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