Crystal form, Hardness, Cleavage and Fracture, Color, Specific Gravity etc. crystal form of a mineral depends on the internal arrangement of the constituent atoms / ions. This leads to well developed faces of the crystal and is a very important clue of crystal identification. Hardness of a mineral depends on the bond strength of the constituent atoms / ions. It is measured on Mohs scale (1 to 10). Higher Mohs value implies higher hardness; 10 is for diamond and 1 for talc. Color: Color of a mineral depends on its chemical composition, structure and also on impurity content. This is also an important clue for mineral identification. Specific Gravity: This is a very important property of minerals and difference in specific gravity is utilized for mineral separation. Usages of Mineral: We use minerals in many different ways. These are used as such for example, sand as construction material, Limestone for making cement, Gypsum for making Plaster of Paris etc. Besides, metals, the backbone of today’s civilization, are extracted from their respective minerals. Some examples are Iron from hematite / magnetite, Copper from chalcopyrite, Uranium from uranite etc. Thus we can conclude that minerals are invaluable to us. Chapter 26: Rocks Rocks are the building block of the Earth crust. Therefore, we encounter rocks everywhere. The study of rocks is important as they give us clue of the geological past of the Earth, besides they contain in them minerals, which have great value for us. The Earth can be viewed as the churning ground for rocks, where rocks keep forming and changing their forms. Based on origin, rocks are classified in three categories – Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic. In subsequent paragraphs we will discuss briefly about these rocks. Igneous Rock: These are formed by solidification of magma. Magma is molten rock, which comes out from within the Earth crust during volcanic eruptions. It is useful to know formation of magma. As we go down the Earth Crust, its temperature rises at a rate of ~ 30 oC per kilometer. Thus at a sufficient depth, temperature of the rock is well above their melting point, but the rock is still solid due to the overhead pressure by the rocks above it. But due to tectonic movements, sometimes a hot solid rock moves up where pressure is less that needed to keep it solid, and then it melts and the molten magma rises above through cracks. The rising magma further reduces the pressure on it and causes formation of more magma. Also, sometimes, water comes in contact with hot rock through some cracks and water being foreign body or impurity, reduces melting point of the rock, which melts and thus magma is produced. The magma rises up through cracks and heats and melts the rocks in the way and thus creates more magma. The rising magma cools and solidifies and thus igneous rocks are formed. If the magma comes out of Earth’s surface (it is known as Lava) and solidifies then what is formed is Extrusive Rock, an important example is Basalt, which is low silica fast moving magma. If the magma solidifies within the ground itself, then what forms is Intrusive Rock or Plutons, an example is a Dike. Sedimentary Rocks: Weathering of rocks leads to formation of smaller fragments of rocks. This process can be either mechanical or chemical. The weathered rocks erode i. e. they are transported away to a new location by carrier agents like flowing water and wind. During transportation also, these fragments collide with each other and gets smoothened. When the carrying ability of these agents weakens, these fragments settle at those locations. The process continues and new lays keep depositing. The underlying layer is compressed by the top layers and densifies and thus is formed a layered Rock structure, known as sedimentary rock. If the sediments are composed of small rock fragments, this is called Clastic, while those formed by chemical precipitation are called chemical sediments. Clastic sedimentary rocks are classified according to their constituent particle sizes. Fine seiments are clay, silt and sand and they form rocks like Mudstone Shale, Siltstone and Sandstone respectively. Coarse sediments are pebble, cobble and boulder and they form Conglomerates. Chemical sedimentary rocks are formed by precipitation from supersaturated aqueous solutions. Some examples of chemical sedimentary rocks are Limestone, Dolomite, and halites; halites are formed by evaporation of lakes or seawater. Many fossils are preserved in the sedimentary rocks and they give clues to the life in past. Metamorphic rocks When a rock mass – igneous as well as sedimentary, is brought in a region (by natural process) where temperature and or pressure is too high for existence of the rock, then is changes its form and the process is termed metamorphism (change in shape) and the resulting rock is metamorphic rock. The metamorphism can be brought about by recrystallization or mechanical deformation. Some examples of metamorphic rocks are Granite (from lime stone), Diamond (from coal or graphite), etc. Rock cycle refers to a cycle through which these rocks – igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic, keep changing into each other by the different forces of Nature. Chapter 28: Occurrence and Movement of Water Life evolved on the Earth in water (oceans) and water is essential for life. More than 70% of Earth’s surface is covered with water. Therefore, it is important to understand about this precious material and its cycle. Hydrological cycle refers to the chain of processes through which water moves from different forms (ice, water and water vapor) and different reservoirs (oceans, rivers, glaciers) etc. , while its amount remains more or less constant between different forms and reservoirs. About 97% of Earth’s water is in Oceans which covers more than 70% of Earths surface. About 2% is locked in polar icecaps and glaciers and remaining less than 1% is distributed between water vapors, ground water, rivers and lakes. The process of evaporation moves water from oceans into the atmosphere as water vapor, approximately 75% of which rains back into the oceans and thus hydrological water cycle is complete for the 75% of the water vapors. Remaining 25% rains on the ground and thus the water cycle gets is prolonged. Because, the water falling on ground is distributed among ground water, river water, glaciers, lakes etc. In subsequent paragraphs we will discuss briefly about these reservoirs. Ground Water About 98. 5% of fresh waters stay beneath the ground in the pores, in the form of Ground water and soil moisture. Beneath the ground, there is a region where all the pores are filled completely with water. This region is called saturated zone. Above this zone and up to the Earth’s surface there exists unsaturated zone or a zone where the pores are partially filled with water and air. The amount of rainwater that can be absorbed as ground water depends on the nature of the soil i. e. how porous or dense it is. While porous soil absorbs more of rainwater, the dense rocks and soil absorb less of it and let remaining flow as rivers. The water table refers to the level which demarcates the saturated and unsaturated zones. The water table is not having a flat profile rather it is having a profile of its own. Therefore, water is not stationery in saturated zone; rather it flows under pressure head. The water bearing underground regions where water can flow is known as Aquifers. The flow rate of water through an Aquifer depends on hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer and the hydraulic head. The aquifers are of two types – unconstrained and constrained. In unconstrained aquifer, the sediment over the water table is permeable and allows recharge of aquifer. In confined aquifer, the aquifer is confined between impermeable rocks. In such aquifers recharge is not from directly above rather the recharge zone is in the unconfined region at a higher elevation. In such aquifers, we have Artesian wells and Artesian springs. Streams are flowing surface water like rivers. They receive water from rains as well as from melting of glacier and transport the same into oceans or sometimes into large lakes. The stream speed depends on stream gradient, stream discharge and channel geometry. The stream gradient is largest near the head and here the channel shape is generally V-shaped and stream speed is very high. As the stream proceeds towards moth, the stream gradient decreases and therefore, stream speed also decreases and the channel geometry becomes wide and shallow. Drainage basin refers to a network of streams which receives all the rain water in that geographical region and carries it to the oceans. Glaciers are large masses of ice, which move under their own weight due to plastic deformation as well as melting of ice under pressure. A glacier accumulates during winter and it ablates into water by moving down to warmer elevations, where it melts. Glaciers are the origin of the famous river basins which have water through out the year. The oceans are the largest water mass having more than 97% of water on the Earth. The average depth of oceans is 3800 meters much larger than the average height of the mainland (~800) above the mean sea level. The boundary between the continents and the oceans is called Continental margin. This consists of continental shelf (the submerged portion of the margin) and continental slope and a continental rise. Waves are produced in oceans due to the wind and these waves superimpose with each other and create different patterns.