The Threat of Nuclear Power - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1835 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/16 Category Energy Industry Essay Level High school Tags: Nuclear Power Essay Did you like this example?   There is a touching book based on a real story called Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes written by Eleanor Coerr. The book is about a two-year-old girl Sadako who survived Hiroshima bombing, but by the age of twelve she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She was informed that she had one year to live. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Threat of Nuclear Power" essay for you Create order The story is about her journey during the last year of her life. The plot is about Sadako making a thousand origami cranes, as the Japanese legend promises one wish to those who can do it.   Her only wish was to live and that gave her hope, but she died before she could finish making a thousand paper cranes. After Fukushima, Chernobyl, Hiroshima and Nagasaki disasters we know a nuclear war can wipe us all out, but despite the public concern for environment, international relations, and the future of our planet it has not made any impact on those in who have the power to stop the madness. It seems like the greed for money and power is the main reason nothing is being done about it. The likelihood of nuclear disaster occurring in one of the power plants somewhere is relatively small, but the aftermath of one is too great of a risk to take. Fukushima is still leaking into the Pacific Ocean seven years after the earthquake, and the area near Chernobyl power station is still uninhabitable thirty-two years later. Nuclear weapons probably pose a greater risk than a nuclear reactor meltdown, still it does not mean we should keep building nuclear power plants. Even though nuclear energy is cleaner than fossil fuels it can still be dangerous.   Nuclear Power is the manipulation of nuclear atomic reactions, using process called nuclear fission. With nuclear fission atoms are split and made into kinetic energy which heats up pipes and produces steam inside the generators which is the converted into electricity. Most Nuclear energy today is retrieved from nuclear fission, which depends on the use of uranium and plutonium. The first nuclear power plant was established in Russia in 1954, then in England in 1956 Nuclear energy was opened for commercial production. Today Nuclear power makes up fourteen percent of the worlds electricity. Even though it is carbon dioxide free, its not pollution free and can still be harmful if used as a weapon, or if a disaster occurred in one of the power plants around the world. The reason nuclear power is so dangerous is because of its radioactive emissions given off by Cesium, plutonium, Strontium, uranium, iodine, tritium and radioactive isotopes called alpha, beta and gamma radiation which dif fer in their relative power and intensity. Gamma radiation is the strongest form of radiation because of its penetrating force which can cause a blast sweeping everything within its range. Alpha radiation does most damage when ingested into living bodies. As contaminated food and water gets into the digestive system it damages cell membranes and kills them causing development of cancer overtime. Beta radiation consists of tiny particles that can pass through skin tissue severely wounding it. While there are some precautions and measures corporations have to take to ensure safety to the public the long-term threat of nuclear energy or weapons still poses a great danger to all living beings. In 2011 on March 11 Japan faced an event that nobody foresaw. Caused by a magnitude nine earthquake followed with a powerful tsunami three reactors of the nuclear power station Fukushima Daichi began to meltdown creating a complete disaster that continues to affect the world to this day. After the backup generators failed to supply cold water to the cores, Uranium rods started to melt within just a couple of hours after the earthquake hit, turning uranium into hot molten lava which made its way through the containment tank and then the concrete floor and eventually into the earth. Now the water from the mountains nearby pours over the reactors and becomes radioactive, making its way into the Pacific Ocean, and contaminating oceanic life and water. Today seven years after the disaster Fukushima is still contaminating the ocean because nobody can get close to the cores to clean up the mess as anyone could be killed by exposure to radiation within minutes. The Chernobyl nuclear power pl ant disaster happened on April 26, 1986 in the city of Pripyat, Ukraine. While Fukuhara occurred due by to a natural geological event The Chernobyl meltdown happened due to poor management and miscommunication. When the meltdown happened the toxic air from the blast drifted over for miles and forced 350,000 people to leave their homes and evacuate. During this incident many people died, and the authorities are the ones to blame for the incompetence and lack of preparation for an event like that. The precise number of casualties is unknown, but according the International Atomic Energy Agency there were fifty-six direct deaths, nine of which were children who died of thyroid cancer. One hundred thirty-three servicemen were hospitalized with acute radiation sickness and twenty-eight of them died within a few weeks after. Casualties of Chernobyl would not happen today because we have better understanding and better safety precautions for situations as such. Another thing that poses dan ger is nuclear weapons. During 1940s and 1950s the United States was preparing for warfare during the Cold War. The nuclear tests took place in Bikini Atoll located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. They performed twenty-three tests over twelve years, forcing the settlers of the island to relocate due to high levels of radiation. Seventy years later we can still see the aftermath of that operation as many of the inhabitants of the island developed cancer and other diseases related to the radiation from the tests. Currently there are 450 nuclear power plants around the world. Annually they produce from 2000 to 2300 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste and a lot of it is not stored safely. Some radioactive elements take minutes to decay while other take thousands of years. For example, Tc-99 takes 220,000 years to decay, I-129 17 million years, Np-237 two million years, and Pu-239 24,000 years. Also, used uranium fuel rods which are extremely dangerous and must be stored in facilities with special water pools to be cooled off with cold water for ten years before they can be safely removed and put into dry storage. Nuclear radiation if not stored properly emits ionizing molecules, the same kind of particles that scatter when a nuclear bomb explodes. Ionizing molecules damage human DNA and kill cells or cause them to mutate which then progress into cancer. The effects of radiation on the food we eat are extremely worrisome. Fukushima radiation leaks into the water, the algae absorb radiati on, crustaceans eat the algae, big fish eats crustaceans, humans eat the fish, and humans get cancer. Were jeopardizing things we depend on, we put toxic waste into the ocean we fish from. After the Fukushima disaster we have been finding radiation in tuna. Radiation gets into the food, then into breast milk, and that results in babies being born with deformities. Increasing rates of cancer at this scale are something weve not had before, and its clearly caused by the toxins put into the environment. Cancer can be linked to pollution and pesticides, but certain cancers like leukemia and thyroid cancers are linked to isotope iodine 131 used in nuclear power plants. Immense numbers of Children have been getting cancers as such at an early age which is something we have not observed before people started to use nuclear power. Everyday forty-three children are born with cancer eight percent of which is leukemia cancer and two percent is thyroid cancer. The UNDP and UNICEF report stated, A well-established increase in thyroid cancer diagnosed in children and adolescents pose a major problem for health services, particularly in Belarus and Ukraine. The populations in the affected regions also suffer from endemic goitre (enlarged thyroid gland) ranging from mild to severe, due to a deficiency of iodine in the diet. Iodine deficiency as well as affect ing the thyroid gland diminishes the. Other diseases can also be caused by the Radiation from nuclear weapons and power plants. They include Cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, diabetes, and Congenital hypothyroid. Constant bombings like the ones in the Bikini Atoll had consequences on the marine life. Now we can see specifically in the Pacific Ocean starfish have been dying in large numbers, starfish with missing limbs and decaying internal organs. What happens to animals happens to us. We cannot assume that Radiation doesnt affect us just because we dont see immediate effects. If Radiation affects wildlife is also affects humans. People dismiss the consequences of Fukuhara, thinking that radiation can be diluted by the Pacific Ocean and that the problem will sort itself out. This is naive and somewhat misleading as the contamination can lead to bioconcentration in the food chain. Possible effects on the future could include the imbalance in food chain and species dying in large numbers causing other larger species to adapt to finding different food, which can cause mass extinctions of species that are useful to us. We must take action and use safer methods to produce electricity. We must maintain neutral international relations with other countries as that would improve the quality of life around the world and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict. Instead of using fossil fuels and nuclear energy we should build cars and houses powered by solar panels. Another alternative could be building more windmills, geothermal, and hydroelectric stations. As individuals we can help by wasting less electricity, be more eff icient, turn off the lights and hang our clothes to dry. In a safe and sustainable future, we wont be using nuclear energy for anything as it is expensive and dangerous. Renewable energy is better for the environment, our health and it is in our interest to use it. If people use Renewable energy there wont be another Chernobyl or Fukushima disaster. Its about time to think about what kind of a planet were leaving future generations with, its unfair to create problems and put them on the shoulders of young people. We have to change the way choose to produce energy and deal with international conflicts so that no more twelve-year-old kids die of thyroid cancer. Works Cited Grady, Denise. Measuring Radioactive Elements and Their Effects. The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Apr. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/health/05primer.html. Jorgensen, Timothy J., and Health Physics and Radiation Protection Graduate Program. Bikini Islanders Still Deal with Fallout of US Nuclear Tests, 70 Years Later. The Conversation, The Conversation, 10 Sept. 2018, theconversation.com/bikini-islanders-still-deal-with-fallout-of-us-nuclear-tests-70-years-later-58567. Kirk WolfingerAmerica and the nuclear fusion. BBC Documentaries. 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEuzrfuap64 UNDP and UNICEF with the support of UN-OCHA and WHO. The Human Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident A Strategy for Recovery. 6 February 2002. Pg. 36. https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/strategy_for_recovery.pdf Coerr, Eleanor. Full Text of Passing, London: F. Warne ; New York : Scribner, Welford, and Armstrong, 2004, archive.org/stream/SadakoAndTheThousandPaperCranes-English/SadakoAndTheThousandPaperCranes-A4-EleanorCoerr_djvu.txt.

The Effects Of Poverty On Childhood Development - 924 Words

This essay aims to discuss the relationship between poverty, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and childhood development. While poverty can be directly linked to negative developments in terms of health status it is also indirectly linked to other important factors such as; mental health, physiological wellbeing and education, all of which have major impacts on childhood development which can also be transferred into adulthood. This essay aims to evaluate the literature available on the effects of poverty on childhood development and the complex relationships between the two. The Australian Council of Social Science (ACOSS) explain that 17.8% of all children in Australia are living in poverty (ACOSS, 2014). Poverty has many definitions and many different measures, Van Krieken (2010) describes there to be two major forms of poverty; these are ‘absolute poverty and ‘relative poverty’. Most poverty experienced in Australia is relative poverty, which is when people do not have equal opportunities to services that their counter parts consider to be standard such as; education, employment opportunities, appropriate housing, nutritious food and health services (Van Krieken, 2010). While psychologists believe that development is a process spanning a life-time, there are certain periods of time when people are more susceptible to development and to particular forms of development. An example is the way that infants experience a great deal of change and development as they growShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Poverty On Middle Childhood Development1 403 Words   |  6 PagesPoverty can have a strong influence on various kinds of development throughout middle childhood. It can alter socioemotional development, cognitive development, and physical health. (Evans, 2013). 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ConverselyRead MoreState of America’s Children: Child Poverty Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ State of America’s Children: Child Poverty Argosy University Online November 20, 2013 Abstract America is one of the riches countries in the world it is home to approximately 406 billionaires and many millionaires, babies are being born into poverty about every 32 seconds everyday (Children’s Defense Fund, 2010). 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I hope to contribute my consistent traits of love, compassion, empathy and patience for social services, and interventions to this social work programRead MorePoverty Of Poverty And Poverty1448 Words   |  6 PagesStudy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Poverty during pregnancy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 Facts and Consequences About being born into poverty...4 Being Born Into Poverty Essay†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 Some People Who Were Born Into Poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...6-7 Ways To Stay Out Of Poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....8 How Poverty Will Affect You Life†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 How I Will Stay Out Of Poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...10 Recent Study: The U.S. child poverty rate has fluctuated between 15 andRead MoreChild Poverty And Its Effects On Children s Adjustment1473 Words   |  6 PagesChild poverty is a major issue in the United States. 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Development of any kind is dependent on the interplay of nature and nurture, or genetics and environment. These studies draw from a child’sRead MorePoverty Of The United States907 Words   |  4 PagesFutrell Mrs. Weekman Honors English II - 1 April 29, 2016 Child Poverty in the United States In the United States, about 24 million children live in poverty (Ingraham). Poverty is a big issue and has been for a while. It can affect children now and when they become adults. There are children going to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but Compassion is a Christian organization working to stop child poverty around the world. First, the United States is one of the wealthiest

How does Shakespeare portray the theme of identity in Twelfth Night Essay Example For Students

How does Shakespeare portray the theme of identity in Twelfth Night Essay Twelfth Night is a comedy written by William Shakespeare. It follows certain patterns which are commonly found in Shakespeare’s comedies; it ends in marriage and is based around disguise and false identities. The play starts off with a ship that that was shipwrecked just off the coast of Illyria, and the two main protagonists, Viola and Sebastian are separated and both believe each other to be dead. They both end up in different places and only when, at they end of the play, do they find out that they are both alive. Viola, when she arrives in Illyria just after the shipwreck, believes that the only way to ensure her survival was to get a job at Orsino’s Court, as a man. She took on Sebastian’s identity, only naming herself Cesario. This means that Sebastian’s memory is kept alive and enabled Viola to fill the gap of his ‘dead’ brother. Duke Orsino presents himself as an insecure man who is upset about the fact he has no wife. He, along with Olivia, judges people by their looks and this means no one is good enough for him. He expects, being the Duke of the island, someone will come to him to be his wife instead of the other way round. This shows he is quite snobbish and takes his important position to mean that he is the greatest and the best. Duke Orsino has great love for Olivia. He sends Cesario to Olivia’s house to see if she loves him. He obviously assumes she will. Olivia is used to getting her own way and waited on hand and foot. She has not stepped out of her house for seven years. This is because she is mourning for her brother and immerses herself in her own grief. She also hides her true self from strangers by wearing a veil. When Viola arrives at her house, Olivia is enchanted by Viola and even takes off her veil, a sign that she is in love with her. In her seven years of mourning Olivia has lost the sense to decipher truths from lies and this means she does not see through Viola’s disguise. Mavolio, who is Olivia’s butler, also has a secret love on her. As, after many loyal years of being Olivia’s butler, he loves her, he presumes that she loves him. This is why he gets fooled by a letter, that he believes to be from Olivia. The letter tells him that Olivia loved him and commanded his yellow stockings. When he appeared in front of Olivia wearing these stockings, he was much to upfront and when she was surprised he quoted some of the letter, thinking that she would understand him. Olivia, who thinks he must be mad, locks him up in the madhouse. He gets taken in by the letter as it was telling him what he wanted to hear for instance that Olivia loves him. It also appeals to his pompous side. The line, â€Å"some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them† really captures Mavolio’s feelings to those lesser than himself. He is also taken in because the letter looked like Olivia’s hand. It was in fact, M aria’s hand. Maria was Olivia’s maid and has very similar hand to her mistress. This enabled her to fool Mavolio into thinking that it was a letter from Olivia. She carried out this plan with Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. Sir Andrew realises he loves Olivia only when she falls in love with Cesario. He knows that Mavolio has a secret love on her and thinks that if he can get rid of all the competition, he has a better chance of getting Olivia’s hand in marriage. .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .postImageUrl , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:hover , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:visited , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:active { border:0!important; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:active , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Shakespeare, William: The Taming of the Shrew Batt EssaySir Toby has a reputation of being crapulous. This gives him a bad reputation with Mavolio as Mavolio thinks that someone as ill-mannered and disrespectful as Sir Toby is not worthy to stay in his mistress’ house. This, is another reason why they were keen to fool him. Sir Toby organised a fight between Sir Andrew and Cesario. This is so Sir Andrew can prove to Olivia that he is worthy to be his wife. When they start fighting, Antonio arrives and, seeing who believes to be Sebastian, runs and starts fighting Sir Andrew. Olivia who sees this fight sends for guards and they capture Antonio. Antonio asks Viola to back him up, believing she was Sebastian, but because she did not know him, she didn’t so he got taken away, all because of Viola dressing up as a boy. Sebastian arrives in Illyria and comes to Olivia’s house. Olivia asks him to marry her, thinking that this was the same person who she had been going out with before. Sebastian says yes and they get married the next day.. After the wedding Olivia was walking alone when she saw Viola. Olivia goes up to her and talks to her as if she was her husband. She denies this. While they were talking, Sebastian walked over to Olivia and then he saw Viola. They were both amazed to see each other and Olivia was in a state of disbelief. After every one knew their true identities, Duke Orsino fell in love with Viola, now knowing that she was a girl, the marriage still stood with Sebastian and Olivia, and Sir Toby and Maria got together. Twelfth Night is a story combining love, disguise and emotions all in one piece of drama. It is a fine example of a Shakespearian comedy and manages to fit in disguise and mystery with comedy and wit.

Medisys - Responsibility Without Authority free essay sample

How has MediSys ended up where it is now? While MediSys had grown to become a $400m firm with 1,750 employees, in 2008, it was at a crossroads. The firm’s highly effective entrepreneurial culture had been stymied by size and bureaucracy. At about this time, the firm hired a new President, Art Beaumont, who instituted a change in the New Product Development process. Instead of a traditional linear progression, product development would now be handled by cross functional teams comprised of key representatives from each business silo. The strength of this new approach was believed to be significant: †¢ All of the firm’s critical functions represented †¢ Leadership strength with cross-functional expertise †¢ Reintroduction of an entrepreneurial / team approach †¢ The avoidance of single-minded focus in one’s particular area of expertise Though it began under the traditional system, IntensCare became one of the first products to shift into the new cross-functional development system. This also represented the firm’s largest and most ambitious single project – with a 10-year time line and . We will write a custom essay sample on Medisys Responsibility Without Authority or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 5 million in total investment. Despite the positive changes brought about at MediSys, there are a number of cracks in the veneer that are now playing out as the firm struggles to complete product development and launch IntensCare. On a macro level, these can be broken into several main categories: †¢ New product development approach does not mesh with the balance of the firm’s operations †¢ Employees and team members that are spread too thin Bifurcated culture of long time employees (â€Å"friends†) and outsiders/newcomers †¢ Lack of ultimate responsibility and/or responsibility without authority The idea of modifying the product development process was legitimate, forward thinking, and seemingly well accepted among employees. However, whereas this aspect of the business process was radically changed, the rest of the firm’s operations were not adapted to mesh. Although the cross functional product development teams worked more or less outside the firm’s traditional structure, the team members still reported to management under the traditional system. This removed, or at least greatly reduced, the level of accountability of each team member. The case study also revealed the recurring theme that employees were spread too thin as a result of economic conditions and requisite cutbacks in staffing. While this may have been unavoidable, it seems to have been overlooked when setting timeline goals for the team’s launch of IntensCare. A chasm existed between the old guard – those employees who had been there for many years and had developed close â€Å"friendships†, and the outsiders – those who were either newly hired (notably Valerie Merz) or those who were seen as obstacles to the process (Karen Baio). Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the new structure didn’t clearly define responsibility for the project success. The team leader (Jack Fogel) was notionally in charge of the process yet there seemed to be no direct consequence for failure (long term, perhaps his reputation would be damaged but short term, less so). Conversely, Valerie Merz, who was not the team leader, seems positioned to bear the full brunt of failure yet was given no authority over the process. In summary, MediSys is a well established firm with a solid track record of success. Having grown dramatically over the past decade, it is faced with challenges to the product design process and, even though the new president reacted to those challenges by modifying structures, they are reeling from an incomplete solution, unintended consequences, and personality conflicts. Are people doing all they can to work together? Due to many of the issues discussed previously, the team’s communication has been challenged and the effectiveness of their efforts severely compromised. Although each individual would likely report that they are â€Å"trying† or â€Å"doing their best† to work together, this clearly is not the case. There were several key issues that undermined their ability to work collaboratively: †¢ Poor leadership communication †¢ Team members withholding information/lack of trust Differing motivations †¢ Failure to leverage resources and self-advocate †¢ Meetings on the wrong day of the week Below is a brief discussion of each, with examples from the Case Study. Leadership/Communication: Fogel, as team leader, sees himself as the center of the team’s communication but is failing to facilitate an open and honest dialogue. A glaring example of this is how he often held separate meetings and brainstorm ing sessions with specific individuals – overtly hiding these meetings from the larger group. He also seems to have let his â€Å"friendships† with select team members influence how he dealt with Merz and others. Lastly, despite being the â€Å"leader† he likely knows that there are limited direct/immediate consequences for failure thus his motivations may not be aligned with the team as a whole. Transparency: Throughout this Case Study there was a consistent lack of transparency which manifested individually, within sub-groups, and in the (lack of) accurate reporting to upper management. The reasons for this varied based on personal motivation, lack of appropriate structure, and possibly, simple oversight. Perhaps the best example of lacking transparency surrounds the development of the IntensCare â€Å"module concept†. While Merz knew the module approach wouldn’t be ready until a second version, she wanted to push the group as far as she could. At the same time, O’Brien had no intention of working on the module concept but wasn’t willing to be open about this to Merz. Another example of lack of transparency surrounded the outsourcing of IT to India. Despite the fact that Mukerjee understood the challenges, he wasn’t clear about these to the larger group and over time, even held back scheduling information that was crucial to other functions. Motivations: Clearly, motivations were not aligned. Merz’s sole responsibility for the next three years (and indeed, the reason behind her being hired) is the success of IntensCare. Conversely, all of the other team members had a wider range of responsibilities within the firm. Although some motivational differences within a team are unavoidable (or even necessary, as in the case of Karen Baio who handled regulatory issues), there was a gulf between the motivations of the other team members, especially when contrasted with those of Merz. Leveraging/Self Advocating: Mukerjee knew from the start that he would not have adequate resources to work on the project domestically. However, rather than advocating for himself and either obtaining adequate resources or modifying the overall timeline to account for outsourcing IT, he acted unilaterally. This lack of self advocating was also demonstrated by others on the team as they had to grapple with being spread too thin to devote adequate resources towards the IntensCare project. Even though the team members hold ultimate responsibility for this, it could also be a reflection of a heavy handed top down leadership style from Beaumont. Meeting Time: Based on the collective experiences of San Francisco Group 1, we believe that Fogel should have chosen a different day of the week to hold meetings. For a major project, Friday is not the best day of the week and many team members had conflicts. Additionally, because of the difference in time zones, a Friday meeting in the US lands on a Saturday in India, making it difficult for the overseas BPO component of the team to participate effectively. In summary, while the collective skill sets of the team were clearly evident, the combination of structure, leadership, and lack of open communication conspired to undermine the ability of this team to work together. What are the forces that have contributed to the situation at the end of the case? While many of the factors that contributed broadly to the situation at the end of the case have been described through the prior two responses, the main culprit is clear: Valerie Merz had ultimate responsibility but no authority to lead and Fogel, had authority to lead but proved ineffectual At the end of the case, Merz passes by a conference room and overhears an internal meeting between the team lead, Fogel, and O’Brien, the senior engineer. Encapsulated in that short exchange is the very essence of the problem – poor leadership which has led to a collapse in effective communication at every level. Let’s take a closer look: â€Å"get that woman off my back† – highlights the derogatory and antagonistic nature of the relationship between Merz and the rest of the team. If Fogel were effectively leading, this would never have come to pass and regardless, wouldn’t be tolerated. â€Å"on the modular issue† – the white elephant throughout the process, whereby two sides, diametrically opposed, have refused to have an open, honest dialogue. If Fogel were leading and if all (including Merz) were confident in the team’s collective abilities, this issue could have been vetted and built into a realistic timeline to include a second product generation. â€Å"no way I can (meet) the scheduled milestone† – an example of the team being spread too thin yet an inability or an unwillingness to broadly address the issue to the team as well as up the ladder to upper management. â€Å"even worse delays†¦ Indian software team† – an example of the negative impact of unilateral decision making by Mukerjee and the resulting lack of buy-in and support from the larger group. Had the group been adequately educated about this situation early on, everyone could have supported it and could now be working to solve the problem. While Mukerjee holds a high degree of responsibility, so too does Fogel who should have been the final arbiter in the decision to outsource. â€Å"we’ll get your boss and mine in here and give them a straight story† – an example of the mixed up role of reporting between the legacy organizational structure and the new, cross-functional product development strategy. It’s also likely the reason that although Beaumont realizes there are some issues, he has no idea of the magnitude and impact on the project timeline. Although Merz’s personality and management style certainly play into the dynamics, the overriding feature remains a lack of quality leadership from Fogel and the contradicting motivations between the team members; all against a backdrop that has come to disallow open, honest, transparent communication.

The Hunger Games Book One Review

The Hunger Games Book One Review In The Hunger Games, author Suzanne Collins has created a fascinating dystopian world. The Hunger Games is a compelling novel focusing on life in an authoritarian society in which young people must compete to the death in the annual Hunger Games. The main character, 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, volunteers for the Hunger Games to keep her younger sister from being required to participate and her experiences and fight to survive are the heart of the book. Reading The Hunger Games can lead to interesting discussions about our own world and how reality shows, threats of war, authoritarian governments and obsession with fashion trends influence us daily. Due to the darkness of the story, it is best suited for teens and adults rather than tweens, although many younger kids have read the book or seen the movie or both. Panem: the World of the Hunger Games Trilogy While the creation of Panem is not fully fleshed out until the second book, we know that this authoritarian society was the result of a horrible disaster during the Dark Days, resulting in the establishment of twelve districts under the rule of the government in the Capitol. Peacekeepers and a local government are instituted in each district, but the rulers in the Capitol have strict control over everything and everyone in each district. Each district has its own specialty that benefits the Capitol, such as coal mining, agriculture, seafood, etc. Some districts provide the Capitol with energy or material goods and some provide the manpower to keep those in the Capitol in power. The people who live in the Capitol contribute little to their own sustenance and are concerned mainly with the latest fashions and amusements. The Hunger Games are an annual tradition directed by the Capitol rulers, not only to amuse the citizens  but also to preserve control over the districts by demonstrating the Capitols dominance. Each year, the twelve districts must send two representatives, a girl and a boy, to participate in the Hunger Games. These representatives are called â€Å"tributes† to make people believe that representing their district is an honor, even though each person lives in fear that someone they love will be chosen. And the entire nation must watch as these 24 tributes battle each other to the death until only one is left as the victor. Having a victor is important to a district - extra food and a few luxuries will be granted to the winners district. The government has created the ultimate reality show, complete with technological challenges and constant monitoring of the movements of the participants. Each citizen is required to watch the Games until their conclusion, which may take hours or days. Summary of the  Story Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen has been providing for her family since her father’s death in a mining accident. She has done this by illegally hunting beyond the boundaries of District 12 and using the game she kills for food or for barter. Through her skill with a bow and her ability to track and snare rabbits and squirrels, her family has been able to survive. They have also survived because Katniss signs up for the tessera, a ration of grain that is given in exchange for placing your name in the lottery for the reaping, the ceremony that determines who will be the district’s representative in the Games. Everyone’s name goes in the lottery from the time they reach the age of 12 until they turn 18. Each time Katniss exchanges her name for the tessera, her chances of being the one whose name is called increase. Only it isn’t her name that is called it is her sister’s. Prim Everdeen is the one person that Katniss loves above all others. She is only 12, quiet, loving and on her way to being a healer. She would not be able to survive the reaping and Katniss knows this. When Prim’s name is called, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place as a tribute from District 12 to the Hunger Games. Katniss knows that it is not only her own life on the line in the games, but that others will benefit as well if she is the victor and her skills as a hunter will give her an edge in the Games. But her life as a tribute becomes more complicated by the other tribute from District 12. Peeta Mellark, the baker’s son, is a boy that Katniss owes a favor because of a kindness that he showed her when she was most desperate and her family’s survival was at stake. And Katniss knows that now her survival will mean his death. Katniss is whisked away from her family and Gale, her best friend and hunting partner, to the Capitol, where she is prepped and primped to participate in the Games. She and Peeta are to be mentored by Haymitch, the only tribute that District 12 has had who was a winner of the Games. But Haymitch is a reluctant and seemingly inadequate mentor, so Katniss realizes she must rely on her own strengths in order to survive. As the first book of the trilogy, The Hunger Games is compelling reading and makes the reader want to read the next book immediately to find out what happens to Katniss and Peeta. Katniss is a strong character who solves her own problems and takes charge of her own life. Her struggles with her divided affections between two boys are realistically portrayed but not overwrought. And her tendency to inadvertently create problems can spark many conversations about whether she was right or wrong and whether she stayed true to who she is. Katniss is a character that readers will not soon forget. About the Author, Suzanne Collins With the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins, award-winning author of the Underland Chronicles, brings her talents to a new trilogy aimed at a more mature audience than her books about Gregor, the Overlander. Collins was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010, an honor that was based on the popularity of the first two books in the Hunger Games trilogy. In its popularity and impact, the trilogy has been compared to other popular fantasy novels for young people, such as the Twilight series and the Harry Potter series. Collins’ experience as a television writer enables her to create stories that appeal to tweens and teens. Suzanne Collins also wrote the screenplay for the movie adaptations of The Hunger Games. Review and Recommendation The Hunger Games will appeal to teens, ages 13 and up. The 384-page book contains violence and strong emotions so younger tweens may find it disturbing. The writing is excellent and the plot propels the reader through the book at a rapid rate. This book has been chosen by Kansas State University to be given to all of the incoming freshmen to read so that they will all be able to discuss it throughout the campus and in their classes. It has also become assigned reading in many high schools. The book is rich in discussion points not only about governments, personal freedom, and sacrifice but also about what it means to be yourself and not submit to society’s expectations. For information on challenges to the book, see The Hunger Games Trilogy. (Scholastic Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780439023481) Edited March 5, 2016 by Elizabeth Kennedy Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our  Ethics Policy.

ACT Test Dates 2017-2018

ACT Test Dates 2017-2018 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips At PrepScholar, we are committed to keeping you informed about future test dates. Knowing the registration and test dates well in advance can help you create your study plan and keep you organized so that you can minimize your stress and reach your target score. In this article, I’ll give you the ACT test dates for 2017-2018 and explain the factors to think about when selecting your test date. ACT Test Dates for 2017-2018 These are the official test dates and registration deadlines for 2017-2018, as well as our estimated score release dates. Test Date Deadline Late Deadline Score Release* Sept 9, 2017 Aug 4, 2017 Aug 18, 2017 Sept 10; Oct 3, 2017 Oct 28, 2017 Sept 22, 2017 Oct 6, 2017 Nov 7; Nov 21, 2017 Dec 9, 2017 Nov 3, 2017 Nov 17, 2017 Dec 19; Jan 2, 2018 Feb 10, 2018 Jan 12, 2018 Jan 19, 2018 Feb 2; Mar 6, 2018 Apr 14, 2018 Mar 9, 2018 Mar 23, 2018 Apr 24; May 8, 2018 June 9, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 18, 2018 June 19; July 3, 2018 July 14, 2018 June 15, 2018 June 22, 2018 July 24; Aug 7, 2018 *= Refers to online score release. The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out, and the second one is when complete scores are available. How Accurate Is the Table Above? The dates above have been confirmed by the ACT, and it's highly unlikely that they'll be changed.The score release dates are estimates, but they should be within a week of the projected dates. Keep in mind that there's some variance when multiple-choice scores come out and not everyone receives them at the same time. How to Choose Your Test Date Below are some of the major factors to consider when selecting your ACT test date. #1: What Deadlines Do You Need to Make? Remember to take your ACT before any deadlines. If you apply regular decision, the December test in your senior year will be the last test you can take for most colleges. If you apply early, the last test you can take may be in October or November of your senior year. Also, if you want to obtain any scholarships that consider your ACT score, you’ll need to have your test score before the scholarship deadlines. #2: How Many Times Do You Want to Take the ACT? Most students raise their scores when they retake the ACT; give yourself an opportunity to take the test multiple times. Generally, we suggest first taking the ACT in the fall of your junior year. Then you can retake it in the spring of your junior year and the fall of your senior year if necessary. #3: How Long Do You Plan to Study? When choosing your test date, give yourself ample time to prepare. Figure out how long you’ll need to study and make sure you’ll be able to adequately prepare before you take the test. If you take both the September and October tests without doing any studying in between, your score probably won’t improve much. #4: Do You Have Conflicts With Any Test Dates? Check to see if you have any potential conflicts on or around any of the ACT test dates. Perhaps the December date is on the same day as your science fair. Maybe you want to avoid the April test date because you’ll be in the middle of baseball season. Even if it's challenging to find a time when you can fully dedicate yourself to the ACT, you should try to pick the best test dates for you. What's Next? Check out this article for everything you need to know about ACT prep. To help you with your ACT studying, find out the best ACT prep books. Finally, figure out if you should take the ACT with or without Writing. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Training Faculty to Teach Online Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Training Faculty to Teach Online - Research Paper Example   There is also the principle that learning materials and measured teaching outcomes will contain and provide appropriate information. By appropriate information, it is expected a well-trained faculty would focus their learning resources on the provision of information that directly matches what the online program is designed to accomplish. What is more, there is a principle that measures on timely the information given by the faculty is considered by learners to be. This is an important principle, given the fact that learning information is dynamic and subjective to time. By implication, the process of evaluation looks at the ability of faculty to be on top of issues and abreast with time so that information delivered will not be considered as not being relevant for the time for which it is being delivered. Lastly, there is a principle that dwells on the need for faculty teaching to be self-evaluative. Effective management of teaching in the online training programShattuck and Ter ry likened the management of teaching effectiveness to the sustainability of effective teaching and learning that is attained from online programs. With this said, it is expected that during online training programs and even by the close of the programs, there will be principle that checks for the sustainability of effectiveness. One of these principles for the management of teaching in online training programs is the need for there to be faculty support services provided in specific areas related to teaching online.

Dark Water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Dark Water - Essay Example In Japanese horror it relies more on folklore and psychological themes that make the plot very different from western movies. The popularity of these horror movies even got up to the point where the American movie industry does remakes of them. The movie that was credited at starting the wave of popularity of this genre is The Ring, also directed by Nakata. The difference in Japanese horror is the unique way that folklore and technology is integrated into the movie. Moving in and getting acquainted with the neighbors The movie Dark Water is about a mother and daughter who move to a run down apartment complex who starts having paranormal encounters upon. The mother had just gotten divorced and was going through a difficult moment in her life. The movie itself, like others in its genre is full of references to Japanese folklore. One such reference is the spirit of the dead child that comes back and haunts the living. In Japanese folklore it is very popular for a spirit of a child who d ies to come back and haunt the living in order to exact revenge in very violent ways. The child is Mitsuko, who dies the previous year from drowning due to the neglect of her mother who was not able to fetch her from school, she goes home alone and plunges into the water tank of their apartment and dies. This theme figures heavily Japanese folklore. ... In the end she dies protecting her daughter from Mitsuko. This is related to the vengeful fetus stories that also figures in Japanese folklore. Here the spirit of an aborted fetus comes back to haunt the mother. The only way to stop this is through a ritual or proper burial. Another way to appease these spirits is through self sacrifice of the mother which happened to Yoshimi. Another theme that has been incorporated here from Japanese folklore is that of the â€Å"monster mother† or the mother who treats her child badly. There are many reasons for this and one reason that comes up is usually the absence of a father, such as the case of Yoshimi and her daughter whom she neglects and treats badly in the movie. One of the reasons for her neglecting her child is quest to look for a job to provide for both of them. Another is the mental anguish the divorce proceedings are causing her. These two combine for a very volatile personality and make for a mother that is both loving and m enacing at the same time. Yoshimi tries her best to nurture her daughter but the pressures of her current situation bear down on her and make her very unstable. As opposed to the father who is very stoic in his appearances in the movie. Yet another theme that comes from Japanese folklore is the Kappa which is a mischievous spirit in Japanese folklore who inhabits water. It is a humanoid that is the size of a child that lures people into bodies of water. The Kappa is usually blamed for drowning in rivers and also raping women who frequent rivers or bodies of water. The child in the movie is not a Kappa per se but her appearance in one of the scenes is inspired by the Kappa whose color ranges from green to yellow. The fact that she is

My Alignment with the Values of the Bank Essay Example for Free

My Alignment with the Values of the Bank Essay According to Business Dictionary 2010, values can be defined as the important and enduring beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is desirable and what is not. Each person has his or her own individual values and so does organizations. The values of organizations dictate its actions and behaviors. Corporate values can be said to play an important role in an organization and is imperative to success. And Access Bank PLC is known for its core values which are Excellence, Leadership, Empowered employees, Passion for customers, Professionalism, and Innovation. These values can be said to be responsible for its excellence and continuous strive to be the best both locally and globally. To attain a successful alignment between individual and organization values, there needs to be a synergy between the employee and the organization he or she works for. My alignment with these values are in no doubt because I as an individual always strive to be the best and these values should be cultivated by any individual or organization that strive to be the best. Firstly the value of Leadership, I as an individual that strive for excellence always want to be the leader. I strive to acquire all the necessary knowledge and expertise that makes me stand out as a leader that others look up to. So in this vein, contributing and believing in the Leadership value of Access Bank PLC is something that will come as second nature to me. Then there is excellence. This being part of my daily mantra is a value that aligning with will also come as second nature. I and Access Bank both believe in the value of excellence. As someone who strive to be the best and excel. Excellence is a watch word that applies to everything I do. I recognize the importance

If I See A Ghost Are My Senses Essay example -- essays research papers

IF I SEE A GHOST ARE MY SENSES TO BLAME? To complement the full apprehension of the terms which will be used throughout this argument, a number of meanings taken from The Lexicon Webster Dictionary is provided: GHOST The soul or spirit of a dead person. A disembodied spirit. HALLUCINATION (psy) an apparent perception, as by sight or hearing, for which there is no real external cause, as distinguished from illusion ILLUSION A false impression or belief. False perception or conception of some object of sense. A perception of a thing which misrepresents it, or gives it qualities not present in reality. GOD Creator and ruler of the universe, eternal, infinite spirit, the Supreme Being. “Hobgoblins, ghoulsand other malevolent forces are part of our cultural heritage. But can these nightmares simply be dismissed as superstitious by-products of the medieval mind?'; Introduction to Creatures from Inner Space by S. Gooch The subject will be argued from the two possible, yet opposite, sides: the “ghost'; as a non-existent and the “ghost'; as an existent spirit. This will be done through the elements of perception. Perception, although being so complex, is the medium by which individuals receive information from the surrounding world. Let us consider the situation where a person believes that s/he has perceived a ghost. This can be an optical illusion created by the classical example of shadows, or by sound (the wind) which when applied to them the Gestalt psychology we can understand how anyone of us can derive a form from the few elements perceived and rush to a conclusion. Gestalt psychologists have shown how humans use their interests to structure the information perceived, therefore not considering the different parts making it up. As we can see clearly, in an illusion it’s the minority of the outer senses which are stimulated. Same thing with hallucination, but this time the inner senses do probably play a stronger role. We all know how young persons, when exposed to ghost stories, do have nightmares and/or restless nights. From this we can understand how this retrieval of memory together with imagination and lack of “common sense'; can bring about hallucinations. In fact these same “tricks'; are what wannabe mediums use in order to deceive their clients. The client has already a strong ... ...e. I do profoundly agree with the Kant’s philosophy that all knowledge is achieved through experience and filtered through our reasoning processes. It is just that most of the times we are not aware of the input, or else we are not ready to acquire it! Probably this is the factor that creates humans with (the so called) paranormal potentials. Bibliography S. Gooch, Creatures From Inner Space, Hutchinson Publishing Group: London, 1984 S. Borella, L’Io Nella Percezione, Citta` Nuova: Rome, 1983 W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual Information Processing, Academic Press: New York, 1973 R. Boar and N. Blundell, The Worlds Greatest Ghosts, Hamlyn: London, 1995 C. Green and C. McCreery, Apparitions, Hamish Hamilton: London, 1975 The New American Bible, Good Counsel Publishers: Chicago, 1971 D. F. Kellerman (Ed.), The Lexicon Webster Dictionary, Lexicon, 1977 S.P.I.R.I.T, Psychokinesis available: www.ghosthunter.org/archives/ philip.htm J. Ritchie, Inside The Paranormal, Fontana: London, 1992 READING: A http://www.ghosthunter.org/archives/philip.html READING: B Creatures From Inner Space READING: C Inside The Paranormal READING: D The Worlds Greatest Ghosts

Bshs 402 Final Exam

Final Exam Please use the Initial List of Case Management Functions located in the Appendix of your Rothman & Sager text on page 289 as well as chapter 2. Use the vignette below to provide Case Management services to this particular client. Please follow all of the steps in the Case Management functions to best serve your client. Please do not number each of the functions in question/answer form, but answer in essay format using APA standards. You will not earn credit unless each of the steps is clearly identified; you may use headings, italicized identification throughout the paragraph with each of the steps, etc.The final exam is due Week 5 Day 7. Please submit to the assignments section on your student website. Your paper should be at least 3-5 pages double spaced. Jack is a single father of two children. He has recently lost his job which is creating difficulties taking care of his family. He is on the verge of having his electricity and water cut off to his house. He is also str uggling to pay his mortgage. He is on his last $50 and still has to feed his family for the week. He has not had much luck on his own finding services to help him in this time of crisis.Recently, his two children have had difficulties in school acting out and not completing their school work. Jack is becoming frustrated and feels hopeless given his current situation. He comes to you looking for help. What do you do? Client Identification and Outreach In order to help Jack return stability into his life and that of his children we need to follow a schematic model of intervention as discussed in Chapter 2 of our text. The first step in implementing the case management process is Client Identification and Outreach.According to Rothman (1998), â€Å"the flow of clients into the organization can come through referrals of various kinds (agencies, families, community organizations, clergy, police, schools, self-referral, etc. )†. Therefore the agency must make itself available to re ceive clientele as they approach the system. Jack has contacted our agency through self-referral. Now we must set up an interview to find out more about Jack and his family. This will be accomplished through an intake interview. Intake, Assessment and Setting GoalsAn intake interview will take place during the first appointment in a formal setting such as the agency office where various administrative forms will be filed. Intake will include identifying Jack’s problem and situation. Also, it will be determined if there is an appropriate agency-client match. Eligibility will be examined and the financial situation appraised. The client will be given information about agency services, requirements, and limitations. At this time we hope to find out more details about Jack’s struggles and needs as well as some personal/family background information.Psychosocial Assessment The next step would be assessing the level of the client’s social, psychological, and physical functioning. This is a rather involved step in the process because not only does the information come from the client but other sources such as family, previous agencies, work place etc. In Jack’s case he will be the main contributor to his background information. During the assessment process we find out that Jack was laid off because the company downsized to be able to compete in today’s tough market.Jack was a computer analyst. The financial burden has become unbearable and added stress to Jack’s family life. Recently he vented out his frustration on his two children, and now regrets it. With bills piling up, grocery dwindling away, and his children’s poor academic performance jack finds himself in despair and in need of outside assistance. At this time it’s been determined that Jack has suffered an emotional breakdown because of high stress and on the verge of developing mild depression.His psychological needs should be addressed simultaneously while helping Jack get back on his feet and provide basic needs for his family. Jack has many friends but he is too proud to ask them for financial help. Goal Setting Now we are able to set up concrete goals with Jack because we have covered all necessary background information and determined what his needs are. First we must prioritize. Jack needs food for his family and to keep the household utilities fully functioning so that his children may continue leading a healthy daily routine.In order to maintain Jack’s psychological health a counselor from the agency will work with Jack on gaining emotional stability and dealing with daily stressors. It will take time to find Jack gainful employment; in the meantime the case manager will help him apply for unemployment. Also refer him to a local food bank for food. Throughout the goal setting process client’s input is crucial and a must to make sure all their needs are being addressed and the client’s wishes are hear d and considered.The short term goals would be Jack’s psychological stability, food for his family, and maintaining full functioning of the household. Long term goals would be finding Jack full time employment and possibly learning new job skills. Another goal is to boost his children’s academic performance. Resource Identification and Intervention Planning Now we are ready to start implementing our intervention plan. An intervention plan is obviously enhanced through use of available service resources.For the purpose of our client Jack the resources we need have already been established. Now the case manager must locate these resources by looking in to the information that’s already available from previous cases or researching new resources through available networks. It’s also helpful to connect with other agencies or individuals and request needed information. It’s important to include the client in resource identification process by asking abou t places they turn to for help and what has been useful to them, additional resources surface, some off-the-beaten-track.By doing this a case manager can find out a lot of useful information about agencies such as availability of resources, eligibility of clients, reliability and quality of services. Now we are ready for the next step. Intervention planning encompasses both treatment planning, in the sense of therapy and counseling, and service planning, which involves the linking of clients to external agencies and informal networks for more varied and comprehensive assistance.The client’s personal rights, needs, and goals are considered in their interrelatedness with the external realities of physical space, social supports, family structure, and the community’s social and political climate. The intervention plan for Jack is simple, receive counseling and apply for unemployment, go to the local food bank. The counselor might recommend other services for Jack if she d etermines there is a deeper issue that cannot be resolved without the help of a therapist. Jack’s children should participate on a few counseling sessions so that a healthy family tmosphere can be established at home. A counselor might suggest Jack take a parenting class to build positive relationships with his children. The steps must be clearly defined and written out preferably in a contract. Linking Jack to the services and supports I have already identified will be our next step in the intervention plan. The case manager may assist these clients in acquiring job interviewing and job searching skills. A social service agency can assist with perplexities about housing, job training, or family disruption.Professional linking does not consist of simply suggesting a referral. It also means making a good hook-up, including doing whatever is necessary to ensure that the client actually receives the needed aid. The case manager will connect Jack and his family with each agency a nd perform a follow up to make sure Jack has received the help and services he needed. This process calls for a wealth of knowledge about the community human services system: accurate, up-to-date information on policies, programs and procedures; contingencies and â€Å"loopholes†; and the costs and benefits of different options.Monitoring, Reassessment, and Outcome Evaluation Monitoring is following up on a client intervention plan to make sure it is carried out and that it brings about the helpful results that were intended. In monitoring, the practitioner sees to it that the agencies accepting clients actually provide the needed services, that aid from family or friends is forthcoming, and that the client carries out tasks that were agreed upon. It also is a means of tracking the practitioner’s own intended performance.In our case with Jack the case manager will place weekly phone calls and set up appointments every two weeks in order to measure client progress. If n eeded the check in sessions can become more frequent or less frequent depending on how well the client is doing. Monitoring is closely tied with reassessment because looking at a process in action automatically provides feedback about how the process is playing out and with what consequences. During reassessment it should be determined if the original intervention plan is working or if some goals need to be changed or adjusted depending on how well the plan has worked.Again it’s very important to utilize client input during monitoring and reassessment to determine success or failure of the plan and if any changes or adjustments are necessary. Finally, if the plan has worked and Jack is happily functioning in all areas of his life such as family, work and social circles, then the implemented intervention was successful. If not then the plan must be revised and new goals set up addressing areas of previous failure. All the while the case manager must give the client, Jack, empo werment to take charge of his life and never give up.The monitoring should come to a minimum at this point so the client does not come depend and rely on the case manager. However not all contact must be severed an occasional phone call or an appointment must be made to let the client know that the door is always open when he needs guidance or assistance. References Rothman, J. (1998). Case Management: Integrating Individual and Community Practice (2nd ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection.

The fundamentals behind London’s current housing crisis and potential solution?

Introduction The assignment will consider the housing market within London, paying close attention to the housing policy and macro-economic conditions that have led to the current ‘crisis’ within the city’s housing market. It could be argued that a current shortage of housing developments, mainly in the more affordable range, coupled with a surge in international real-estate investment in the city has caused a major shortage, leading ultimately to price increases and so a divergence from housing markets within the North of the UK (Dyson, 2014) [Online]. This assignment will first touch upon the policies that have led to this problem before looking into the recent macro-economic trends which have aggravated the issue, pushing into the spotlight. The UK housing market has for some time been impacted by poor housing policy, with many arguing that levels of new construction have been unable to meet the surge in population growth and so demand for new houses. While this has become a more national problem, the south of England, most notably London has witnessed the greatest affect (Myers, 2012). Property Overview While the population of London has continued its growth given its rise in status as a ‘global business hub’, housing developments have been unable to supply the market with enough new properties, as well as properties which locals deem ‘affordable’. While it can be noted that there are currently some significant developments within London such as the Battersea Power Plant regeneration, many have commented that these ?Million properties are being built with the wealthy oversea investors in mind over local buyers given that the prices asked are far out of reach of many workers (Renshaw, 2013) [Online]. While local councils have attempted to resolve this issue by pushing all developers to include a percentage of ‘affordable’ homes in their plans to win planning permission, many of these new developments are still primarily geared at the high-end of the market; with many developers advertising their properties in international markets (London First, 2014). This, along with major regeneration plans in some area’s which has prioritised commercial/ retail space over residential, has seriously restricted the potential for new housing for the local market and supported the price increases seen over the years. Furthermore, the central boroughs of London are also restricted by the availability of land to develop new homes, with new developments pushing higher for greater floor space. While this has become a popular method in London with new skyscrapers such as The Shard, these developments have usually favoured office and retail space over residential (Ball et al, 2012). What could be considered here is the desire by boroughs within London to re-generate and effectively create local centre’s to compete with the main areas of London. There has been significant discussion over the years regarding the ‘downfall’ of the UK high-streets as out of town competition and online shopping reduces the demand for typica l bricks-and-mortar stores; in London the main issue for some could be the easy accessibility into the city centre and so the main shopping and entertainment districts. With this, local boroughs have prioritised the development on new commercial and office space in a bid to attract the private investment that would be needed to support larger regeneration plans and attract more people into the area, however as mentioned previously given the short supply of available land in some central boroughs this has led to an ‘opportunity cost’ between residential and commercial development. London Crisis The main issue for the market is a simply supply and demand crisis; essentially the market is severely under supplied, with prices been pushed up by the consumers willing to pay a higher price for the property. This has created a situation where the supply of affordable housing is quite inelastic and so any notable increase in demand will only result in the price moving higher. This has also led to another affect whereby prices have also increased strongly in the wider South-East area as commuters seek property in lower price areas with strong transport connections into London. The supply crisis has also been heightened by another issue; namely strong international demand for property in London as an investment opportunity and store of wealth (Tower Hamlet Citizens, 2014). In 2008, the financial crisis hit global economics and stock-markets. With this, investors sought for new ‘safe-havens’ for their wealth as global stock markets remained volatile and the value of other havens such as gold fell. Property or investments in brick-and-mortar have always been popular, especially in economies like the UK where the market has remained buoyant over a number of years (Berry et al, 2011). London especially appealed to investors given its stock of high-value properties, increasing population, global image as a destination for the wealthy, falling corporation tax as well as a weakening currency which made investment into UK property cheaper for international investors. The economics behind this move has largely been driven by the desire to reduce risk bu t maintain returns on investments; given that London house prices were increasing at above 10%p.a (ONS, 2014), investors who had once favoured holding their cash in stock markets and commodities such as gold quickly moved their money into property as a store of wealth. This movement has recently been reversed to some extent as a strengthening ?GBP and improving global outlook have decreased demand for high-end properties in London at a time when a wave of new supply is hitting the market (Titcomb, 2014) [Online]. Potential Solutions Moving forward, a number of factors have been put forward to help deal with the issue, focusing on new regulation and opportunities (London First, 2014). In terms of opportunity, London has been working to improve transport connections with wider area in a bid to open up more areas to potential commuters, essentially increasing the stock of housing that is available to anyone working within London, (Emmett, 2014). This would then lead to an increase in supply, which should help decrease prices. Notable projects include the Crossrail development, an ?18Billion transport project that will decrease commuter times into central London for a number of local boroughs (Crossrail, 2014) [Online]. The proposed HS2-HS3 (high-speed rail) projects could also been seen as a new opportunity; giving more businesses the chance to open offices, facilities in other major UK cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds etc. while still having access to London. The main benefit on this is that it would m ove some business away from London as so reduce demand for housing from workers. Furthermore this project has also been seen as a way to reduce the heavily debated North/South divide within the UK, which in turn may help better align house prices between the two. In terms of regulation, a number of London boroughs have sought to effectively force developers to include affordable housing within their plans to be granted planning permission (Besley, 2010). Given this, new developments such as the Battersea Power Plant have included some affordable housing within their plans, however as they only account for 15% of total home some have argued the measure doesn’t go far enough to solve the supply issues (Robertson, 2014) [Online]. In economic terms, local boroughs have identified the profitability that developments in London provide; by asking developers to include some affordable housing within their plans they have affected the Net Present Value (hereafter NPV) or potential pay back of the project, however given that projects are still being announced in the city it appears that developments still remain profitable for these companies. It could be argued by some that these new demands from the local authorities could be seen as interference within the free market, effectively using the private sector to provide a good (e.g. new homes) that the public sector has failed to provide. What this essay must also consider is that if that the public sector have done little themselves to attempt to resolve this issue, most probably down to a lack of capital and experience necessary to move forward with these large-scale developments and so requiring the need for the involvement of the private sector. As mentioned beforehand, the private sector will be driven by the eventual profitability or NPV of these projects and so local authorities must ensure that they still allow these profits to be made while also attempting to resolve the housing crisis. According to data f rom the ONS, home prices in London are up 31.6% above their 2008 peak, while those in the North remain under the 2008 level, (ONS, 2014). Closing Remarks To conclude the essay has shown that housing policy in London could have been seen as failing for a number of years as demand from a rising population has outgrown the level of new supply, pushing prices up much higher than the UK average (Savills, 2014). The issue has intensified recently as the global economic crisis increased the desire for international investors to hold their money in property, with London seen as a prime market given the weaker value of the ?GBP could with continuous price rises. While the essay has noted a number of initiatives underway to help increase supply and reduce demand, the potential impacts may be small and seen in a long-term scenario. While there is new infrastructure underway to improve the competitiveness and attractiveness of a wider London and also wider UK area; the Crossrail development will not come online until 2018, while the high-speed rail links are not current expected until after 2020. Furthermore, while local boroughs have attempted t o increase regulation and push more affordable housing into development plans, these are only small percentages, with some people disagreeing on what will be deemed affordable. Moving forward the main issue for London will be developing the land that it currently has spare in the best way possible to accommodate its rising population but also its rising status as a global business hub – in this case, higher residential housing prices may be needed for developers to justify their construction over commercial or office space. References Ball, M, Lizieri, C and MacGregor, B (2012): The Economics of Commercial Property Markets, London, Routledge. Berry, J, Deddis, N and McGreal, W (2011): Urban Regeneration, Property Investment and Development, London, Taylor & Francis. Besley, T and Ghatak, M (2010): Property Rights and Economic Development. In Dani Rodrik and Mark Rosenzweig, Ed: Handbook of development economics, London, Elsevier Publications. Crossrail, (2014) [Online]: A world class railway company, Available at http://www.crossrail.co.uk/benefits/, Accessed 29/10/2014. Dyson, R (2014) [Online]: House prices: gap between London and the rest of the UK is highest in 40 years, Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/houseprices/10738540/House-prices-gap-between-London-and-the-rest-of-the-UK-widest-in-40-years.html, Accessed 29/10/2014. Emmett, S (2014): London Infrastructure: Outlook, London, Savills Research. London First (2014): 12 steps to solving London’s housing crisis, London, London First. Myers, D (2012): Economics and Property, London, Taylor & Francis. ONS (2014): Comparison of regional house price indices before and after the financial crisis, London, ONS Research. Renshaw, R (2013): Selling stampede at Battersea Power Station sets new record, Available at http://old.estateagenttoday.co.uk/news_features/Selling-stampede-at-Battersea-Power-Station-sets-new-records, Accessed 29/10/2014. Robertson, L (2014) [Online]: No affordable housing in Battersea power plant development, Available at http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/no-affordable-housing-in-gehrys-battersea-power-station-buildings/7003154.article, Accessed 29/10/2014. Savills (2014): Infrastructure and development must work together to accommodate London’s growing population, London, Savills Research. Titcomb, J (2014): London House prices tipped to fall, Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/10976395/Warning-London-house-prices-tipped-to-fall.html, Accessed 29/10/2014. Tower Hamlet Citizens (2014): A report on the housing crisis in one of London’s most expensive boroughs, London, Tower Hamlet Citizens.

Five ways your web writing is annoying your readers - Emphasis

Five ways your web writing is annoying your readers Five ways your web writing is annoying your readers Having a website is a wonderful thing: it allows you to confuse and  frustrate people thousands of miles away without ever having to hear their complaints. This makes it very hard to see what the problems are – and very tempting to pretend that they don’t exist. Your web pages don’t have to be like that. It all comes down to avoiding the five most common web-writing traps. Here’s how. Skip the happy talk Imagine stepping into a lift or elevator and hearing this announcement:  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThank you for entering this building’s lift. We’re pleased you’ve chosen the number one lift provider in this building. To select your desired floor, please use the illuminated buttons.’ Clearly ridiculous – yet a similar thing happens on many web pages:  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThank you for browsing our widgets. We are the market leaders in widgets and are dedicated to producing the best widgets for you. We’ve been making widgets since 1990. To browse our widgets, click on the links below.’ Web usability expert Steve Krug calls this kind of space-filling, meaningless text ‘happy talk’, and recommends a simple test to root it out: read it out loud. If you hear a quiet voice saying in your head ‘blah blah blah’, then it’s happy talk. In this example, the only potentially useful information is ‘To browse our widgets, click on the links below’. But if simple tasks such as browsing your site require instructions, there’s a very good chance that it’s not better phrasing you need, but more intuitive web design. Don’t be afraid of keeping text content to a minimum, if it makes things clearer. An excellent example of this is the Gov.uk site, which won the Design of the Year award in 2013. See the section for drivers as an example. There’s no happy talk or clutter, and all the links are self-explanatory. Answer the golden question Everyone visiting your web pages will have a need. This can range from the highly specific, such as a need to buy a particular product, to a vague need for distraction. You need to work out which of these needs also benefits your organisation, then tailor your website to meet them. This is hard because people can arrive in a bewildering variety of ways. Imagine a large shopping centre with an underground car park, an internal metro station, a bus-stop, a helipad, several pedestrian entrances – and, just for added complication, a few ladders leaning up against windows. Where do you greet the visitors, and how do you establish what they need? Website visitors can come from search engines, social media, reference by a friend, a link from a site, by directly typing the address into their browser after seeing an advert, or just from memory. You have no way of telling where the next one will come from, and no control over which page they see first. This means each page, by itself, needs to answer the golden question of web writing: ‘Am I in the right place?’ Within about five seconds. This is a hard test to pass. Try it for yourself: Get someone who isn’t familiar with your website to look at an important page. Ask them what they think that page is about after a few seconds. There’s a good chance you’ll be surprised by their answer. Go to FiveSecondTest.com (the free version is fine for this) and ask some anonymous people from the internet to do the same thing. If this all sounds too painful, try it on the sites of your competitors or similar organisations. You’ll be surprised at how many of them fail. This can be quite satisfying, but bear in mind that your site probably suffers from some of the same problems. People will tend to stay on your site if they think they’re in the right place – just as you’ll keep searching for what you need in a department store if you think you’re likely to find it. However, you’ll need to make sure they can find it reasonably swiftly, as anyone who’s ever stormed off in an empty-handed huff will attest. Be credible If Google is to be believed, the world is crammed full of ‘world leaders’, hundreds of thousands of them, all leading the world in something or other. A Google search for ‘world leader in the field of’ returns more than five million results. Phrases like this give no information and are not by themselves credible. They only take a few key strokes to type and anyone can claim them – and your readers know it. They will filter it out. This applies most obviously to marketing copy, where a handful of testimonials from satisfied people are worth more than anything, however wondrous, the company claims about itself. But it also applies in a more subtle way to non-marketing claims. For example, if you claim you are ‘always there to help’, then back it up by making your contact details easy to find. Make your headlines work The pressure on headlines is staggering, which makes writing them hard. But it doesn’t have to be, if you follow three rules: They must be informative. They’re the first thing the reader scans, and often the only thing they’ll bother to read, so they need to communicate essentially what the page is about. They need to be concise, to the point and short. And they have to be easy to understand for everyone in your target audience. So think twice before using industry-insider terms that a new customer may not understand. When writing a headline, keep in mind the golden question: ‘Am I in the right place?’ Your headline needs to answer that in as plain a way as possible. Gov.uk does well again here – its section covering areas as diverse as apprenticeships, school applications and university loans is summarised as ‘Education and learning’. It’s short, informative and easy to understand. The body copy (also very short) lets people know the detail. KISS with confidence Keeping it Short and Simple is a fundamental part of all professional writing, and it’s particularly important when you’re writing for the web. On the web, you’re always fighting to hold your audience’s attention (and to keep them away from the back button), so the shorter the sweeter. Also, your visitors will have different levels of English comprehension – some may have lower levels of literacy, including those for whom English is not a first language. Keeping it short and simple will help all the visitors to your site by making it easier to use and understand. This in turn increases trust, and helps your visitors achieve their goals quickly and simply. Bob’s your uncle Apply these five rules to your website, and you’ll soon see your communications becoming leaner, cleaner and more efficient. And while you may not be able to see your website visitors’ blood pressure lowering, you’ll soon start to witness the effects. When they realise they’re able to find what they’re looking for on your website quickly and easily, they’ll trust your organisation to be able to meet their needs with the same efficiency. To find out how to optimise your web writing for search engines, see  A beginner’s guide to keyword research.  For tips on how to keep it short and simple, see Three ways to tame your sentences and the  Power up with the active voice  video.

What the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Reveals about Stars

What the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Reveals about Stars The stars are the most amazing physical engines in the universe. They radiate light and heat, and they create chemical elements in their cores. However, when observers look at them in the night sky, all they see are thousands of pinpoints of light. Some appear reddish, others yellow or white, or even blue. Those colors actually give clues to the temperatures and ages of the stars and where they are in their life-spans. Astronomers sort stars by their colors and temperatures, and the result is a famous graph called the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. The H-R diagram is a chart that every astronomy student learns early on. Learning the Basic H-R Diagram Generally, the H-R diagram is a plot of  temperature vs. luminosity.  Think of luminosity as a way to define the brightness of an object. Temperature is something were all familiar with, generally as the heat   of an object. It helps define something called a stars spectral class, which astronomers also figure out by studying the wavelengths of light that come from the star. So, in a standard H-R diagram, spectral classes are labeled from hottest to coolest stars, with the letters O, B, A, F, G, K, M (and out to L, N, and R). Those classes also represent specific colors. In some H-R diagrams, the letters are arranged across the top line of the chart. Hot blue-white stars lie to the left and the cooler ones tend to be more toward the right side of the chart. The basic H-R diagram is labeled like the one shown here. The nearly diagonal line is called the main sequence. Nearly 90 percent of the stars in the universe exist along that line at one time in their lives. They do this while they are still fusing hydrogen to helium in their cores. Eventually, they run out of hydrogen and start to fuse helium.  Thats when they evolve to become giants and supergiants. On the chart, such advanced stars end up in the upper right corner. Stars like the Sun may take this path, and then ultimately shrink down to become white dwarfs, which appear in the lower left part of the chart. The Scientists and Science Behind the H-R Diagram The H-R diagram was developed in 1910 by the astronomers Ejnar Hertzsprung and Henry Norris Russell. Both men were working with spectra of stars- that is, they were studying the light from stars by using spectrographs. Those instruments break down the light into its component wavelengths. The way the stellar wavelengths appear gives clues to the chemical elements in the star. They can also reveal information about its temperature, motion through space, and its magnetic field strength. By plotting the stars on the H-R diagram according to their temperatures, spectral classes, and luminosity, astronomers can classify stars into their different types. Today, there are different versions of the chart, depending on what specific characteristics astronomers want to chart. Each chart has a similar layout, with the brightest stars stretching up toward the top and veering off to the top left, and a few in the lower corners. The Language of the H-R Diagram The H-R diagram uses terms that are familiar to all astronomers, so its worth learning the language of the chart. Most observers have probably heard the term magnitude when applied to stars. Its a measure of a stars brightness. However, a star might appear bright for a couple of reasons:   it could be fairly close and thus look brighter than one farther away; and  it could be brighter because its hotter. For the H-R diagram, astronomers are mainly interested in a stars intrinsic brightness- that is, its brightness due to how hot it actually is. Thats why luminosity (mentioned earlier) is plotted along the y-axis. The more massive the star is, the more luminous it is. Thats why the hottest, brightest stars are plotted among the giants and supergiants in the H-R Diagram. Temperature and/or spectral class are, as mentioned above, derived by looking at the stars light very carefully. Hidden within its wavelengths are clues about the elements are in the star. Hydrogen is the most common element, as shown by the work of astronomer Cecelia Payne-Gaposchkin in the early 1900s. Hydrogen is fused to make helium in the core, so thats why astronomers see helium in a stars spectrum, too. The spectral class is very closely related to a stars temperature, which is why the brightest stars are in classes O and B. The coolest stars are in classes K and M. The very coolest objects are also dim and small, and even include brown dwarfs. One thing to keep in mind is that the H-R diagram can show us what stellar type a star can become, but it doesnt necessarily predict any changes in a star. Thats why we have astrophysics - which applies the laws of physics to the lives of the stars.

The Fall of The Roman Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Fall of The Roman Empire - Essay Example However the major reasons for the Roman Empire could be stated as: antagonist behavior among Emperor and senate, derogatory moral and ethical principles, political corruption, the Empire’s vast expansion, the barbarian nature of Roman military and their heavy spending and natural disasters. One of the major cause o f declines of Roman Empire was the Agnostic style of rule by Roman rulers as they had legal power in military, civil and religious areas of Rome. The decisions of life and death were in hands of Roman rulers. The Roman rulers who were rich and immoral, practiced law in a wrongful manner led to their downfall. As per (Heather 102) â€Å"Roman public life was stripped of its moral fiber with the destruction of Carthage, its major rival, in 146 BC†. Decline in moral and ethical values was a prime reason for the destabilizing of the Roman Empire. The reckless behavior of wealthy upper class Romans had an adverse impact on Roman citizens. The malpractices like promiscuous sexual activates forgery, adultery and arrogance led to their fall gradually. The widespread emergence of brothels, gambling activities and excessive consumption of alcohol led Romans to a failure as rulers. Another main reason for the downfall of Roman Empire was the prevalence of political corruption among soldiers .The political corruption was practiced mainly by the elite soldiers who were Emperor’s body guards. They gained such a power because they could solely decide whether to retain the emperor or overthrew him from the position. The Praetorian guards even held the authority to auction the royal position to the person who bid the highest. According to (Grisham) â€Å"Political corruption was rife in Roman society. Even choosing a new Emperor was difficult and uncertain. The army and Praetorian Guard (the Emperors elite bodyguards) fought over succession†. The speed of expansion of the geographical area of the Roman Empire also resulted in its loss of power. The Roman rulers

What is the pH of Soil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is the pH of Soil - Essay Example This is determined on a pH scale that ranges from 0 to 14. A substance with pH nearing the scale’s lower end is considered very acidic while those on the upper range would be considered basic or alkaline. The neutral on the scale is at ph 7. Pure rainwater has pH of 5.6 or thereabout, but it changes when it enters the soil depending on the soil’s chemical characteristics. Nutrients such as phosphorous and calcium are more soluble in slight acidity. In this experiment, the objective is to determine the pH of soil sample provided. Just as is the case with rain water, these nutrients can be dissolved in distilled water. When litmus paper is immersed in the clear solution after the soil settles down, acidic soil with pH less than 7 will cause blue litmus paper to turn red while basic soil with pH greater than 7 will cause red litmus paper to turn blue. Neutral soil will have no effect on both red and blue litmus papers. It is crucial to know the pH of soil as crops grow best within a narrow range of pH varying from one crop to another. For example, blueberries grow best at pH 5.5 or lower while potatoes do best at 5.5 to 6.0. The 5.5 to 7.5 range is favorable because it accommodates microorganisms which are important in breaking down organic matter and also provides the necessary condition for nutrient availability (Conklin