Wizard of Oz- How Is Dorothy a Feminist Hero?

In what ways can Dorothy be described as a feminist hero? In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum has made sure there is a feminist hero in his book. This is because everyone should see an example of a good feminist hero, especially around the time when this book was written; in 1900, it was very rare to read a book with any sort of feminism in it. Dorothy throughout the book, shows many heroic acts supporting the idea that she is a feminist hero. When L. Frank Baum is talking about Dorothy in the book, she is always leading the rest of the characters. During the book whenever the characters come across danger Dorothy is usually the one to stand up for them and not just thinking of herself. Dorothy is always helping the characters out instead of waiting for one of the male characters to help them instead. When L. Frank Baum is describing Dorothy and her friends, Dorothy is always described as independent and competent, the reasons why is because she leads and suggests the way to everyone so she doesn’t have to always rely on everyone else. We are told how Dorothy discovers the tin wood man (p. 34), how Dorothy tells everyone that â€Å"we must cross this strange place in order to get to the other side† she says this without worrying and she is taking charge (p. 167) and how Dorothy builds everyone a warm fire (p. 50). In the book leadership plays a strong part of Dorothy’s characteristics as she is not always relying on others for direction. Throughout the story, we are lead to see that Dorothy is a strong, competent and independent character. These are important qualities for any feminist to have, because if they weren’t strong or they were dependant on others, they wouldn’t be able to achieve anything in their lives and they wouldn’t be able to lead others. Dorothy always tries to help out even in dangerous situations, proving that she is not cowardly. There is evidence of this when Dorothy slaps the lion on the nose, after fearing for Toto’s safety (p. 3), she also speaks to the lion and sternly says ‘Don’t you dare bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself†¦ † (p. 43). Dorothy helps her friends to push the raft ashore, this put her life in danger but she still helped them (p. 60). These examples start to create an image of a character that is very brave and not in any way a cowardly or frightened person. By using these examples in the book, L. Frank Baum has created a brave and heroic main character for the story. This an be just of the features of a feminist her o because; if Dorothy is brave it means that she is not afraid to stand up for herself as well as her friends, meaning that Dorothy is mentally strong. Baum has described Dorothy as very kind to everyone and that she likes to help others, instead of waiting for one of the male characters to come and help instead. We can see examples of this when Dorothy asks the tin woodman â€Å"what can I do for you? †, he is a complete stranger but this doesn’t bother her as she can see that he needs help (p. 5), when Dorothy helps free the scarecrow from the pole that he is stuck to and later befriending him (p. 22), when they are trying to cross the hill the lion and the tin woodman get knocked to the ground, ‘Dorothy ran down and helped the scarecrow to his feet. ’ (p. 208). These acts of kindness show that Dorothy is a very kind, caring and helpful girl and is always willing to help someone in need, no matter what. It doesn’t worry her that she is female and traditionally the male characters take charge and rescue everyone. This is important because, if she didn’t help out and stood back for the male characters to help out then she wouldn’t be thought of as, a feminist because all the male characters would be in charge and in power not her, and if she wasn’t kind to others then no one would want to know her and she would have no one to help, stand up for or be a hero to. L. Frank Baum has made Dorothy an easy character to get along with so that people will want to get to know her and they will have a hero to look up to. Dorothy being helpful and kind is very important for her and is the main reason why everybody likes to be in her company. In conclusion we can see that L. Frank Baum, throughout the story tells us of many heroic acts that Dorothy has achieved, proving that she is a feminist hero. During the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is always leading the rest of the characters, whenever the characters come across danger Dorothy always stands up for the others and Dorothy is always helping others instead of waiting for one of the male characters to help. Baum uses these examples to create a feminist hero for the story, instead of having the usual dominant male character.

Evaluate the claim that personal identity is self- defined Essay

Your identity is what makes you who you are and what makes you unique as an individual and different from other people. Identities are not static but dynamic and constantly changing. A personal identity is made up of several different aspects, and can be defined by culture (nationality, religion and gender) as well as family and career. Your identity is defined by how you see yourself and also by how you are seen by others. It is part given and part taken and also can be something we are born with. In some instances an identity may be something you are given and may not be through choice. I am going to look at what makes a personal identity and is it self-defined and made without the assistance of anyone else. I am also going to compare the opinion of the theorists Erik Erikson and Sigmund Freud and I will be using the case findings of the research project into becoming a mother for the first time and more importantly the case of Silma and her experiences, this was a research program me which included detailed interviews as well as observational research. There are numerous ways in which our Identity can change, for example our bodies change and how we look alters as we get older but our appearance and our bodies can also be changed by choice for example hair colour, cosmetic surgery etc. (chapter 4, Exploring Social Lives) Our identities also change through practices and when there is an upset to our normal routines and we need to establish new ones or learn new skills, this also has an impact on our identity. This is the case when practices turn into routines and we no longer need to think about doing them as they become second nature. Finally we also experience relationship changes where our views on who we think we are is influenced by the opinions of other people and how they see us. We become who we are and modify ourselves through the way others treat us and respond to us. This is witnessed when a woman becomes a mother, she may be treated differently by her parents as a result of moving to parenthood herself. This was the claim for theorist Erik Erikson who studied that our identity changes are influenced by past experiences, the moment-by-moment activities and relationships we have daily. This is spanned over a lifetime and although can happen at any time, Erikson defined 8 stages in which identity is transformed in unique ways, as transition was not a smooth process, these stages he called â€Å"identity crises†. These stages were seen as times when conflict was introduced, conflict is contending with happenings in everyday life that stops life running as smoothly as before. Conflict is being faced with choices, feeling confused and although he uses the example of passing from adolescence into adulthood it could also mean becoming middle aged, old or moving into parenthood. (chapter 4, Exploring Social Lives) Everyone experiences conflicts and in turn experiencing conflicts make us who we are and give us an identity One way our identity can change is through identification, which is what it is called when we â€Å"try on† someone else’s persona. We try on other people’s identity and see life through their eyes and empathise with how they felt at a certain time, for example when you become a mother you can empathise and understand how other mothers feel. This was the case with Liyanna, she used to look at pictures of her mother with her sister and the mother daughter relationship meant nothing to her, however now she is a mother herself she looks at the photo differently and can identify with the love and the emotion her mother was feeling when the photo was taken. She says that now she looks at the photo and â€Å"she knows exactly what her mum was feeling†, she sees her mother in a new light and because of her own experiences can now put herself in her mother’s shoes. She is now identifying with her mother. The theorist Billig looks at identification and associates it with groups of people and how they are connected by the common quality or interest that they share. Sigmund Freud also claims that identification is the expression of an emotional tie with another person, an identity can be borrowed from someone else. The theory suggests that there are two kinds of identification, projection which is the message we give off and introjection which is the messages we take in. Both are done unintentionally and unconsciously to furnish ones identity. (chapter 4, Exploring Social Lives). All these theories can be backed up by the case study completed on first time mothers and in particular Silma’s case. Silma’s identity begins to change with practices, she has had to learn a whole new routine which will need to adapt as her baby grows. She also has a new relationship to establish as mother and daughter with her new baby, the relationship with her husband and family will also change. Silma has also to deal with the conflict of becoming a new mother, this conflict between being the â€Å"indulged eldest daughter† to motherhood and also between pleasing yourself and having to put your baby first are all aspects of defining her new identity. Silma is also seen differently not only by her neighbours but also by her family and in particular her aunts and her sister. Silma feels she is treated with more respect by her aunts and is now welcomed into their group as a mother. This is a generational shift for Silma and where she once thought of her aunts as boring who only talked about babies she now finds this interesting and likes to stay around them and can actually relate to them and now sees herself more like them. Silma also starts to behave differently and sees herself differently because people are treating her differently. Silma admits that she has left her wild days behind and become more mature and motherly and spends more time with her family. This has also had an effect on her choice of clothes and prior to becoming a mother Silma preferred to wear jeans but now she is a mother her choice of clothing is now the traditional salwaar kameez, she refers to these clothes as â€Å"normal† and now feels less comfortable in jeans. Silma received several gifts of salwaar kameez for her birthday after becoming a mother which may have encouraged her decision. Silma’s new identity has also caused conflict with her sister who now sees her as becoming like her aunts and gives Silma a hard time for being boring and because she prefers the aunts company. Silma has also taken on the identity as a mother and this is implemented in her concern for her younger sister and the way she behaves, she worries that by staying out late she may get hurt but in actual fact this was the same way Silma used to behave prior  to becoming a mother. Silma’s sister makes reference to the fact that Silma â€Å"used to be worse than me† but Silma puts this down to her having changed. Silma talks about meeting up with old friends at McDonalds and although we cannot assume that she would wear the salwaar kameez this is a clear distinction of how Silma has changed and her new identity as a mother is the dominant one. We have looked at various theories on what makes up personal identity and it is clear that self- definition on its own is not sufficient. Personal identity is made up through interacting with others and through projection and introjection, it’s a two way thing people see you differently so you behave differently. When we use identification it can only be done through another person to allow you to identify, this is not self-defined as you need another person to be able to do it. You need to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and yourself definition shifts when you look at someone else. Also some identities are already defined by others and you are moved into this social category without choice, as was the case for Silma when she became a mother, this identity is social and it is defined by how a mother should behave. If we require others to create our identity then our personal identity cannot be self-defined.

Whats the Difference Between the SAT and the SAT Subject Test?

For many students, the SAT test is the focus of an enormous amount of effort. There are prep classes, study books, online tutorials and much more to juggle. Some students, though, don’t realize that there is more than one type of SAT test. SAT Subject Tests (formerly known as SAT IIs) are also the subject of much effort and sometimes equally as much confusion. While both kinds of SAT are administered by the College Board, they each have a unique purpose and their format and content are significantly different. In this post, we will outline the primary differences between the SAT and SAT Subject Tests, along with how each is used by admissions committees and how students should plan for each. To learn more about SAT Subject Tests and how they stack up to the SAT, keep reading. Before we get into the nitty gritty details, let’s take a look at each test and what it aims to do. The SAT is a general assessment of your college readiness. It contains sections that test your skills in math, both with and without a calculator, along with reading, writing and language, and an optional essay section. The skills assessed by the SAT are broad ones—essentially, it intends to gauge your readiness for college level work by assessing your critical and analytical thinking skills and your ability to apply knowledge across multiple disciplines. The SAT does not assess specific content knowledge, but will sometimes ask you to apply your knowledge in new or different ways. To learn more about the format and content of the SAT, check out these posts: SAT Subject Tests fill in where the regular SAT does not. It, in essence, sheds light onto your specific content area knowledge and measures your achievement in a particular subject area. For a comprehensive list of tests, see our post Complete List of SAT Subject Tests . Unlike the SAT, each of the SAT Subject Tests assesses only your knowledge within that content area. To learn more about SAT Subject Tests, see our post What Are SAT Subject Tests? SATs (along with the ACT) are one of the standardized tests accepted to meet standardized testing requirements at many colleges across the country. If you plan to attend a college with a standardized testing requirement, you’ll need to either submit an SAT or an ACT score. SAT Subject Tests are not required by nearly as many schools and those that do require them often allow you to choose which you take. For example, some schools will request that you submit two SAT Subject Test scores of your own choosing. Others will request that you submit one SAT Subject Test score in a foreign language or other specific discipline. In these cases, you will have at least some leeway over which tests you choose to take. Still other colleges don’t require any SAT Subject Test scores to be submitted, but most will still review your scores should you choose to submit them anyway. The SAT measures broad skills and general college readiness. It assesses your critical and analytical thinking skills along with your ability to apply what you know. SAT Subject Tests measure your skills and content specific knowledge within specific subject areas. You can think of them as standardized tests to assess how much you have learned in particular high school classes. Our students see an average increase of 250 points on their SAT scores. The SAT takes about half a day to complete. If you are taking the optional essay section, your testing time will be just under four hours. If you choose not to compete the essay, your testing time will be closer to three hours. SAT Subject Tests, in contrast, take much less time to complete. They generally last only a little more than an hour. SAT Subject Tests are offered on the same days and at the same testing centers as the regular SAT, with a few exceptions. While the SAT is offered seven times per year, SAT Subject Tests are only available on six of those dates. In addition, it’s important to know that not all SAT Subject Tests are available on every date. For a comprehensive calendar of when each SAT Subject Test is offered, see the CollegeBoard’s SAT Subject Test Dates . The SAT is scored on a scale from 400-1600 with a separate score given for the optional essay. It is not scored on a curve, and points are not deducted for wrong answers. SAT Subject Tests are scored on a scale from 200-800. Like the SAT, they are not scored on a curve, but unlike the SAT, a fraction of a point is deducted for each wrong answer on multiple choice questions. Without a doubt, the SAT is more heavily weighted in admissions decisions than are SAT Subject Tests. SATs are accepted by every four-year college across the country and are in fact one of two tests required by many. They are often regarded as a major component of your application. In contrast, the weight given to SAT Subject Tests varies widely. Often, SAT Subject Test scores are weighted similarly to other application components like AP classes and scores, and honors level work. Sometimes, though, if you apply to a specific program or specialty, your SAT Subject Test might take on more weight. For example, if you are hoping to enter a BS/MD program, your Chemistry SAT Subject Test will be given more consideration. Further, your SAT Subject Test scores can sometimes be used to test out of certain introductory requirements or prerequisites at your college. For example, if you score well on the French SAT Subject Test, you might not be required to meet your school’s foreign language requirement. Because the SAT is a very unique test that evaluates skills you may have never been tested in before, you need to prepare specifically for it. That often means joining SAT study groups, taking online tutorials, completing multiple practice tests, and sometimes even using an SAT tutor to help brush up on your strategy. SAT Subject Tests are still unique tests, so your preparations might be fairly similar to the SAT, but you will also need to brush up on your content level knowledge, too. Overall, while you’ll still take practice tests and work on test strategy, you’ll also need to spend a lot of time studying the subject-specific knowledge that you’re likely to find on the test.

Letter to the King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter to the King - Essay Example While attending the University of (), I was chosen as a Student Ambassador and carried out my duties effectively. I proceeded to post- graduate studies at Mitt Universitetet, where I received a Master Degree in Political Science. My Master’s thesis was focused on the political and economical impacts of the recent financial crisis on European Union countries. After graduation, I worked in the Department of Integration at the City of Sundsvall as a Project Manager on a six (6) month project co-financed by the European Union and the city. The objective of the project was to determine level to which immigrants have integrated into the Swedish society. The study primarily focused especially on Muslims immigrants. The project also sought ways and avenues to promote and encourage more immigrants to willingly integrate into their host societies. Whilst in Sweden, I have maintained good contacts in Morocco and in (name of city), the city where I live in Sweden. My experience coupled with my desire to serve my country is the reason why I contacted the Embassy of Kingdom of Morocco in Stockholm. As an active member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, one of the most influential political organizations in Sweden, I am aware of the actions and unchecked determinations of a separatist group Polisario, which is very active in Sweden. It is no secret that Polisario and its members have canvassed and receive both financial and other forms of support from Swedes who sympathize with them. Polisario has convinced a majority of Swedes that their actions and agenda are for the benefit of the Moroccan people. In doing so, organizations like Polisario have succeeded in ‘branding’ the Kingdom of Morocco as not being a democratic and popular country, and in so damaged the reputation of Morocco. Your Majesty, it is my opinion that the Embassy of Morocco has not successfully articulated or defended your policies or Morocco’s reputation. As a direct

Zenn Motor Company Ltd Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Zenn Motor Company Ltd - Assignment Example ZMC has created and delivered to consumers a form of vehicle for personal transportation, which is â€Å"zero emission no noise† better known as â€Å"ZENN†. Ultimately, ZMC has addressed the question of marketing by creating, pricing, distributing a form of electric vehicle that is efficient for consumer use and above all it is environment friendly (Boone & Kurtz 34). Question # 2 The critical relationships that ZMC should focus on are with its consumers, companies in the vehicle industry and companies with a large number of vehicles. These three categories of consumers will provide ZMC with a big and potential market for its electric vehicles, which are environment friendly (Boone & Kurtz 36). Question # 3 One primary target group that ZMC has focused on is consumers. Precisely, ZMC has targeted commercial fleets and urban commuters. ZMC has taken various steps, which have aided in building relationships and value. These steps include developing a website in which the management has used to trace visitors and their preference. Through its website, ZMC has been able to establish the particular car that is preferred in a defined geographical area. ZMC has also built a relationship with consumers through viral marketing. The first adopters of the ZENN car have become evangelists of this product. ZMC has created an Ambassador program, which has trained customers on issues of marketing, and this has aided in building relationships and value for this group (Boone & Kurtz 57). Chapter 2 Question # 1 ZMC’s mission entails providing consumers with vehicles, which are pocket and environment friendly. This mission is achieved through creating a product that consumes less in terms of energy, and above all conserves the environment. ZMC’s mission is effective and efficient because the company has truly come up with a product that satisfies the need that brought it into existence. The number of consumers in need of the electric vehicle that is p ocket and environment friendly has been on the increase, a clear demonstration that ZMC’s mission is effective and efficient (Boone & Kurtz 74). Chapter 4 Question # 1 ZMC as a company has highly embraced the idea of social responsibility while marketing its product. The company has not only directed social responsibility towards consumers, but also towards the environment. It is also critical to note that the inspiration that led to ZMC existence came from the idea of conserving the environment and stopping global warming. The company has followed the principles of social responsibility by formulating a mission, which does not benefit the company alone, but also consumers and the environment. ZMC demonstrates social responsible marketing by availing the market with electric cars, which match up issues of climate change and a growing demand for environment friendly vehicles. Ultimately, ZMC’s mission of creating electric vehicles that target conserving the environment and stopping global warming is a great social responsible marketing movement (Boone & Kurtz 84). Chapter 5 Question # 1 The most efficient form of secondary source of data, which ZMC as a company can use to its advantage are published reports and journals regarding the vehicle industry. There exists a lot of published information, which pertains to the success and failures witnessed in the vehicle industry. ZMC can use this information by capitalizing on the shortcomings witnessed within the vehicle industry while at the same time taking advantage of the vehicle industry’s capabilities. In essence, the published reports will provide critical information that will aid in developing specialty vehicles (Boone & Kurtz 72). Question # 2 There are a number of critical, ethical issues

Relational Data Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Relational Data Model - Assignment Example The attribute "is leader" should be removed from the table Candidate because this information already exists in the table Party. It is possible to get to know if a Candidate is leader of any party with looking through references to leaders in the table Party. .. First_name Middle_name Last_name address gender date of birth Party Pk_id Fk_leader name address date established Candidate Pk_id Fk_electorate Fk_party First_name Middle_name Last_name address gender date of birth is leader Second normal form (2NF) further addresses the concept of removing duplicative data: Meet all the requirements of the first normal form. Remove subsets of data that apply to multiple rows of a table and place them in separate tables. Create relationships between these new tables and their predecessors through the use of foreign keys. (Chapple 2005) So, personal information, such as name (first, middle, last), address, gender, and date of birth can be taken apart into separate table Person. It also should have a primary key named Pk_id. Then tables Elector and Candidate should reference to it via secondary (foreign) key Fk_person. Therefore there are 5 tables in the relational database schema for the 2NF: Person Pk_id First_name Middle_name Last_name address gender date of birth Electorate Pk_id unique name number of registered voters Elector Pk_id Fk_electorate Fk_party_vote Fk_candidate_vote Fk_person Party Pk_id Fk_leader name address date established Candidate Pk_id Fk_electorate Fk_party Fk_person is leader Third normal form (3NF) goes one large step further: Meet all the requirements of the second normal form. Remove columns that are not dependent upon the primary key. (Chapple 2005) The attribute "is leader" should be removed from the table Candidate because this information already exists in the table Party. It is possible to get to know if a Candidate is leader of any party with looking through references to leaders in the table Party. There's no attributes that are not dependent upon the primary key. Here are

Literature Research and PICO Question Annotated Bibliography

Literature Research and PICO Question - Annotated Bibliography Example Indeed, the authors argued that ascertaining the wishes or choices of the patient for their care is a fundamental requirement in establishing an effective care plan. The study found that around 42% of the 380 participants with advanced cancer preferred palliative care of a more conservative nature, with the said percentage of patients actually choosing only one or two modes of treatment. Still, in addition to this preference, the authors also looked at what demographic characteristics predict the possibility of a choice between CPM and AAMM. Maida, et al. (2010) found that younger, non-Caucasian cancer patients who have with them substitute decision makers (SDM) are more likely to prefer more aggressive means of coping with the disease condition. This study was chosen as a significant literature because it aimed to quantify the characteristics and preferences of patients with their end-of-life care. By doing so, the study provides a rich background for the PIO question exploring which could be more effective in providing comfort at the end of life, CPM or AAMM, as perceived by the patients themselves. Rose, J. H., O’Toole, E. E., Dawson, N. V., Lawrence, R., Gurley, D., Thomas, C., et al. (2004). Perspectives, Preferences, Care Practices, and Outcomes Among Older and Middle-Aged Patients With Late-Stage Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 22 (24), 4907-4917. Much like the earlier study by Maida, et al. (2010), this research aimed to look into the preferences of terminal cancer patients in their care at the end of life. However, this study took a more qualitative approach, actually exploring the preferences for the care of the patients, and the degree by which these preferences were perceived to have provided comfort to the patient before their death. By utilizing a more in-depth exploration of the perceived effectiveness of different palliative methods, the researchers were able to point out which methods were most effective in promoting comfort

Strategic information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic information system - Essay Example This study mainly focused on a business related company. An information system comprises of transaction processing systems, management information systems, systems for decision-making support as well as strategic information systems. The information itself consists of the processed data which is coded to the person using. A system refers to a set of elements that are designed to operate together so as to provide a common purpose Ramesh et al 1997). In information systems, the basic element is data which basically refers to raw, unevaluated details, figures, symbols, events and other resourceful facts concerning the origination’s needs. Hence data is converted by the processor which is mainly computers into meaningful information that is useful to the user who in turn uses it in making decisions. Good information should be relevant, be timely, accurate, cost-effective, reliable, usable, exhaustive, and have aggregation level. Information is only important if it is directed to i mprove decision making activities. It can also be important if it is able to reaffirm the previous decision. ... The data collected during the knowledge stage are then used by statistical methodologies and other models to forecast possible results for every alternative. Each alternative can also be studied in ensuring technological, behavioral, and economic viability. In making of the choice, the decision maker must choose the best alternative which is suitable contributing to achieving the goals of the organization. The choices made can in turn reviewed during implementation and monitoring so that the manager to can make necessary faults. Therefore, information is very critical in the four stages of decision making which only is made more effective by systems, Simon (1977). Strategic importance of information in organization through use of systems They are useful in supporting business processes and operations. Information systems help the manager in their daily routine operations so that they function properly and effectively. For instance accounts, payrolls, employee benefits data protection and so on. In particular, the managers are able to conduct their daily activities wit a lot of ease, timely, accurately by use of software. Secondly, IS are essential in decision-making processes for employees and managers. This is simply input of data, processing the finally generating information. Therefore, managers are able to use the information processed for finding various solutions to the organization. For instance, information systems are able to analyze existing historical data about the rate of flow of customers and make necessary improvements if the turn up is very low. They also provide support in making decisions critically for competitive advantages. Information systems can provide information concerning the type

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION AND NURSING INTERVENTIONS Essay

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION AND NURSING INTERVENTIONS APPLIED TO NURSING PRACTICE - Essay Example The consequence is failure of the materials in the intestines to move outside the body for secretion. This means that materials such as stool, waste fluids, and gases accumulate in the intestines and often lead to critical health condition as the buildup strains the small intestines. This identifies the role of nursing in ensuring a healthy society at individual, family, and communal levels through awareness for preventive measures and treatment and post treatment initiative for effective recovery from effects of small bowel obstruction. Nursing roles include care provision, educating the public on preventive and management measures against diseases and their symptoms, counseling, and clinical approaches towards a healthy society. This scope demands nurses’ knowledge of health complications such as causes, symptoms, effects, diagnosis, and treatment measures. This paper demonstrate background knowledge of small bowel obstruction through reviewing irritable bowel syndrome, its anatomy and physiology, its epidemiology and laboratory tests and diagnostics for excluding other conditions, its emotional effects on patients, interventions measures, and significance of these information nursing practice. Anatomy and physiology of irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by pain and change in bowel movements because of abnormal muscle contraction and expansion. It is majorly associated with the large intestines but extends to the small intestines. The large intestines form the last section of the digestive system and forms about six feet. It is also called the large bowel and is made up of the cecum, â€Å"colon, rectum, and anus† (Canadian Cancer Society, 2013, p. 1). Colon and rectum are the major sections of the large bowel. There are four sections of the colon. The first section is the ascending colon that enjoins the cecum and moves upwards towards the leaver where it connects to the transverse colon that runs horizontally to wards the spleen. The transverse colon is located at the upper section of the abdomen and joins with the descending colon that runs downwards, on the left side of the abdomen, and connects to the sigmoid colon. The sigmoid colon connects to the rectum that ends the lower bowel at the anal canal (Allen and Harper, 2011; Canadian Cancer Society, 2013). The major sections of the lower bowel, the â€Å"colon, and rectum† have similar structural composition that is identified from their component tissues. The inner most layer of the rectum and the colon is the mucosa that consists of â€Å"epithelium,† â€Å"lamina propria,† and â€Å"muscularis mucosa† (Canadian Cancer Society, 2013, p. 1). The propria is an integrating tissue while the muscularis mucosa is rich in muscles. After the mucosa in a layer of submucosa that is rich in â€Å"connective tissues, glands, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves† (Canadian Cancer Society, 2013, p. 1). A lay er of muscles follows this before the outer layer that exist only in the colon, serosa (Canadian Cancer Society, 2013). Both colon and rectum absorbs nutrients from digested food into the body. They also absorb water and offer a passage for elimination of waste products. This however occurs in steps and at different sections of the colon and the rectum. Digestion of food from the small bowel is completed in the colon with the

Power Reforms Essay Example for Free

Power Reforms Essay Electricity is central to achieving economic, social and environmental objectives of sustainable human development. In fact it has become essential ingredient for improving the quality of life and its absence is usually associated with poverty and poor quality of life. India has the fifth largest generation capacity in the world with an installed capacity of 173,626 MW as in March 2011. The power sector added record conventional capacities of 12,160 MW during 2010-11. However, despite the Indian power sector having shown substantial growth during the post-independence era, the sector has been ailing from serious functional problems during the past few decades. In 2010-11, India faced power deficit of 10 per cent and peak demand shortage of 13.3 per cent. In this backdrop, Power sector reforms were first initiated in India in 1992 by the Ministry of Power (MoP) to invite private investments in power generation to bridge the demand-supply gap. However, private investments failed to yield much benefit due to serious deficiencies and losses in electricity distribution in most of the State Electricity Boards (SEBs). Post 2001, Reforms were oriented around: 1. Unbundling of the state electricity boards.  2. Corporatization of generation, transmission and distribution sector 3. Setting up of independent central and state electricity regulatory commissions. 4. Passing of the Electricity Act, 2003 which mandates licensee-free thermal generation, non-discriminatory open access of the transmission system and gradual implementation of open access in the distribution system which will pave way for creation of power market in India. In the power sector reform process, Distribution segment was identified as the key area for reform for putting the sector on the right track. Distribution Reforms involve System up-gradation, Loss reduction, Theft control, Consumer orientation, Commercialization and adoption of IT. In this direction, the Government launched the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) during the 10th Five Year Plan (2002-07) for the strengthening of Sub – Transmission and Distribution network and reduction in ATC losses. Continuing its support for power distribution reforms, the Government launched the Restructured APDRP (R-APDRP) in the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) with revised terms and conditions. Thus, Two key issues emerge as far as performance and reforms of any distribution company are concerned:- 1. Revenue realization which means reduction of ATC Losses 2. Consumer satisfaction The above factors are mutually reinforcing whereby improvement in one leads to the same for other as well. Technology has emerged as a major enabler of any reform process and this holds true for power sector reforms as well. New technological initiatives have been taken by many states especially in the distribution sector which have aided performance of the distribution companies therein. This paper seeks to throw light on how the above two key issues are being addressed through the use of e-governance mechanisms in KESCO i.e. Kanpur Electricity Supply Company Ltd. Kanpur Electricity Supply Company Ltd., formerly KESA, was restructured as a company on 14 January 2000 under U.P. Electricity reform act 1999. This company is registered for distribution of electricity in the area under Kanpur City (Urban). KESCo is serving around 700 bulk consumers and 4,35,000 other consumers of domestic, commercial and power categories connected to grid through 66 no. 33 KV substations and 340 no. 11 KV feeders after receiving electricity from 7 transmission substation of 220 KV and 132 KV of U.P. Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. It has a peak demand of around 500 MW and annual turnover of around 1000 crores. Coming back to the above two objectives, the situation before the initiatives were launched in KESCO and measures taken therein are as follows: 1. Revenue Realization The biggest challenge of the power sector as far as revenue realization is concerned is the high Aggregate Technical Commercial (ATC) losses. The ATC losses are presently in the range of 18% to 62% in various states in India. The major portion of losses are due to theft and pilferage, which is estimated at about Rs.20,000 crore annually. Apart from rampant theft, the distribution sector is beset with poor billing (only 55%) and collection (only 41%) efficiency in almost in all States. It is estimated that 1% reduction in TD losses would generate savings of over Rs.700 to Rs.800 crores. The line diagram demonstrated below is well explanatory of facts mentioned above:- For KESCO, As far as indicators of Revenue realization are concerned it has high ATC losses to the tune of 29%(March 2011) .Apart from this, other statistics are also not very encouraging with an average turnout of 65% . There was no end to end tracking of theft checking and raids, revenue assessment and realization therein. Not only that, even for billed but non-paying consumers, there was no accurate record of disconnections done and subsequent action thereon for such consumers. Apart from that many consumers were still having defective /mechanical meters installed at their premises, and thus being billed on average basis. There was no mechanism to have a daily tracking of meter replacement work and advices of meters were taking upto3-4 months. Three key fields of revenue realization in above flowchart i.e. Theft and improper metering, collection deficiency, increasing customer base have been targeted through unique initiatives in KESCO. First In this backdrop is a unique , only of its kind in the country, mobile phone based tracking system by the name of M-Drishti introduced in KESCO to ensure end to end tracking of in- field revenue oriented activities: 1. Raids 2. Meter Replacement 3. Disconnections 4. Section 138 Under M-Drishti, 2G internet services have been activated on the official mobile numbers of all distribution officials right from JEs and Assistant Engineers to Chief Engineer. Separate User Id and Passwords have been created for them and they will log in the Mobile M-Drishti interface and fill in details of whatever activities they undertake in field. Screenshot of the mobile phones for activity options is as shown:- So whenever there is a meter checking or katiya raid, a brief report is filled on the spot and sent via phone to the central server. Similarly for any disconnection done against electricity dues or FIR lodged under section 138 of Electricity Supply Act, the information of action taken on spot has to be submitted then and there for addition in the central database. On the server end once the information is collected, the updation is done by the concerned division. So for raid tracking, once revenue assessment and compounding amount at the field level has been entered, it can be edited and information of final assessment done at division, realization therein, Action taken in terms of issuance of notices under section3 and 5, final amount realized etc, can be done by the concerned division. Similar holds true for disconnections done, amount realized therein, action taken in case of non realization etc. For meter replacement a daily report of meters replaced whether defective/mechanical/otherwise is available and is available for linking with online advice. The software generates various MIS reports whereby day/month /JE/Division wise performance with respect to above four activities can be monitored.

The Life Cycle Of Physarum Polycephalum

The Life Cycle Of Physarum Polycephalum In this practical, the life cycle of Physarum polycephalum is being studied. Slime Moulds refers to a wide range of several groups of different and controversial classifications. They have certain characteristics similar to those of animals, plants and fungi. Slimed moulds live in dark, moist habitats where there is abundance of food. They eat bacteria, protozoans, yeasts, fungi, decaying organic materials, and other microorganisms. They are mostly found in forests and lawns, under rotting logs and leaves. Cellular slime moulds live in moist soil or manure. Both types of the slime moulds move across their habitats using amoeboid movement, ingesting food by the process of phagocytosis, a form of endocytosis. Slime moulds may also use chemotaxis, following the chemical gradient given off by their food sources, to find food. Chemotaxis is used by cellular slime moulds when they aggregate. The cellular and plasmodial slime moulds have a motile phase when growth and ingestion of food occurs and an immotile reproductive phase, and they differ mainly in the motile phase. Plasmodial slime moulds begin as gamete cells that are either flagellated or amoeboid that fuses together and forms a zygote. The zygotes nucleus divides, but no cell walls form, resulting in a single celled multinucleate plasmodium that grows as the organism feeds and the nuclei continues to divide. The plasmodium moves in amoeboid fashion using cytoplasmic streaming in order to find favourable conditions and food, and may move several feet in a single day. The plasmodium continues to feed along as conditions are good, but when food runs short or its habitat becomes to dry, the plasmodium changes into a fruiting body, the next phrase in its life cycle it hardens and produces stalked sporangia that contain spores, often after moving to a drier or better lit location. The spores are released and will devel op into gametes to begin the life cycle again. There are four main stages in slime moulds which are vegative, aggregation, migration and culmination. In the vegetative stage, a slime mould is single and is known as amoeba and this will eat bacteria. In this case of this practical, the bacterium fed to the slime mould is the Physarum polycephalum. After the food preferences of the single cell are partially completed or most of the food preferences are completed, the slime mould will moved to its next stage of the life cycle which is known as the aggregation cycle. In this stage, a slime mould will reproduce and secrete cyclic AMP. Cyclic AMP will attract neighbouring cells together. As single celled slime moulds come into contact they will stick together through glycoprotein adhesion molecules. Once enough slime moulds have been attached to each other, they will move onto the next stage of the life cycle which is known as the migration stage. The multitude of slime moulds will form what is known as slugs. The slug is able to move towards heat and light. However, the cell in the slug will differentiate into two types of cell and they are both known as the prestalk and prespore cells. The prestalk cells will move towards the anterior end of the slug and the prespore cells will move towards the posterior end of the slug. The slug will then start to produce a fruiting body out of prestalk cells on the anterior end of the slug. However, it also starts to form spores out of prespore cells at the posterior end of the slug. This is when the posterior end of the slug will start to spread out as the anterior end of the slug starts to rise up into the air. This is when the last stage of the slime moulds cell cycle begins known as the culmination stage. The prestalk cells will form the base the form of the fruiting body. The pretalk cells form the cellulose stalk tube. The cellulose stalk tube pushes prespore cells to the top towards the fruiting body. This process will take around 8-10 hours and ends with a good fruiting body releasing mature spores that will become the single celled slime mould. The purpose of this practical is to examine the life cycle of the slime mould using the different food preferences. Each stage should be observed and recorded. This practical will force the slime moulds through each stage of the slime mould life cycle and a mature spores will be observed at the end of this practical. Method This practical started by preparing the petri dishes. This proportion of this procedure was done by the demonstrators. During this practical, I was provided with some phyrasum a genus of mycetozan slime moulds, and this was to investigate the different food preferences on chemotaxic behaviour. First of all I was provided with two agar plates one with water with no nutrient levels and the other second agar plate with corn meal agar with low nutrient levels. After the petri dishes were prepared, the next procedure was to inoculate the plates. The materials that I used for this procedure was an inoculated loop, and this was done by sterilising the loop over an open flame until the loop was red. Using the loop I removed a small piece of the slime mould with agar from the advancing margin (edge of the growth) and placed into the middle of the plate onto the two agar plates one with the water and one with the corn meal agar and streaked it onto the petri dishes. The water agar plate was the experimental where I had to put some food preferences; the corn meal agar plate was to be inoculated without any food to observe the cytoplasmic streaming for the following day. In the water agar plate, there was combination of food preferences including apple, chocolate, raising and jelly babies. I added one of each of the food and which was already cut and placed them in each of the corner near to the slime mould, and then both of the agar plates were incubated at 20oC for 12 hours, and they were observed using a dissecting microscope using the x40 magnification. Results Which food had the most growth and which type of food was most visible Different food choices Amount of growth chocolate Growth was quite visible was spreading Apple No growth at all not visible at all Raisin Big growth was spreading Jelly babies Big growth was spreading around the plate However there were not many results for this practical. Once the slime mould had food preferences containing a type of food source the cell together aggregated together to form a growth in the slime mould. In the plate with food sources there was a mixture of stalks with spores. However, in relation to this result Chocolate, Raisin, and jelly babies had the most growth and this was quite visible and was spreading around the plate and the growth was very visible and was being seen clearly. However, the majority of the agar plate with the food preferences in was covered in fruiting body as food preferences was placed all-round the plates and they were all spread out. This suggests that the food that had a high percentage of sugars the more growth it had, this has shown in my practical, however apple had the least growth as it mainly because it was sweeter than sugar and mainly its a fruit and dries up quickly and changes it colour so maybe thats the reason why it didnt show any growth at all. Discussion As both of the agar plates were incubated for 12 hours, and was at the temperature 20oC, the slime mould didnt develop through its life cycle as it was expected, which means it didnt achieve the purpose of my practical, as there were only growth near the food choices of chocolate and raisins, and only achieved the first stage of the life cycle, which was the vegetative stage. The vegetative stage was observed and recorded. The spores were quite visible on the petri dishes and they started to grow and eat the bacteria where the food preferences were placed. However, the observations shows us that the agar plate the corn plate without the food preferences added, the slime mould will aggregate together and move to the nearest food preferences that are available, so it can form a fruiting body, and create spores to hard and different environments. If unfavourable conditions had been a factor, the amoeba may have formed cysts rather than producing a fruiting body. However, the introduction of other factors on different plates of slime moulds may have possibly altered the differentiation of the growth of the slime mould. However, it is quite hard to tell since the slime mould was only kept for 12 hours and kept under room temperature and also kept on optimum conditions at all times.

Urban Legend of Humans Licking Essay -- Urban Legends

Humans Can Lick Too I collected the story on Saturday, October 9th in my dorm. It was late at night, which added to the effect of the story. The storyteller is a student at the University. He is 17 years old, is from Rockville, Maryland, and is Methodist. He is half Sri Lankan and a quarter Irish and Palestinian. His father is a diplomat and works for the state department, and his mother is a homemaker. The story, as told by the student, is as follows: There once was a girl who lived with her parents in a nice little town. Her parents went out for the night, leaving the girl home alone. She did have her dog with her though, which was a big dog that made her feel safe. She was fairly young, around 13 years old, so her parents told her to make sure all the doors and windows were locked so no one could get in. She did as she was told, but for some reason a window in the basement was stuck, and she could not close it. Because of this the girl simply decided to do the next best thing and locked the basement door so in case someone got in, they could not get to her. After a few hours the girl went to bed, sleeping with the dog next to her bed to make her feel comfortable. However, the girl woke up during the night to a dripping sound. She figured she had left the water on or that there was a leak in a pipe, but she was too tired to go see what the problem was. Being home alone made her a little nervous though, so she put her hand next to the bed to let the dog lick it. She went back to sleep only to wake up again in an hour to the same dripping. She became annoyed but still went back to sleep, letting the dog lick her hand once again. She woke up again in the morning just as her parents were getting h... .... If the story was told in a monotone or was obtained in transcript, it would not be nearly as effective. Due to the fact that the teller of the story was a 17-year-old male, it can be inferred that all of society has an underlying fear of people who can cause them harm. I do not believe that this story actually occurred, but the performance made it seem somewhat believable. However, because of the lack of details, such as where the incident occurred, names of the characters, and when it took place, the story seemed fictional. Regardless of whether this story has factual basis or not, as I listened, I was very disturbed and I cringed at the end. In my opinion, the performance was extremely effective because hearing someone talk about something that seems as if it could actually happen is more affecting than someone telling a story that involves the supernatural.

David Hume’s Two Definitions of Cause Essay -- Philosophy Essays

David Hume’s Two Definitions of Cause David Hume’s two definitions of cause found in both A Treatise of Human Nature, and An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding have been the center of much controversy in regards to his actual view of causation. Much of the debate centers on the lack of consistency between the two definitions and also with the definitions as a part of the greater text. As for the latter objection, much of the inconsistency can be remedied by sticking to the account presented in the Enquiry, as Hume makes explicit in the Author’s Advertisement that the Treatise was a â€Å"work which the Author [Hume] had projected before he left College, and which he wrote and published not long after. But not finding it successful, he was sensible of his error in going to the press to early, and he cast the whole anew in the following pieces, where some negligence in his former reasoning and more in the expression, are, he hopes, corrected.† (Hume 1772, xxxi) Generally the inconsistencies are cit ed from the Treatise, which fails to recognize the purpose of the Enquiry. This brings us to the possible tension between the two definitions. J.A. Robinson, for example, believes the two definitions cannot refer to the same thing. Don Garrett feels that the two definitions are possible, but only with further interpretation. I will argue that the tension arises from a possible forgetfulness on the part of the reader about Hume’s aims as a philosopher, and that Hume’s Enquiry stands on its own without any need for a critic’s extrapolations. To understand Hume’s interpretation of causation and the arguments against it, we must first follow the steps Hume took to come to his conclusion. This requires brief consideration of Hume’s copy princi... ...place. If both definitions of ‘cause’ are necessary for a full understanding of the word, and an absolute reading becomes problematic and unnecessary, then neither Robinson’s nor Garrett’s interpretations are correct. If my account of Hume’s mitigated skepticism is correct, then I see no need to go any further than the Enquiry to understand Hume’s theory of causation. As a philosopher, Hume recognized the constraints of our reasoning, and as a man, he was able to give an explanation for our actions. Works Cited Hume, David, 1772 (reprinted in 2004) An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (New York, Barnes and Noble) Garrett, Don, 1997. Cognition and Commitment in Hume’s Philosophy (New York, Oxford) Robinson, J.A., 1962. â€Å"Hume’s Two Definitions of â€Å"Cause.† The Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 47, 162-171. 1 Modern Philosophy lecture. 3/30/05. Dr. Ott

My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Statement

My Philosophy of Education I want to become a teacher for three reasons. The first is, I love children of all ages and want to help them in any way that I can. The second is, I want to influence children in a positive way and help them be all they can be, much like some of my teachers did me. Finally, I enjoy the feeling that I receive when a child's face lights up, because they understand something that I am explaining to them. That feeling is enough to make me teach, regardless of the paycheck. My philosophy of education is an eclectic one in that I am mainly pragmatist, but I am also slightly idealistic. I am pragmatic in that I believe the classroom should consist of a community of learners. I believe the classroom rules should be established democratically, and that problem solving should be encouraged. Furthermore, I believe that students learn by engaging in activities that are first-hand, and I believe that concrete experiences should be encouraged. I am idealistic in that I believe that my love for the content area will be passed onto the students, which will cause fewer, if any, discipline problems. I believe the disciplinary action should be taken by the teacher, and I will enjoy not only teaching my well known content area, but will also serve as a role model for the students. My classroom will be whatever color the school in which I am working chooses it to be. However, I will add things to it that are full ...

Climate Change and Society Essay

Topic : In considering solutions to the problem of global warming, state whether you agree with the statement by Tickell ((1996), in Houghton, Chapter 8 p.253) â€Å"Mostly we know what to do but we lack the will to do it†. Give reasoned arguments in support of your opinion. Global warming is the topic that increasingly occuipies the attention of world. Is it really happening? If so, how much of it is due to human activities? After realising the situation, has the public aware of it and contribute enough effort in combating the problem? This essay argues that in cosidering solutions to the problem of global warming, whether it contradicts with the statement â€Å" Mostly we know what to do but we lack the will to do it.† I believe that this comment can accurately describe the situation and i would like to give reasons to support my stance in four regarding areas: knowledge , attitude, values and actions. First, public have supreme knowledge in recognizing the threat of climate change since the late 1990s and has finally led to acceptance of the global warming hypothesis, however prompt actions were not taken within the public nor the society with the full awareness of the situation. As Mark Maslin( 2008 ) stated: It was not until the early 1980s, when the global annual mean temperature curve started to increase, that the global cooling scenario was questioned. By the late 1980s, the global annual mean temperature curve rose so steeply that all the dormant evidence from the late 1950s and 1960s was given prominence and the global warming theory was in full swing. However, the upturn in the global annual mean temperature data was not the sole reason for the appearance of the global warming issue. In the late 1970s and 1980s, there were significant advances in global climate modelling and a marked improvement in our understanding of past climates. Development in  general circulation models (GCMs) during this period included taking into account the role of particles and clouds in affecting the global climate. Despite the cooling effect thought to be associated with particle pollution, the new ocean- atmosphere coupled GCM tools emerged with revised and higher estimates of the warming that would be associated with a doubling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. After that, GCMs continued to improve and the numbers of scientific teams working on such models increased over the 1980s and 1990s. In terms of the study of palaeoclimate, during the 1980s there was also an intense drive to understand how and why past climate changed. All in all, the public and society had already gained enough recognition to the problem long ago. Furthermore, intense media interest throughout the late 1980s and 1990s contribute to the reason why global warming hypothesis was widely accepted and spread in the society. Second, people’s attitudes are also selfsh. Many recognise this lack of will to act as a spiritual problem that we are too obsessed with the material and fail to act according to generally accepted values if it cost to ourselves or if it is concerned with the future rather than the present. We are only too aware of the strong temptations we experience at both the personal and national levels to use world’s resources to satisfy our needs and greediness. The society holds different attitudes towards different issues. One of the main attitudes is equlity. In our world community, human beings are not all equal. Reality is full of inequities of many kinds. In the context of global warming, because it is long term and global, two equity issues are particularly important. In one hand, it is our responsibility to protect the environment for our future generations. However, this attitude is not universally shared. Once the problem would not become so serious in one’s lifetime, the longer we delay in taking actions. In the other hand, international equilty where climate change creates an huge challenge to the international community. The world’s developed countries have grown the wealth over the years from the cheap energer resources such as coal, oil and fossil fuels without realising the harm they did on the environment and the less developed countries. Third, environmental values in considering the solution regarding global  warming. What do we value in the environment and how do we decide what to preserve or not?As John Hougton ( 2009 ) stated: Moving away from science, we have already referred to values related to the environment that come from our basic experiences as human beings. These are also called â€Å"shared values† because they are common to different members of a human community. Forth, the effect of the action taken regarding the problem may not be the most effective. For example, developing alternative sources of energy. Many countries started to use nuclear power. 66% of electricity production in France and Belgium comes from nuclear power. They reduce the output of carbon dioxide effectively. However, there is also the problem for nuclear waste disposal. Other renewable energy eg. Solar, wind and H.E.P. have also been developed but the UK government blocks five wind farms since they will interfere with military rader. Large dams for H.E.P. may also cause environmental problems. For energey efficenciency, countries have try to improve fuel efficiency of cars, for example, sales of Japanese fuel-efficient cars in the U.S. markets have increased. And they have try to develop energy-saving transport, eg. Magnetically levitated trains, hydrogen cars or fuel cell vehicles. However, the construction cost of maglev is huge and the competition among maglev, â€Å"bullet trains† and airplanes is high in Japan. On the other hand, some countries have improved fuel efficiency of buildings through better design. In Canada, though the cost of an energy-efficient â€Å" R-2000† home is very high which is not very applicable for public. And the government has also controlled deforestation.Though countries give advices on forest project management, it is difficult to persuade the Brazilians to control the destruction of Amazon. In conclusion, human mankind has over exploiting the Earth resources over the past centuries since the beginning of industrial revolution. Great benefits are attained which makes people neglecting harm they have done over the environment.

Is College Worth The Cost Essay

Is College Worth the Cost? Many people argue that college is not worth the cost. Some individuals say that college is too expensive and when they graduate they are not able to find a job with their degrees. People also say that college is not worth the amount of money they have to pay back in loans after they graduate. Those are all points stated in Rodney K. Smith’s essay â€Å"Yes, A College Education is Worth the Costs,† as he argues his point on why going to college and receiving a degree in an occupation of any sort. To others, a college education is worth the costs of the loans because pursuing a higher education will greater your chances of getting a better job, the college experience will teach you responsibility, also the rewarding opportunity you experience. Pursuing a higher education by attending college can greater your chances of getting a better job. When people go for a job interview, the interviewer is looking for someone with a college education. Yes, the person being interviewed may still get the job if they do not have a college education, but the person with the most education nine times out of ten will be the one chosen for the job. When someone has a higher education listed on their resumes it also qualifies them for a higher salary. Take working at a fast food restaurant for example. There are, crew members who earn minimum wage with nothing higher than a high school education, and then there are the store managers, general managers, district managers, etc. These are the people who have a college education and they earn anywhere from about ten dollars an hour and up. College has its perks even though the cost of it may deter people away, one has to be determined. Although college helps people solidify their future with a stable income, it will also teach individuals how to be responsible. One thing about college, if a person does not learn anything else he/she will learn how to be  responsible and prioritize their time, if they want to be successful. It is okay to want to go out and spend time with friends, but college is not like high school, were the teacher hands everything to the student and holds the students hand. In college, students are expected to be responsible and to keep up with their work/due dates of assignments. If one feels as though they are not responsible enough to be on their own and go off to college, then yes of course college would not be worth the cost. They would be wasting money especially if they are receiving financial aid, that money could go to some other student whom is more dedicate to being responsible and getting their work done. Although, there is an alternative to someone who wants to go to college and ge t an education but does not want to pay the high costs that big colleges and universities charge, community college. Many people have their own opinion towards whether college may or may not be worth the costs. The chance of an individual getting a great job with a pay raise that is more than minimum wage definitely makes college worth it. Even if you do not want to go to a big college or university where it cost a lot of money to attend you have the option of going to a community college. The responsibilities college teaches individuals will pay off in the end when a person enters the real world. The opportunity and the experience that a person gets out of going off to college is more than rewarding. There are many different options that students have if they do plan to get a college education but feel as though college might be a bit expensive. Works Cited Smith, Rodney K. â€Å"Yes, College is Worth the Cost.† Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Pratical Argument. New York: Bedford/St. Martin, 2014. 29-31.

Miss Essay

1. Be able to address the range of communication requirement in own role 1.1 Review the range of groups and individuals whose communication needs must be addressed in own job role. Working within Surestart I work with many groups and individuals whose communication needs must be addressed which include 16 staff members, services users to date we have 1700 families registered with Surestart. We would have a lot of communication with Health visitors regarding referrals that they have sent in and also follow up telephone calls if there is any concerns with the family. I would also have contact with social services and be asked to attend case review meetings. I would also be expected to communicate with other agencies to refer our service users on the appropriate agencies for example other children centres, counsellors, women’s Aid and Hidden Harm Social worker, 1.2 Explain how to support effective communication within own job role Effective communication and interaction play a very important role in the work of everybody that works within Surestart. I feel that how I support effective communication is by setting a good example to staff. With communication been so important for the day to day running of the centre, each staff member would be asked to write in the diary in the main office so people can know where they are (this is for the save guarding of staff if they are out of the office, lone worker policy) There is also a white board in the main office so when staff are in programmes other staff are aware of this and that the parents/baby room are booked. I would also support communication by attending staff meeting ever second week and staff are told that they must attend once a month. There is also an open door policy as sometimes there is information that staff do not want to share in a team meeting as there maybe difficulties within the team and they would like to share information on a one to one basic. 1.3 Analyse the barriers and challenges to communication within own job role The barriers and challenges that I would face is staff working part time,  staff out doing programme and also may be difficult feeling between staff members. The other barriers and challenges that I would face is staff do not take on board what you are saying to them as they feel they are right so they do not even listen to what you are trying to explain. Some people may pick you up wrong on the information you are trying to get across. 1.4 Implement a strategy to overcome communication barriers Make sure I speak very clear, focus on what information I would like them to take on board. Supervision on a monthly basis, open door policy if anyone has a problem they can talk about it. Staff can ring and send emails at any time. The childcare supervisor meets with the childcare team every morning to make sure that all crà ¨ches have enough staff and if they have any concerns regarding the children. There is also a referral meeting once a week where we discuss the referral that health visitor/social workers have send in and also to discuss and concerns we would have regarding the parents. I also send rely slips to social worker / health visitor to let them know if a home visit has been completed or if we have been unable to contact the family. 1.5 Use different means of communication to meet different needs I am aware that each staff member has different learning styles, some staff like sharing information in a group and other staff like to share information in a one to one. It is also very important for me to take this on board as I do not want any member of the team feeling frustrated and ineffective. I want staff to be able to trust me and let them see that I value the work that they do. The different means of communication I use to meet different needs are. Emails are a very effective means of communication as each staff members gets the information at the same time and not second hand. Emails can be sent at any time and also printed out to file or record information that has been sent or received. Team meeting again are a very good as all staff are getting the same information and this is a nice way for other staff to meet and let everyone else know how things are going and if anyone is finding a family or child diffi cult then there is the support of the whole team for ideas of how to handle a situation. If anyone cannot make it then the team minutes are there to read. Telephone if I am not in the office I can still be reached on my mobile if anyone needs anything.  Health visitor/Social worker would also contact me by telephone if they needed an update on a family. Staff diary in the main office this lets staff members know who is in which room and if anyone is on leave or sick or if someone has an appointment. Sign in and out sheet beside the exit door this is for safety reasons as if there was a fire in the building then I would know who is in and out Reply slips are back to the health visitors/social worker as an update for the referral they have send in. Letters to parents this is to invite them along to programmes/events. Thought-out the year I would facilitate information mornings for breastfeeding support, weaning work shop and feeding for under 5’s this would be to share inform ation to welcome new service users to the Surestart. Face to face, my office is open to all staff at any time if they need to talk about anything. CU2941 Use and develop systems that promote communication 2. Be able to improve communication systems and practise support positive outcomes for individuals 2.1 Monitor the effectiveness of communication systems and practices. The diary in the front office if very effective for staff on home visit as we know where there are for their safety (lone worker policy). white board in the main office is very effective as this is where all staff write down their programmes so if there is any phone calls for staff the secretary knows if they are in the office or in programmes. Emails can be sent at any time and it means that the same information is been told to the staff at the same time and it is also the staffs responsible to pick up their emails. The childcare supervisor meets with the childcare staff each morning I feel that this is very effective as this is in place to make sure that all rooms are covered with their ratio, and most importantly that the needs of the children are met and if there is any problem in any of the setting it can be addressed as needed and that staff do not have to wait 2 weeks for a team meeting to discuss. One to on e communication i.e. Supervision and APR, I feel that this is very important within a setting. N-Drive – this is where documents can be saved and all staff can access it. In our office we have a policy of hot desking so documents can accessed at any computer. This is also for Surestart forms and newsletters so all staff can print them out as needed. Reply slips to health visitors/social worker/other agencies – this is where I reply to any referral letter that the project receives, I would reply to the other agencies if this family had received a home visit and services offered, if I was unable to contact the family for different reasons or if the family did not want to avail of Surestart services. Phone – if I cannot be reached at any time then a message can be left for me to return there call. 2.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of existing communication systems and practice Evaluating the effectiveness of existing communication systems and practice I am going to start with the ones I feels are the most effective. One to One Communication – I feel that this works very well within a team as some staff members do not like to speak in front of other and feel that their ideas might not be good enough. I also feel that face to face communication is very effective as some people can pick up a message wrong and take the wrong tone with an email. Supervision – this is there for staff to talk confidently with their manger I feel that this is very effective means of communication for the manger to tell how well things are going for that member of staff and for the staff member to say how they really feel about how things are going. ( I also feel that you have to have a good relationship with your staff for this to work, you have to be relaxed and friendly and staff members also have to trust you). Supervision is also very effective as this give staff clear boundaries of what is expected of them for the month a head and also make sure they are on target to achieve the targets in their APR. Team meetings – I also think this is effective as this can let everybody know how programmes are going if there is any follows to do with families in any of the programmes. If anyone is having any difficulties if any of the programmes is nice to get other ideas how to deal with it. It is also there for sharing information for the Surestart board and action for children. To let staff know what training is coming up. ARP- I have been working in a Surestart setting for the last 11 years, I feel that this is the first year I have felt that an APR has been effective like the rest of communication systems if it is not done right then it will not  be effective. APR is there to set goal and targets for the year ahead, I feel this is very important for staff as they know what is expected of them for the year ahead and then this is monitored at each supervision to make sure that staff in on track with their targets. Childcare meeting every morning – I feel that this is very effective as each member of the childcare team no where they are each day and who is covering in each setting and also if any member of the childcare team is concerned about a child this is discussed each morning. Emails- I feel has pro and con. It is very effective in a way that emails can be sent at any time and is very good for all staff to receive the information at the same time. I also feels that staff can pick the tone of emails up wrong and some information is best said face to face. Reply letter to health visitors/social workers/other agencies – I feel that this is a very effective The diary in the front office – This is effective if everyone plays there part in filling it in. If someone is on training or off on A/L and forgets to fill it in then it is very hard for other staff to know where they are. N-Drive – This is effective as all the Surestart form and standard letters are on it as well as newsletters. It is also that as this is used while hot desking it means that the documents that are placed on this drive can be accessed by the whole team so if I was saving any confidential information I would also password protect it. Phone – I do feel that this is effective as if I am not available by phone or mobile then a message can also be left. 2.3 Propose improvements to communication systems and practices to address any short comings I feel that communication can always be improved as we are only human and staff do forget to pass on messages, response to emails, and even fill in the diary in the main office. I have proposed that each desk has message pad so that all messages have to written down. I have proposed that the main diary is to be brought to the team meeting so that if anyone has any leave booked, any visits arranged or training then this can go into the diary. I would also remind everybody at team meeting about remembering to fill in the diary I have also propose that the reply slips to the health visitors/social workers be changed as I feel it could be improved. 2.4 Lead the implementation of revised communication system and practices CU 2941 Use and develop systems that promote communication 3. Be able to improve communication systems to promote partnership working 3.1 Use communication systems to promote partnership working The systems that we use to promote partnership working is:  One to one communications – I meet with the health visitor for breastfeeding once a week. Also any of the health visitors are welcome to call in at any time. Some health visitors like to bring parents that are hard to engage into the centre to meet me to show them around the building and meet the staff. I would also have contact face to face with our families on a daily basis through programmes and also registrations. Phone call – health visitors/social services and other agencies would phone for update and regarding case review meetings. Families would also phone on a daily basis if they needed help with anything or information. Post – we post letters to the agencies if we are unable to reach the families or if they no longer wish to be involved with the service. I would also post letters and newsletter to families. Emails – some agen cies like to send email as it is a faster way for them and this is ok with me as long as it is recorded. Referral reply – this is a letter drawing and signed by Surestart parents that we have permission to send it back to the health visitors to say we have been in contact and the Surestart services have been offered. Information events – this is different events for Surestart to promote their services. 3.2 Compare the effectiveness of different communications systems for partnership working I feel within waterside Surestart the systems we use are very effective. One to one communication I feel is very effective as this can reassure service users and colleagues and also outside agencies, you can focus on the goal. I can be supportive and positive to all that need it. I can also assess the services users’ needs and provide them with the support  needed and I also feel that this builds trust and relationships. Phone call – I feel that this is a very effective way of communicating as some health visitor/social worker/other agencies need an update ASAP as they may be on their way to a review meeting. All if a member of staff is not on the office this is a good way of communicating. As my role as family support worker I be in contact with families every day on the phone, may it be they have a question or I am inviting the families to programmes or arranging home visits. E mails – This is a very effective way that I communicate in Surestart, supervision notes to be sent 3 says before supervision, team meeting are to be sent and read before the meeting. Agencies are able to send emails / newsletters. Referral Response – I feel that this is a very effective way that Surestart communicate. This is send to health visitors/social workers who send in a referral this is to show the agencies that we have made contact with that family or that we have tried to contact the family and after 4 weeks we are unable to reach them. Information events – I feel that this is not really effective as we work on catchment areas and this is very hard to have an event in a general area, it has to be within the area, as we do not like to turn people away that may be interested in the service, as when agencies send in referrals they have a list of streets that is inside the catchment area and only if there is a need then they can be outside the area. 3.3 Propose to improvements to communications systems for partnership working I do believe that communication within waterside Surestart has got a lot better in the last year, I feel that this has a great deal to do with our new manager, she has gained the trust and respect of the staff and in return it is a pleasure to work with. I feel that I have a great leader to follow and learn a great deal from. The only improvement that could be made is that a leaflet could be drawn up for families that are outside the catchment area so that they leave with something rather than going away with no information (this is in the process on being done). I am also assisting the upgrade of the referral response form so that families sign this form so that we have permission to hold their information and that we are allow to send the form back to the referrer. CU2941 Use and develop systems that promote communications 4. Be able to use systems for effective information management 4.1 Explain legal and ethical tensions between maintaining confidentiality and sharing information Working with in a Surestart setting for the last 11 years, I know that confidentiality is very important. It’s important for agencies and services users to build a trusting relationship with me. I am very honest with the people I work with, when I am completing a registration form with parents I do tell them that their details will stay in a locked filing cabinet for 7 years, that there information is stored on a database password protected until there child/ren turn 4. I also let the parents know that under the data protection act they are able to see their file at any time. Parents also sign a form that we are able to share information with the health visitor and other agencies involved if we have any concerns regarding the child or parents. When I have taking programmes with parents I also start with group rules. Confidentiality always comes up, I always tell parents that what ever is discussed at the group I do not take it outside of the group, I can only speak for myself but that I would hope that everyone would stand by this too. I also always make it very clear to parents that if anything is discussed or disclosed any information regarding harm or danger or abuse to a child/ren then I will past this information on to my manger and the appropriate authorises. (Children’s order 1995, child safety is paramount) I feel that if I am honest with all the people that I work with then I do believe that you build up a trust and that by law I have to report and record all that is disclosed to me, although I did have a parent in the past that did not understand this, they felt that I was just reporting them to social services and she believed that social services where there to take her child away. This lady did not return to Surestart as what she disclosed I had to discuss with my manger. 4.2 Analyse the essential features of information sharing agreements within and between organisations Under the data protection act 1998, the purpose of the act is to protect the rights and privacy of individuals and to ensure that data about them are not processed without their knowledge and are processed with their consent whenever possible, this act covers personal data held in electronic formats, manual data and relevant filing systems. Surestart has devised a form that has recently been updated by my colleagues and myself, this form is where we get service users to sign that they agree Surestart is able to keep their details in a secure place for up to seven years, and that if we had any concerns regarding the child that we would contact the appropriate service also that if there is a social worker involved that we are able to update them on any programmes they attend for case review meetings. Health visitors would send in referral form with parent’s consent, what happens is we then phone that family and do a home visit and in that visit we fill out the Surestart forms wi th the families details on it, the consent for is then signed and sent back to the health visitor to say we have completed a visit this is what programmes they would like to attend, I would also send back a form to the heath visitor if that family did not wish to avail of Surestart services or that I could not reach them. These forms are kept with the registration and filed in a locked cabinet. When I am facilitating a programme within Surestart I always do group rules, parents can put what they like on it, confidentially always comes up, I just remind parents that what happens in the group will stay in the group with me, but I can only speak for myself and not the rest of the group and I do tell them that It would not be nice to hear anyone talking bad about another parent. I do inform the parents that if there anything disclosed within the group that has caused abuse of harm to a child them I am bound by action for children policies and procedures and under the children order act 1995 to past this information on to my manger and the appropriate services, I do tell the parents that I would discuss this with them before I reported what I have heard. 4.3 Demonstrate use of information management systems that meet legal and ethical requirement Under the data protection act 1998 Surestart need permission to hold data on the families that I work with, how this is done is that all parents have to sign the registration form and also the consent for their details to be stored according to action for children policies and procedures, which is that their details are stored for up to seven years, in a locked filing cabinet and up to four years on the Surestart database. Under the children’s order 1995 I am bound to report anything that I have heard or seen that my or has caused harm to a child. This would also be discussed with the parent/s what information I would be passing on to my manger. This also gives the parent an opportunity to explain. The information my lead to a referral been made to social services.

17th Century Masters of Dutch Painting Essay

The Baroque Art Style Movement started in the 17th century. This period was characterized by complex art style which is stimulated by the urge to tap the different â€Å"emotional states† which is dramatically shown â€Å"by appealing to the senses. † The dominant characteristics of this period were â€Å"grandeur, sensuous richness, drama, vitality, movement, tension, emotional exuberance, and a tendency to blur distinctions† ( Pioch, 2002, â€Å"Baroque†). The Dutch were one of those who perfected this particular style and they have generated some of the critically acclaimed Baroque masterpieces in art history. Jan Vermeer, Jan Steen and Gabriel Metsu were just three of the masters of Dutch painting who have immensely contributed to the development of the arts in the Netherlands. Vermeer’s Woman Holding A Balance, Steen’s The Drawing Lesson and Metsu’s Young Woman Reading A Letter were some of the noted creations that have embodied the â€Å"novelty of genre Dutch paintings. † These art pieces were immediately accepted by the public because they resembled an â€Å"honest and materialist art† that highlighted art as an â€Å"end in itself and not as a mere vehicle for emphasizing values from other realms of human thought. † More so, these paintings focused on a common theme which is the depiction of domestic daily life wherein women where the central characters. The artists used this theme to emphasize that the homes were not merely structures but also the foundation of morals in the society. In addition, the role of women in the paintings was intended to help bring serenity to the viewers in order for them to easily adapt to the overwhelming changes that were introduced in the 17th century (cited in Janson, 2008, â€Å"The Subject Matter of Dutch Domestic Interiors†). See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay Jan Vermeer was an artisan who is known for his trademarks of crafty play with light and color, inclusion of graphics with poetic quality and the exploration of spatial relationships. The camera obscura was the tool he used add a realness factor to his paintings (Pioch, 2002, â€Å"Vermeer, Jan†). In Woman Holding A Balance, Jan Vermeer illustrated a young woman holding a pair of empty weighing scales who was probably going to measure the mass of the valuable materials placed on the table. Moreover, other elements were also harmoniously integrated in the artwork such as the painting of the Last Judgment which signified a Christian biblical event; the weighing scales which symbolized justice; the light coming from the window suggested spiritual enlightenment and the mirror in front of the woman represented conceitedness. All of these elements exemplified the significance of resisting temptation of material things and living moderately in order to obtain salvation (National Gallery of Art, 2008, â€Å"Vermeer†). Meanwhile, Jan Steen was branded as one of the most productive painters of the Dutch art scene. He was known for his â€Å"versatility, richness of characterization, inventiveness in composition, skillful manipulation of colors† (Janson, 2008, â€Å"Seven Dutch Masters: Jan Steen†). The Drawing Lesson captured the scene of an art instructor teaching a young male and a beautiful young lady most likely about drawing. The art studio was filled with a variety of art paraphernalia that were strewn all over the place. There were nude sculptures, paint brushes, easels and other art materials. Vanity was also represented through the presence of â€Å"a laurel wreath, a skull, wine, a fur muff, a book, a lute, and a pipe† to impart Steen’s message that popularity and life are not permanent in the physical world. This uncomplicated ordinary scene is a symbolic representation of the lives of artists and the nature of their profession (J. Paul Getty Trust, â€Å"†The Drawing Lesson†). Moreover, another Dutch painter who made a mark in the field of Baroque art was Gabriel Metsu who was also a son of a painter. He founded the Leiden painters guild where he learned to create genre scenes that showed the â€Å"influences of Nicolaes Maes, Gerrit Terborch and the Delft school. † More so, â€Å"his technique evolved from the quite broadly painted Leiden works to the meticulous fjnschilder manner of his later Amsterdam years† (Janson, 2008, â€Å"Seven Dutch Masters: Gabriel Metsu†). In Metsu’s painting of Woman Reading a Letter, shows a woman reading a letter probably from a suitor or a male correspondence. Actually, this painting is a continuation of another Metsu painting called Man Writing a Letter and when these two pieces are interconnected, a story of courtship between a man and a woman is established. Meanwhile, â€Å"the maid’s momentary movement contrasts with the concentration of the young woman who, one senses, will not move until she has finished reading the letter. † Love was also cleverly symbolized in the painting which is in the form of the seascape painting mounted on the wall which probably was directed to represent the risks involved in having relationships (Web Gallery of Art, 1996, â€Å"Metsu, Gabriel†). In terms of aesthetic qualities, the three paintings showcased a variety of distinct elements including color, light, texture, lines, and brushstrokes. In Woman Holding A Balance by Vermeer, the artist combined all aesthetic elements to produce one exquisite picture. Vermeer employed darker shades of color but accents of blue, yellow and white were visible to avoid monotony. More so, the light came from only source which was at the window that directly illuminated the serene face of the woman. Since this painting symbolically suggests living a balanced life, the compositional lines proportionally dissected the whole picture that emanated uniformity and a sense of space. The technique used by Vermeer for his brushstrokes was impasto wherein he densely put paint on the canvas to make strokes using a paintbrush finished by thin glazes. In addition, played with camera obscura â€Å"to create a specular highlight† as seen on the pearls on the table which were painted with two layers of color. Overall, these elements: the dark colors, the orthogonal lines, impasto brushstrokes, the objects that surround the woman like the balance and painting of the Last Judgement , all â€Å"reinforced the theme of spiritual moderation†(National Gallery of Art, 2008, â€Å"Vermeer†). Many different objects and elements were incorporated in The Drawing Lesson by Steen. Every object has a corresponding meaning and significance. The colors of brown, pink, grey, blue and red were delicately subdued to seamlessly mesh the variety of objects in the picture. In addition the colors, lighting and the placement of the objects were very strategic that despite the many elements present, the painting did not look cluttered. More so, each object included in the painting suggested a symbolical meaning, the viewer just needs to look closely and try to comprehend the message of Steen. â€Å"Typically Steen gives a degree of information about individual characters, but leaves the viewer to ponder the specific twists of the narrative, and to admire the artist for his clever allusions† (Wiseman, â€Å"Dutch and Flemish Art†). The focal point of the painting was the teacher and his pretty young student. The pastel colors of pink and blue contrasted by the gold and dark red colors emphasized the young woman and her dress which suggested that she is aristocratic in nature. While the art teacher was depicted in an ordinary attire to show that he is a commoner trying to break into the exclusive circle of the rich by teaching their children how to make art. In the position of the artist, the young woman and the boy, it could be drawn that there exist a special relationship between the teacher and his pupil and that the other student notices their secret â€Å"love affair. † However, this interpretation was not confirmed by Steen. He wanted his artworks to insinuate different messages depending on the viewer’s perception. For Woman Reading a Letter Metsu wanted to tell a story of love, drama and anticipation. This painting was clearly the continuation of Metsu’s other painting called Man â€Å"Writing a Letter. † Compared to the two previous artworks, this one had been brightly illuminated and the dominant colors were of light shades and hues. At first glance, one may think that this is a sublime scenario but if one would look closely and analyze the objects that surround the woman, one can realize that this painting suggests otherwise. The tranquil face of the woman reading the letter is contradicted by the chaotic seascape painting on the wall. Also, the dropped shoe and the worried position of the maid support the theory that something bad might have happened to the man who sent the letter. Every aspect of this painting had been craftily incorporated to tell a provoking story.