A Critical Analysis Of “The Story Of An Hour” Essay

A critical analysis of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story Of An Hour†, in my opinion, is a good piece of literature. It is well written, clearly written, entertaining, and it brings a bit of a challenge to the reader. Starting with the title, Chopin described part of the setting. We already know that everything that happens during this little drama, happens within an hour. This title brought curiosity upon me because I did not realize that many things that could affect one’s life could take place in an hour. For example, the recent tragedy in America, within one hour much had happened in the borders of the United States and Chopin’s choice of title brought that to my attention, within an hour much could happen that could completely change someone’s life. The way the story is written is very straightforward. The author tells you exactly what is happening but still leaves enough room for your imagination to fill in the blanks. For example, when Chopin describes Louise’s room with â€Å"the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair† (page 378), and then goes on to describe what Louise sees outside, she tells us that our protagonist isn’t living a bad life monetarily. Louise has a nice comfortable chair in her bedroom where she has a nice view of a square with trees and people. The way Chopin describes the weather follows the same suit. â€Å"There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds†Ã‚ ¦in the west facing her window† (page 378). The author tells you what to imagine but there is still room for you to add, for example, the sun shining through the clouds and warmly hitting her face, among other things. The language used was also good. It wasn’t the usual complicated Shakespearean English, it was, if you will, a more updated version of it. Because she used Modern English, it was easier to follow and understand, I didn’t have to stop and figure out what a certain word meant. At the same time, it is not to say that the piece was poorly written. In many instants as I read it I noticed the way it flowed so well and how beautiful it sounded. The description Chopin gives of Louise sitting on the chair  describes it best. â€Å"She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams.† (Page 378). Simple, yet deep. Throughout the whole story I didn’t really have an urge to stop reading it. Chopin kept me there reading along because I was curious to know more about how Louise felt and if she was going to be ok since it was mentioned that she had heart problems. The story was very entertaining although short. I believe that even if Chopin had dragged on a little more I still would’ve read it right through. Louise showed some strange signs upon receiving the news of her husband’s death. It can even be said that Chopin intended for the audience to think that Louise might have had something to do with her husband Brently’s death. And Richards might have been involved too. As the news were received at the newspaper office, Richards was already there waiting for it and didn’t leave until a second telegram had been sent confirming the death of his friend. The fact that she â€Å"wept at once† (Page 378) also shows some kind of possible involvement, perhaps a fake cry scene was put here just so her sister would see that she was upset about her husband’s death. It is mentioned that she while sitting on her chair she sank â€Å"pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.† (Page 378). That to me sounds a bit like guilt, the use of the work â€Å"haunted† shows that this is a negative feeling. Once Chopin starts to describe Louise, â€Å"She was young, with a fair face, whose lines bespoken repression and even a certain strength.† (Page 378), that could be describing the repression that she felt because of her husband’s attitude towards her. â€Å"It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.† (Page 378), this sentence tells me that she hasn’t been logically thinking anymore, it also helps to show that perhaps she did have some kind of involvement on her husband’s death, not being able to cognitively solve her problems with him. She is waiting for a feeling, maybe it is guilt from what she has done and when it says that she would fight this feeling back it is because she doesn’t want to feel guilty. And later on this feeling is called  a monstrous joy. The cries of freedom also help my observations come true, she had a reason to do it, she wanted to be free of her husband’s ways. Once her husband opens the door, she screams and has a heart attack, she was not expecting to see him ever again, she was filled w joy until the moment she saw him alive. Perhaps she is guilty of trying to kill her husband. The confusing challenging part comes when Richards tries to get in the way of Louise’s sight so she is not able to see Brently. I don’t understand it, what does it mean? Did Richards maybe tell Brently to do something else rather than take this train trip but did not tell him that the train â€Å"accident† was to occur? Maybe it is so and he was trying to not allow Louise to see Brently because Richards and Louise had planned it all and he backed out on it. Maybe Louise’s intention was to be with Richards after her husband died. After reading the story several times this is my interpretation. It is a very good story that could have many meanings, this being one of them. Evil, or Louise’s desire to kill her husband, failed once again because of Good, or Richards strong friendship with Brently. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour† The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: Norton, 1998. 377-379.

Annotated Bibliography: Stress Management Essay

Throughout life stress is a common problem whether it’s at work, school or home. The many negative effects of stress in fact affect individuals differently varying from health issues to work performance. Therefore, all individuals have different views of stress and various ways of handling it or otherwise managing their stress. Stress is when any living thing feels endangered and its homeostasis is at risk (Varvogli & Darviri, 2011, p. 74). Ways of dealing with stress are efforts of cognitive, behavioral, and psychological nature that allows a person to manage stress. Although there are different causes of stress, there are also many techniques for relieving it. The following articles are intended for the reader to understand these different techniques for relieving stress, and coping with the effects that stress can cause. Stress Management Varvogli, L., & Darviri, C. (2011). Stress management techniques: evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. Health Science Journal, 5(2), 74-89 In this evidence-based study, numerous stress management techniques are used to help reduce the ill effects that stress can cause. The authors explain each technique as well as the benefits. The techniques include the following: Progressive Muscle Relaxation which consists of tensing and relaxing muscles in the abdomen, legs, arms, and face; Autogenic Training in which the person learns to instruct the body to relax and control otherwise autonomic body functions such as heartbeat and blood pressure; Relaxation Response is a repetition process that allows an individual to concentrate, and return to that repetition when other thoughts come to mind; Biofeedback uses instruments to measure physiological activity, which gives information to the user to utilize with changes in emotions and thinking to allow physiological changes; Guided imagery is audio, writing, or a professional using the person’s individualized images to reduce stress and promote health; Diaphragmatic breathing, or bell deep breathing, is thought to reset the autonomic nervous system, and promote relaxation; Transcendental meditation which is when the individual sits and repeats a chant with closed eyes; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy uses assessments, cognitive and behavioral treatments, along with physician and patient cooperation to help the patient become self-aware, and change their way of thinking; Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction uses meditation to help those suffering from mental or physical ailments; and the Emotional Freedom Technique which encompasses the use of acupressure while speaking a phrase out loud. All of these techniques allow the individual to relax and alleviate stress, and improve his or her health. It also explained that these methods can help with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, pain management, and reduce anxiety due to chronic illness. Engel B . (2004). Are We Out of Our Minds With Nursing Stress? Creative Nursing 10(4), 4-6. The article was written about large amounts of stress occurring in the nursing community and the effect it has on us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It goes on to describe certain ways to approach stress and stress relief to include, taking certain actions to manage stress and be able to use that to better the profession. Stress is a part of our daily lives and even more so in nursing. The situations that a nurse is put in on a daily basis are not only physically demanding, but are emotionally draining as well and even tax our spirituality having to deal with death and dying, sickness and disease. The article goes on to talk about stress manifestations, or how we perceive stress in our lives and our own approaches to it. Stress can be harmful and even debilitating. Or it can help sharpen your skills and challenge you to get better, depending on how you plan on dealing with it. Understanding stress and what it can do will open us up to figuring out how to use it to our advantage. One of the ways the article describes a way to approach a stressful situation is â€Å"mindfulness.† This is the ability to realize where you are in the situation, to include your physical body and what is going on around you. This is described as knowing your body knowing what is going on inside and realizing where you are in the situation. Maloney, C. (2012). Critical incient stress debriefing and pediatric nurses: An approach to support the work enviroment and mitigate negative consequences. Pediatric Nursing, 38(2), 110-113. In this article Maloney covers stress debriefing for nurses involved in traumatic incidents in throughout the workplace, specifically paying close attention to critical incidents and pediatric nurses. Traumatic events are common in the nursing workplace and if not properly tended to, can result in physical and emotional distress. Although quantitative research cannot determine the efficacy of critical incient stress debriefing, the author used a great example of a study that had extremely positive results that cut down the turnover in one hospital by half. Maloney also used studies that supported that critical incident stress debriefing was found useful over 98% of the time, and helped nurses find meaning over 97% of the time. Stress in these work environments can cause many symptoms that would effect a person’s well being not only physically but also emotionally, this article offers a great tool that can be used to reduce stress levels, and shows that hospitals are also contributing to stress management in other ways. Furthermore, the article would be very relevant for research of stress management in nursing as well as for first responders (i.e. fire fighters, EMT’s and paramedics) and other agencies that respond to traumatic situations. The author points out those hospital administrators that are recognizing the needs for emotional support that goes beyond the responsibility of the individual, and those hospitals are implementing programs to provide all the support they can to help relieve the stress brought upon healthcare providers (nurses). Bento, W. (2012). Living with Stress as the New Norm of the Post Modern World its consequences and challenges. LILIPOH (LILIPOH), 17(66), 21-7. In this article, Bento states many different types of stresses that a person comes across on each and every day. He states that the â€Å"four main sources of stress are worth noting. The first is perceived threats of any kind, whether physical, social or financial. Stress due to threats is always related to needs either being denied or jeopardized. Whether rational or irrational, the feelings generated from such stress translate into existential angst. The level of existential angst is higher the more it is perceived that there is no way to control or reduce the threat.† (Bento, 2012, 24). He also states that fear, cognitive dissonance and anxiety towards the future are three additional stressors that tax on to a person’s life and affects their daily habits. Knowing and understanding the factors of stress will allow a person to further comprehend his or hers environment and surroundings. Once that understanding is further developed, an individual will be able to make steps into controlling and managing different types of stress. Thus, applying it into the real world and the world of nursing. Solowieg, K. (2010). Take it easy: how the cycle of stress and pain associated with wound care affects recovery. NURS RESIDENTIAL CARE, 12(9), 443-444. This Article explains how stress can be detrimental to the human body, especially in a health care facility. Pain is closely intertwined with stress being that when a person feels pain, their level of stress and anxiety can inhibit optimal immune system function. In Solowiej’s article, it shows a study that â€Å"wound cleansing is considered to be one of the most painful treatments associated with wounds. Pain itself can have a negative impact on wound healing, as it can contribute to stress and other negative emotional states including fear, anxiety and depression.† (Solowiej, 2010, 444). It is important to know how pain and stress are very similar because when combined the psychological effects is has on a person can slow down the process of healing. Furthermore, when initial pain is confronted right away with positive reinforcement, a negative reaction to a trauma, chronic wound or small damage can help a person or patient make a full recovery from a situation. Urban, A. (2010). Managing stress. SRNA NEWSBULLETIN, 10(4), 7. The Article written by Anne Marie Urban gives us insight to how we can manage and prevent stress. Stress is inevitable cannot be prevented. It is an integral part of our life and will always happen from time to time whether it is a positive or negative one. However, even though stress itself is impossible to prevent, management of it can provide a positive response to a person’s life. Urban states that there are four ways for a person to positive manage and analyze stress. In doing so can provide a good energy for a person to use for their everyday activities. The four steps to a positive mindset towards stress are called Stop, Breath, Reflect, and Choose. The first step, Stop, asks an individual to think and analyze what is going on in their surroundings, and asking to not let their emotions and thoughts escalate. The second step is to Breathe. When in a stressful situation, it is difficult to take a second to catch your breath, but taking those few extra moments can help a person gather themselves. Taking deep breaths, and inhaling and exhaling calmly can help trigger a relaxation response to the body. Reflect is the third step of management. Analyzing and thinking about the situation. This step asks to look from the outside and ask yourself internal questions. Asking these internal questions helps to see if an individual is being over reactive or if there are other alternatives. The last of the four steps is choosing your response to a situation. This is a person’s decision to act upon a situation and ask themselves if the stress is worth it or not. Knowing these techniques can help maintain manage stress at a low level. There are many forms and sources of stress that can affect an individual’s well-being or surroundings. Being able to manage stress properly and doing so in a positive way will allow a person to achieve their goals or make a memorable impact on the world. Davis, C. (2011). Forum to help staff deal with day-to-day Stress . Nursing Management – UK, 18(4) , 18-21. This article is based upon studies in hospitals in England. The study provided a program to help hospital staff deal with stress from patient care, coworkers, and everyday stress in a hospital environment. In order to reduce stress, the article encourages discussion and group interaction in order to talk about emotional and social stress and challenges. This article stresses the importance for â€Å"rounds† to be incorporated in all hospitals in order for the healthcare professional to verbally discuss a patient’s case, plan of care, and any concerns an individual may have. One weakness to this article is that it does not touch on individual support for stress. If an individual does not benefit from the rounds and their stress level is still high, there is no alternative listed. Also, being in a group setting may increase someone’s stress and may only make the individuals stress worse. This correlates to the topic of stress management because every day as a nurse, we will be faced with stress and may be emotionally stressed out due to a patient’s care or diagnosis. This article is promoting and advocating how rounds will help decrease stress in healthcare professional, which will ultimately improve patient care. I believe that this article is on point with the implication of rounds for healthcare professionals. It allows the healthcare team to come together as a group and talk about problems and patient care, which can reduce stress and anxiety in the healthcare professionals. Cox, T., & Griffiths, A. (2007). Work-related stress in nursing: controlling the risk to health. Retrieved August 9, 2012, from http://ilo-mirror.library.cornell.edu/public/english/protection/condtrav/pdf/4stress.pdf This scholarly article was written to identify the causes of stress in hospital-based nurses as well as provide therapies and techniques in order to manage stress. This article states that stress in nursing is derived from three areas: work demands that are not matched to the level of knowledge of the nurse, work that does not fulfill their needs, level of co ntrol at work, and the lack of support a nurse may receive (Cox & Griffiths, 2007, p. 3). The article also touches on how stress affects the health of the nurse as well. This is the strength of this article because not only does it list the origin of stress, but it also states how overtime stress can affect the health of the nurse. This is helpful to readers because even though stress is a normal part of life, it must be controlled and managed otherwise it can negatively affect the health and wellness of the individual. One weakness of this article is that it only focuses on hospital-based nursing and neglects nurses that are working outside of the hospital. One way the article could be improved would be to research and comment on the profession of nursing as a whole rather than to only focused on nursing working inside the hospital. This article is directly related to the topic of stress management because it focuses on the origin of stress a nurse may face while working, the affects of stress on the nurse’s health, and tips to manage stress and promote health and wellness. This article is a great article for nurses to read because it provides tips and techniques to avoid and reduce stress as well as manage stress once present. Abraham, S. (2012). Relationship between stress and perceived self-efficacy among nurses in India. . Retrieved August 10, 2012, from http://www.ictbm.org/ictbm12/ICTBM12CD/pdf/D2144-done.pdf This scholarly article focuses in on nurses in India and how stress affects not only the nurse but also the organization the nurse works for. This article states that the individual as well as the organization should manage the stress but the individual experiencing stress should be primarily in charge. The article lists techniques to manage stress but also touches on the how the individual’s capacity to cope with stress can affect the stress level. One strength of this article is that it emphasizes self-efficacy as a part of stress management. According to Abraham (2012), self-efficacy is defined as â€Å"beliefs in one’s own capacity to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations† (p. 611). This is important for coping with stress because multitudes of tips and techniques can be offered, but it is up to the individual and the capacity for a change in behavior to cope with stress. A weakness of this article is that the study was conducted only in India and does not include nurses from all different countries. This could be a weakness because nursing practices in India may differ from

Is Sartre's Existentialist account of morality more preferable than Essay

Is Sartre's Existentialist account of morality more preferable than that based on the existence of God - Essay Example This essay will explore different views of existential philosophers in support of or repudiation to Sartre's existential account of morality. We must also bear in mind the political/theological atmosphere surrounding all of these thinkers, which propelled them to pen their thoughts for consideration by the intellectual community. Herein lies the division between philosophy and theology; many times it seems that there is no division, simply an attempt to apply reason to religion, as it were. The very basis of philosophy is the search for Truth, and philosophers in general agree that no one owns Truth. The origins of philosophy were based around the conduct of humanity, based upon logic, ethics and emotion, with or without a God. While the philosophers of antiquity such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle addressed these three key components of philosophy whilst having been related to each other in terms of being each other's students, they managed to accommodate their contemporary theology in their views and ideas. In addition, the same disdain of politicians existed in their works, just as modern times. As philosophy progressed, politics of the day encroached more and more, taking on a more insistent voice in the musings of the philosophers. From Marxism to Existentialism in its truest sense, ideals of conduct were set forth with a plethora of reasons to engage in such conduct. In contrast to Sartre's assertions of morality having no intrinsic value other than humans being the sum of their parts, we look to the work of Karl Jasper, who cuts through the unnecessary conflict of whether or not there is a God and addresses the issue of transcendence being a process of individual maturation, which may lead to the discovery of the One in the Many. Jaspers was considered to be an anti-fascist; his premise took self-realisation into account with existentialism. The freedom of this style is that it gives the mind something to work toward in this one corporeal life; the betterment of oneself and therefore the discovery of interdependence, which may or may not lead to an epiphany regarding a supreme being. That Jaspers indicates something transcendent is indicative of the possibility of a God or higher being, or even a finer level of consciousness that is able to hold its morals and ethics in the face of life's daily pressures and trends, emerging triumphant from the blindness of the masses. While not advocating the existence of God, Jasper's work encourages morality without the need to negate God completely. In Jasper's own words, 'The philosopher lives, as it were, in a hidden, non-objective community to which every philosophising person secretly longs to be admitted. Philosophy has no institutional reality and is

Employee Engagement On The Scope Of Future Career Growth Of Employees Dissertation

Employee Engagement On The Scope Of Future Career Growth Of Employees - Dissertation Example In the words of Collings & Wood (2009), the most hyped topics in the context of international human resource management are ensuring employee commitment and engagement. Considering the current business environment, the internal management process of firms is being aligned with the strategic mission and vision of the firms for ensuring an appropriately directed performance. Scholars such as Dyne & Pierce and Konrad (2009) have questioned the authenticity of the organizations in the context of providing the scope of growth for their employee base. Carrying forward a similar concern Bakker & Leiter mentioned that employee engagement and job satisfaction does not go hand-in-hand. Focusing on these arguments and the evaluation of the practical work conditions and processes, the research will focus on analyzing the influence of employee engagement on their career growth opportunities with the help of a mixed methodology. Human resource management processes have transformed along with the changes in the requirements of the business firms and the increase of complexities in business management. Saks noted that methods such as downsizing are commonly used by the firm in order to reduce their operational expenses and at the same time maintain their competence in their respective industries. In this context, Green & Medlin observed that employee engagement concepts being followed in business are mostly implemented with the help of reward structures which can be considered as short-term obligations from the end of the organizations.

Literature Review about the franchising in hospitality industry Term Paper

Literature Review about the franchising in hospitality industry - Term Paper Example Hotels’ operating budgets need to select the right markets for growth, the best partners with experience and the ability to handle different clients effectively while also developing partnerships with the franchisee and the local cultures. â€Å"In order to work effectively with local people, we need to examine their values, norms, beliefs, relationships, and many other cultural characteristics† (Shakerin, 2006, p.1). When large hotels desire to expand their businesses overseas to foreign markets, it makes sense to select local investors to operate their establishments so that better connections can be made with foreign clients. If these customer service elements were to be managed by corporate offices, expatriate costs and training costs could be quite large. Franchising allows opportunities to reduce these high costs by inviting investment from overseas and allowing like cultural leaders to run the business units. â€Å"Leaders expecting to be effective in multi-cultural environments have to develop awareness of different cultural dimensions most central to their customers† (Shriberg & Kumari, 2008, p.20). If Marriott Hotels, as one example, decided to expand their presence into India, it would make the most sense to inspire an Indian investor to take on the responsibility of managing a Marriott franchise. This type of local investor maintains the cultural awareness and social skills necessary to satisfy local customers more than an expatriate manager sent overseas to govern the hotel. Geert Hofstede described the elements of culture that drive local tastes and preferences. In individualistic societies, people are self-expressive and put their personal goals and interests ahead of others (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 2008). In collectivist countries, such as India, people are more family-oriented and tend to believe in the rights and needs of the group. These are important

Dangerous Climate Change. What Strategies Are Available To Avert The Essay

Dangerous Climate Change. What Strategies Are Available To Avert The Onset Of Dangerous Climate Change - Essay Example Some reports have shown European summers getting hotter, Alaskan streams and other lakes getting warmer, and our polar ice caps allegedly thawing (Schneider and Lane, 2006). More than just the actual warming of the planet, the impact of such warming has certainly captured the world’s attention. These are the major issues which have caused much concern among authorities and the public in general. This issue has managed to affect the environmental, as well as the business community with projected losses in profits accredited to climate change. Environmental experts claim that as our planet continues to grow warmer, more environmentally related disasters would be expected to occur with much stronger hurricanes, storms, and typhoons building up in the warmer oceans (Lemonic, 2008). These experts further emphasize that man has to address the issues which pertain to climate change in order to stem the progression of this phenomenon into dangerous levels. The word ‘dangerousâ⠂¬â„¢ seems to have now been strongly associated with climate change. Its actual meaning in the context of climate change will be discussed in this paper. This paper shall discuss climate change and the different ways by which its implications can actually be quantified to dangerous levels. It will discuss the point where climate change can be considered acceptable and the point where it is considered to be dangerous. This study is being undertaken in order to establish a thorough and comprehensive understanding of climate change as well as its implications to our society and our efforts towards reversing its impact. Discussion Defining ‘dangerous climate change’ ‘Dangerous climate change’ is a term which was introduced legally during the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (McGuire, n.d). Climate researchers have come up with different definitions in order to define the point at which climate change can be considered dangerous. Schneide r and Lane (2006, as cited by Spratt and Sutton, 2008) have suggested different metrics in measuring climate change and such metrics have included: the risks to unique and threatened geophysical or biophysical systems; risks related with extreme weather events; total damages; temperature thresholds to large-scale events; risks to global ecosystems; loss of human cultures; key sustainability metrics of water, energy, agriculture, health, and biodiversity; the number of people put at risk; and the triggering of irreversible chain of events. These are all metrics which can be used in order to determine how dangerous the impact of climate change is. Dawson and Spannagle (2009) discuss that dangerous climate change is the degree of climate change which violates Article 2 of the UNFCCC. Article 2 basically sets forth that the function of the UNFCCC is to manage the emission of greenhouse gases to levels which would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the weather and climate system (Dawson and Spannagle, 2009). In effect, such acceptable levels must be achieved within levels which would: â€Å"allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change; ensure that food production is not threatened; and enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner† (Dawson and Spannagle, 2009, p. 112). Article 2 does not use the exact words ‘dangerous climate change,’ however such words are accepted in terms of dangerous anthropogenic interference; it also refers to the man-made toxic chemical emissions which trigger climate changes beyond their natural patterns. The UNFCCC has not come up with a clear definition

WILD BUSHFIRE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

WILD BUSHFIRE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Alternative Actions towards Reducing the Impact of Bushfires in the Blue Mountain 14 4.1 Regulated Patrolling of the High Fire Risk Areas 15 4.2 Building Enhancement 15 4.3 Wildlife Protection 16 4.4 Accurate Weather Forecast and Warning System 16 4.5 Integration of Indigenous Knowledge and Experience 17 4.6 Increasing Public Awareness 17 4.7 Adaptive Management Process 17 5. Conclusion 18 References 20 1. Introduction Bush-land and rangelands, within the region of New South Wales, Australia comprises a wide range of landscapes that has long been experiencing severe destructions owing to the ignition of natural fire. The bushfire regimes, thus imposed within the region, have also been recognised to significantly influence on the recent structure along with the composition of the overall ecosystem of the area (NSW Government, 2012). Apparently, the frequent incidents of bushfires are considered as one of the major threats for the human life, causing degradation of natural and cultural values of the national parks and reserves that are protected by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) (NSW Government, n.d.). It is however worth mentioning that bushfire is a natural incidence, which acts as a cyclical process of bio-diversity as it is able to fertilize lands and increase mineral density in the soil to cultivate better afforestation. Corresponding to the fact, its benefits to the environment are often observed to be limited to its efficient management, aimed at ensuring that the fire remains in its low-intensity scale. To be noted, bushfire extending from its defined intensity scale is categorised as a natural disaster and may cause immense loss to human kind and livestock in the region. This in turn necessitates better and efficient management of bushfire (Geoscience Australia, 2007). Emphasising the long-standing threats from the bushfires in the New South Wales region of Australia, the report tends to critically analyse the major problems associat ed with bushfire and the corresponding steps taken by the NPWS to effectively deal with the persisting issues within the region. In order to provide adequate support to the bushfire, the management processes implemented by the NPWS along with their currently practiced advanced fire management regimes have been critically analysed in this report. Thus, the report would focus not only on the initiatives of NPWS along with critically assess the performance of Rural Fire Service (RFS) to protect lands from bushfire in the respective region. Moreover, the report also encompasses the major influencing factors leading to the frequent incidence of bushfire. The report also analyses the bushfire management planning and measures developed by the agencies towards protecting the natural heritage of Blue Mountains and proposes alternatives. 2. Problems 2.1 Goals The goals of management plans for preventing bushfires in the Blue Mountains region are highly focused on ensuring adequate compliance with the responsibilities of protecting and conserving natural and cultural values of the national parks and reserves. Moreover, the fire management plans of NPWS also encompass towards protecting human life and national properties including buildings, homes and lands (NSW Government, 2012). In relation to the present scenario, regarding the measures taken by NPWS, it has been recognised that the numbers of actions performed by the councils and other public organisations principally aim to prevent the damage from the frequent bushfires. In this regards, ‘hazard management programs’, ‘Record achievement for hazard reduction in national

Parent-Child Relationships in a Diverse Society Research Paper

Parent-Child Relationships in a Diverse Society - Research Paper Example Following this we will discuss how this issue has been viewed from a historical perspective and discuss the impact of the employment of women in the public sphere on relationships within the family unit. Following his, we will explore the change and challenges associated with this trend at both a personal and a societal level (MacKinnon, 1999). Gender is an underlying characteristic all societies and the social construction of gender roles, behaviors and expectations is an importance aspect of modern American society. In a lucid essay entitled â€Å"Gender Role, Behavior and Attitudes†, Aaron Devor explores the socially constructed nature of gender in modern society and persuasively argues for a reevaluation of traditional gender role expectations in modern society. Unlike sex, gender is artificially imposed and although based upon biological differences between men and women, gender is socially constructed. As a social construct, gender roles, behaviors, attitudes and expectations are created by society and enforced by social norms. The idea that a woman belongs in the home to cook, clean and raise the children is a socially constructed concept that many people believe without questioning. The funny thing about gender is that we are led to believe that it is innate and something that we are born with. As Aaron Davor so eloquently points out, gender is created, acquired and constructed by the greater society at large. Sex has a biological basis and is predetermined at birth. Gender, on the other hand, is a social construction and gender roles and expectations are unique to each and every society. As social actors, individuals play an important role in the construction and creation of gender roles, attitudes and expectations and are not simply passive recipients of societal expectations about how men and

Intermediate certificate in Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Intermediate certificate in Human Resource Management Essay Is the criticism of HR in the article justified? Yes and no! The quote in the article from Dona Roche-Tarry is fairly damning. She states the HR team should be equally responsible as they work alongside the CEO and MDs to recommend strategies for pay and bonuses. Whilst HR may work alongside the senior decision makers, they can only make recommendations. The ultimate decision and power lies with the CEO. However, another perspective could be that HR need to be influencers, and should be more efficient at managing upwards. What are the main accusations being laid at the door of HR in this scenario in terms of its competence? Not being responsive Lack of knowledge Being unethical What are the implications for HR here in relation to professional ethics, integrity and confidentiality? The main implication is being seen to be unethical to stakeholders. This could result in HR being seen as not communicating and could have a negative impact on how people perceive HR to be importance wise. Integrity is also damaged by not being seen to have provided a voice in relation to political equality. How might HR been able to influence the situation more? By managing relationships better across hierarchies, and also by forward planning, being market savvy, and risk management. Predicting the issues  before they arose and either finding ways to avoid them or developing damage limitation scenarios and plans. What other key behaviours from the CIPD’s HR professional map do you think are critical here for HR to display? Skilled influencer Courage to challenge Personally credible Collaborative What learning can HR take away from this experience/situation? The main learning is to be more responsive, and take more of an active role in discussions regarding important issues such as renumeration Being seen to consult stakeholders and provide senior stakeholders with a more accurate company and market view. Improved communication across all levels needs to be implemented.

Writing Proficiency Exam Paper Essay Example for Free

Writing Proficiency Exam Paper Essay Many factors can cause stress in our communities. These factors range from the result of violence in schools to the proliferation of social media tools, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Stress affects people in different ways. Some ways can drive a community apart while others can bring them together. This paper will provide evidence to show it is possible for communities to take action, adapt to changes in positive ways and reduce stress. Taking Action Action can take many forms. Action can be physical, verbal, or silent. In recent years, protesters took to the streets in opposition to the government bailout of Wall Street. The protesters assumed the name of the 99 Percent. The 99 Percent marched through the streets shouting down the Wall Street bankers, but their main weapon was not the megaphone, it was ‘silent occupation.’ Soon, this action became known as Occupy Wall Street. The goal of the Occupy movement was to show the wealthy bankers that they were not going to get away with their crimes and get a free handout from the taxpayers. As a result, the politicians on Capitol Hill listened and began to implement a wider set of reforms and consumer protections. Communities can accomplish similar changes. One of those ways is to leverage current forms of technology. Social media tools like Twitter have the power to spread news quickly. Community groups can use Twitter to organize grass-root actions, such as marches, and to keep  members connected by quickly sending updates and detailed meeting notes instantly. Recently, a local community organized an effort to force their local government to reinstate a local sheriff who was fired due to their sexual orientation. The local movement shamed the city council and the sheriff was rehired within weeks. Adapt to Changes in Positive Ways It is possible for communities to adapt to stressors in positive ways. In my opinion, a person has the power to choose how they want to react to certain stimulus. So, if an individual has this power, why not a community? For example, if someone were to spit on the local mayor, this technically constitutes an assault. The mayor could call the sheriff and have the man arrested and jailed; however, the mayor could first try to talk with the individual to come to an understanding of the person’s issues. Afterwards, the mayor should have him arrested; otherwise, others may be motivated to follow suit with the spatter. The mayor demonstrated an act of compassion by choosing to talk and mostly likely earned a few points with the constituents. My point is that if one person can adapt positively to factors of stress, a community can choose to take action in positive ways as well. Reducing Stress Turning negative stress into a positive outcome can be challenging but not impossible. Communities can be very complex. One reason is that communities are comprised of many individuals, each with their own thoughts, values, and ethics. If an act of violence were to take place at a local school campus, some individuals might choose to hide and wait it out. However, others may believe the best action is to fight fire with fire and take the to the streets like vigilantes. In my opinion, both of these reactions will lead to a great amount of stress because they are reactions based upon fear. A better way to react would be to put trust in the local authorities. The local authorities are better trained to handle crises. Another way to avoid or reduce stress would be to shut off the television or computer. Turning off these devices would minimize the stress of constant news updates that would only serve elevate fear. Conclusion In closing, this paper set out to address the issues communities face when  faced with negative factors. School violence and stress caused by social media are common issues dealt with across the country. How we choose to react to these issues can affect our local communities for the good or in bad ways. Parents could decide to pull their children out of school. Angry fathers could act out violently and take matters into their own hands. Constructive alternatives are available. The local police department can invest in better infrastructure and communications networks. They can also improve communication with the surrounding communities to build confidence in their ability to respond during emergencies. Communities can build a stronger bond by choosing to look at stressful factors in positive ways and increase their understanding of how they can prepare and respond during periods of high stress.

Effects of Low Health Literacy

Effects of Low Health Literacy Imogen Parker This assignment will discuss health literacy, its various influences and the effect of low health literacy levels on individuals and communities. The various methods and strategies that have been devised to alleviate low health literacy will also be examined. Since the World Health Organisation’s Alma Ata Declaration (WHO 1978), primary health care strategies and methods of effective communication have been established to promote health and improve health literacy. This essay will draw on examples of primary health care strategies employed in Australian communities and various methods for improving health literacy that can be actioned by health professionals and the wider health system. The concept of health literacy can be defined as the capacity of individuals to understand, access and apply health related information and services to maintain physical, mental and social wellbeing (WHO, 2009). Health literacy is essential in allowing individuals the ability to comprehend their own wellness or illness, make informed health decisions and seek appropriate and timely care through this comprehension. In 2012, 59% of Australians aged 15-74 years had inadequate levels of health literacy (AIWH 2012). Individuals’ health can be negatively affected in numerous ways and to different degrees by low health literacy levels. For example, individuals with poor literacy comprehension may be unable to complete personal detail or consent forms that are necessary for consultation or treatment by health care professionals. This may lead to the individual abandoning their attempt to access health care due to the embarrassment surrounding poor literacy skills, or for fear of being met with unhelpful condescension by health care professionals. Additionally, individuals with low literacy may be unable to comprehend essential information in mediums such as pamphlets, prescriptions or medication instructions. This lack of comprehension could have dire consequences for the individual; they may choose to take no medication, or incorrectly administer their medication which could result in harmful side effects. These consequences indicate a failure on the part of the health system or the health care provider, as they have either failed to clarify understanding during consultation with patients or have communicated or presented information in a way that is inaccessible for individuals with low literacy levels. Health literacy not only concerns individual health behaviour and lifestyle decisions, but requires an understanding of the wider societal influences on health. Social determinants of health such as income and employment, education and social exclusion (among a myriad of other factors) can affect an individual’s capacity to be health literate and health literacy itself is one of these determinants. (WHO 2009) Lower socioeconomic status has been historically attributed to lower literacy levels, which in turn affects the ability to be health literate. The social gradient is a prominent determinant of health; the lower the individual sits on the social class ladder often correlates with poorer health outcomes. (WHO 2003) It is evident that social, educational and economic inequalities contribute to the commodification of health care; something that the privileged can access and the disadvantaged may struggle to access and utilise. The effect of low health literacy in conjunction with socio-economic background can be observed through examining health status among the population of Australia. Chronic illnesses with high prevalence such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and cancer can be influenced by risk factors such as obesity and tobacco smoking. (Department of Health 2012) Such risk factors can be inextricably linked to the aforementioned illnesses and may also indic ate the socio-economic status and health literacy level of the individuals who are affected. For example, an individual who was unemployed or had little income may be more likely to consume processed food as it is dramatically less expensive and less labour intensive to prepare than fresh, more nutritious ingredients. Inexpensive, processed food is often high in fat and low in nutrition, but can be purchased inexpensively and often in large quantities; making it an economical option. However affordable, regular consumption of these products can lead to individuals becoming over weight and potentially obese, which in turn can lead to subsequent conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is evident that societal and economic structures can influence health status profoundly and present barriers to good health that are fundamentally difficult for individuals to overcome (WHO 2003). The role of the healthcare system, health professionals and greater society must be examined and modified if health literacy is to be ameliorated. â€Å"If achieving health literacy is to be a goal, some rediscovery of the importance of health education needs to occur, together with a significant widening of the content and methods used† (Nutbeam 2006). The Primary Health Care approach aims to minimize health inequality between social classes and encourage good health for everyone. Primary health care ‘reflects and evolves from the economic conditions and sociocultural and political characteristics of the country and its communities’ (WHO 1978). Accordingly, health care providers must facilitate patients’ understanding and ability to self-manage their health by presenting health information that is accessible for individuals of all literacy levels. In direct communication with patients or clients, health professionals can employ the teach-back method to ensure comprehension by the patient. This provides an opportunity for questions to be asked and clarification to be achieved, thus promoting health literacy (Egbert Nanna 2009). The application of primary health care has been demonstrated as essential in addressing low health literacy and poor health status in Indigenous communities throughout Australia. One stra tegy for improving health literacy from a young age is the Family Planning Association of Western Australia (FPWA) Mooditj program: a community based sexual health education program for Indigenous youth in remote and rural areas. The program aims to educate individuals in early adolescence on sexual health and related issues. Mooditj uses informal discussion techniques to encourage participation and openness, and culturally relevant art and role playing activities to address sensitive topics concerning sexual and emotional health. The cultural and social relevance of the program was determined effectively through recognition of the various social determinants and cultural influences occurring throughout the community it served. The development involved extensive consultation with members of the community, parents and Aboriginal Elders regarding relevant health issues, effective methods of information delivery and ensuring that local language and customs were incorporated. Indigenous community members can be trained to deliver the Mooditj course and the sharing of information and experience between Mooditj facilitators and participants is encouraged in order to strengthen the integrity and scope of the program. The Pika Wiya Health Service in Port Augusta, SA provides the chronic disease self-management course, Life Improvements for Everyone (LIFE) to improve health literacy and health status in Indigenous communities. The LIFE program is peer-led and community focused, aiming to bridge health inequalities between the indigenous population and the wider Australian population. The program utilises individual care plans for clients with chronic illnesses (such as diabetes and heart disease) that are culturally appropriate and specific to their personal capabilities, health circumstances and goals. Both Mooditj and LIFE are consistent with the primary health care approach as the programs have been tailored to suit the health needs of the community with respect for culture and social circumstances. Furthermore, such programs can facilitate increased community capacity and engagement in health education, contributing to improving levels of health literacy. The essence of successful health education programs is empowerment; where individuals have greater control and confidence in their ability to manage their own health. Health education that is accessible to all literacy levels, is culturally reflective and developed with consideration of the social determinants of health has great potential to reduce the prevalence of preventable chronic illnesses in both the Indigenous community and the wider Australian population. Efforts to improve health literacy and encourage a healthy population must be holistic in nature and motivated by empowerment and equality across all areas of society. Effective promotion of health literacy among the individuals and communities which the health profession serves will need to reflect on the social determinants of health and how they are interconnected with health literacy and health status. References Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation 2007, Success Stories in Indigenous Health, pp.28-29, September 2007, viewed 1/4/15. https://antar.org.au/sites/default/files/successstories.pdf> Australian Government Department of Health 2011, Discussion of the four key health issues, National Women’s Health Policy, viewed 1/4/15. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/womens-health-policy-toc~womens-health-policy-key~womens-health-policy-key-literacy> Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012, Australia’s Health 2012, Australias health no. 13., Canberra, 2012, viewed 1/4/15. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422172> Department of Health and Families 2009, Revision of the Preventable Chronic disease strategy, Background Paper: Preventable Chronic diseases in Aboriginal Populations, Northern Territory, April 2009, viewed 1/4/15. http://health.nt.gov.au/library/scripts/objectifyMedia.aspx?file=pdf/47/68.pdf> Egbert, N., Nanna, K. 2009, ‘Health Literacy: Challenges and Strategies’, The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, vol. 14, no.3. Family Planning Association of Western Australia2004, The Mooditj manual: a sexual health and life skills program for Aboriginal youth, FPWA, Northbridge, W.A. Nutbeam, D. 2006, ‘Health literacy as a public health goal: a challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century’, Health Promotion International, vol. 15, no.3, pp.259-267. Sexual and Reproductive Health, WA 2015, Mooditj Leader Training, viewed 1/4/15.  http://www.srhwa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Mooditj-Leader-Training-2015.pdf> Strobel, NA., Ward, J. 2012, Education programs for Indigenous Australians about sexually transmitted infections and bloodborne viruses, Resource sheet no. 12 for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse, Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies. World Health Organisation 1978, Declaration of Alma Ata, International Conference on Primary Health Care,Alma-Ata, USSR,12th of September 1978. World Health Organisation 2003, The Solid Facts, Social Determinants of Health, viewed 1/4/15. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/98438/e81384.pdf> World Health Organisation 2009, Track 2: Health literacy and health behaviour, viewed 1/4/15.  http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/7gchp/track2/en/>

First-class Opportunities for Mature Students Essay -- Postgraduate Stu

A recent report has outlined several ways for universities to adapt to the rising amount of older learners seeking higher education. Published by Universities UK, the document addresses the growing demand for courses which are tailored to the needs of students who have completed their careers. The text says that, due to the projected rise in older learners – based upon the increased life expectancy of the UK population and the multiplying numbers of HE applications by this market – universities need to ‘find fresh ways of adapting to and supporting an ageing population’. Within the document, the authors call on universities to assist in promoting demographic change; Professor Chris Phillipson and Jim Ogg (both Keele University staff) say that a changed perception of older generations, and their role within society, can be promoted by higher education institutions through the introduction of fundamental alterations. The text advises universities to increase their involvement with support services aimed at older people, and to actively encourage psychological health in over 50s, ...

Family or Finance :: essays research papers

Family or Finance, Which Should Come First?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When looking at custody cases in America today, one must wonder what the courts find more important when deciding the fate of these children, family or finance? The issue has been raised that the majority of the time, the mother gets custody of the children. Should this be so? Should we at this time, a time where we are trying to break through the molds of the mother being the only caregiver, automatically assume that the mother should gain custody of the children? Or, should we begin to look at the merits of allowing fathers to gain custody of the children? When looking at these cases, cases where both the mother and father desire custody of the children, how do you decide who should win? Should money be the primary factor? Should family be the primary factor? Or should the kids’ desires be the primary factor?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All these question have been raised, and the courts answer is very simple. When deciding who should gain custody of the children the primary factor is â€Å"What is in the best interest of the child?† The problem to this answer is that it is too vague and doesn’t effectively answer any of the questions above. So lets look at what the courts feel is in the best interest of the children. Based on statistics from 1994, single mothers made up 6.6% of all families, while single fathers made up only 1.2%. So it would appear that mothers are more likely to end up with the children than fathers. Of course we must take into consideration the fact that not all the fathers want the children, and they go to the mother by default, and then there are the fathers that are in prison. There are also cases of the women not wanting the children as well. But we do not want to focus on these people, we are looking strictly at cases where both parents desire custody of the children. The fact is there are more single mothers than fathers, and when it comes to cases where both parents want the child, the mothers are more likely to win custody than the father. So we must determine why this is. When looking at recent statistics you can see that 52% of single mothers are below the poverty level, where only a little over 20% of single fathers fall below the level. Family or Finance :: essays research papers Family or Finance, Which Should Come First?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When looking at custody cases in America today, one must wonder what the courts find more important when deciding the fate of these children, family or finance? The issue has been raised that the majority of the time, the mother gets custody of the children. Should this be so? Should we at this time, a time where we are trying to break through the molds of the mother being the only caregiver, automatically assume that the mother should gain custody of the children? Or, should we begin to look at the merits of allowing fathers to gain custody of the children? When looking at these cases, cases where both the mother and father desire custody of the children, how do you decide who should win? Should money be the primary factor? Should family be the primary factor? Or should the kids’ desires be the primary factor?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All these question have been raised, and the courts answer is very simple. When deciding who should gain custody of the children the primary factor is â€Å"What is in the best interest of the child?† The problem to this answer is that it is too vague and doesn’t effectively answer any of the questions above. So lets look at what the courts feel is in the best interest of the children. Based on statistics from 1994, single mothers made up 6.6% of all families, while single fathers made up only 1.2%. So it would appear that mothers are more likely to end up with the children than fathers. Of course we must take into consideration the fact that not all the fathers want the children, and they go to the mother by default, and then there are the fathers that are in prison. There are also cases of the women not wanting the children as well. But we do not want to focus on these people, we are looking strictly at cases where both parents desire custody of the children. The fact is there are more single mothers than fathers, and when it comes to cases where both parents want the child, the mothers are more likely to win custody than the father. So we must determine why this is. When looking at recent statistics you can see that 52% of single mothers are below the poverty level, where only a little over 20% of single fathers fall below the level.

Bubbles Up: a Science Experiment on Density Essay

Density is the measure of the quantity of some physical property [usually mass] per unit length, area, or volume (YourDictionary.com). How does temperature affect density? Do items become denser after being frozen? It is well known that water becomes denser when it’s temperature lowers until its freezing point. Does this principle apply to oil; and if so, which kinds? This question easily applies to real world problems. For example, when there is an oil spill in the ocean, the clean up crews have to know how dense the oil is before simply cleaning it up. If the oil is dense enough that only very small amounts are rising to the surface, the clean-up team will have to come up with a deep cleaning plan that won’t harm marine wildlife. On a more everyday level, understanding how certain car oils are affected by weather, thereby affecting their density, is necessary to keep one’s car running adequately without leaving harmful residue behind in the mechanics. For this experiment, I will be testing the density of three different kinds of oil: olive oil, mineral oil, and Wilbert’s lemon oil. I will test the oils’ density before and after being placed in the freezer to see if there is a noticeable difference in the density of the oil. I predict that all of the oils featured in this experiment will be more dense after sitting in the freezer for an hour. I came up with this hypothesis after reviewing other density related science experiments. What further assisted in the making of this hypothesis was the recalling of the fact that objects with lower temperatures (such as air or water) become denser. Two experiments that I found to be quite similar to this one were the Density Column and the Bubbling Lava Lamp. The Density Column measures the density of seven different liquids by layering them on top of each other. By doing this experiment, one is able to find out which liquid is the most dense; with the order ascending from there. Based on the results, they found that not all oils are the same density. Vegetable oil came in fifth from the bottom of the tower; lamp oil was the seventh and last layer in the column (Spangler, 2012). In the Bubbling Lava Lamp experiment, the fact that water is denser than vegetable oil was taken advantage of. Using an Alka-Seltzer  tablet, the formed carbon monoxide bubbles that pushed the water up and through the vegetable oil. What happened thereafter is that the Alka-Seltzer bubbles would pop and the colored water would sink back down to the bottom of the container through the oil (Spangler). Regardless of penetration, the two liquids did not mix. While temperature was not a key factor in either experiment, they did show that the liquids differing in densities would not mix despite what was happening to them or around them – and that is important for this experiment. In order for Bubbles Up to work properly, the oils cannot mix with the water they are floating on top of no matter what happens. To conduct the science experiment, I used the following items: (3) 12 ounce cups (1) marble (1) dime (1) penny a pitcher of water a bottle of olive oil a bottle of mineral oil a bottle of Wilbert’s lemon oil blue food coloring a freezer a timer a measuring cup a spoon or a pair of tongs to retrieve the objects from inside the cups soap and water solution to clean the objects off paper towel thermometer : In the experiment Bubbles Up, the observer will drop various objects into each of the three cups and record how many bubbles of oil they observe. While the results may vary slightly from mine, it may be because of ambient temperature of the room they are working in. This design plan was chosen because timing how fast an object fell to the bottom of the cup is  impossible without computer assistance. However, counting how many bubbles of oil occur within the water is a good measure of how dense the oil is because of it being light enough to fall with the object. The reasoning behind this experimental design in terms of whether or not the density of oil changes with a change in temperature was a matter of working with limited resources. I have not found any other experiment using this method to test density; but there is a similar experiment for testing viscosity. In The Viscosity of Motor Oil, a marble was dropped through a a graduated cylinder of motor oil three different times. Each time, the motor oil was a different temperature. Density, volume, and velocity were used as variables to solve for viscosity (Ani, 2011). To begin, set up your work station. Mix the food coloring with the mineral oil. Fill each cup with four ounces of water. Then, fill one cup with six ounces of olive oil. Wash out the measuring cup; then fill a different cup of water with six ounces of mineral oil. Wash out the measuring cup again. Fill the last cup of water with six ounces of Wilbert’s lemon oil. At this point, you should have three cups – all of which have a different color oil floating on water. Set up the rest of your materials so that are out of the way, but within easy reach. Set up your data table (see table below). Proceed to Experiment 1. Part 1 Step 1 – Pick up a marble and drop it from the rim of the olive oil cup. Record how many bubbles of oil float upwards from the bottom. Carefully remove the marble with a spoon or tongs and wash it off with soap and water. Repeat this step with the dime and penny, making sure to remove each object and washing it off before moving on to the next object. Step 2 – Repeat step one exactly for the mineral oil cup and lemon oil cup. Step 3 – After ensuring you have recorded all data and washed all objects clean, proceed to Experiment 2. Part 2 Step 1 – Place all three cups containing oil in the freezer. Set the timer for one hour. Step 2 – After one hour has passed, carefully remove the cups  from the freezer, one by one, making sure to not shake them. Step 3 – Repeat Part 1. Do not skip any steps. Step 4 – After ensuring that you have recorded all data, carefully clean up. Have an adult assist in the disposal of the oil – water mixtures if you are under 18 years of age. You will observe how many bubbles float up through the water after dropping an object in, one at a time. Do this with one object, one cup at a time to retrieve accurate results. Remove the previous object before dropping the next one in (ie.; drop in the marble, record the data, remove the marble, drop in the dime, record the data, remove the dime, drop in the penny, record the data, remove the penny, go to the next cup and repeat). The data table should be set up in this manner: [Image Not Included] : I first recorded my data on paper with a pencil, then re-typed it on the computer. I suggest doing this so that there isn’t a possibility of damaging your electronic devices. The independent variables of this experiment are the oils. They will be tested in two differing temperature conditions. The dependent variables are the number of bubbles observed after dropping the objects into the cups. The number of bubbles should differ based on being a difference in the density of the oils after their temperature decrease. The control variables are the objects being dropped into the cups. They are constant and do not change in composition in any manner. While there are ways to ruin the validity of this experiment, I have taken steps to reduce and/ or completely cancel out threats to validity. The objects are all dropped from the rim of the cup to ensure that there are no variations in height from which they are dropped. Should there be a variation in height, that could very well affect the number of bubbles produced. All of the cups have four ounces of water in them so that there is the same amount of space for the bubbles to be observed within in each cup. All objects are washed off before being used again to avoid the oils mixing  together. All objects are reused for each cup so that there isn’t a variation in weight of the marble, dime, and penny. A variation in weight could affect the number of bubbles produced. When the cups were placed in the freezer, they are all placed on the same shelf in a row going side to side. By doing this, I have reduced the chances of any cup being in a section of the freezer that was cooler or warmer than another section. Lastly, I have made it a point to record the data immediately after observation so the chances of forgetting are practically impossible. With those steps taken, the validity of Bubbles Up has been ensured. I began the experiment by mixing the food coloring and mineral oil together. I then filled each cup with four ounces of water.. Then, I filled one cup with six ounces of olive oil; washed out the measuring cup and repeated this action with the mineral oil and Wilbert’s lemon oil. I carefully laid out the rest of my materials so that they were within easy reach, but out of the way of my work space. Lastly, I set up the data table so that I could easily write down my observations. I began by picking up the marble and holding it to the rim of the cup of olive oil. I proceeded to drop it in and counted the number of bubbles of oil that appeared. I then wrote down the number in the date table. I then carefully removed the marble with a spoon and washed the two items off. I then picked up the penny and held it to the rim of the same cup and dropped it in. I counted the number of bubbles and wrote down the data into the table. I then removed the penny with the spoon and washed both off. Lastly, I picked up the dime and and held it to the rim of the olive oil cup before carefully dropping it into the cup. I then counted how many bubbles came up and wrote the number down. After removing the dime with the spoon, I washed the dime and spoon off. I then moved on to the cup of mineral oil. Starting with the marble first again, I held it to the rim of the cup and dropped it in to the cup. After counting how many bubbles appeared, I wrote the number down. I then removed the marble with the spoon and washed them off. Then, I moved on to the penny and held it to the rim of the cup and dropped it in. I wrote down the number of bubbles I observed after dropping the penny in. The penny was then removed with a spoon and both were washed off. Last came the dime to be  dropped in from the rim of the cup. Post-observation of the bubbles, I wrote the number I had seen. Before going on to the last cup, I removed the dime from the cup with the spoon and washed them off. Turning my attention to the cup of Wilbert’s lemon oil, I picked up the marble and dropped it in from the rim of the cup. Counting the number of bubbles, I wrote how many I observed. Carefully, I removed the marble from the cup with the spoon and washed the two items off. Then the penny was dropped in from the rim and the number of bubbles was counted. The data was collected and written down into the table. The penny was removed with the spoon and the two items were washed off. Lastly, the dime was dropped into the cup from the rim and the number of bubbles that appeared was counted; that number was then written down into the table. Before concluding this half of the experiment, the dime was removed with the spoon and the two were washed off. At this point, the three cups were carefully transported to the freezer one by one. They were each placed on the second to top shelf about halfway from the back of the freezer. The three of the cups covered the length of the freezer from one side to the other (this was done in a two door refrigerator where the freezer and refrigerator stand next to each other instead of one top of the other). I then set the timer for one hour; and after that hour I removed the cups from the freezer and took their temperatures. They were all the same temperature – 43 ° F. I then placed the cups down on the table in the order they’d been in before (from left to right): olive oil, mineral oil, Wilbert’s lemon oil. I restarted the experiment by picking up the marble and holding it to the rim of the cup of olive oil. I proceeded to drop it in and counted the number of bubbles of oil that appeared. I then wrote down the number in the date table. I then carefully removed the marble with a spoon and washed the two items off. I then picked up the penny and held it to the rim of the same cup and dropped it in. I counted the number of bubbles and wrote down the data into the table. I then removed the penny with the spoon and washed both off. Lastly, I picked up the dime and and held it to the rim of the olive oil cup before carefully dropping it into the cup. I then counted how many bubbles came up and wrote the number down. After removing the dime with the spoon, I  washed the dime and spoon off. I then moved on to the cup of mineral oil. Starting with the marble first again, I held it to the rim of the cup and dropped it in to the cup. After counting how many bubbles appeared, I wrote the number down. I then removed the marble with the spoon and washed them off. Then, I moved on to the penny and held it to the rim of the cup and dropped it in. I wrote down the number of bubbles I observed after dropping the penny in. The penny was then removed with a spoon and both were washed off. Last came the dime to be dropped in from the rim of the cup. Post-observation of the bubbles, I wrote the number I had seen. Before going on to the last cup, I removed the dime from the cup with the spoon and washed them off. Turning my attention to the cup of Wilbert’s lemon oil, I picked up the marble and dropped it in from the rim of the cup. Counting the number of bubbles, I wrote how many I observed. Carefully, I removed the marble from the cup with the spoon and washed the two items off. Then the penny was dropped in from the rim and the number of bubbles was counted. The data was collected and written down into the table. The penny was removed with the spoon and the two items were washed off. Lastly, the dime was dropped into the cup from the rim and the number of bubbles that appeared was counted; that number was then written down into the table. I then removed the dime and washed it and the spoon off. I then disposed of the oils by dumping them out into my back yard; except the lemon oil. I flushed that down the toilet. After cleaning up my work space, I immediately set to digitizing my data table. Please refer to the attached charts for the data table and graphs. The method used to to run this experiment was counting bubbles instead of timing how fast the objects fell through the oil. The reason I did not time the objects’ fall was because it was far less than a second for each of them. However, the bubbles were a visible observation and did prove to change with the change of the oils’ temperature and density. Because the oil was denser, it stuck more to each object as they fell through and thus produced more oil bubbles in the water. Therefore, the question as to whether or not oil became denser when cooled was answered quite fully. Before freezing the oil, the number of bubbles per oil per object were pretty close in range considering the marble was the heaviest object and the dime was the lightest. It was also taken into consideration that unlike the marble, the two coins could produce only slightly more oil bubbles by flipping as they fell through the oil and water. Throughout the experiment, the coins didn’t flip more than one full rotation at any given time. The number of bubbles for the olive oil in order from heaviest to lightest object was 6, 7, and 4; giving an average of 5.6 bubbles. The number of bubbles for the mineral oil was 6, 5, and 3; providing an average of 4.3 bubbles. The number of bubbles for the Wilbert’s lemon oil was 10, 10, and 9; with a mean of 9.6 bubbles. If you refer to the chart, you’ll see that I didn’t add the averages to the chart or graph. My reason in mentioning them is to show that they fell within the range of numbers. However, if you look at the graph, you will see that after placing the oil in the freezer for one hour, the number of bubbles increased across the board. The post-cooling numbers for the olive oil are 11, 10, and 8; with an average of 9.6 bubbles. The post-cooling numbers for the mineral oil are 9, 7, and 5; with a mean of 7. The Wilbert’s lemon oil post-cooling bubble count is 13, 12, and 12; providing an average of 12.3 bubbles. The conclusion of Bubbles Up is that oil’s density is affected by temperature. This conclusion was reached by observing the change in the number of bubbles between the oil being room temperature and chilled in the freezer. Based on these findings, I accept my initial hypothesis of oil’s density will increase as its temperature decreases. As seen by the data chart and graph, more oil bubbles were created by the falling objects after the oil had been placed in the freezer for one hour. This conclusion was reached by having a clear and repeatable experimental design. Having a concise experimental design is important because it will help to ensure that there is little room for error. Also, designing an experiment around a scientific inquiry will make it more likely for that specific question to be answered in an accurate and testable manner. If the experimental design is badly planned out, one can have inaccurate results, inaccurate information, and even have an irreparable or injurious mistake occur. The reason for having a well made experimental design is to negate any ill effects that could arise during testing; as well  as ensuring valid results. One major factor of a well thought out experimental design is whether or not it can be replicated. Scientific replication in terms of experiments is important because it allows others to see first-hand what the original person observed. It also tests and retests the hypothesis and findings of the original experiment. If the experiment cannot be replicated, there isn’t a way to confirm whether the hypothesis is absolutely true and that those results from the first experiment are correct. For example, my experimental design detailed each step of the experiment as well as the conditions under which the experiment was done so that another person could repeat every portion of it down to the temperature of the room I was in. By making my design fairly simple, the steps of the design are easy and clear to follow. I indicated which order I tested things in, I made it clear to wash the items in between cups, I noted how long to leave the oils in the freezer for – among other things. Mentioning every detail – big and small – allows my experimental design to be replicated. Due to having a simple design that is replicable and reliable for its purpose, my study is fairly valid. It covered the purpose of the experiment, answered the question, and tested my hypothesis. I do believe that if this experiment was replicated, the results would be extremely similar. With similar results between the original experiment and a replication, the experimental design would be proven to be valid. The ability to replicate an experiment and achieve similar results is important. If one replicates an experiment exactly and the results are vastly different, then the validity of the experiment does not exist. The experiment would be considered invalid. The reason for this is because a replication of an experiment tests how well the experiment was designed. If the experiment is designed poorly, then the experiment’s results may be terribly inaccurate. If the results are inaccurate, then the experiment has proven nothing. The results would be useless and provide no kind of scientific advancement. More importantly, the lack of similar results in experiment replication means that the hypothesis can not be tested to prove it to be right or wrong repeatedly. Therefore, the study would be unproductive and invalid for all scientific purposes. References Spangler, S. (2012). Steve spangler science: Making science fun. Retrieved from http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/seven-layer-density-column Spangler, S. (n.d.). steve spangler science. Retrieved from http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/bubbling-lava-lamp Ani, B. O. (2011). The viscosity of motor oil. Informally published manuscript, University of South California, Los Angeles, , Available from California State Science Fair. Retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2011/Projects/S1801.pdf density. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6th, 2012, from http://science.yourdictionary.com/density

Summit Of Greatness

It was December 2, 1804, with over 400 musicians and singers performing. The world famous cathederal, Notre Dame, was filled. All eyes were set upon Napoleon Bonaparte. This Corsican native slowly ascended the steps to the alter alone, siezing the crown with his own hands. He held it aloft and brought it to rest on his head. Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France that day. Napoleon was an everday guy. He was a 5? 2? lieutenant who was later ranked a general. He married Josephine DeVorne. At first, Napoleon wasn’t very liked amongst certain parts of Europe. Mothers would say to their kids at night to make them sleep a little nightmare raising lullaby†¦ † Baby baby, naughty baby, hush you scwaling thing i say, hush your scwaling or it may be Bonepart that pass this way. † Napoleon was nothing more then an average Corsican man with a cleaver mind. Working was a passion for Napoleon. In 1805, Napoleon planned to cross the English channel. Much like most other conquerors in Eurpope’s land Napoleon had one goal in mind, to conquer all of Europe. As he crossed the channel to invade Great Britain, with 2,000 ships, and 200,000 soldiers, he soon met victory. With that in mind, Russia and Austria wouldn’t allow Napoleon to roam with triumph. Soon after the Grand Army was put to the test against the French. The Russian army was known as the strongest and most feared around. Russia and Austria’s plan to win was by outnumbering Napoleon 2:1. France was looking pretty weak and had no chance of defeating the Russian’s and Austrian’s. But Napoleon saw the flaw in this. The Austrians and Russians were planning to meet half way. Their armies were scattered. So, Napoleon figured if if he was to beat the one army before the two armies linked up,then his men would’ve still stood a chance. Napoleon did just so. He took General Mac (Austria’s general) by surprised and conquered them leaving them forced surrendor. 27,000 men surrendered. Mac lost almost half his army. † I didn’t intend to fight any but England, until your master provoked me† said Napoleon. Nothing stood now between Napoleon and Vienna. In 8 days, Napoleon destroyed Austria’s army by marching, (200,000 marching men, marched 500 miles in 40 days-defeated Austria’s army). On November first Napoleon lead his army into Vienna, the capitol of Austria. The emperor was the first to fleed. Leaving behind his palace and gardens free for the enemy. Bonaparte triumphed alongthe streets. Many then stopped worshipping Napoleon, such as Ludwig Beethoven. On October 21, British admiral Nelson destroyed Napoleon’s army, and took along his own life. Napoleon no longer had the Grand army. French stopped challangeing the British army. It was December of 1805, when Napoleon was faced with an even greater challenge. He was now 1,000 miles from Paris, and was in the center of Europe. With enemies from all angles, Europes land was a great trap to Napoleon’s men. With the knowledge that the Russian’s has once again united with the Austrian’s in November, this time with 90,000 allies put together against France’s 75,000 men, Napoleon had one of two choices. He could’ve either gone back or to move along foward. Bonaparte would’ve NEVER moved back. So, now Napoleon was to face Alexander I, the emperor of Russia. Alexander I(28 years of age) was very jealous of Napoleon. He believed that it was his destiny to triumph over Napoleon. The war against the Russian’s seemed impossible. But leave it up to Napoleon, he was a thinker. He had a plan to encourage the enemy to think he was scared. He wanted to lead the enemy to the battle field of Australit, by making them think Napoleon was weaker then he really was. Once again, Napoleon succeeded. The Russian’s came to battle by hitting Napoleon on the right (the weaker end) first. Bonaparte wanted them to do exactly that. The Russian’s fed right into his plan! Napoleon had a secret for the Russian’s. He had previously set up 2 divisons within 70 miles in 2 days to attack the Russian’s. The attack caught the enemy by surprise and yet gave Napoleon another victory. Napoleon was sort of an artist he planned each battle as if the next move would perfect the whole piece of art, the end of the battle. Napoleon being the whole hearted Corsican man he was. He never let the power get to his head. Over a duration of time Bonaparte’s name was being spread all throughtout Europe. He still managed to write letter’s to his wife and he even elected each of his siblings to an office. His brother Joseph to be the king of Naples, Jerome the king of West Falia, Louis the king of Holand. His sister Caroline to be a Queen, pauline a princess, and Alicia a Dutchess. Trough all the battles and victory Napoleon gained much popularity in no time. Yet, he remained a mother’s boy. He loved his mother and made her Madame Mayor. Josephine and Napoleon were made for eachother. Though, both of them had their own quirrels. Josephine hated all the mistresses Napoleon had. Napoleon hated the habits that Josephine had with spending money. Josephine knew that one day no matter how strong her love was for Napoleon, he would’ve had to divorce her. The day came on November 30, 1809.

Anti Discriminatory Practice: Gender and sexism

Anti discriminatory practice is about taking positive action to counter discrimination. It is about being pro active and presenting positive images of the diversity of people that make up our society and also challenging any discriminatory or oppressive language and behaviour. There are several kinds of discrimination, such as more commonly known, racism, disablism and ageism. One of the things we do when meeting people is to make assumptions about them. This is partly based on how we see ourselves as similar or different to other people. We may respond to these similarities and differences positively or negatively. This booklet will be looking at gender inequality and how we can perhaps overcome and diverse the discrimination in sexism. SEXISM. The Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) is written in terms of discrimination against women but it applies equally to discrimination against men. These guidelines are written as if the discrimination applies to a woman but they should be read as also applying to a man. There are three types of discrimination which can apply to services. (Source from www. equalopportunitiescommission. o. uk). Direct sex discrimination Where a woman is treated less favourably than a man in similar circumstances because of her sex (s. 1 (1) (a) SDA). It is direct sex discrimination if: * financial institutions insist that a married woman who wants a loan must apply jointly with her husband (unless all married applicants are always required to apply jointly with their partners) Indirect sex discrimination Where a condition or requirement is applied equally to both women and men but, in fact, it adversely affects more women than men and is not genuinely necessary (s. 1 (1)(b) SDA). For example, it may be indirect sex discrimination if: * A mortgage provider only gives mortgages to people who work full-time. Although this condition would apply to both sexes it is likely to adversely affect more women than men since more women work part-time. Many part-time workers are in permanent, secure, well-paid jobs and some can earn more than full-timers, so a refusal to give mortgages or loans solely because the applicant works part-time is unreasonable. Victimisation Where a person has been treated less favourably compared to others because he/she made a complaint of sex discrimination. It also applies to those who assist the person. For example: A woman who took a sex discrimination claim under the employment provisions of the SDA against an amusement arcade was banned from using the facilities of the arcade. Witnesses who appeared for her at the employment tribunal were also banned. The woman and the witnesses would have a claim of victimisation against the owners of the arcade. (www. equalopportunitiescommission. co. uk) GENDER INEQUALITY. Sexism is a set of beliefs, practices and institutional structures which reinforces and is reinforced by patriarchy. A longstanding definition of sexism is: a deep rooted, often unconscious system of beliefs, attitudes and institutions in which distinctions between peoples intrinsic worth are made on the grounds of their sex and sexual roles (in Bullock and Stallybrass, 1977, p. 571). *†The achievement of equality between men and women is a matter of human rights and a condition of social justice†. Fourth UN World Conference on Women, Beijing, September 1995 (Department of Education and Employment, 1995). Sexism operates within a system of patriarchy. Patriarchy is one of the structural dimensions of society which is strongly associated with the sexist culture. This demeans and disempowers women and sows the seeds for the prejudice of women in terms of both attitudes and behaviour. Weber (1947) had used this concept to describe sexism. He used the term â€Å"the law of the father† to refer to the dominance of men within the family. The use of this term however, has been extended to describe the dominance of the males within the employment area and its reflection in the distribution of power. For example in the military forces, technology, universities, science, political and even religious sectors. (Such as the pope is and has always been male). So therefore, this suggests male dominance in most areas. Richard Webb and David Tossell (1999) report the following statements; *Women are an oppressed majority. *They represent up to 51% of the UK population, yet they do not have the same rights as men nor do they have the same access to resources as men do. * Women are less likely to obtain the same sort of jobs as men or positions of power. They earn less then men and are a lot more vulnerable to employment. They tend to be in less prestigious jobs and less secure forms of employment. This is mainly due to the discrimination that women are seen as the main â€Å"carer† role of the genders, being seen as the mother and the role to be the homemaker rather than the breadwinner, which is stereotypically seen as the male role. However, the biological differences within the roles are as such, that men are not able to conceive or give birth to children. Women, however do have that capability in being able to give birth and breast feed children. Barrett and McIntosh have argued that the family is oppressive to women and that it is an anti social institution. (Barrett and McIntosh 1982). They argue that the nuclear family promotes individualistic rather than social or collective values, and its privatised nature excludes those outside of it. *Women do more housework than men. The discriminatory process is known as structural sexism. This begins at birth and is maintained through childhood. Stereotypical roles are played within the family. While society is constantly changing and the attitudes towards equality are constantly being changed the ground in attitudes and beliefs are so firmly rooted the change is only very gradual. The gender role stereotyping in families are still abundant. For example, the mother stays at home to nurture the children whilst the father is out at work providing for the family. The girls tend to follow the role of the mother helping in household chores, such as cleaning and cooking, whilst the boys tend to follow the fathers role in helping fix the car or watching football! These social roles are defined within society, but because of the nature/nurture debate, they do appear to be biological differences and are therefore accepted and appreciated more easily. It is not just a matter of differences within the sexes. Abercrombie et al. 2000) argues that issues of gender (and gender inequality) now occupy a central place in sociological discussion. He quotes: â€Å"Gender is the social aspect of the differentiation of the sexes. Sociological discussion in this area recognises that social rather than biological processes are the key to understanding the position of women (and men) in society. Notions that a woman's biology, such as her capacity to bear children, determined the shape of her life have been replaced by complex debates as to how different social processes interact to produce a great variety of patterns of gender relations. Emphasis shifted towards understanding the diversity of the social practices which constitute gender in different nations, classes and generations. (p. 193). This statement clarifies that there are inevitable differences between the sexes. The roles that societies define are not going to change dramatically because of this huge, yet inconceivably big difference of males and females. Although the roles of women in society are changing in the aspects of work and relationships, the biological aspects of women are always going to remain the same. GENDER STEREOTYPING IN YOUTH GROUPS. The Brownie and Girl Guide Movement was set up as a youth group for girls. Originally, they were named the Rosebuds. The idea behind it was that the girls were fed up that the boys were allowed to have their own group, (the Boy Scouts) and the girls were left out of all the fun. The Rosebuds originally had to do menial feminine tasks, such as cooking, cleaning and sewing for the Scouts. Eventually the girls were not happy with the name Rosebuds and had the name changed to the Girl Guide Movement. The name Rosebuds in itself suggests the sexist views of women and girls, as the name is very feminine. The original tasks the girls had to do were based around helping the Boy Scouts, which also suggests the sexist way in which society viewed girls and women. The ideas and values which were instilled into the girls was that they were the homemakers. The Girl Guides had to make sure they always had their uniform clean and always came â€Å"prepared†. This still is a big motto within the movement. Years ago â€Å"being prepared† meant having certain items in your purse which included a safety pin and small sewing kit. This was not something the Boy Scouts had to do. The earning of badges is encouraged in the Movement as a way of setting up your independence for the future. However, the contrast in the types of tasks involved in the badges between the males and females are still quite divided. There are more homemaking badges within the girl guides, such as textiles, homemaking, which is the cleaning and organising of your home/bedroom for some weeks, childcare badge, tea badge, which involves the preparing of cakes, biscuits and tea for a fundraising event. These are still the most popular badges which are given out to the girl Guides. This is because the values and ideas within the movement have still not changed a huge deal from being the homemaker as they are females. The Movement now as it stands has changed immensely. The Girl Guide movement now encourages independence and camping as the Boy Scouts have been doing for many years. As a voluntary Youth Group the Girl Guide Movement empowers the girls to lead independent lives, encourages social relationships with both sexes, shows positive regard for each young person and provides opportunity for personal growth. This is quite a contrast from the once quite feminine ideas, role forming and principles which were once held. ANTI DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE The way in which this is done is through a number of different policies that the youth leaders have all adhered to within the movement. The following are some suggested guidelines that could be given in order for the Youth group to be effectively run in a way that there may be less discrimination in the group. 1. Respecting individuality. 2. Trusting people 3. Encouraging good interpersonal and communication skills 4. Promoting positive social relationships 5. Young girls being involved in decision making 6. Providing a range of group work and social activities, including community involvement and more involvement within the Scouting activities. 7. The use of youth's meetings to enable people to have an opportunity to influence and assist with planning, especially the young females, who have been previously excluded from or uninvolved in other activities. 8. Principles of inclusion independence and enablement are key issues. Alongside these principles, a staff team that is working together, receiving supervision opportunities for learning and development, is required. Also to understand the need to work collaboratively by supporting multi professional and agency working. I feel that these policies are very important in all work. However with the involvement of young girls and women, it is important not to categorise their roles into somewhat of a homemaker role. To allow the girls to develop and flourish their own ideas and principles within the group they are involved and to develop these attitudes within their home environment is a positive way of diversing the discrimination females have within society.