Thursday, October 31, 2019

Hotel Revenue Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 153

Hotel Revenue Management - Essay Example The assessment should be done from different perspectives, which include customers, organisation, and from the human resource point of view. Evaluation strategy enhances acceptability of the changes and has the potential of improving a quality of services offered. Hotel revenue management is fundamental to success in the competitive hospitality industry. Hotels revenue management implies selling the appropriate room to the best client at the most competitive price on the right supply channel. Hotel rooms are considered as perishable products owing to their limited number. Hence, the satisfaction of customer needs and settling for the right price are the main variables to be considered. Revenue management will strive to achieve equilibrium of demand and capacity by predicting and setting prices that ably maximise the utility of all the resources in the hotel (LegoheÃŒ rel, Poutier and Fyall 2013: 96) Emphasis has to be placed on two very important concepts in hotel revenue management. These are rooms’ revenue per available room (RevPAR) and gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR). RevPAR is used in analysis as a reflection of revenue accrued per available room. The parameter is got from dividing the net revenue collected from a hotel room and the total number of rooms present in the particular hotel. Besides, the value can be arrived at by multiplication of the daily average room rate (ADR) the occupancy of the room. It is, therefore, able to monitor the performance of the system inventory management of the hotel room. Maximisation of RevPAR is the main objective of hotel managements, thus the trade-off between average rate and occupancy. It is very evident that revenue collected from rooms in the hotel constitutes a large portion of the overall revenue generated. Thus, more emphasis should be placed on revenue management in regards to rooms.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Film A Whale of a Ride Essay Example for Free

The Film A Whale of a Ride Essay The film â€Å"Whale Rider† took me on a whale of an emotional ride. Though there is a recurrent and overarching feeling of â€Å"great-whale-in-the-sea† calm, strength and beauty, there is a strong undercurrent of emotional turmoil, with which each of the main characters struggle. Each experiences an Eriksonian/Psychosocial crisis: At 12 years old, the main character, Paikea â€Å"Pai,† has successfully navigated through Erikson’s first four stages. She exhibits much industry over inferiority, with more skills and competence than her peers. Riding her bicycle, she passes a bus full of boys, she beats hemi in a taiaha (fighting stick) challenge, she’s always a lead in local cultural performances, and her writing earns her a prestigious award. Pai’s struggle is in the Identity vs. Identity/Role Confusion stage. She wants so much to become the leader that she feels called to be, and is obviously equipped to be, but her father, and Maori tribe tradition, doesn’t allow a female to be chief/leader. She’s torn between her desire to lead, and her Paka’s and tribe’s refusal to allow her to lead. At one point, she nearly leaves for Europe with her father, before being called back to stay on the island by the whales. Pai stays true to her â€Å"true† self, and her virtue is fidelity. ï‚ · Grandfather, Koro (a.k.a. Paka), experiences Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair. He’s obviously been very generative in raising Pai to be such an amazing young lady. However, due to his Maori tradition â€Å"blinders,† he begins to stagnate, because he won’t allow Pai to continue on her path to leadership. Along with his slide from generativity to stagnation, he moves from integrity to despair, despairing that as much as he wants it, and as hard as he’s working for it, a new Maori leader/chief escapes him. It’s not until the end of the story that Koro breaks free from his â€Å"inside-the-box† thinking, stagnation and despair, and embraces Pai as a gifted leader, saying to her â€Å"wise leader, forgive me. I am but a fledgling new to flight.† Now that’s generativity and integrity in action! It’s  uplifting to see Koro regain his caring and wisdom. Like Koro, grandmother, Nani, experiences Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair. But unlike him, makes much more of an effort to stay in generativity and integrity. She slips into despair, only when it seems that stubborn Koro m ight never accept Pai, or any of his children, as they are, for who they are. This is when Nani leaves him, bringing Pai along with her. She possesses all of Erikson’s stages’ virtues, especially love, care and wisdom. Pai’s father, Porourangi, experiences Identity vs. Identity/Role Confusion, and Intimacy vs. Isolation. He affirms his identity as an artist based in Europe, in the face of Koro’s challenge that he should be leading, or at least staying with and supporting, his people. After obviously sharing deep intimacy with his wife, he found new love with a woman in Europe, with whom he fathered another child. It was clear that Porourangi shared intimacy and understanding with Pai, despite the fact that they lived so far apart. He also shared a love-hate intimacy with Koro, apparent in their greeting embrace, followed by their angry dispute. Uncle Rawiri, also experiences Identity vs. Identity/Role Confusion, and Intimacy vs. Isolation. He initially assumes the identity of his dead-beat friends: a â€Å"live-for-today† slacker. He seeks intimacy with his girlfriend, and to a lesser degree, with his buddies. When Pai asks him for help learning taiaha, Rawiri begins to recreate his identity as a strong, fit, Maori tribesman. He even starts jogging on the beach! In addition to establishing a stronger identity, he builds upon his intimacy with Pai, and gains generativity and integrity as he teaches her and helps her along. Koro’s parenting pattern seems to be a mix of Authoritative and Authoritarian Parenting (page 264). Based upon how well-adjusted Pai is at the age of 12, it’s apparent that Koro and Nani use plenty of authoritative parenting. However, when it came to Pai’s stepping out of the Maori traditional â€Å"box,† Koro took a much more authoritarian approach, disciplining Pai harshly, and giving her no opportunity to discuss her opinion or emotions. Part of Koro’s punishment was his aloofness and withholding of affection. Since Pai was likely more used to Koro’s and Nani’s authoritative approach, it must have been that much more difficult for her to bear Koro’s authoritarian  parenting. I appreciate that Pai reaches a stage of Kohlberg’s Three Levels and Six Stages of Moral Reasoning (page 336), that’s beyond her years. While most 12-year-olds would function in Level 2, Stage 3: â€Å"good girl† and â€Å"nice boy,† and some in Level 2, Stage 4: â€Å"law and order,† Pai achieves the morality of Level 3, Stage 5: â€Å"social contract,† and Stage 6: â€Å"universal ethical principles.† It would be much easier for her to follow Level 2 moral reasoning, following Koro’s wishes, and staying within the traditional Maori â€Å"good girl† and â€Å"law and order† moral boundaries. But urged on by a passion for her family, people, history and beautiful local sea and island wildlife, she rightfully breaks the Maori social contract and follows universal ethical principles, in order to bring hope and life back to the whales, her family and people. She does so by asserting her leadership, in opposition to Ko ro and her Maori community’s tradition of male leadership. I loved this movie because it was so visually and aurally beautiful, and the characters were passionate and believable. Pai has passion for her family, people, traditions and natural surroundings,. Koro has the same, but is forced to wrestle with the realization that there are no Maori boys or men qualified to lead. It was a joy to see him figure it out in the end, and head out to sea alongside Pai, who was everything he yearned for but couldn’t see that it/she was right in front of him. Nani is an amazing, passionate nurturer, who knows how to, for the most part, run things, while keeping Koro thinking that he’s in charge. Being an artist myself, I appreciated Porourangi’s passion for his art and family though it was obvious why he couldn’t live with Koro. It was fun to see Rawiri’s passion for teaching Pai the â€Å"old ways† carry over to influence him to clean up his own act. I dream of someday positively impacting people with my art, in the face of many voices (often including my own), which say that it’s not practical or possible. So it was encouraging for me to see Pai hold on to her dream and succeed. The scenes that stood out for me were the ones that showed Maori culture: Rawiri, and later, Pai, demonstrating their taiaha skills, Pai’s performances, and the final scenes of boat-launching festivities. I also appreciated the awkward, mostly silent dinner scene after Koro caught Pai taiaha fighting with Hemi, the humorous scenes with the under-achieving boys, and the imaginatively shot and magical  whale-riding scenes.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Biography of Katherine Johnson

Biography of Katherine Johnson This autobiography is focused on Katherine Johnson, the human computer and mathematician. Her triumphs were a part of the civil rights movement, as she was one of the few federally employed African Americans specifically by NASA. While continuously fighting for the betterment of her education and career, she was successful in helping put the first man into space. In fact, it was John Glenn himself who requrested Mr. Johnsons confirmation of the BMIs calculations before boarding Friendship 7. She was a necessity in the launch and landing of Americas first space shuttle, providing to millions of Americans that a black person was just as capable as any. She was also the first black women integrated into West Virginia Universitys college. Her contributions to our country rewarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Katherine Johnson was born in our very own home state on August twenty-sixth in the early fall of nineteen eighteen. She was born and raised in White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Her mother and father were Joshua and Joylette Coleman. She wa the youngest of four siblings, and both of her parents worked; her mother was a teacher and her father worked at the Greenbrier Hotel. They both loved Katherine dearly and wanted to further her education once they realized the great potential that she had. Many African Americans her age did not go past the eighth grade. Quickly, her parents enrolled all four of their children into high school on the campus of West Virginia State College. Traveling back and forth one hundred and fifty miles to White Sulphur Springs and Institute gave Katherine the opportunity to dream big just at the age of ten. Once Katherine graduated high school, she applied and was accepted into West Virginia State College which may also be known as West Virginia State University today. During her childhood she loved numbers, growing up she loved numbers, and as she aged she grew into a mathematician. While attending college, Katherine took advantage of every opportunity given to her. Many of Katherines professors recognized her determination as she took every math course available. A woman named W.W. Schiefflin Claytor even went to lengths to create her new math courses. At the age of eighteen, Katherine graduated college and accepted a teaching position at an African American public school in Virginia. Shortly after graduation, she met her first husband, James Goble, and married him in year of nineteen thirty-nine. Being the first African American in history to desegregate West Virginia University, Katherine enrolled into the graduate program. After one session, she decided to quit and start a family. Luckily at a family gathering, thirteen years later in nineteen fifty-two, a relative mentioned that the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was hiring mathematicians. The next year, she was offered a job which she accepted and became a part of NASA. Until nineteen fifty-eight, Katherine worked as a computer analyzing topics such as gust alleviation for aircraft. She was then assigned to help the male flight research team temporarily. Blowing away her bosses and colleagues with analytic geometry proved her position there, so she stayed. Taking on racial and gender discrimination was hard for Katherine; however, she persevered by ignoring them and sticking to her work. Throughout her career, she worked as an aerospace technologist, and was promoted to the Spacecraft Control Branch. She contributed and took place in major historical events and accomplishments for America such as John Glenns orbit around Earth, the Mercury mission, and putting the first man into space! She was expected to calculated trajectories, launch windows, and to plot navigational plots for astronauts in case of electronic failures. John Glenn specifically asked officials to have Katherine verify the calculations made by the computer, stating that he refused to fly otherwise. Her work ensured Alan Shepards Freedom 7 Mercury capsule would be found after it had landed. Her trajectories were required for the nineteen sixty-nine Apollo 11 flight to the moon. She helped creating a one-star observation system that would allow astronauts to determine their location with accuracy; After all, her concern was getting them (astronauts) back. Since there, she has worked on the Space Shuttl e program, the Earth Resources Satellite, and on plans for a mission to Mars. West Virginia University presented her with a Presidential Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for attaining national and international preeminence in the field of astrophysics and providing distinguished leadership and service in her field while the former President of the United States awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Friday, October 25, 2019

A Comparison of London and Ozymandias :: Poems Poetry Civilization Essays

A Comparison of London and Ozymandias A theme of Mortality lives in both poems. In "London" Blake talks about the death and suffering of people, and in "Ozymandias" Shelley talks about the death of a civilisation. A sense of someone dominating, someone with greater power occurs in both poems. In "London" the rich have this upper hand against the poor, in "Ozymandias" this great leader is said to have this strength over his enemies and his own people. In "Ozymandias" Shelley writes about a fallen empire, a civilisation that must have gone down hill because now there is no sign of it. In "London" Blake tells us that the poorer people of this city are going through a bad time, their empire has fallen like Ozymandias's empire, but in this case London has not collapsed. Blake writes about how London had drifted to a time of poverty and disease. Moods ----- The two poems, both give a feeling of depression and melancholy to the reader. Shelley uses different words to create this effect, while Blake writes how everyone is sad and weak. Great arrogance is shown in both poems. In "Ozymandias" the king shows that he is arrogant, he describes himself on the pedestal, he talks about how great and powerful ruler he is. In "London" the arrogance of the church compares to this. In "London" the rich betray the poor, because they have put their name on everything. In "Ozymandias" the sculptor betrays the king when the statue is being made. Styles ------ Both poems have phonological techniques like alliteration, rhyme and onomatopoeia. They are both concisely written and although short in length are packed with layers of meaning and content. Strong modifiers are used throughout both poems, which creates tension. Good adjectives also help with imagery give a clear mental picture; for example when Ozymandias's face is described, with its sneer and frown. Differences ----------- Themes ------ In "Ozymandias" Shelley writes about an ancient civilisation. The poem is written in past tense. Blake writes about the London he is witnessing; "London" is written in the present tense. An obvious difference is that Blake writes about a civilisation, which is in existence while Shelley writes about a civilisation that has been disintegrated. The strength of authority is maintained in "London" while in "Ozymandias" it has dissipated. Moods ----- "Ozymandias" fills you with mystery about where the traveller came

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Lymphatic system Essay

1.What is the significance of a lower-than-normal hematocrit? What is the effect of a bacterial infection on the hematocrit? A lower than normal hematocrit indicates anemia, a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to the body tissues. If you have a bacterial infection, your white blood cell count would increase because as the wbc’s are fighting off the infection they die off releasing a chemical into the blood stream that tells your body to increase production of white blood cells. With a higher production of white blood cells the red blood cell production would slightly decrease which would decrease the ratio of rbc’s to whole blood volume. 2.Compare the development of lymphocytes with the development of the other formed elements. Lymphocytes have a lifetime measured in years most formed elements of the blood are continually dying and being replaced within hours, days, and weeks. 3.What is erythropoiesis? Which factors speed up and slow down erythropoiesis? Erythropoiesis is the production of red blood cells – Erythropoiesis is speeded up when oxygen delivery to the kidneys falls, and slows down when there is sufficient oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. 4.Explain what would happen if a person with type B blood were given a transfusion of type O blood. Nothing would happen. O type blood is universal and can be given to any blood type. 5.During an anatomy and physiology exam you are asked to view white blood cells in prepared slides of standard human blood smears. Based on the observations below, what is the name and function of each WBC? a) Lymphocyte – Major combatant in immune responses b) Basophil – Intensifies the inflammatory reaction, and is involved in hypersensitivity reactions. c) Monocyte – Phagocytosis and cell debris cleanup d) Neutrophil – Active in phagocytosis e) Eosinophil – Releases enzymes that combat the effects of histamine and other substances involved in inflammation during allergic reactions. They also phagocytize antigen-antibody complexes and are effective against  certain parasitic worms. 6.Why would the level of leukocytes be higher in an individual who has been infected with a parasitic disease? The presence of the parasitic microorganisms triggers an immune response in the body of the infected individual. The leukocytes are then produced in large amounts in order to protect the body. 7.In regions where malaria is endemic, some people build up immune resistance to the malaria pathogen. Which WBCs are responsible for the immune response against pathogens? How do they function? White blood cells or leukocytes are vital cells of the immune system protecting the human body against infections, bacteria, microbes, viruses and pathogens. These cells are produced in the stem of the bone marrow and are composed of granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) and non-granulocytes (lymphocytes and monocytes). White blood cells act as the defending army of the human immune system providing a shield against several diseases and viruses. A genetically weak or defective immune system can lead to increased susceptibility to infection, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. 8.What is the function of prothrombinase and throbin in clotting? Explain how the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of blood clotting differ. Prothrombinase coverts prothrobin into the enzyme thrombin and thrombin converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin. The extrinsic pathway occurs very rapidly with a tissue protein leaking into the blood from damaged tissues outside the blood vessels; the intrinsic pathway is more complex, occurs more slowly, and its activators are either in direct contact with blood or contained within the blood.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Gaius Marius

Gaius Marius By Michelle Dillow Gaius Marius was a man who rose from nothing into everything. He was called a â€Å"novus homo† which means New Man, because he was not Roman by birth, and did not have family in politics. Lady Fortune was on his side. He had money, married into a noble family, and obtained the highest political office in the Roman republic seven times. This accomplishment was almost impossible for anyone not born of Roman blood. He was a â€Å"vir militarisâ€Å", a Military man, and a brilliant general that knew how to command armies. He treated his soldiers like people and was very concerned about their welfare and benefits. His concerns were for the common people of Rome and for nationals who could not gain citizenship. He knew the republic was failing and he wanted to change it for the better. Marius had many friends and many enemies. Both his friends and enemies were powerful. Gaius Julius Caesar saw the potential to be great in Marius. He knew Marius wanted to be consul, and knew that Marius deserved the position. Marius had been elected as Quaestor years before. Gaius Julius knew that he was too old to be consul, so he decided to offer Marius marriage to his daughter, Julia. This would bring Marius into a noble family and would be his starting point on obtaining consulship. Julia was a good wife to Marius while he was away on his military campaigns. Marius also cared a lot for his family, which he only had one child, but was very affectionate toward them. Another friend was Publius Rutilius Rufus. Publius Rutilius knew of Marius’ genius in war strategy and kept him up to date with the dealings of Rome during Marius’ consulship. Marius wanted to expand the size of the army by allowing any able bodied person to enlist. Before He also helped Marius gain control in the defense against the Germans. Rome only wanted people who could afford to buy their own equipment. This was not eno... Free Essays on Gaius Marius Free Essays on Gaius Marius Gaius Marius By Michelle Dillow Gaius Marius was a man who rose from nothing into everything. He was called a â€Å"novus homo† which means New Man, because he was not Roman by birth, and did not have family in politics. Lady Fortune was on his side. He had money, married into a noble family, and obtained the highest political office in the Roman republic seven times. This accomplishment was almost impossible for anyone not born of Roman blood. He was a â€Å"vir militarisâ€Å", a Military man, and a brilliant general that knew how to command armies. He treated his soldiers like people and was very concerned about their welfare and benefits. His concerns were for the common people of Rome and for nationals who could not gain citizenship. He knew the republic was failing and he wanted to change it for the better. Marius had many friends and many enemies. Both his friends and enemies were powerful. Gaius Julius Caesar saw the potential to be great in Marius. He knew Marius wanted to be consul, and knew that Marius deserved the position. Marius had been elected as Quaestor years before. Gaius Julius knew that he was too old to be consul, so he decided to offer Marius marriage to his daughter, Julia. This would bring Marius into a noble family and would be his starting point on obtaining consulship. Julia was a good wife to Marius while he was away on his military campaigns. Marius also cared a lot for his family, which he only had one child, but was very affectionate toward them. Another friend was Publius Rutilius Rufus. Publius Rutilius knew of Marius’ genius in war strategy and kept him up to date with the dealings of Rome during Marius’ consulship. Marius wanted to expand the size of the army by allowing any able bodied person to enlist. Before He also helped Marius gain control in the defense against the Germans. Rome only wanted people who could afford to buy their own equipment. This was not eno...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Describe the cognitive processes required when preparing for examinations The WritePass Journal

Describe the cognitive processes required when preparing for examinations Introduction Describe the cognitive processes required when preparing for examinations ). The aptitude to process information selectively through attention, and retain information in a way in which is accessible through the working memory are two imperative aspects of cognitive capacity. While evidence indicates that attention plays little role in the maintenance of information encoded in the memory (Fougnie, 2008), it has been suggested that there are strong links between the working memory and attention faculties of the cognitive mind during the encoding and manipulation process of knowledge acquisition (Cherry 2014; Fougnie, 2008). Theoretical models of the working memory commonly describe a role for attention. However, between these different models, the exact role for attention has not been agreed on and remains vaguely unclear, thus debates about which processing stage that attentional selection occurs (Fougnie, 2008). The most widely accepted model of memory is the Working Memory Model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch in 1974. In this model, attention is the mediator between sensory memory and the central executive, where sub functions such as the phonological store and the visuospatial sketch pad, two short term memory stores, hold short term auditory and visual information respectively. These are known as the ‘slave systems’ and provide evidence as to how humans are able to multitask. According to the working memory model, the information from these slave systems are then transferred back to the central executive whereby they are encoded in the long-term memory (Fougnie, 2008). These findings provide an outline to which cognitive processes occur during exam preparation, where students attempt to retain information that they will later on retrieve. Yet, further research suggests that learning and retaining information for exams may be a more complex procedure than those outlined by memory models (Hill, 2009). Ebbinghaus (1885) investigated the method in which the retention and forgetting of information occur. The establishment of the forgetting curve provided insight into how memories dissipate over a period of time (Groome, Brace, Dewart, Edgar, Edgar, Esgate, Kemp, Pike Stafford, 2006). Similarly, Bartlett’s Story Recall experiment (1932) lent insight to the notion that information is required to hold semantic value in order to be remembered (Groome, et al., 2006). Thus, according to Hill (2009), the most effective ways for students to memorise information for their exams is through repetition, elaboration and organisation. To further elaborate on the suggestions of Ebbinghaus (1885), Bartlett (1932) and Hill (2009), researchers proposed several studies in sustenance. Ebbinghaus (1885) further stated that in order to avoid forgetting and enhance memory, repetition was significantly valuable. Making use of the ‘mind’s voice’, the phonological loop, the cycle o f learning and accurately recalling strengthens the memory, thus making exam preparation easier as less time will be required to re-learn the material, hence why revising for exams more than once improves recall (Hill, 2009). Moreover, in favour of Bartlett (1932), it has been found that information possessing semantic value is recalled more efficiently (Craik Tulving, 1975; Ley, 1978). It may be hypothesised that the explanation of is deduced to the attention function of the working memory selecting meaningful information in order to enhance the individual’s performance based on prior learning and experience. Based on these findings, mnemonics may be suggested as an effective revision tool, since associating information with vivid visual imagery and words has proven enhanced recall (Bower, 1972). Furthermore, presenting information in a structured manner in which meaning is conveyed has been found to facilitate recall (Hill, 2009). By grouping or ordering materials in an or ganised manner, the individual will take advantage of the mind’s existing method of representing information semantically, thus making the information easier to encode and retrieve through memory. For example, Ley et al (1978) found that presenting medical information to patients in an organised and structured way improved their recall up to 25%. Thus, it is suggested that students adequately organise their learning materials in a semantic manner in order to prepare for their exams in the most resourceful way. Although the literature has provided rich evidence to support the notion that the memory and attention faculties play a major role in exam preparation, there are also relevant limitations in need of addressing. The working memory model has been criticised as being invalid, as when new studies propose findings that do not fit with the current working memory model, the working memory model is modified in order to accommodate the new findings. This makes it difficult to falsify the model or replace it with a new one, and indicates that any research findings based on the working memory model are void (Neath Nairne , 1995). Moreover, the findings of Ebbinghaus (1885) have been questioned, as the subject of his study was himself. Without any objective findings, researchers believe the results of the forgetting curve to be unreliable (Hill, 2009). Despite these criticisms, later research based on both the working memory model and the forgetting curve has successfully uncovered new findings on the cognitive processes involved in memory (Groome, et al., 2006). In conclusion, the findings in the literature have lent ample support to the notion that exam preparation heavily relies on the cognitive processes of attention and memory. The literature has indicated that these two faculties work conjointly in order to achieve long-term memory. Studies on the Working Memory Model have identified the specific roles of the two cognitive processes, and the literature has provided further support on how the working memory model is vital in exam revision through detailed descriptions of these functions. Studies on memory retention and forgetting have implicated that repetition, elaboration and organisation are the key skills that an individual needs to employ whist preparing for exams in order to maintain an optimal memory capacity for the revised information. Regardless of the limitations associated with the research done on memory, the working memory model still stands as a strong representative for the cognitive process involved in exam preparation. References Baddeley, A.D. Hitch, G.J. (1974). Working memory, in G.H. Bower (Ed.),  The Psychology of Learning and Motivation: Advances in Research and Theory. Vol. VIII. 47-90, New York: Academic Press. Bartlett, F.C. (1932). Remembering. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bower, G.H. (1972). Mental imagery and associative learning. In L. Gregg (Ed.), Cognition in Learning and Memory, 51-88. Broadbent, D. E. (1957) A mechanical model for human attention and immediate memory. Psychological Review, 64. 205-215. Cherry, K. (2014). Top 10 Memory Improvement Tips. Retrieved from: http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/memory_tips.htm Accessed: 12/03/14 Craik, F.I.M. Tulving, E. (1975). Depth of processing and the retention of words in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology, General, 104. 268-294. Cowan, N. (1995) Attention and memory: an integrated framework. New York: Oxford University Press. Dosher, B.A. (1999) Item interference and time delays in working memory: Immediate serial recall. International Journal of Psychology Special Issue: Short term/working memory, 34. 276-284. Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). ÃÅ"ber das Gedchtnis. Untersuchungen zur experimentellen Psychologie. Leipzig: Dunker Humbolt. Estes, W. K. (1969)  Reinforcement  in human learning. In J. Tapp (Ed.), Reinforcement and behavior. New York: Academic Press. Fougnie, D. (2008). The Relationship Between Attention and Working Memory. New Research on Short Term Memory. 1-45. Groome, D., Brace, N., Dewart, H., Edgar, G., Edgar, H., Esgate, A., Kemp, R., Pike, G. Stafford, D. (2006). An introduction to cognitive psychology. Processes and disorders. Second Edition. East Sussex: Psychology Press. Hill, G. (2009). AS A Level Psychology Through Diagrams: Oxford Revision Guides. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Julesz, B. (1971). Foundations of cyclopean perception. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Kandel, E. R. (1976) Cellular basis of behavior: An introduction to behavioural neurobiology. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman. Livingstone, M.S. and Hubel, D.H. (1988) Segregation of form, colour, movement and depth: Anatomy, physiology and perception. Science, 240. 740–749. Ley, P. (1978)  Memory  for medical information. In Gruneberg, M.M., Morris, P.E. Sykes, R.N. (eds) Practical Aspects of  Memory. London: Academic Press. Lu, Z.L. Dosher, B.A. (2007). Cognitive Psychology. Scholarpedia.2(8), 2769. Luce, D. R. (1959) Individual choice behavior; a theoretical analysis. New York: Wiley. Neath, I. Nairne, J.S. (1995). Word length effects in immediate memory: Overwriting the trace decay theory. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 2, 429-441. Posner, M.I. (1980). Orienting of attention. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 32, 3-25. Roediger III, H. L. (2002) Processing approaches to cognition: The impetus from the levels-of-processing framework. Memory, 10. 319-332. Treisman, A. M. (1969) Strategies and models of selective attention. Psychological Review, 76. 282-299. Ungerleider, L.G. Mishkin, M. (1982) In D.J. Ingle, M.A. Goodale, R.J.W. Mansfield (Eds.). Analysis of visual behavior. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. von Neumann, J. Morgenstern, O. (1944). Theory of Games and Economic Behavior, Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Free Essays on On Descartes Ontological Argument And How It Doesnt Work

In Descartes fifth meditation he tried to use a proof of God’s existence that is known as the ontological argument. I will attempt in this paper to refute the argument. I will be using some citations from Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, and will also be using some of my own thoughts and thoughts that are derived from class discussion. I think that it is important to first try to arrange Descartes’ argument into point form, so as to better be able to analyze it. I have translated Descartes argument like this: 1. If I clearly and distinctly perceive some property as belonging to the idea of some thing, then that property really does belong to that thing. 2. The idea of God is of a perfect being. 3. Not existing would be an imperfection. 4. Since the idea of God is of a perfect being, it must be true of the idea that it has the property of always existing, and I clearly and distinctly perceive this. 5. Thus it follows from premises 1 and 4 that God must exist. Now that we have the argument in point form, let us move on and see where it is weak to criticism. Let us begin with the first premise. We can argue that this very first premise already assumes the existence of God. For what Descartes is saying is, let us suppose a thing, simply as an idea. If this idea has this property, and I clearly and distinctly perceive it as having that property, then the object that corresponds to the idea must have that property. How did we get from the idea of the thing to there really being a thing that has all the properties that the idea has. Another objection can be raised by examining the example of a mountain and a valley, the same example that Descartes uses . He says that it is impossible for us to separate the idea of a mountain from a valley, but it surely does not follow that a mountain and a valley exist in the world, only that were there to be one, there would be the other. This however is not the same way with God... Free Essays on On Descartes Ontological Argument And How It Doesn't Work Free Essays on On Descartes Ontological Argument And How It Doesn't Work In Descartes fifth meditation he tried to use a proof of God’s existence that is known as the ontological argument. I will attempt in this paper to refute the argument. I will be using some citations from Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, and will also be using some of my own thoughts and thoughts that are derived from class discussion. I think that it is important to first try to arrange Descartes’ argument into point form, so as to better be able to analyze it. I have translated Descartes argument like this: 1. If I clearly and distinctly perceive some property as belonging to the idea of some thing, then that property really does belong to that thing. 2. The idea of God is of a perfect being. 3. Not existing would be an imperfection. 4. Since the idea of God is of a perfect being, it must be true of the idea that it has the property of always existing, and I clearly and distinctly perceive this. 5. Thus it follows from premises 1 and 4 that God must exist. Now that we have the argument in point form, let us move on and see where it is weak to criticism. Let us begin with the first premise. We can argue that this very first premise already assumes the existence of God. For what Descartes is saying is, let us suppose a thing, simply as an idea. If this idea has this property, and I clearly and distinctly perceive it as having that property, then the object that corresponds to the idea must have that property. How did we get from the idea of the thing to there really being a thing that has all the properties that the idea has. Another objection can be raised by examining the example of a mountain and a valley, the same example that Descartes uses . He says that it is impossible for us to separate the idea of a mountain from a valley, but it surely does not follow that a mountain and a valley exist in the world, only that were there to be one, there would be the other. This however is not the same way with God...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Burj khalifa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Burj khalifa - Research Paper Example Some of the materials used for assembling the building are aluminum, steel, and concrete. It is appealing to recognize that all the aluminum used in the construction can make about five aircrafts. The total length of steel used is equivalent to 293 times Eiffel Tower’s height. Additionally, total amount of concrete used for its construction can construct a concrete pavement of about 2,065 kilometers (The Knowledge 1). The best means of transport that one can use when going to Burj Khalifa is a plane. This trip may take one week because of the travelling process and many places that one has to visit in the building. There are many hotels where one can stay whenever they are not touring. The best hotel around the place is the Armani hotel. The weather around the skyscraper is hot steamy, and this makes the building glass walls to produce water droplets dues to condensation (The Telegraph 1). The water droplets can be collected into the water tank placed at the car park that cools the plants and other landscape features around the building. About 15,000 liters of water that can fill about twenty Olympic-sized pools is usually collected annually due to condensation. During the cold season, there is usually fog and the building rises above the fog. â€Å"The area experience heavy fog during cold seasons because of the areas’ steamy climate â€Å"(The Telegraph 1). Burj Khalifa is one of the major tourist attractions in Dubai. The place is worth visiting because in the modern history, there is no other building that has raised so much curiosity around the world. At the top of this modern architecture, one can experience engineering wonders. One can have a lucid view of the striking world from the top of this building. In the building, there are multimedia presentations that will enable one know many fascinating things the building and about Dubai in general (Burj Khalifa 1). In

Friday, October 18, 2019

Fine Tuning Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fine Tuning Argument - Essay Example Moreover, there would only the low density hydrogen would be present which would be get dispersed over time. Consequently, fine tuning argues that such a universe would not have allowed the evolution of life. On the other hand, had the expansion speed been a bit lower, the universe would have collapsed immediately thereby no life could be sustained. In the light of this argument, a life sustaining universe is seen to have emerged because of the presence of just the right conditions (Van Inwagen, 1993). Other parameters that seem to have been fined tuned include the magnitudes of forces, the proton to neutron mass differences and the evenness of early universe (Van Inwagen, 1993). Fine tuning argument advances a hypothesis that the universe resulted from purposeful design (Van Inwagen, 1993). Despite the fact that the designing agent must not have been God, fine tuning holds that God is a center of the fine tuning of different aspects. Peter van Inwagen is one of the proponents of the fine tuning and supports an argument by giving an analogy that if a machine has dials, these dials must be set in a particular way so that it runs in the desired way (Van Inwagen, 1993). ... Van Inwagen gives an analogy where one is presented with a bundle of 1,048,576 straws of varying length and a decree has been issued that unless one pulls the shortest string you are instantly killed. Fortunately one pulls a straw and finds that he is alive and having the shortest straw. According to Van Inwagen, the most reasonable explanation is that the person never drew the straw at random but rather the situation was rigged somehow by unknown benefactor concerned to the person gets the shortest straw. Although van Inwagen notes that there was a probability to pick another straw given that the probability in drawing any of the straws in the bundle, it is not reasonable to argue that something happened due to chance. He argued that whatever is selected is usually the good option and can only be explained that a certain force rigged in the person’s favor. He further asserted that no better explanation existed for the other possibilities that were not picked (van Inwagen, 199 3). This demonstrates that everything is fine tuned to behave in a specific way or to give certain desired results. The analogy used by van Inwagen has been criticized with most of the critics describing the rigging hypothesis as silly. Cowan and Spiegel (2009) note that there various areas of weakness to the analogy of straw lottery and fine tuning. The level of one to accept the explanation that they choose the shortest straw due to the forces of unknown benefactor depends on a prior probability of existence of unknown benefactor who is the agent in rigging the lottery. Given that different belief system, low prior probability of the existence of unknown benefactor translates to the fact

Hoffman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hoffman - Essay Example may be broadly defined as any articulate course of action either physical or otherwise, taken by a person or a group of persons who are dissatisfied by various issues in the society. The articulated course of action mostly aims at causing wreck and havoc to express dissatisfaction. However, terrorism is synonymous with leadership and politics where terrorists react violently in response to issues within government or leadership. Actions of terror qualify as terrorism whether the course action causes harm or not. The actions still qualify as terrorism whether the course of action was legitimate or not. Certainly, terrorism has changed dramatically with time. Terrorism was first taken positively as a medium of change from bad governance. It was seen as revolution and was synonymous with democracy and virtue (Hoffman 3). It then changed to â€Å"propaganda by deed† (Hoffman 5) whereby wholesome bloodshed targeted to specific groups or communities that failed to follow the conventional ways of terror perpetrators. It then changed to assassination and kidnapping of political leaders or their close relatives within the society who failed to address requirements and demands of extremist groups (Hoffman 11). Terrorism then changed to target of inanimate objects such as important, monumental, and valuable buildings. Terrorism also changed to religious based terror actions in response to unaddressed religious issues. However, a combination of these transitions has also been

Critical analysis of the film The Last Samurai Essay

Critical analysis of the film The Last Samurai - Essay Example While Zwick might have worked on the movie with due respect to the Eastern culture, however, some of the critics view it in a different perspective. For example Denby (2003) found it as â€Å"cultural vanity implicit in the idea of a white guy’s becoming a superb Eastern warrior.† Similarly Tierney (2006) also found â€Å"themes of whiteness† and embedded western superiority in the movie. However, according to Ebert (2003), the movie depicts the story of an ancient culture and philosophy that is superior to modernization exported by America in the name of development. The movie beautifully recreates the magic of glorious Japanese past with astounding designs, sets, action sequences and costumes. However, it has its own set of problems. Many of the conflicts and actions appear to have been recycled from other films, and the overall trajectory of the story is predictable. According to Ebert (2003) the movie follows the old tried and tested formula that the Western hero can easily learn the local culture and even beat the best of their warriors in a matter of few months. Here the movie draws parallels with "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Dances with Wolves," movies in which Westerner heroes appreciate Arabs and Indians. It is very much predictable from the beginning of the movie that the western hero will not only find that the Japanese are not cruel but also be infatuated by their culture. Algrens transformation from an alcoholic to a disciplined person is also on expected lines. After he is taken as a prisoner and develops a bonding with his captor can be guessed by any movie goer. Thus the movie doesn’t throw any new elements. According to Said (1994), during the period of European imperialism, while depicting Eastern societies, Western scholars were prejudiced and presented Orientals as inferiors. The reason for such portrayal could be European countries’ status as colonizers. He has termed this concept as

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education Local plagiarisms Essay

Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education Local plagiarisms - Essay Example Therefore many institutions have laid out guidelines and rules concerning these vices, and even stipulated the penalties for anyone who does not comply. The issue of intertextuality is addressed, which involves the author borrowing and transforming a text or a reader referencing one text in reading another one. Transgressive intertextuality involves the breaching of acceptable borrowing practices. The interpretation of the concept of improper intertextuality varies from one lecturer to another, according to interviews conducted on lecturers from various disciplines. The reasons for this disparity include the unique expectations and practices of each discipline. The results of these interviews showed certain areas where students experienced problems in citing sources. These include poor paraphrasing, students’ identities as the authors, improper understanding of common knowledge, information contained in many sources such that it is difficult to pinpoint its source, and the uni que expectations and practices of each discipline. Therefore it is suggested that there should be a different definition of inappropriate intertextuality for each discipline in order to address various disciplinary perspectives. This paper seeks to evaluate how the problem of plagiarism and collusion is viewed and attempts to curb it in various academic institutions. The paper mainly focuses on the lecturer’s views about transgressive intertextuality in various disciplines like the humanities, history, languages, engineering, law and fashion. The paper has successfully tackled a number of issues. The lecturers’ responses mostly comprised of their own personal interpretations of intertextuality and the experiences that they had encountered while dealing with their students, therefore they were able to give a picture of the real situation that was taking place in the institutions. The paper also highlights the opinions about transgressive intertextuality in various disci plines; therefore the students can get to know what is expected of them in writing academic papers in their respective disciplines (Worton and Still 1991). Suggestions are also given on how to deal with transgressive intertextuality. The lecturers who were interviewed gave details about how they had punished the culprits and other steps that they had taken to reduce the misconduct. The study also highlights the future repercussions of indulging in plagiarism and collusion. Some of the interviewees expressed the feelings of anger and sympathy for those students who were practicing plagiarism because they felt that they were jeopardizing their careers. Cases of plagiarism can also lead to termination of grants. According to Maier (2011), plagiarism tarnishes the professional reputation of an individual and may make it hard to secure a job in the future because the prospective employers may view you as dishonest and lazy, and therefore not fit to work for them. The study also clarifies that it is not possible to treat the issue of transgressive intertextuality in the same manner across all disciplines because different disciplines have varying demands. For instance, a history student is expected to come up with an account from an existing text while a literature student tries to interpret and react to written works. Therefore any copying in literature is not tolerated while historians do not deal with it severely because they understand that students will always use other peoples work in writing

Increase of the staff effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Increase of the staff effectiveness - Essay Example It is imperative for managers to provide clear messages and instructions in order to prevent misunderstandings. The ability to communicate well in the workplace is not limited to the managerial staff. The blue collar workers also have to learn to express themselves better. This is a non-training ability that has to be improved by the individual on a personal basis. If a person has weaknesses expressing thoughts the person should look for help. Simple exercises such as standing in front of a group to realize an oral presentation can help a person gain confidence. Non-training needs are important because they can help workers become more involved in their work setting. It is essential to build a corporate culture in which the workers feel comfortable with their dealings at work in alliance with the rest of their colleagues. Due to the importance of teamwork in the workplace non-training needs can help the workforce become more reactive to the changes in their work environment. 2. The t hree stakeholders involved in the case study are the initiator, the active listener, and the evaluator. In the real world the application of these three roles are sufficient to find solutions to a particular problem. The initiator is the person that establishes cause for a problem. This person will usually have a strong view or perspective about the issue.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Critical analysis of the film The Last Samurai Essay

Critical analysis of the film The Last Samurai - Essay Example While Zwick might have worked on the movie with due respect to the Eastern culture, however, some of the critics view it in a different perspective. For example Denby (2003) found it as â€Å"cultural vanity implicit in the idea of a white guy’s becoming a superb Eastern warrior.† Similarly Tierney (2006) also found â€Å"themes of whiteness† and embedded western superiority in the movie. However, according to Ebert (2003), the movie depicts the story of an ancient culture and philosophy that is superior to modernization exported by America in the name of development. The movie beautifully recreates the magic of glorious Japanese past with astounding designs, sets, action sequences and costumes. However, it has its own set of problems. Many of the conflicts and actions appear to have been recycled from other films, and the overall trajectory of the story is predictable. According to Ebert (2003) the movie follows the old tried and tested formula that the Western hero can easily learn the local culture and even beat the best of their warriors in a matter of few months. Here the movie draws parallels with "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Dances with Wolves," movies in which Westerner heroes appreciate Arabs and Indians. It is very much predictable from the beginning of the movie that the western hero will not only find that the Japanese are not cruel but also be infatuated by their culture. Algrens transformation from an alcoholic to a disciplined person is also on expected lines. After he is taken as a prisoner and develops a bonding with his captor can be guessed by any movie goer. Thus the movie doesn’t throw any new elements. According to Said (1994), during the period of European imperialism, while depicting Eastern societies, Western scholars were prejudiced and presented Orientals as inferiors. The reason for such portrayal could be European countries’ status as colonizers. He has termed this concept as

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Increase of the staff effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Increase of the staff effectiveness - Essay Example It is imperative for managers to provide clear messages and instructions in order to prevent misunderstandings. The ability to communicate well in the workplace is not limited to the managerial staff. The blue collar workers also have to learn to express themselves better. This is a non-training ability that has to be improved by the individual on a personal basis. If a person has weaknesses expressing thoughts the person should look for help. Simple exercises such as standing in front of a group to realize an oral presentation can help a person gain confidence. Non-training needs are important because they can help workers become more involved in their work setting. It is essential to build a corporate culture in which the workers feel comfortable with their dealings at work in alliance with the rest of their colleagues. Due to the importance of teamwork in the workplace non-training needs can help the workforce become more reactive to the changes in their work environment. 2. The t hree stakeholders involved in the case study are the initiator, the active listener, and the evaluator. In the real world the application of these three roles are sufficient to find solutions to a particular problem. The initiator is the person that establishes cause for a problem. This person will usually have a strong view or perspective about the issue.

Safe Travel Essay Example for Free

Safe Travel Essay These days, we Geeks don’t travel anywhere without our laptops. It’s a given that we need to have them on us! How would we survive?! Thankfully, Seth sent in the following tips to help us keep them safe while we are on the road. Pad The Laptop: Make sure the laptop bag or carrying case you transport your laptop in provides adequate padding. As you move about the airport or shove the laptop under the seat in front of you or into the overhead storage compartment, the laptop can be jarred and jostled quite a bit. Keep It On You: It is not uncommon for someone to set their luggage down while standing in line for a muffin, or to sit down while waiting for a flight. With all luggage, it is important to keep an eye on it and ensure nobody tampers with it or steals it. Because of their size and value though, laptops make prime targets and a thief can snatch the laptop bag and keep walking while you are unaware with your back turned. You should keep the laptop bag on your shoulder or keep it in sight at all times. Back Up Data: Perform a backup of all critical or sensitive data before departing. Just in case your laptop does become damaged or lost, you don’t want to also lose your important files and information. You can buy a new laptop, but it is much harder to replace lost data. Encrypt Your Data: Just in case your laptop should fall into unauthorized hands, you should make sure your hard drive is encrypted. Laptops with Windows Vista Enterprise or Ultimate come equipped with BitLocker drive encryption. If you aren’t using one of these versions of Windows Vista, and your company has not implemented any other sort of enterprise-wide encryption solution, you can use an open source solution such as TrueCrypt to protect your data. Document Identifying Information: In case your laptop does end up lost or stolen, you should be able to provide detailed information about the make, model, serial number and any other identifying information. You may need the information to file a claim with the airline or your insurance company, or to provide law enforcement. Use Strong Passwords: Follow the advice in Passwords and How to Make Them to make sure that your passwords can not be easily guessed or cracked if your laptop falls into the wrong hands. An excellent program for helping to secure and manage your passwords is Password Vault, which works for both Windows and Mac OS X. Use a BIOS Password: Protecting your laptop with an operating system login and password is a good idea, but there are ways to circumvent that protection and gain access to the data still. For better protection, you should enable password protection at the BIOS level so that the laptop can not even be turned on without the correct password. Implement Remote Data Protection: Another step you can take to make sure your data does not fall into the wrong hands is to look into products that will allow you to remotely destroy or erase the data on your laptop if it is lost or stolen. These products generally require that the unauthorized user connect to the Internet first in order for them to do their work though, so they are not a guarantee. Use Portable Storage: To make sure you have the business critical PowerPoint presentation or Excel spreadsheet that you need to show your business partners in order to seal the multi-million dollar deal (or whatever other important files and documents might be on your laptp) you should carry a copy on a USB thumb drive or some other type of portable storage that you can carry separate from the laptop in case it becomes lost or stolen. Just Leave The Laptop At Home: When it comes to all of the hassles and all of the issues that can arise from traveling with your laptop, you should also consider whether you really need to take it. You can carry your data or files on portable storage such as a CD, DVD or USB drive, or you can just email or FTP the data ahead of you. Then, you can borrow a desktop or laptop system once you are safely on the ground and at the office site you are visiting.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Effect of Urban Living on Sustainability

Effect of Urban Living on Sustainability Continued Urbanisation – Does it hold the key to sustainable living? March 25th 2010 – was a key turning point in humanity (Graph 1); it was on that day, for the first time ever, that over half of the world’s population (50.5%) were classified as living in urban areas (compared to rural), as a result of urbanisation. Graph 1, showing Urban and Rural World Population change since 1950. Causes of Urbanisation Urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities1, this results from: rural to urban migration (mostly in LEDCs and NICs) natural increase (birth rate exceeds deathrate) (mostly in LEDCs and NICs) Urbanisation rates vary temporally and spatially, indeed most MEDCs began urbanising in the 1800’s as a result of industrialisation. In the 1950s, North America and Europe were home to the world’s most urbanised regions, though Tokyo overtook New York as the world’s largest city. By the mid 60s, the world’s urban population passed 1 billion, with rates of urbanisation having become highest in Asia and Africa; and Asia having more urban dwellers than Europe. By the 80s, urbanisation rates in China were once again increasing, though had slowed globally. Worldwide urban dwellers exceeded 2 billion, with Toyko’s population having reached 30 million. During the first decade of the 21st century the urban/rural balance of the industrial countries stabilised at 70-80% mark. Analysts predict that by 2020 the world’s urban population will reach 4 billion and China will become more than 50% urbanised2. The greatest contributor to urbanisation is that of migration. Migration is controlled by a series of push and pull factors (Table 1). Table 1: Push Pull factors contributing to urbanisation Push Factors (usually negative, and repel people from the rural area) Pull Factors (usually positive, and attract people to move to the urban area) *high unemployment *low unemployment; better employment opportunities *population increase *better living standards *famines (such as in Ethiopia in the 1980s) *housing – quality and availability *flooding (such as in Bangladesh where people move to Dhaka) *essential services such as health and education are more readily available and accessible Sustainable Urban Living Global urbanisation is bringing the majority of the world’s population together in cities, making it easier to provide access to essential services, as the people are in concentrated areas. But, realistically, does continued urbanisation actually hold the key to future sustainable living, or is the rate of growth such that we cannot keep pace? For future sustainability, the lifestyle of our global population must reduce the rate of depletion of natural resources, from the earth, so that we can meet our needs, whilst not negatively impacting on the lives of future generations. Sustainable living means ‘living a lifestyle that uses as few resources as possible and causes the least amount of environmental damage for future generations to deal with’3. Figure 1 below considers some of the key elements of urban sustainability4 Essentially, to be sustainable, our system outputs should be ‘recycled or re-used’ so as not to exceed our inputs. This applies to all settlements, not just urban ones. I live in an urban area, Telford, albeit a small one. Recycling has become a prominent part of our life (2004 onwards) as we aim to reduce landfill and address CO2 issues. I enjoy living in an urban environment, I have a choice of health and education services, I have access to retail and leisure parks and our public transport system makes travelling around the town easier. On a negative note, I see a lot of expansion onto greenfield sites as more homes and retail areas are created. This is destroying the view from my window and saddens me, especially when I walk through town and see boarded up shops. Solutions: Ensuring sustainable urban living Scenarios The future landscape could look very different if urbanisation continues at an unabated rate and we take no action, some ‘what ifs’ are considered below. What if †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. What this could mean †¦ How we could avert the issue Urban areas in LEDCs/NICs continue to grow at a rapid rate Increased numbers of informal settlements (shanty towns) in urban areas, especially in LEDCs and NICs; services under pressure due to increased demand; spread of disease Provide the essential services that rural areas need eg mobile doctors and schools, to reduce the desire to move; this would help agricultural productivity too; have an entry policy – people have to apply for permission to move to the city Urbanisation becomes more popular in MEDCs Redevelopment of brownfield sites is more costly and time consuming compared to greenfield developments, so urban sprawl might extend, if green belts are non-existent or are developed Promote inner city living, including the ability to live, work and relax all in the one ‘space’; reduces commuting time and costs and makes for a healthier lifestyle Urbanisation in China Graph 2, showing change in Life Expectancy in China between 1960 and 2011 A good example of a country that has seen a rapid increase in urbanisation is China. China has been urbanising rapidly; in 1940 it had 69 cities, in 2007 it had 670 almost ten times as many after only 67 years. This has very clearly affected Chinese life expectancy dramatically, as the graph left clearly shows (Y-axis: life expectancy in China at birth, X-axis: Date of Birth). This shows very clearly that the more urban the country became, the higher the life expectancy: so urbanisation can definitely be seen to increase the lifespan of the countries inhabitants. However, in Graph 3, below, it is very clear to see that in the same timespan (1960-2010) the CO2 emissions have greatly increased, showing the negative effect urbanisation has had on air pollution, which is now a major problem in China. Graph 3, showing Carbon Dioxide emission levels, per capita, between 1960 and 2010 The most fundamental requirements for sustaining human life are: shelter, food and water. Urbanisation, due to the creation of apartment buildings and streets in cities, usually has a positive impact on housing requirements. However, availability of food and water may be hindered by the accelerating speed of global urbanisation as high population densities can put local water plants under extreme pressure, due to such high demand, so in the long term urbanisation can have a negative effect in this context. Urbanisation can also mean bad news for food supply; the migration of people from rural areas into cities means that long term, agricultural operations can suffer due to insufficient, capable rural workers being available and, in some cases, destruction of farming sites for construction of new urban sites is also a big problem. Due to these factors the production of food may slow down and supplies even become depleted. Graph 4, showing Population Increase in China between 1961 and 2005. Another, negative, effect urbanisation can have is over population. Returning to the earlier example of China since China has been becoming a large urban country, its population has increased substantially; the population of China in 2012 was approximately 1,344,130,000 (over 1/6 of the earth’s total population of 7.129 billion). China is widely considered to be one of the most over-populated countries in the world, and over-population can really hinder the goal of sustainable living. Looking at the three, aforementioned, basic requirements to sustain human life shelter, food and water, we can see how overpopulation can have a negative impact on all of these. If there are too many people living in a country, it becomes very difficult to provide housing for all of them, and even harder to supply all of them with a job, so they can afford the upkeep of their accommodation. Overpopulation also places a high demand for constant provision of food and water; this, added to the ear lier mentioned effects that urbanisation has on the food and water supplies, means supply of both of these commodities, essential for human life, will be put under extreme pressure as a result of urbanisation and overpopulation. These factors really challenge the theory that global urbanisation could be the answer to sustainable living and, to address this further, we need to compare an international rural living area with an urban one. Rural living in Ethiopia compared to Urban living in the U.K. Ethiopia, which had a rural population of 82.4% in 2010, provides a brilliant example of rural living and the United Kingdom, which had an urban population of 90.1% in 2010, provides a good example of an urban area. UK (urban) Ethiopia (rural) Life Expectancy 80 years (2011) 59 years (2011) Adult Literacy Rate ^^99% (2003) 39% (2007-2011) Internet Users 82% (2011) 1% (2011) Use of Improved Water Sources 100% (2010) 44% (2010) Adult HIV Prevalence 0.3% (2011) 1.4% (2011) (Data source ^^ CIA World Factbook, all other data from UNICEF ) Looking at these indicators, it seems that urbanisation is advantageous in many areas. I included the adult literacy rate and internet use to show the quality of education; the use of improved water sources and HIV prevalence to show the quality of health and related services. As the table shows, UK, a highly urbanised area, has a much better quality of life than Ethiopia, an extremely rural area: UK life expectancy is significantly higher than Ethiopia’s (by 35%); the literacy rate in Ethiopia is 60% lower than that of the UK; internet use in the UK is substantially higher that in Ethiopia (81%); all UK citizens use improved water sources, whereas only 44% of Ethiopians do and the HIV prevalence rate in Ethiopia is almost 5 times higher than that in the UK. All of these indicators clearly point towards the fact that urbanisation does contribute to life quality and longevity. In conclusion I think that the true key to sustainable living is to find a perfect balance between populating urban and rural areas, as both are incredibly important. Without urban areas we may not be as technologically advanced as we are today (many of our technology looks towards a future sustainable life, like electric powered cars), and if towns and cities weren’t being built, the present risk of over population would be even more severe; and without rural areas, agricultural industries would suffer greatly which are incredibly important to human life, and loss of large forests and/or grasslands could mean a large increase of Carbon Dioxide in the air as well as destroying many historical location. To improve urban areas governments can focus on improving public transportation systems, which have proved very successful and eco-friendly in the past (for example the London Underground and the new York Subway) and continue to develop more ways to be economically friendly like finding a better way to dispose of our waste or developing more means of transportation that don’t affect the environment as heavily as current transport does. In order to protect rural areas Green Belts and/or UGBs (Urban growth boundaries) can be put into place more frequently, which limit where cities can expand in order to protect and maintain rural and semi-rural areas. If we continue to expand our urban areas whilst making sure we maintain enough rural locations then I think that we can easily accomplish sustainable living. I would suggest that a good percentage for the world’s population living in urban areas is around 80% in order to achieve this goal. Bibliography/Resource List www.internetgeography.net http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16606619 www.regenerative.com http://beta.futurecities.ethz.ch/assets/FCL_web_circular_metabolism1.jpg www.onlinegeography.co.uk www.wikispaces.com www.inhabitat.com www.cat.org.uk www.dawleyheritage.co.uk

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Guns and Teen Violence and Death Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Ess

Each year, guns end the lives of thousands of young people. Families and friends are left to cope with the loss of a life lived and to have a future overshadowed by the violence. Nearly 80% of all teenage deaths are the result of violence like homicides, suicides motor vehicle crashes and other unintentional injury( â€Å"Risk and Protective†).Teenage violence has gone up almost 300% in the last thirty years (â€Å"Teenage Violence in America†,1) and it is still rising. In 1998, among youth ages 10 to 19 in the United States, there were 2,601 homicide deaths, and homicide was the second leading cause of death for the age group (â€Å" Youth Violence Statistics†). Also in 1999, 1,763 youth under 18 were arrested for homicide in the United States ( â€Å"Youth Violence Statistics†). After reading these two statistics there is only one conclusion you could come to. Our young people today are out of control. Teenagers have our world in the palm of their hand and they are slowly destroying our wonderful communities all around the world. It is now generally believed that multiple factors combine to contribute to and shape behavior over the course of adolescent development. Studies suggest it is the confluence to certain â€Å"risk† factors that contribute to violent behavior and the existence of certain â€Å"protective† factors that create resiliency. Risk factors are generally defined as scientifically established factors or determinants for which there is strong objective evidence of causal relationship to a problem. Protective factors are those that potentially decrease the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors. Both of these factors can influence the level of risk an indicial experience or can moderate the relationship between the risk and the outcome of behavior (â€Å"Risk and Protective Factors†). Researchers have come up with what they call The Ecological Model. In these model there are four levels of factors that they say contributes to the behavior of an individual (â€Å"Risk and Protective†). The first level is Environmental. This level plays an important role in creating conditions that can contribute to a culture of violence among a particular group of people or in given community (â€Å"Risk and Protective†). The environmental factors are those that consider larger issue such as social values and the impact of the media policy of... ...re was an interview with a man whose son was just killed. In the interview the reporter said â€Å"You know, you did everything right. Your son went to the best school. He was an athlete and a scholar. He had a scholarship for college. He was well liked by everyone and he did everything right yet he was killed.† The man then looked up and he said â€Å"I forgot to do one thing. I forgot to raise the other children† ( Prothrow, 2). After I read that I just wanted to cry. Parents are taking the blame for their children’s death when they should not be. A parent can only do so much and it is up to that child to choose how to use what their parents gave them. Every parent in America should realize that as long as they are doing their part it is not their fault. It is not a parent’s responsibility to raise the whole world. It is just their responsibility to raise their own and do a good job with that. To prevent teen violence, there are many obstacles that must be overcome. Children need to be brought up in a safe healthy environment. We need to emphasize youth and community evolvement and we need to have classes to teach out children responsibility and confidence.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Le Morte D’Arthur Essay -- Character Analysis, Thomas Malory

Comparative Essay Many themes in popular literature today include a type of betrayal to others or themselves. In the story Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, a noble knight by the name of Sir Bedivere is ordered to dispose of a sword and instead secretly hides it under a tree betraying his king. In â€Å"Genesis 3† Adam’s new companion named Eve becomes too curious about a forbidden tree when talking to a serpent and disobeys god and eats it. Sir Bedivere and Eve both betray others through their greed, temptation, and ignorance; however Sir Bedivere’s betrayal to King Arthur is far greater than Eve’s betrayal to god. Greed can often influence one’s judgement as a result; Sir Bedivere and Eve are overtaken by greed during their betrayal to their masters. Sir Bedivere is noble knight that serves his beloved King Arthur, and soon is faced with a decision between a treasure and his king. Sir Bedivere’s greed is portrayed when he, â€Å"hid [the] Excalibur under the tree† (Thomas 12). Shortly after, he is exposed to the king; King Arthur becomes appalled by his noble knight and asks why he would â€Å"betray me for the richness of my sword† (Thomas 23). It is evident Sir Bedivere greed overpowered his commitment and loyalty to the king. Eve a companion of Adam in â€Å"Genesis 3† portrays her greed when she learns about the tree in the center of the garden. She becomes curious and wants to learn its powers for â€Å"gaining wisdom† (â€Å"Genesis† 6), and â€Å"she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband† (â€Å"Genesis† 6). Eve disobeys God as she does not follow the specific instructions God gives her. The more she learns about the tree, the more Eve wants to take a fruit. In the end, greed is one of many things that convinces her to betray God.... ...nd Eve both let ignorance drive their betrayal, however Sir Bedivere lack of knowledge hurt himself and the king. Eve on the other hand, had some discretion when talking to the serpent. While Sir Bedivere without thinking of the consequences, jumps on the opportunity, once again making the betrayal greater than Eve’s. Greed, temptation, and ignorance are all influences to each Sir Bedivere and Eve’s betrayal in Le Morte D’Arthur and â€Å"Genesis 3†. Both characters use these to influence to betray their masters on various levels. Throughout Le Morte D’Arthur, there is no question Sir Bedivere’s betrayal was an act of selfishness in contrast to Eve where she is simply curious about the tree in the center of the garden and is swayed by the serpent. Therefore, Sir Bedivere’s betrayal is represented at a higher level, whereas Eve’s was an act of innocent curiosity.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Engage in personal development in health

Engage in personal development in health, social care or children's and young people's settings (SSH 32) Outcome 1 1 _ Wealth my role as a support worker It Is my duty to support an Individual to complete everyday tasks. This can be activities such as food shopping. House chores, preparing food and drinks, making and attending appointments, attending college or day centre facilities, or participating in clubs for people with special needs.I have a responsibility to ensure the activity is achievable for the client and that I am roving the right support to achieve this. 2. As a support worker I have a duty to adhere to the codes of practice set out by my employers and also to ensure I adhere to the regulations set out by law. National occupational standards (NOSE) ensure I give the appropriate support and care to an individual. Outcome 2 1 . Reflective practice means thinking about and evaluating what I do and discussing any changes which could be made.Thinking about how I could have d one something differently, what I did well and what I could have done better. It also means reflecting our own values, beliefs and experiences which shape our thoughts and ideas. By continuously evaluating my performance I am able to ensure I am providing the expected level of service set out within the company's guidelines. 3. Everyone has different values, beliefs and experiences. We are more likely to be friendly and welcoming to people that share the same values and beliefs as us and less friendly to those that do not.However within my role it is expected that I provide he same level of care to every individual. Identifying your own beliefs and values will enable you to be aware of your reactions to others and enable them not to impact on the way you work. This is an important part of personal and professional development. Outcome 3 1 . Codes of practice are put in place to enable you to understand your role and your responsibilities. Care plans are in place for each individual and the support I am required to provide is person-centered.I have a duty to ensure I am aware of each individual's needs and to highlight any area I believe needs refocusing. Training ensure I adhere to regulations set out by law and the policies and procedures in place adhere to the current NOSE guidelines. Outcome 4 1 . Planning and reviewing my development usually takes place during planned supervision with my manager and my yearly appraisal. However I can approach either of my team leaders if I believe I require further training that is relevant to my role, they will speak with management on my behalf.Outside sources of support such as care managers, learning disabilities team or ICQ may also highlight areas they feel further training is required if it is relevant to an individual I am to provide support too. Outcome 5 1 . Attending training courses has enabled me to provide a level of care that is specific to the needs of the individual I am providing support too. During team meetings we may discuss service users and their needs. If a colleague has found something that works for them they will highlight it and it may be something I can use when working with that individual.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Brand Essence Colgate Essay

The company chose for this assignment is Colgate. Colgate is a division of the Colgate-Palmolive brand that produces soaps, detergents and oral hygiene products. Colgate focuses on oral hygiene and is a maker of toothpaste and toothbrushes. Started in 1806 by William Colgate as a soap and candle company. When William died in 1857, his soon took over. In 1837, Colgate introduced their first toothpaste and was the first to introduce toothpaste in a tube. In 1928 Palmolive-Peet bought Colgate and in 1953 the name changed to Colgate-Palmolive (Colgate-Palmolive, 2012). Today Colgate is one of the leading manufacturers of toothpaste, with Procter & Gamble as their main competition. Competitive Factor While in 1992 Colgate was the leader in oral hygiene products, toothbrush competitors emerged as the obsession with oral health increased. Colgate has several big competitors that produce products that are potentially more advanced or incorporate mouthwash into toothpaste, creating new features. The pairing of Crest with Scope lead to competition for Colgate. The pairing of Oral B with dentists gave them the dentist recommendation lead. (Priestley, 2011) Consumer behaviour is constantly changing, and new technology is emerging, therefore competitors might be offering promotions. Environmental Factor Customers are finally starting to get informed about oral health and the importance of gum disease. Colgate has to be informed and constantly innovate themselves with new technologies in order to keep up with customer knowledge and needs. Other countries are also unaware of the importance of oral health, therefore the company should target them in order to become the leader in oral care. A social challenge is the market is growing with competitors and as research on oral care increases, so do the people’s expectations and needs. There is many family demographics, therefore the company should have products for people’s different needs, such as sensitivity, gums, whitening. The products should also range from child oral health to elderly sensitivity. A technological challenge for Colgate is the lack of interesting advertising. There is much more advertising in media for Crest, Sensodyne and other competitors. They use commercials, print ads, social media to attract their consumers, where as Colgate uses few advertisements and has commercials that are seen as boring. Competitors also have a diversity of products and variety for individual consumer needs. Crest and Aquafresh have developed foaming gel toothpastes that are new and different, while Colgate still lacks these new additions. A legal challenge for Colgate is its past history with a recall in 2011 (Health Canada, 2011). The company recalled the â€Å"Colgate Motion Electric Toothbrush†, which was a recent event. This could affect the company’s reputation and drive the consumers to look at other competitors when choosing their products. Consumer Factor While the bargaining power of buyers is low, consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of oral health and the leading competitors present. After the 1990s the baby boomers became concerned with their gums, therefore toothbrush companies improved their technology and formed alliances with dental professionals (Priestley, 2011). As customer demands grow and they seek variety in their toothpaste and toothbrushes that are up to par with oral health research, Colgate might have to update its products and technology. Economical Factor The industry is broken down by price and by category of therapeutic and cosmetic. If the economy shifts and the country experiences inflation, it will impact the businesses running and the product (Ali, 2012). With the current poor economy in many countries, sales might decrease, or customers might choose cheaper competitors in order to compensate.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Analysis of Mrs Hayward from the Novel Spies by Michael Frayn

How is the character of Mrs Hayward developed throughout the opening 3 chapter of Frayn’s ‘Spies’? Mrs Hayward is a contradictory character who is established through Stephen’s fragmented memory to be both a character of smiling perfection and a broken woman, sitting in the dust weeping. She is both the embodiment of a perfect British wartime wife and a character of suspicion; a spy, a traitor, the epitome of deceit and the focus of two young boys’ overzealous imagination. When the reader is first introduced to this character it is through the listing of three declarative clauses in one of Stephen’s long, complex sentences. It is here that his fragmented memory is emphasised by the fragmented syntax where only glimpses of Mrs Hayward are shared with the reader. She is ‘in the long-lost green summer shade, her brown eyes sparkling, laughing at something Keith has written. ’ Through his use of the verbs ‘sparkling’ and ‘laughing’ Mrs Hayward is portrayed as a friendly and happy character who clearly takes delight from time spent with her child. The use of the adjectives ‘blue’, ‘green’ and ‘long-lost’, help to coat the memory with a sense of vibrancy and suggest that these memories, and characters, are positive, fun and safe; they belong to a lost time that was happy. This is further reflected in the use of pathetic fallacy as the memory, and Mrs Hayward, are in the ‘summer shade’, a time of year and image associated with freedom and enjoyment, suggesting this is a character who is pleasantly remembered and much-liked by the narrator. However, as Mrs Hayward is in the shade this could subtly suggest to the reader that there is an element of darkness to the character as she is shaded, half hidden and perhaps that her motivations and intentions are not always as clear as first imagined. The reflective, gentle tone of Mrs Hayward’s introduction is shattered by the use of the short simple sentence ‘Then the laughter’s gone. ’ indicating to the reader that the memory of her is tainted by events that are still unclear to the reader, events that leave her ‘sitting in the dust in front of [Stephen], weeping’. The antithesis of ‘weeping’ and ‘laughing’ highlight to the reader how Mrs Hayward is a character who evokes feelings of both happiness and shame in Stephen, due to her respective actions and emotions. She is a fragmented and incomplete character who is portrayed to the audience through an anaphoric series of present tense memories, which make her actions, and consequent responses of the narrator, seem immediate and continual. She is a character who evokes an emotional response in our narrator almost sixty years after unknown events have occurred, suggesting to the reader that she is going to be central to his journey down ‘memory lane’. When Mrs Hayward is next introduced to the reader it is through elderly Stephen’s third person account of what would have happened if young Stephen had asked Keith to play at his house for the afternoon. This hypothetical pondering of the narrator occurs after a substantial amount of description has been dedicated to Keith’s home, room and father, suggesting to the reader that these male characters were the main objects of focus for young Stephen, Keith because he idolised his friend and his father because Stephen clearly feared him. Mrs Hayward then appears with her ‘perfectly plucked eyebrow’ while she is ‘reclining on a sofa’ and ‘looking up from her library book’. Frayn has positioned Mrs Hayward in the domestic sphere of the house and then used stative verbs to show her lack of movement and action. This is further highlighted when Keith asks if he can go to Stephen’s house and Stephen knows ‘precisely’ that her response will be to tell Keith to ‘ask Daddy’. Here Mrs Hayward establishes herself as having a typical female role within a traditional patriarchal family. She is contemplative, rested and motherly, she does not make decisions; she is not the dominant person in the relationship and she defers decision-making to her male counterpart – not unlike Stephen in his childhood relationship with Keith. Keith’s mother is referred to in the opening chapters using either the pronoun ‘Mrs Hayward’ or ‘Keith’s mother’, both name link her clearly to the males in her life, showing their dominance as her identity is always linked to them. She is not given her own name or identity and this emphasizes the position that she is in within the family; she is the wife and mother. She is surrounded with the semantic sphere of tranquility and passivity, she is ‘unhurried’, ‘calmly smiling’ ‘reclining’ or ‘looking’ and the only time we ee any use of dynamic verbs is when she is ‘shopping’ or fetching things for Aunt Dee. Mrs Hayward is clearly enclosed within the domestic sphere and has a clear role within her family, even her diary entries revolve around ‘Ted’s parents’, ‘Ted to OH dinner’, ‘K’s term starts’, ‘K’s sports dayâ€⠄¢. Each of these entries foregrounds one of the men in her life and shows their overwhelming importance to her daily routines; this is not unfamiliar of a war-time lady of leisure in Britain but it does highlight how she is trapped and isolated from both the world and society. Mrs Hayward is clearly a character that on the surface is shrouded in an air of tranquility and domesticity. She is the image of perfection and is clearly held in an idiolised position, along with everything associated with Keith, according to Stephen and both his adult and child-like perspective. She is a character who appears rested and calm but underneath this facade there is a secret that she is keeping, it may not be that she is a German Spy like the young boys think but all is clearly not as it seems and Stephen’s ‘perfect’ account of her suggests in itself that maybe she is too good to be true.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Human Resource Reflecting Paper - on The Cane Mutiny Article Essay

Human Resource Reflecting Paper - on The Cane Mutiny Article - Essay Example Frank was worried about the potential demographic situation of Germany which implicated that the average age of German population was on a steady rise, and what effect it would have on the personnel of a midsize pharmaceutical firm like Medignostics. Frank’s other proposal which was to open day care centers for the children of young employees were also met with skepticism from Erwin. Frank wanted to emphasize the need of day care centers to facilitate young parents since the options of changing schools for children would make them join rival firms. Erwin saw this proposal as increased cost that would be detrimental to the company (Geissler, 2005). I feel that Frank should have consolidated his proposal with sufficient data and facts. In order to convince the executive management about personnel matters it is necessary for HR manager to present his argument in a manner that is comprehensible for the top team. If Frank wanted his HR strategy to be considered, then he should have given a clear picture of the negative consequences if a business enterprise ignores the demographic issue. He should have clearly stated how the growing average age of population would affect hiring of personnel, their costs, performance and innovation. A problem appeared among the older employees who are near retirement age when Part-Time Statute for the Elderly was implemented which paved the way for easy retirement of older workers so that there would be job vacancy for the younger aspirants. This program was subsequently scrapped since proved to be costly to the company and this directly affected older personnel. For instance, Matthias Hausmann who was 58 years old had worked for the company for over 20 years. He regularly made himself absent in the office which resulted in his unavailability during decisions to be made or when clients needed him. This was proving to be a loss to the company as clients were moving their business elsewhere thus hurting productivity. Moreover, th e salary structure indicated that older employees receive more than the younger group, and this must be restructured to consider the stress-related cardiovascular diseases more common among the middle-aged group. Another feature that must be considered is the need of continuous appropriate training of older workers so that they remain productive till their retiring age. This will also reduce the difference of technological know-how between the young managers and their older subordinates. I feel that Frank should have stressed on the fact that older employees needed to be utilized efficiently to ensure better products that would capture larger market. Although it is not known about the details of Frank’s strategies, I think it should include an internal program to create awareness among the employees about the demography and its practical impact on the company. I also support Frank’s theory of starting day care centers within the company as this would benefit the young employees. In this era of severe competition when firms fight to hire and retain qualified professionals, it is prudent for companies to prove themselves as family friendly. Of course, he needs to oversee the costs involved in establishing and staffing a day care center. If the costs seem to be detrimental considering Medignostics is a midsize firm, he can suggest alternative proposals like joining with other firms to establish day care center that would benefit the

Monday, October 7, 2019

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Carbon Dioxide Emissions - Essay Example The average World Carbon Dioxide Emissions were 4.53 metric tones/capita in 2005. United States of America ranked first then with average emissions of 19.54 metric tones/capita followed by Canada, Russia and UK. Developing countries like India and China lagged at the tail end then. The Fourth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded among other things that "warming of the climate system is unequivocal" and that "anthropogenic warming over the last three decades has likely had discernible influence at the global scale on observed changes in many physical and biological systems." The report also stated that human activities have significant impact on climate change. The Gross Domestic Product is one of the primary indicators calculated to assess the health of a country's economy. It representsthe total dollar value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period. According to the Environment Kuznets hypothesis, environmental pressure increases faster than the income in the early stages of development and slows down relative to GDP growth as higher income levels are reached. The EKC proposes that indicators of environmental degradation first rise, and then fall with increasing income per capita. There are views supporting and criticizing this theory. ... According to the Environment Kuznets hypothesis, environmental pressure increases faster than the income in the early stages of development and slows down relative to GDP growth as higher income levels are reached. The EKC proposes that indicators of environmental degradation first rise, and then fall with increasing income per capita. Environmental Kuznets Curve : Different Scenarios Source: Reference 1 There are views supporting and criticizing this theory. Those views supporting it emphasize that the curve exists though its becoming smaller in nature and shifting to the left(revised EKC) whereas those criticizing it argue that even if certain pollutants are reduced as income increases, industrial society continuously creates new, unregulated and potentially toxic pollutants. In their the curve will rise to a horizontal line at maximum existing pollution levels, as globalization promotes a "race to the bottom" in environmental standards, as shown in Figure In their view, the overall environmental risks from these new pollutants may continue to grow even if some sources of pollution are reduced, as shown by the "new toxics" line in the above figure. The relationship between economic growth and environmental quality has been a source of great controversy for a very long time. Multiple factors contribute to this. The complex nature of GDP calculation, data on environmental quality are patchy themselves and also that though the per capita capability to pay for clean technology increases, it does not necessarily imply a proportionate increase in the willingness to pay. This report makes an attempt to verify the Environmental Kuznets hypothesis while establishing a relation between additional variables like the energy

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Reactivity of M-C bonds and catalytic formation of heterocycles Essay

Reactivity of M-C bonds and catalytic formation of heterocycles - Essay Example This branch deals with the synthesis, properties and application of heterocyclic compounds and their derivatives. Heterocyclics are largely categorized as unsaturated and saturated heterocyclics, depending on their structures(Pfaltz&Drury, 2004). The saturated heterocyclics have been noticed to behave like their acyclic derivatives. The core focuses of heterocyclic compound studies are the unsaturated derivatives of 5- and 6- membered rings, their applications and their predominance of low-numbered rings. Among the 5- and 6-membered unsaturated heterocyclics are pyridine, thiophene, pyrrole and furan. Similarly studied to a large extent are benzene-fused rings of these 5- and 6- membered unsaturated heterocyclics(Nakamura et al., 1998). These benzene-fused derivatives are quinoline, benzothiophene, indole, and  benzofuran for pyridine, thiophene, pyrrole, and furan respectively. The following are structures of a heterocyclic and a homocyclic compounds namely pyridine, a heterocycli c and cyclo-octasulfur, a homocyclic compound. From the structures of these compounds it is evident that the C-H bond is quite important in their reactions. In fact, it is the activation of this C-H bond that allows for the formation and introduction of other functionality groups/bonds such as M-C or C-C bonds to heterocyclic compounds(Benudhar et al., 2013). Pyridine Cyclo-octasulfur, The core theme in organometallic chemistry is the construction and transformation of metal-carbon bonds. Consequently, most of researches and literatures seem to focus on the traditional M-C bonds formed using the tetravalent carbon bond. However, fewer researchers have concentrated on non-traditional M-C bonds, often referred to as M-C cage bonds, which are found in carborane cages in which the carbon is hypervalent(Nakamura et al., 1998). This paper explores the reactivity of M-C bonds and outlines a plan for the catalytic formation of heterocyclics via the catalytic activation of the M-C bond. Spec ifically, the aim of this paper is the synthesis of some ligands that contain heterocycles or vinyl groups that can undergo C-H activation to form cyclometallated complexes(Benudhar et al., 2013). Further, the paper investigates the reactivity of the cyclometallated complexes with alkynes and alkenes. Thus, the goal is to assess the relative reactivity of different types of M-C bonds. One of the methods used in the catalytic synthesis of heterocycles is the amphibilic metal ligand activation (AMLA). In the AMLA process, the steps in the activation of the C-H bond entail the use of an electrophilic metal in combination with a deprotonation using an intramolecular base, frequently acetate. Chiral ligands are chemical compounds adapted for and largely used in the asymmetric synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. Chiral ligands are pure organic enantiomers that combine with metallic centers through the process of chelation to yield asymmetric catalysts(Nakamura et al., 1998). It is this c atalyst that later engages in the chemical reaction in which the chirality of a ligand is transferred to the product of the reaction. That is, while initially the ligand is chiral, at the end of the reaction, it is the product, which is chiral. In model situations or reactions, one equivalent catalyst