Assureâ€I Mean, Ensureâ€Good Writing

Assure- I Mean, Ensure- Good Writing Assure- I Mean, Ensure- Good Writing Assure- I Mean, Ensure- Good Writing By Mark Nichol Once upon a time, professional and amateur writers alike could count on books and publications to help guide them in writing clearly, coherently, and concisely. They knew that when they opened a book, a magazine, or a newspaper, they could generally be assured that they would find carefully crafted prose that adhered to principles of proper grammar, syntax, and usage and would not only enhance comprehension of the content but also serve as a model for their own effective writing. Unfortunately, that assurance has long since ceased to exist across the board. Over the last quarter-century, socioeconomic forces have eviscerated the editorial infrastructure in the publishing world. Into the late twentieth century, at least most book publishers were assiduous in making sure not only that fiction and nonfiction narratives were well constructed but also that attention was paid to the mechanics of sentence structure. In the periodical world, veteran magazine and newspaper editors passed their skills in telling stories (and finessing them down to the detail of using just the right punctuation for the job with each keystroke) to younger editorial staff members, preserving a tradition of editorial excellence even for niche magazines and small-town papers. Not every publication adhered to such high standards, of course, and objectivity was not always maintained (or sought), but readers usually could count, at least, on being exposed to good, clean writing. Those standards have now eroded, thanks in large part to budget cuts in editorial departments and a deterioration in the informal newsroom mentor-protà ©gà © tradition, in addition to a growing indifference in our society to excellent writing. Some publications keep the bar high, but the general readership is exposed to much mediocre writing in print and online media alike, and sloppy prose from one writer infects other writers like a virus, passing on clichà ©s, errors, and poor habits. One recent example stood out for me- perhaps a persnickety detail, but symptomatic of an erosion of precision in usage that encourages lazy writing. In a local metropolitan newspaper, an editorial about the crisis of homelessness misused assured not once, not twice, but thrice: 1. The city needs to evaluate and track people in homeless programs to assure that they are put in the most suitable settings. 2. San Francisco needs to work together with Oakland and San Jose, which are experiencing their own struggles with homelessness, to assure that they are not merely shifting the burden to one another. 3. It would be a colossal waste of money to make the necessary investments in supportive housing and other services without a commensurate commitment to assure that the people who are offered this array of assistance are no longer afforded the option to flout the law with impunity. Careful writers know that assurance does not occur in isolation; it is given. (One would say, for example, â€Å"I assured them that they are not merely shifting the burden to one another.†) The proper word for this context is ensure. (Insure, meanwhile, is best confined to matters of indemnity.) In popular usage, these words are used interchangeably, and historically, they have not always been employed distinctly even by more erudite writers, but preserving such distinctions helps us maintain a rich, diverse language. I’m all for relaxed, flexible usage in in appropriate contexts, but maintaining a firewall between ensure, insure, and assure, or between eager and anxious or between enormity and enormousness, or any such fraternal twins or triplets, helps writers produce and readers consume high-quality prose. If so many book and periodical (and online) publishers have abandoned their traditional role as standard-bearers for good writing, where does the developing writer (read: every writer) go for guidance? Some publishers still strive to deliver well-written content, and many corporate and organizational websites are impressively edited, but ultimately, the careful writer will consult writing guides such as this site and the many excellent writing manuals available in print and sometimes online. (Search for â€Å"book reviews† on DailyWritingTips.com for recommendations- or cautions.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewAffect vs. Effect

Supernatural Forces In Macbeth Essays - Characters In Macbeth

Supernatural Forces In Macbeth Essays - Characters In Macbeth Supernatural Forces In Macbeth Supernatural Forces in Macbeth Supernatural forces in Shakespeares Macbeth aid the play in creating a suspenseful atmosphere. The use of the supernatural in the witches, the visions, the ghost and the apparitions are the backbone of the climax and provide excuses for Macbeths change of character. Because conscience plays such a central role in Macbeths tragic struggle, many critics have used spiritual and supernatural theories both historical and modern to illuminate the dramas character development and world view. The play opens with the use of the supernatural when three witches encounter Macbeth on his way home from a battle and proceed to predict his fate. This gives the audience a glimpse of path the play will follow. When the battles (battle is) lost and won (I. I. 1-4) is when the witches plan to meet again. This is a recurring theme throughout the play. It can be noted that the witches meet after every battle is lost and won, and every battle, whether man against man, man against nature or man against himself is always lost by one side and won by another. Eventually Macbeth will lose the battle for his soul. After the prophecies of the witches revealed the fate of Macbeth was to be king, he begins to develop an immoral plan to carry out the prophecy. The only way for Macbeth to have the throne is to wait or to kill King Duncan. Macbeth already knew he was going to be king because the witches forecasted it in his future, so how he went about getting there was not a concern of Macbeths. T he three sisters were capable of motivating Macbeth to kill Duncan by planting the idea in his head that he could be king. The ghostly dagger, which led Macbeth to Duncans chamber, also represents the supernatural forces that cause the fall of Macbeth. and in the grim irony of his pledge of loyalty just 30 lines after his horrible imagings (1.3.138) of murder. His benumbed isolation before, during and right after Duncans murder is one of the most vivid memories, and we can see him in the same abstraction again among the mourners after Duncan is found. (Manyard 62) Macbeths memories of the murder of king Duncan were too cloudy for him to remember because the disallusionment and distraction of the knife influenced him to go through with killing Duncan. Macbeth was led towards Duncans room by the bloody knife and even had second thoughts of the murder of the king, until Lady Macbeth stepped in. These deeds must not be thought. After these ways, so make us mad. (II.II.32-33) This convinces Macbeth to go back and finish his deed. I feel the floating dagger along with emotions and adrenaline coaxed Macbeth to the murder. Had it not been for the dagger he probably wouldnt have ever traveled up the stairs to Duncans chamber.

Apprenticeships for the 21st Century

Apprenticeships for the 21st Century Introduction The selected reports address the need to reform the Australian Apprenticeship system to give participants the right skills that will impact the Australian labor market positively. The report of the Panel chaired by Mr. Jim McDowell titled A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st Century mentions that there is need to come up with a system that is more efficient and capable of producing a large number of highly trained, skillful and highly inspired workers (McDowell et al 2011).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apprenticeships for the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other reports echo on this sentiment, for example, the report by Amy Simons titled Report savages apprenticeship system blames the current system for causing young Australians to relinquish their occupations (Simmons 2011). The reports stress the need to simplify and streamline the system to impart skills tha t are crucial to the growth of the Australian economy (Evans 2011), similar calls are made by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) (ACTU 2011). The Housing Industry of Australia (HIA) contends that plans to reform the system are welcome, but the industry must be involved in coming up with a better system that ensures apprentices get employment opportunities (HIA 2011). The final report by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) commends the report by McDowell et al and says that it presents ‘the opportunity for real reform of the apprenticeship system after many years of tinkering’ (Ai Group 2011). Points or Arguments The reports agree on one issue: the Australian Apprenticeship system needs urgent reforms, and the recommendations by the government-appointed panel chaired by Mr. McDowell are vital towards achieving the reforms. The reports cite several weaknesses in the current program as a justification for the reforms, majorly, the low completion rates. Simm ons mentions that more than half of those enrolled in apprenticeship programs drop out of the system. This anomaly is due to the low pay rates. Senator Evans mentions that since 42 percent of those enrolling in apprenticeship programs are aged 25 and above, there is need for a new system that recognizes previous experience or skills, this will motivate more persons to enroll in the program (Evans 2011). Quoting one of the recommendations by the panel, HIA reports that reforms will address the issue of high dropout rates and the will make the system simpler. The reforms will reduce Australia’s over-reliance on imported labor and meet demands of Australian labor market (ACTU 2011). A weakness of the current system is that it contains many difficulties and inconsistencies, and hence the reforms are vital towards overcoming the obscurities (Ai Group 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the Australian Apprenticeship system continuously provides skilled labor to the market, there is a need for urgent reforms that will lead to the production of a skilled and flexible labor force that has the ability to meet the challenges of the Australian economy in competing with other global economies (McDowell et al 2011). Besides, the new system will meet the changing skill requirements as well as the ambitions and anticipations of the participants. Factors that might Influence the Perspective of the various Stakeholders The assertion that the Australian Apprenticeship system requires urgent reforms is a genuine. However, to win the vote of the various stakeholders in effecting the reforms, the following points must be said of the current system: There have been high dropout rates among persons who enroll in apprenticeship program under the current system. The low completion rates are caused by low wages, a lack of motivation among the particip ants, and receiving education that is obsolete, especially with the constantly changing labor market requirements. In some jobs, an apprentice receives less that $200 a week, this discourages other individuals from taking up apprentice programs. Globalization has increased the movement of labor across the world, the situation is no different in Australia. The current system does not impart knowledge required by the economy, hence it has had to import skilled labor. If this situation persists, the more than 400,000 students enrolled in the Vocational Education and Training (VET), or nearly 4% of the workforce, may lack employment. The youth form the largest proportion of our economy, yet, this is the group that suffers most from unemployment. In the future, social ills and poverty may begin to crop into our society if the current situation is not rectified. This is a wake up call and the first step towards averting the future disaster is to reform the apprenticeship system to avail j obs. References Australian Council of Trade Unions. (2011). Apprenticeship reforms are long overdue  and must be acted on to provide a skilled labour force. Available from actu.org.au/Media/Mediareleases/Apprenticeshipreformsarelongoverdueandmustbeactedontoprovideaskilledlabourforce.aspx Australian Industry Group. (2011), Apprenticeship report an opportunity for real reform. Available from getbusinessadvice.com.au/features/70-education-a-training/1638-apprenticeship-report-an-opportunity-for-real-reform.html?211a80a7893753f6d94e3fcaa7840466=4434ffbfd083e7deb3fe4ae3022cc686 Evans, C. (2011). Reforming the Australian Apprenticeship system. Available from deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Evans/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_110221_112019.aspx Housing Industry of Australia (2011), National Apprenticeship Reform Needs Industry  Input. Available from getbusinessadvice.com.au/the-news/1637-national-apprenticeship-reform-needs-industry-input.html?211a80a7893753f6d94e3fcaa7840466=048772114661331 d1aaa6c5f232214af McDowell, J., et al. (2011). A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st  Century. Available from www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apprenticeships for the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Simmons, A. (2011). Report savages apprenticeship system. ABC News, February 2011. Available from abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/21/3143831.htm

How to Use a Library for Research

How to Use a Library for Research For some students, one of the biggest differences between high school and college is the amount and depth of research that is required for research papers. College professors expect students to be quite adept at researching, and for some students, this is a big change from high school. This is not to say that high school teachers dont do a great job of preparing students for college-level research- quite the contrary! Teachers fill a tough and essential role in teaching students how to research and write. College professors simply require students to take that skill to a new level. For example, you may soon discover that many college professors won’t accept encyclopedia articles as sources. Encyclopedias are great for finding a compact, informative accumulation of research on a specific topic. They are a great resource for finding the basic facts, but they are limited when it comes to offering interpretations of the facts. Professors require students to dig a little deeper than that, accumulate their own evidence from broader sources, and form opinions about their sources as well as the specific topics. For this reason, college-bound students should become familiar with the library and all its terms, rules, and methods. They should also have the confidence to venture outside the comfort of the local public library and explore more diverse resources. Card Catalog For years, the card catalog was the only resource for finding much of the material available in the library. Now, of course, much of the catalog information has become available on computers. But not so fast! Most libraries still have resources that haven’t been added to the computer database. As a matter of fact, some of the most interesting items- the items in special collections, for instance- will be the last to be computerized. There are many reasons for this. Some documents are old, some are hand-written, and some are too fragile or too cumbersome to handle. Sometimes it’s a matter of manpower. Some collections are so extensive and some staffs are so small, that the collections will take years to computerize. For this reason, it’s a good idea to practice using the card catalog. It offers an alphabetical listing of titles, authors, and subjects. The catalog entry gives the call number of the source. The call number is used to locate the specific physical location of your source. Call Numbers Each book in the library has a specific number, called a call number. Public libraries contain many books of fiction and books relevant to general use. For this reason, public libraries often use the Dewey Decimal System, the preferred system for fictional books and general use books. Generally, fiction books are alphabetized by the author under this system. Research libraries use a very different system, called the Library of Congress (LC) system. Under this system, books are sorted by topic instead of the author. The first section of the LC call number (before the decimal) refers to the subject of the book. That is why, when browsing books on shelves, you will notice that books are always surrounded by other books on the same topic. Library shelves are usually labeled on each end, to indicate which call numbers are contained within the particular aisle. Computer Search Computer searches are great, but they can be confusing. Libraries are usually affiliated or connected to other libraries (university systems or county systems). For this reason, computer databases will often list books that are not located in your local library. For instance, your public library computer may give you a â€Å"hit† on a certain book. On closer inspection, you may discover that this book is only available at a different library in the same system (county). Don’t let this confuse you! This is actually a great way to locate rare books or books that are published and distributed within a small geographic location. Just be aware of codes or other indication which specify the location of your source. Then ask your librarian about interlibrary loans. If you want to limit your search to your own library, it is possible to conduct internal searches. Just become familiar with the system. When using a computer, be sure to keep a pencil handy and write down the call number carefully, to avoid sending yourself on a wild goose chase! Remember, it’s a good idea to consult the computer and the card catalog, to avoid missing a great source. If you already enjoy research, youll grow to love special collections departments. Archives and special collections contain the most interesting items youll encounter as you conduct your research, such as valuable and unique objects of historical and cultural significance. Things like letters, diaries, rare and local publications, pictures, original drawings, and early maps are located in special collections. Rules Each library or archive will have a set of rules relevant to its own special collections room or department. Normally, any special collection will be set apart from the public areas and will require special permission to enter or to access. You may be required to put most of your belongings into a locker as you enter the room or building where special items are held. Things like pens, markers, beepers, phones, are not permitted, as they could damage delicate collection items or disrupt other researchers.You may find special collections materials by doing a normal library search with index cards, but the search process may differ from place to place.Some libraries will have all the collections materials indexed in their electronic databases, but some will have special books or guides for the special collections. Dont worry, someone will always be on hand to guide you and let you know where to find materials that sound interesting.Some material will be available on microfilm or microfiche. Film items are usually kept in drawers, and you can probably retrieve either of these yourself. Once you find the right film, you will need to read it on a machine. These machines may differ from place to place, so just ask for a little direction. If you conduct a search and identify a rare item youd like to view, you will probably have to fill out a request for it. Ask for a request form, fill it in, and turn it in. One of the archivists will retrieve the item for you and tell you how to handle it. You may have to sit at a specific table and wear gloves to view the item. Does this process sound a little intimidating? Dont be frightened off by the rules! They are put into place so that archivists can protect their very special collections! Youll soon find that some of these items are so intriguing and so valuable to your research that theyre well worth the extra effort.

EnronBlack GoldP2P Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EnronBlack GoldP2P - Essay Example This is a documentary film that is based on the book "The Smartest Guys in the Room". Basically, it dramatizes the rise and fall of Enron. It is quite entertaining due to smart use of storytelling devices, imagery and soundtrack. In fact, it is amazing to look on leading role played by banks, financial media, accounting firms and government. The film Enron is weak on clearing up how the company brought up its image from a simple gas pipeline business to a post-modern corporate megalith. One of the most important things regarding the film's strength is in its representation of the massive group thinking within and outside of the corporation that helped enormously to support the rise in Enron's. The film, explains how the earning loads of money by exploiting commodities trading and accounting methods at the same time how it is losing plenty of money in real world undertakings. In fact the film portraits beautifully and makes it understandable even for a lay man how Enron set up its fir st commodities trading desk to take advantage of on inside knowledge of the gas business, and then tried to implement the same model with water, broadband, electricity, etc. In reality as a trading firm, Enron avoided investment firm policy by portraying itself as an industrial firm. The films dramatization of Enron's role and the political manipulations behind the California energy-crisis is well portrayed.In fact through the film there is great deal of emphasis given on the fact that this can happen again. It has happened before for instance in the cases of leveraged buyouts, the Savings and Loan crisis, the burst Internet IPO bubble, the 1920s Stock Market crash etc and it can happen again in future. It can be said that Enron, the film, is a lesson on how one corporation recently stole from investors, employees and its "customers" (Independent Lens). Additionally, as an investigation of corruption in corporate sector the film gives a sensible look at the culture and the intrinsic problems within the companies. The movie provides a few mechanisms such as the vitality curve and the Milgram experiment. This is especially for attractive an immensely immoral and profit-driven corporate culture. In fact the vitality curve represents the idea of invariable contest in the work place. To be more specific the individuals are ambitious to compete with each other because wherever possible the employees who are not performing will be thrown out of the company at any moment. In the film it is clearly shown how Enron constantly hired new staff just because of the reason that even with high profits it was firing people for production of less than 1000 times what they were being paid. Therefore the environment was such that it caused people to not only ignore the law, but also to take action competitively in breaking the law. This film clearly shows that how the top officials of the company and the government play a role in bringing in an energy crisis in the state of California. In the film it is shown that the Enron employees makes plan for the transfer of electricity from the state of California into nodes in other states where there was a surplus and was not required at all. California had signed legislation allowing for a free market in energy and as an answer to this, Enron shaped a demand by causing blackouts across the state. As soon as this happened the price of electricity increased drastically, and Enron made billions and billons of dollars in profits to ship back the energy they took out of California back into California. Breaking laws and doing illegal acts were encouraged in Enron. With a goal derived from the hunt of profit, Enron employees were always asked to break laws or perform acts that could be considered immoral. In fact it was seen that none of the Enron employees ever came forward to report the corruption. The factor that unavoidably led to people coming forward was a "sinking ship" feeling, resulting in some of the Enron executives

Stories on Gender and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stories on Gender and Society - Essay Example These three ‘Ks’ involved ‘kitchen, kids and kin’. Women had to care of house, children and family. The most intolerable thing was constant observations and control to not permit any deviations from women’s side. The most suffering group of females was women of middle class society as they could not protect their freedom due to their position or money. The horrid Cult mostly influenced women’s self-determination, the lack of which caused male-female inequality in family, social and professional spheres. Therefore, husbands decided what was the best for wives, society justified women’s morality and employers gave women lower positions and less salary. This paper will discuss the three stories where all these three spheres heavily injured women’s self-determination but all the three heroines attempted to get rid of the Cult norms and to free themselves. The stories to be discussed are: ‘The Yellow Wall Paper’ by Charlotte Gilman, ‘A Rose for Emily’ by William Faulkner and ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway. ‘The Yellow Wall Paper’ is a story of ‘ill-nervous’ woman whose husband is a doctor and he is quite confident in what treatment is the best for his wife: ‘He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction.’ (chapter I). The heroine’s freedom is restricted by an old house room furnished by the yellow wall papers. Her husband even refuses her to change the room when she hates these yellow wall papers: ‘[then]he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and said he would go down cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the bargain.’ (chapter I) He even forbids her to write although writing is her passion: ‘There comes John, and I must put this away,—he hates to have me write a word.’ (chapter I) Having thrown into loneliness and idleness in the yellow papered room the woman begins hating her husband’s ‘good care’ and

An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Communication and Negotiation in the Assignment

An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Communication and Negotiation in the International Management Arena - Assignment Example This move is particularly important because Ashby (2008) advises that â€Å"these unpalatable truths contribute to the increasing problems† facing companies. This is so because even though misconceptions are generally accepted to be falsehood, they at times impact on the lives of natives such that they begin to adapt their ways of life towards them (Osei, 2009). In the first place, it is believed that Nigeria is a country blighted with the problem of political and civil tension, instability and unrest. This is considered as a misconception not necessarily because Nigeria never records any instances of political unrest but that the degree of occurrence might be more than suggested. In a typical example of political tension, â€Å"On 19 October 2010, a militant group threatened to attack political campaign gatherings attended by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan† (Australian Department of Affairs, 2011). Such political tensions are believed to impact negatively on busi nesses wishing to start new ventures in the country because investors cannot be fully assured of the defense of the constitution of the country, which protects the investor and other foreigners. This not withstanding, it is important for Fosters to be aware that for the past fifteen (15) years, Nigeria has upheld it national constitution without a coup d’etat that overdraws the constitution (Dawodu, 2007).

Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility Case Study Essay

Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility Case Study - Essay Example The construction of Bolton thermal recovery facility is meant to generate electricity and other sources of energy for Manchester and its surrounding. The facility seeks to create enough energy that can power over 7,000 homes in the city and its neighbourhood. The operation of the Bolton thermal recovery facility has a number of environmental impacts and issues that must be considered. The operations of the facility are also governed by strict environmental legal requirements and provisions that must be adhered to. Analysis of the impacts that may arise from operating the facility which are economical, environmental and social must be done by the management. Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide a critical analysis of the operations of Bolton thermal recovery facility that is based in Manchester. ... There is need for the management to be well averse with the laws, regulations and provisions that influence the operation of the facility. This report will provide a detailed description of the available environmental laws, legal notices and statutory provisions that affects the operation, profitability and efficiency of the facility. The aim of Bolton thermal recovery facility environmental laws and regulation assessment report is to provide benchmark for the implementation of the various environmental requirements that guide operations of such facilities. To facilitate this study, a number of literatures that have been done on the environmental impacts of operating a thermal facility were analysed. These ranged from academic materials and scholarly articles written by academic institutions and departments on their research results on the facility. Literature reviewed articles will also be evaluated to understand the environmental impacts of a thermal recovery facility. To gain insi ghts on the available environmental laws and provisions that govern the operation of a facility of this magnitude, environmental based peer reviewed, academic and university research articles will be evaluated. The press release and legal announcement by bodies and government agencies on the environmental impacts such a facility and the legal requirements that govern its operation will be evaluated. Workshops and symposiums conducted on environmental assessment of thermal recovery will also provide accurate data on the emerging regulatory issues that may affect the operations and smooth running of the firm. Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility The energy produced powers the activities of the

Issues in Global Business and Strategic Concepts Essay

Issues in Global Business and Strategic Concepts - Essay Example The paper also recommends certain inputs which might be beneficial for the company in its future operational growth and expansion in the emerging market of India. The report portrays that the performance of the company from the past few years has not been quite impressive which has further affected its brand image as well as the trust and confidence of its investors in the global periphery. It has also been observed that poor performance of the company has been associated with some of its internal weaknesses such as uncontrollable expansion of product lines and lacuna in complying with ethical standards and consumer needs which has hampered its presence in all over the global market. ... It has been learnt that the brand image of the company has weaken and sales of the company has declined considerably owing to the competitive forces underlying the international consumer electronics industry. To be precise, in its recent operations, the company has been witnessing various issues such as branding problem, legal interventions for hacking issues and fall in share price among others. These issues affected the trust of the investors on the future performance of the company owing to which its international growth, especially in developing nations such as India, where consumer buying behaviour is highly fluctuating, has been hampered significantly. Emphasising on the current status of Sony, this study will aim to present a portfolio report on the current strategic position of Sony by analysing all the elements of its business which shall be helpful for its further expansion and growth in the Indian market. The paper would further recommend the company with some strategies t hat would be helpful for it in its expansion to an emerging market. Background Information Company Overview Sony Corporation is one of the most familiar brand names in the world today. The company mainly manufactures audio, video and information technology products for consumers all over the world. It has been noted that the prime vision of the company is to manufacture and market products based on the preferences of the customers and enable them to enjoy a new digital entertainment experience. With this concern, the company has been operating to make certain that every product it offers should be of A-grade quality as per the industry standards (Sony, 2013). Critics have often argued that the success of the company is largely due to its innovative

Political Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes Essay Example for Free

Political Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes Essay Politics should be the application of the science Of man to the construction of the community Explain this remark and discuss what reasons there might be for thinking it is not trueIn this essay I intend to examine the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, and attempt to explain why their ideas prove that it is not possible to construct a science of man. I will also briefly mention the philosophy of Donald Davidson in regards to a science of man. The theories of Hobbes and the contemporary socio-biologists attempt to recognise how man works and on that basis build a society. Hobbes wished to be seen as the inventor of the science of politics (Sorrell, p45) He went about this by looking at the psychology of man and discovering that man is a mechanism. Hobbes wanted to understand mechanics. He wanted to look at why men live the way that they do in society and therefore, breaks it down. By doing this he discovered that people are cogs in the social machine. Therefore he wants to examine this cogs to achieve an understanding of the social mechanism, and does this by looking at the psychology of the mind. Hobbes is both an empirist and a materialist. Empirists believe that sense gives all knowledge. Generally, they do not believe in astrology, god, electrons etc. Their philosophy is summed up by saying that all things that give true knowledge can be sensed. Materialists believe that all things in existence are physical matter. In other words, the soul and the spirit do not exist. Therefore Hobbes believes that thoughts are material, that they are caused by sense and vice versa. Tom Sorrell suggests in his essay, entitled Hobbes scheme of the sciences, that rather than have knowledge of how the mechanics of the minds passions work, a more successful way of gaining political knowledge is to understand what these passions cause. They cause various degrees of action, with the possessor going to various extents to achieve what they want. In chapter six of De Corpere, Hobbes makes a connection between the knowledge of the principles of politics and the knowledge of the motions of the average human mind. Hobbes account of political science is an idea of what man must do if his goal is self-preservation. These ideas are not what mankind will do but what it will have to do, in a rational way, to form a political civilisation. One would assume that as Hobbes identifies both a natural science (that of the work of nature), and a civil science that of the common wealth (which makes laws and wills), he would suggest that they are parallels which, in political philosophy, work together. However, there are a few problems with Hobbes theory. Hobbes suggests that a monarch makes a better sovereign than an assembly. Yet, surely he would not agree that a monarch who is not dedicated would be better suited than a group of thoughtful representatives. A politically secure society is built up from its people. Hobbes believes that these people all have one motivation; self-gain, or to be more precise self-preservation. Hobbes suggests that there is a link between voluntary motion and vital motion. He goes on to say that senses work together with the vital motions to produce that which is voluntary, i.e. an endeavour. These endeavours can be categorised in two ways; attractions and aversions. An example of an attraction is to pick up a piece of cake because it looks good. That of an aversion is to run away from a dog because you are scared of dogs. As it is possible to see these actions are derived from the senses, again agreeing with Hobbes empirist theory. Endeavours are the small motions within man which occur before he walks, talks, runs or carries out any other voluntary motion. These endeavours are so small that they are undetectable. By understanding why men act the way that they do, it is easier to come to a conclusion as to how society should be structured. However, the idea that the existence of a science of man can be questioned suggests that society can be constructed without it. This is due to the fact that many psychological and political theories are founded on the basis that there is a science of man. Without this science of man these theories are in turn questioned and therefore cannot be viably backed as reasons for the construction of the community. Another prolific philosopher whose arguments should be taken into account is Rene Descartes. Descartes thinks that we, as humans, are made up of two separate substances. The body is the physical stuff and the mind the res cogitans (thinking thing) purely mental stuff. The res cogitans can will your body to move. The difficulty with Descartes theory is that the mind and body interact; if you pour boiling water on you hand, you will feel pain. Again we have to take into account voluntary and vital motions. A voluntary motion is me moving my arm. A vital motion is my arm moving. I move my arm because I want to; but I may not necessarily want it to be moved. This can happen for a number of reasons. It may be possible that I have a muscle spasm in my arm or that somebody moves it. All of this suggests that for Descartes theory to be correct there must be some kind of connection between a material substance (the body) and an immaterial substance (the mind). However, we will find it impossible to understand the idea of a science of man if we cannot understand how the two substances interact. Therefore, again, we have no proof that it is possible to build a political philosophy on the basis of a science of man. On p213 of Davidson , we find an explanation of monisms and dualisms. Theories are thus divided into four sorts: nomological monism, which affirms that there are correlating laws and that the events correlated are one (materialists belong in this category); nomological dualism, which compromises various forms of parallelism, interactionism and epiphenominalism; anomalous dualism which combines ontological dualism with the general failure of laws correlating the mental and the physical (cartesianism). And finally there is anomalous monism which shows an ontological bias only in that it allows the possibility that not all events are mental, while insisting that all events are physical. The final position is that which Davidson himself follows. Davidsons argument suggests that the psychology of man does not follow any causal laws. Therefore, it is impossible to impose any rationality on theories involving the mind. These anomological psychological states are defeasable. They are defeasable because it is possible that by adding another condition to the situation the expected behaviour changes. Therefore it is impossible to agree with any political philosophy that involves the necessity of a science of man. What is easily discovered is that there are many different political philosophies and many different concepts as to what is a science of man. Philosophers such as Hobbes and his counterparts, Mill and Marx, possess the shared assumption that political philosophers must accept the political opinion that they are arguing for. They all think that rational agents must accept their arguments yet they all have different arguments. They all believe that for a successful political structure human nature cannot be ignored, if the structure is to command respect. As I have shown, Descartes and Davidson on the other hand, believe that a science of man is impossible; Descartes because he believes that our minds are immaterial and Davidson because mans behaviour follows no causal laws. All of this shows us that trying to interpret mans actions and apply them to a science is an impossible conquest. Man is too complicated a mechanism to understand and therefore political philosophy, for a sensible and rational social structure, must be founded on another basis.

Analysis of Tools for Data Cleaning and Quality Management

Analysis of Tools for Data Cleaning and Quality Management Data cleaning is needed in process of combining heterogeneous data sources with relation or tables in databases. Data cleaning or data cleansing or data scrubbing is defined as removing and detecting errors along with ambiguities existing in files, log tables. It is done with the aim to improve quality of data. Data quality and data cleaning are both related terms. Both are directly proportional to each other. If data is cleansed timely then quality of data will get improved day by day. There are various data cleaning tools that are freely available on net. The tools include Winpure Clean and Match, OpenRefine, Wrangler, Data cleaner and many more. The thesis presents information about WinPure Clean and Match data cleaning tool, its benefits and applications in running environment due to its three filtered mechanism of cleaning data. Its implementation has been done by taking user defined database and results are presented in this chapter. WinPure Clean and Match It is one of easiest and simplest three phase filtered cleaning tool to perform data cleansing and data de-duplication. It is designed in such a way that running this application saves time and money. The main benefit of this tool is that we can import two tables or lists at same time. The software uses fuzzy matching algorithm technique for performing powerful data de-duplication. The functions of this tool are as follows: Removes redundant data from databases in faster way. Correct misspellings and incorrect email addresses. It also converts words to uppercase or lowercase depending on user’s demand. Removes unwanted punctuation and spelling errors. Helps to relocate missing data and gives statistics in form of 3D chart. This option can be proven useful in finding population percentage of particular area. It automatically capitalizes first alphabet of every word. Advantages Increases accuracy and utilization of database (either professional database, user defined database or consumer database). Eliminate duplicity from databases using fuzzy matching de-duplication technique. Increases industry perspectives by using standard naming conventions with facility of removing duplicate data from original data. Export given file into various formats like access, excel(95), excel (2007), outlook systems etc. Applications The software is made for use from normal users to IT professionals. It is ideal for marketing, banking, universities and various IT organizations. Working of WinPure Clean and Match Clean and Match is made of three components- Data, Clean and Match. Data gives us imported list of tables. Clean option consists of seven modules each having different purposes. The clean section is basically used to analyze, clean, correct and correctly populate given table without removing duplicity. It has separate cleansing modules like Statistics Module, Case converter, Text cleaner, Column cleaner, E-mail cleaner, column splitter and column merger. Match section is used to detect duplicity using fuzzy matching de-duplication technique. WinPure Clean and Match contains a unique 3 step approach for finding duplications in given list or database. Step 1: The first step is to specify which table/s and columns you would like to use to search for possible duplications. Step 2: The second step is to specify which matching technique you would like to use either basic (telephone numbers, emails, etc) or advanced de-duplication with or without fuzzy matching (names, addresses, etc. Step 3: The final step is to specify which viewing screen you would like to use, WinPure Clean Match offers two unique viewing screens for managing the duplicated records. Limitations of WinPure Clean and Match (a) It has nothing to deal with connectivity and networking of dataset. It simply removes redundant words by cleaning and matching data. (b) It is not derived from any expert systems like Simile Longwell CSI and lacks client server terminology. (c) It means modifying/updating dataset is not possible once data is imported in tool. Google Refine Google refine overcomes the limitations of WinPure Clean and Match. It was earlier called as OpenRefine. It is powerful tool for working with dirty data and cleans, transforms data along with various services to link it to databases like Freebase. OpenRefine understands a variety of data file formats. Currently, it tries to guess the format based on the file extension. For example,.xmlfiles are of course in XML. By default, an unknown file extension is assumed to be either tab-separated value (TSV) or comma-separated value (CSV). Once imported, the data is stored in OpenRefines own format, and original data file is left undisturbed. Google Refine Architecture OpenRefine is a web application that is intended to be run on ones own machine and used by oneself. The machine has server as well as client side. The server-side maintains states of the data (undo/redo history, long-running processes, etc.) while the client-side maintains states of the user interface (facets and their selections, view pagination, etc.). The client-side makes GET and POST Ajax calls to modify and fetch data related information from server side. The architecture has come into existence from expert systems like Simile Long well CSI, a faceted browser for RDF data. It provides a good separation of concerns (data vs. Universal interface) and also makes it quick and easy to implement user interface features using familiar web technologies. Server-Side: It tells about modeling of data and storing it into given repository. Client-Side: It tells about building of GUI. Faceted Browsing: It is related to facets (text, column). It tells how to use facets in browsing data. Reconciliation Service API: It describes a standard reconciliation service structure. 5.6. Using Data Quality Services in connecting databases This section is to provide high quality data by introducing data quality services (DQS) in Microsoft SQL Server. The data-quality solution provided by Data Quality Services (DQS) enables an IT professional to maintain the quality of their data and ensure that the data is suited for its business usage. DQS is a knowledge-driven solution that provides both computer-assisted and interactive ways to manage the integrity and quality of your data sources. DQS enables you to discover, build, and manage knowledge about your data. You can then use that knowledge to perform data cleansing, matching, and profiling.It is based on building of knowledge base or test bed to identify the quality of data as well as correcting bad quality of data. Data Quality Services is a very important concept of SQL Server. Utilisation of data cleaning and quality phases The process of data cleaning starts from the starting phase when user chooses data from random dataset from internet or some books. A framework showing utility of these processes is described below in form of sequential steps listed below: Step 1) Choose random dataset Step 2) Shorten it as per user requirements Step 3) Find whether data contains dirty bits or not. Step 4) Cleanse data by testing it on application platforms like WinPure Clean and Match and Google Refine. Step 5) Then the task of creating high quality data is initiated. Step 6) Connect refined database with SQL server. Step7) Install Data Quality Services (DQS). Step 8) Knowledge base is built through DQS interface. Step 9) After building database, process of knowledge discovery has been started. Step 10) In knowledge discovery process, normalization of string values has been done to replace incorrect spellings and errors. Step 11) It leads to production of high quality data by removing dirty bits of data. Shortcomings of the existing tools WinPure Clean and Match simply clean data by removing redundant words. It does not give information about synonyms and homophones. This data cleaning tool produces moderate correctness level. The tool only gives details of incorrect words and matched words instead of removing similar words. It leads to wastage of memory and less accuracy. Data Quality Services (DQS) is somewhat complex for non technical users. A normal person cannot use this quality software without having knowledge of databases. DQS improves data quality with human intervention. If user selects correct spelling of given word, then DQS approves it else reject it. There is no automatic system for detection of strings and synonyms. One has to create set up of SQL in machine to use it. Both tools work syntactically rather than semantically. That is the reason they are unable to find synonyms. These tools corrects given data according to predefined syntaxes like spelling errors, omitting commas etc. Keeping the above shortcomings in consideration, the study has proposed data cleaning algorithm by using String detection Matching technique via WordNet.

A Child Called It Essay -- Dave Pelzer

A Child Called ‘It’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Child Called ‘It’ is the story of a young boy who, in order to survive, must triumph over the physical, emotional, and medical abuse created by his mother. The exploitation of alcohol plays an important role in the abuse by the mother and the neglect to see and the courage to intervene the problems by Dave’s father. Dave considered the abuse he endured by his mother, ‘games’. But he always tried to be one small step ahead of her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like Death From Child Abuse . . . And No One Heard, the outside world does nothing to help out a small child suffering from various forms of abuse. The few people who took notice were David’s teachers and the school nurse. Yet it took them a considerable amount of time to finally build up suspicion and finally report Dave’s problems to the proper authorities. I find the unreported instances observed by the public to be just as substantial a crime as the child abusers themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the things I enjoyed and always found myself grinning about was the spunk that Dave had. He was crafty enough to stall his mother’s efforts of physical and emotional cruelty just long enough for his dad to arrive, and he would not receive the most severe option of the abuse. When his mother attempted to make him eat his brother’s stool, he held his head away just long enough to get it taken away at the last second as his father drove up from work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The games that his mother would make him play would turn deadly. He ha...

Essay --

Human dealing with different mission, depending on the job environment and the problem space is called as the processor of information. This concept describes how does the man processes job oriented representational information. Information processing concept mainly describes the processes of human problem solving, features of information system that carries out the processes and the nature of job environment in which the processes function. Definite differences in the behavior by individuals and by responsibilities, and also the general expectedness of intelligent behavior from the requirements of the job are the general features of human behavior. This challenges all attempts to develop human thinking. In human problem solving memory, handling, programs, retrieval time, etc are the main constitutes of information processing system. Each person is a member of inhabitants. Every person differs methodically, unique inherent grant and historical treasure. This study has been studied in detail in this book by developing a discussion on Chess, symbolic logic and algebra like puzzles. Th...

Omnivores Dilemma Essay

Learning Objective: The goal of this two day exemplar is to give students the opportunity to use the reading and writing habits they’ve been practicing on a regular basis to unpack Pollan’s investigative journalism of industrial farms. By reading and rereading the passage closely combined with classroom discussion about it, students will identify why and how farming practices have changed, as well as identify Pollan’s point of view on the subject. When combined with writing about the passage and teacher feedback, students will begin to appreciate investigative journalism, as well as question from where their food is coming. Reading Task: Students will silently read the passage in question on a given day—first independently and then following along with the text as the teacher and/or skillful students read aloud. Depending on the difficulties of a given text and the teacher’s knowledge of the fluency abilities of students, the order of the student silent read and the teacher reading aloud with students following might be reversed. What is important is to allow all students to interact with challenging text on their own as frequently and independently as possible. Students will then reread specific passages in response to a set of concise, text- dependent questions that compel them to examine the meaning and structure of Pollan’s reporting. Therefore, rereading is deliberately built into the instructional unit. Vocabulary Task: Most of the meanings of words in the exemplar text can be discovered by students from careful reading of the context in which they appear. Teachers can use discussions to model and reinforce how to learn vocabulary from contextual clues, and students must be held accountable for engaging in this practice. Where it is judged this is not possible, underlined words are defined briefly for students to the right of the text in a separate column whenever the original text is reproduced. At times, this is all the support these defined words need. At other times, particularly with abstract words, teachers will need to spend more time explaining and discussing them. In addition, in subsequent close readings of passages of the text, high value academic (‘Tier Two’) words have been bolded to draw attention to them. Given how crucial vocabulary knowledge is for academic and career success, it is essential that these high value words be discussed and lingered over during the instructional sequence. Sentence Syntax Task: On occasion, students will encounter particularly difficult sentences to decode. Teachers should engage in a close examination of such sentences to help students discover how they are built and how they convey meaning. While many questions addressing important aspects of the text double as questions about syntax, students should receive regular supported practice in deciphering complex sentences. It is crucial that the help they receive in unpacking text complexity focuses both on the precise meaning of what the author is saying and why the author might have constructed the sentence in this particular fashion. That practice will in turn support students’ ability to unpack meaning from syntactically complex sentences they encounter in future reading. Discussion Task: Students will discuss the passage in depth with their teacher and their classmates, performing activities that result in a close reading of Pollan’s text. The goal is to foster student confidence when encountering complex text and to reinforce the skills they have acquired regarding how to build and extend their understanding of a text. A general principle is to always reread the passage that provides evidence for the question under discussion. This gives students another encounter with the text, helping them develop fluency and reinforcing their use of text evidence. Writing Task: Students will paraphrase different sentences and paragraphs of Pollan’s text and then write either a compare and contrast essay illustrating the differences between the traditional farm and the factory farm or an argument against the factory farm. Students might be afforded the opportunity to rewrite their essays or revise their in-class paraphrases after participating in classroom discussion, allowing them to refashion both their understanding of the text and their expression of that understanding. Text Selection: This selection, taken from the young readers edition of Pollan’s bestseller, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, asks students to consider how their food is grown today and why and how that has changed. This brief history and science of United States farm ecology offers students diverse opportunities for exploration and close reading. Outline of Lesson Plan: This lesson can be divided by the teacher into two days of instruction and reflection on the part of students and their teachers, with the option of a written homework assignment after Day 1 and the possibility of adding an additional day devoted to peer review and revision of the culminating writing assignment. Standards Addressed: The following Common Core State Standards are the focus of this exemplar: RI. 7. 1, RI. 7. 2, RI. 7. 3, RI. 7. 4, RI. 7. 5; W. 7. 1, W. 7. 2, W. 7. 4; SL. 7. 1; L. 7. 4, L. 7. 5 The Text: Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat (Chapter 3: From Farm to Factory) Rule or order A substance that kills insects Corn grown from seeds with different traits DNA is the chemical name for genes. Genes give all organisms their traits such as how fast they grow Animal dung used for fertilizing land Relating to energy from the sun Branch of science concerned with the relationships between living things and their environment Grassy fields where animals can graze A basket Exemplar Text Vocabulary That’s around seventy-five gallons of oil per acre of corn (Some estimates are much higher. ) Here’s another way to look at it. Calories, like the calories in food, are units of energy. On the industrial farm, it takes about ten calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of food energy. That means the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing. This is the opposite of what happened before chemical fertilizers. Back then, the Naylor farm produced more than two calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil fuel energy invested. In terms of energy, the modern farm is a losing proposition. It’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly—it would be more efficient. The factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. A plan of action oil; more productive and less wasteful Day One: Instructional Exemplar for Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition) Summary of Activities 1. Teacher introduces the day’s passage with minimal commentary and students read it independently (5 minutes) 2. Teacher or a skillful reader then reads the passage out loud to the class as students follow along in the text (5 minutes) 3. Teacher asks the class to discuss the first set of text-dependent questions and perform targeted tasks about the passage, with answers in the form of notes, annotations to the text, or more formal responses as appropriate (40 minutes) Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students It may seem that I’ve given corn too much credit. After all, corn is just a plant. How could a plant take over our food chain and push out almost every other species? Well, it had some help-from the U. S. Government. [read the intervening paragraphs] Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. 1. Introduce the text and ask students to read independently Other than giving an initial gloss to words students would likely not be able to define from context (underlined in the text), teachers should avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset of the lesson while students are reading the text silently. This close reading approach forces students to rely exclusively on the text instead of privileging background knowledge and levels the playing field for all students as they seek to comprehend Pollan’s words. It is critical to cultivating independence and creating a culture of close reading that students initially grapple with rich texts like Pollan’s without the aid of prefatory material, extensive notes, or even teacher explanations. 2. Read the passage out loud as students follow along Asking students to listen to Pollan’s text exposes students a second time to the rhythms and meaning of his language before they begin their own close reading of the passage. Speaking clearly and carefully will allow students to follow Pollan’s narrative, and reading out loud with students following along improves fluency while offering all students access to this complex text. Accurate and skillful modeling of the reading provides students who may be dysfluent with accurate pronunciations and syntactic patterns of English. Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students It may seem that I’ve given corn too much credit. After all, corn is just a plant. How could a plant take over our food chain and push out almost every other species? Well, it had some help-from the U. S. Government. At the heart of the industrial food chain are huge businesses, agri-businesses. The same businesses that create new seeds provide farmers with the tools and fertilizer they need to grow lots of corn. Agribusinesses also need cheap corn from which they make processed food and hundreds of other products. To get the corn flowing and keep it flowing, agribusiness depends on government regulations and taxpayer money. The government started seriously helping corn back in 1947. That was when a huge weapons plant Muscle Shoals, Alabama, switched over to making chemical fertilizer. How can a weapons plant make fertilizer? Because ammonium nitrate, the main ingredient in explosives, happens to be an excellent source of nitrogen. And nitrogen is one of the main ingredients in fertilizer. After World War II, the government found itself with a tremendous surplus of ammonium nitrate. There was a debate about what the government should do with the leftover bomb material. One idea was to spray it on forests to help out the timber industry. But the scientists in the Department of Agriculture had a better idea: Spread the ammonium nitrate on farmland as fertilizer. And so the government helped launch the chemical fertilizer industry. (It also helped start the pesticide industry, since insect killers are based on poison gases developed for the war. ) Rule or order Substance that kills insects 3. Guide discussion of the first half of the essay with a series of specific text- dependent questions and tasks. As students move through these questions, be sure to check for and reinforce their understanding of academic vocabulary in the corresponding text (which will be boldfaced the first time it appears in the text). At times, the questions provided here may focus on academic vocabulary. (Q1) Ask students to define â€Å"agribusiness. † It is important for students to understand that agribusinesses are not farmers. Some students might need clarification here. Teachers should discuss the following sentence: â€Å"Agribusinesses also need cheap corn from which they make processed food and hundreds of other products. † Agribusinesses are large companies that manufacture farming equipment, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, processed foods as well as provide services to farmers. Sidebar: Website listing many different types of products made from corn. If students are intrigued to learn all the different types of products made from corn, have them view the graphic web on pages 68-69 of Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition) or examine the following website: http://www. ontariocorn. org/classroom/products. html#Products%20that%20 use%20Corn (Q2) How did the U. S. government help launch the chemical fertilizer industry? The U. S. government sprayed their WWII surplus of ammonium nitrate on farmland. Ammonium nitrate was manufactured for weapons during the war. After the war, the U. S. government needed to do something with the remaining bomb material. It must have worked well as a fertilizer because after that the chemical fertilizer business took off, and many farms began using it to grow crops. Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students Chemical fertilizer was needed to grow hybrid corn because it is a very hungry crop. The richest acre of Iowa soil could never feed thirty thousand hungry corn plants year after year without added fertilizer. Though hybrids were introduced in the thirties, it wasn’t until farmers started using chemical fertilizers in the 1950s that corn yields really exploded. Plants and Nitrogen Plants and all living thing organisms need the element nitrogen. Without nitrogen, cells cannot make proteins or DNA. For thousands of years, farmers added nitrogen to their soil, even before they knew what nitrogen was. They fertilized their crops with manure from their animals. They also rotated crops. That means they never grew corn in a field more than two years in a row. Then they would switch that field to soybeans or some other legume. Legumes such as beans add nitrogen to the soil with the help of friendly bacteria that live on their roots. Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. Corn grown from seeds with different traits DNA is the chemical name for genes. Genes give all organisms their traits such as how fast they grow Animal dung used for fertilizing land Relating to energy from the sun (Q3) Why are chemical fertilizers so important and necessary to agribusinesses? Students should remember from (Q1) that agribusinesses rely on corn to produce many of their products. The type of corn being grown, hybrid corn, needs very fertile soil. Chemical fertilizers are necessary to create this fertile soil especially because of the quantity (thirty thousand hungry corn plants) being planted. (Q4) Ask students to describe in writing one cause and effect relationship they have read about thus far. Possible answers should include the U. S. government’s surplus caused the chemical fertilizer industry to take off or that corn farming exploded as a result of the chemical fertilizers. (Q5) What is the natural way to fertilize crops? The natural way to fertilize crops is by planting different crops every couple of years in addition to spreading animal manure on the fields. (Q6) What are fossil fuels? What might be some problems with using fossil fuels to produce chemical fertilizers? Fossil fuels are natural sources of energy such as oil, coal, and gas. Teachers should point out why â€Å"fossil† appears with â€Å"fuel† (because these types of fuels are derived from the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals). Students might recognize that â€Å"making nitrogen†¦takes enormous amounts of energy† and fossil fuels are not free, thus raising the cost of chemical fertilizer. Students might also cite the environmental costs (using their own prior knowledge) of using fossil fuels. Day Two: Instructional Exemplar for Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition) Summary of Activities 1. Teacher introduces the day’s passage with minimal commentary and students read it independently (5 minutes) 2. Teacher or a skillful reader then reads the passage out loud to the class as students follow along in the text (5 minutes) 3. Teacher asks the class to discuss the first set of text-dependent questions and perform targeted tasks about the passage, with answers in the form of notes, annotations to the text, or more formal responses as appropriate (40 minutes) Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. [read the intervening paragraphs] The factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. 1. Introduce the text and ask students to read independently Other than giving an initial gloss to words students would likely not be able to define from context (underlined in the text), teachers should avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset of the lesson while students are reading the text silently. This close reading approach forces students to rely exclusively on the text instead of privileging background knowledge and levels the playing field for all students as they seek to comprehend Pollan’s words. It is critical to cultivating independence and creating a culture of close reading that students initially grapple with rich texts like Pollan’s without the aid of prefatory material, extensive notes, or even teacher explanations. 2. Read the passage out loud as students follow along Asking students to listen to Pollan’s text exposes students a second time to the rhythms and meaning of his language before they begin their own close reading of the passage. Speaking clearly and carefully will allow students to follow Pollan’s narrative, and reading out loud with students following along improves fluency while offering all students access to this complex text. Accurate and skillful modeling of the reading provides students who may be dysfluent with accurate pronunciations and syntactic patterns of English. Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. THERE GOES THE SUN When George Naylor’s father spread his first load of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, the ecology of his farm underwent a quiet revolution. Until then, the farm’s nitrogen had been recycled in a natural loop. Legumes used the sun’s energy to fix nitrogen in the soil. Other plants used the nitrogen to grow. Animals ate the plants and the farmer recycled the nitrogen by spreading the animals’ manure on the soil. But now the Naylors didn’t need to produce their own nitrogen—they went out and bought it. The nitrogen for the fields would no longer be made with the sun’s energy but with fossil fuels. Farming was no longer an ecological loop—it was more like a factory. The farmer bought raw materials (seed and fertilizer) and turned it into a finished product—corn. Since there was no need for legumes to fix nitrogen, farmers could plant corn in every field, every year. Animals and their pastures could be eliminated. Farming became much simpler. Like a factory, the industrial farm produces just one product (or at most, two. ) Relating to energy from the sun A branch of science concerned with the relationships between living things and their environment Grassy fields where animals can graze Ask students to write a paragraph explaining the last sentence of the text box (â€Å"With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. †) Answers might sound like this: The traditional farm fertilizes its soil with animal dung and by rotating its crops. The crops such as corn and beans grow from the sun’s energy. Crop rotation allows the soil chemistry to change and become more fertile. Alternatively, chemical fertilizers treat the soil without the use of the sun. Chemical fertilizers are manufactured in a factory and transported to farms by machines powered by fossil fuels. (Q7) What does the author mean when he wrote, the â€Å"ecology of his farm underwent a quiet revolution†? Students should recognize that the natural order of fertilization described in the first paragraph was dramatically altered when Naylor’s father began using chemical fertilizer. It was a â€Å"quiet† revolution because nothing in this natural world protested the change. (Q8) Cite textual evidence for the claim, â€Å"Farming was no longer an ecological loop—it was more like a factory. † Teachers should highlight the connection in meaning to â€Å"loop† and â€Å"revolve/revolution. † Students will cite textual evidence such as: â€Å"The farmer bought raw materials (seed and fertilizer) and turned it into a finished product—corn. † â€Å"†¦farmers could plant corn in every field, every year. † â€Å"†¦the industrial farm produces just one product (or at most, two. )† â€Å"†¦the industrial farm, is powered with fossil fuels. † Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students And like most factories, the industrial farm, is powered with fossil fuels. There’s natural gas in the fertilizer and the fossil fuel energy it takes to make the pesticides, the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn. Add it all up and you find that every bushel of corn from an industrial farm requires about half a gallon of oil to grow. That’s around seventy- five gallons of oil per acre of corn (Some estimates are much higher. ) Here’s another way to look at it. Calories, like the calories in food, are units of energy. On the industrial farm, it takes about ten calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of food energy. That means the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing. This is the opposite of what happened before chemical fertilizers. Back then, the Naylor farm produced more than two calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil fuel energy invested. In terms of energy, the modern farm is a losing proposition. It’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly—it would be more efficient. The factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. A basket Suggested plan of action; oil; more productive and less wasteful (Q9) What fossil fuels are needed to power the industrial farm? Students should highlight phrases such as: â€Å"natural gas in the fertilizer† and â€Å"the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn. † (Q10) What does Pollan mean when he writes, â€Å"†¦the modern farm is a losing proposition†? This question will determine if the students understand the author’s purpose in writing this passage. It asks students to determine the importance of certain phrases and identify the central theme of this section. Students might cite the following phrases in their answers: â€Å"the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing† and â€Å"the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. † Students should recognize the traditional farming methods produced more with less fossil fuel energy than the industrial farm. Students can also extract information from the bar graph found in the exemplar. Explanatory Writing Assignment: Directions for Teachers and Students / Guidance for Teachers Choose one of the following writing assignments based on the excerpt from Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition): Write an essay comparing and contrasting traditional farming methods with those of an industrial/factory farm. Write an argument against the industrial/factory farm. Support your argument with textual evidence. Reread the last three paragraphs of the exemplar and examine the bar graph. In your own words, describe the author’s opinion of the industrial farm. Support your ideas with particular words or phrases that highlight the author’s opinion. Supporting details for a compare and contrast essay might include: Traditional Farm Factory Farm fertilizes soil with manure (needs animals) rotates crops every couple of years solar powered produces more food energy than it uses to grow crops exists as a cycle â€Å"The farmer bought raw materials (seed and fertilizer) and turned it into a finished product—corn. † â€Å"†¦farmers could plant corn in every field, every year. † â€Å"†¦the industrial farm produces just one product (or at most, two. )† â€Å"†¦the industrial farm is powered with fossil fuels. † â€Å"industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing† Not a cycle Textual evidence for an argument against the factory farm might include: â€Å"factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap† â€Å"the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing† â€Å"†¦ the industrial farm, is powered with fossil fuels. There’s natural gas in the fertilizer and the fossil fuel energy it takes to make the pesticides, the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn. † Factory farms need chemical fertilizers to grow hybrid corn Guidance regarding an essay about the author’s point of view: Asking students to identify the author’s opinion or point of view (â€Å"the modern farm is a losing proposition†) forces them to synthesize the whole text. Students might notice the author’s ironic tone in the sentence, â€Å"It’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly—it would be more efficient. † Teachers should point out that this type of emotional language often signifies an author’s point of view. Additional Reading Passages from The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat (Young Reader’s Edition) 2009; pp. 48-52 CAFO-Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation The old-fashioned way of raising cattle, like the old-fashioned way of growing corn, was on the small family farm. Cattle were raised in pastures, eating grass and hay—the food they naturally eat. But as corn took over the family farm, cows and other animals were pushed out. Cattle are now raised in densely packed animal cities like Poky’s. These places are called CAFOs—Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Farmers gave up raising cattle because, as strange as it might seem, it costs a farmer more to grow feed corn than it costs a CAFO to buy it. (Thanks to those government subsidies. ) Eating meat used to be a special occasion in most American homes. Thanks to CAFOs, meat is now so cheap that many of us eat it three times a day. Of course, the American taxpayers have already paid part of the cost by subsidizing corn. But there are other costs involved in raising cattle this way, costs that shoppers don’t see when they buy a steak at the supermarket. On the old-fashioned farm, there is really no such thing as waste. Animal manure goes back into the fields as fertilizer. But the waste from CAFOs is a huge source of very toxic pollution. Tons of animal manure are produced with no good way of disposing of it. The feedlots are also breeding grounds for new and deadly bacteria. Some of these bacteria are finding their way into our food. And there is another cost to raising cattle on CAFOs, one that’s even harder to see. These animals have evolved to eat grass. But in a CAFO they are forced to eat corn—at considerable cost to their health, to the health of the land, and ultimately to the health of us, their eaters. (†¦) Cows and Grass—A Partnership Cows have evolved over millions of years to eat grass. It’s not a one-sided deal. At the same time, grasses have evolved over millions of years to be eaten by cows. This partnership is one of nature’s wonders. When a cow eats grass, it doesn’t kill the plant. Grasses have evolved so that they can survive being eaten very well. (As long as the cows give them a chance to recover. ) In return for being chewed on, the plants get help from the cows. The cow protects the grass habitat by eating young trees and shrubs that might compete with grasses. The animal also spreads grass seed, plants it with his hooves, and then fertilizes it with his manure. Only certain animals, including cows, sheep, goats, and bison, can make a meal out of grass. They can do this because they have a specialized second stomach called a rumen. (That’s why these animals are called ruminants. ) The rumen is like a twenty-five-gallon fermentation tank. Here is where the cow gets some help. Inside the tank lives a type of bacteria that dines on grass. The bacteria break down the cell walls of the grass and allow the cows to get at the protein and carbohydrates within. On the plains of the American west, where steer 534 was born, bison and the prairie grasses lived together in partnership for thousands of years. (I guess we should include the bacteria in that partnership, also. ) It was a natural, solar-powered loop. The plants used the sun’s energy to make food. The bison (with the help of bacteria) ate the grass and in return planted it, fertilized it, and defended its territory. It was a successful ecological system. A rumen has evolved into the perfect organ for digesting grass. But it is not good at digesting corn. So then why is steer number 534 forced to eat corn instead of grass? The answer is one word: speed. Cattle raised on grass simply take longer to grow than cattle raised on corn. â€Å"In my grandfather’s time, cows were four or five years old at slaughter,† Rich Blair explained to me. â€Å"In the fifties, when my father was ranching, it was two or three years old. Now we get there at fourteen to sixteen months. † What gets a steer from 80 to 1,100 pounds in fourteen months is tremendous amounts of corn, food supplements, and drugs. Fast food indeed. This work was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Columbus Dbq

In the year 1492, explorer Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain to what he believed to be India. That is a fact which cannot be disputed. However, it is often the case that historians are biased in their writing and add their own personal beliefs and interpretations into accounts of what happened. An example of this is historian Davis E. Stannard’s controversial book, American Holocaust: Columbus and the Conquest of the New World.Stannard uses facts to support his belief that Columbus and the explorers to follow in his footsteps are responsible for a mass genocide of the Indian peoples. Columbus’s captain’s log does much to contradict Stannard’s views. Columbus states that he wishes for â€Å"†¦the natives to develop a friendly attitude toward us [the Spanish explorers and settler]. † Columbus wants no harm to come to the Natives and makes sure that trade between the natives and his men is not unfair.He may have been a bit misguided with his attempts to covert the natives to Christianity, but he himself writes that â€Å"†¦they are a people who can be made free and converted to our Holy Faith more buy love than by force. † Columbus does not want to bring any sort of harm to the Natives, and believes â€Å"†¦that in all the world there cannot be better or more gentle people. † The impression one may have of Columbus solely from reading this document starkly differs from the view of Columbus that Stannard emphasizes.Bartolome de Las Casa’s History of the Indies sheds a light on the cruelties that the Spanish were not just capable of, but committed on a day to day basis. De Las Casa helps support Stannard’s thesis and showcases the horrible deeds performed by the Spaniards often. The Spanish soldiers would slaughter the Natives â€Å"†¦like sheep in a corral. † They would often place bets to measure their strength, such as who could cut a Native in half with a single blow, or slice of their heads the quickest.They has no mercy, and made sure to â€Å"†¦prevent Indians from daring to think of themselves as human beings or even having a minute to think at all. † The soldiers didn’t blink an eye at working entire tribe to death or just killing them for sport, strongly supporting Stannard’s claim of destructive genocide. Travels in Quivira by Francesco Coronado gives no support to Stannard’s thesis. In fact, the document serves to dispute Stannard completely. Coronado was exploring present day Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. He was searching for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibula.The natives had told him that these golden cities were located to the north and Coronado harmed them in no way. After finding no gold, Coronado’s guides revealed to him that they had, at the orders of the Natives, led him through uninhabited desserts in an attempt to starve him and his company to death. Stannard is firm in his constitu tion that it was the Spanish who were wrong, not the Natives. While this document is just one example of the Native’s wrongdoings, it showcases that both parties had their share of wrong doings as well as their share of kindness.The exploration and settlement of the New World was not handled as well as it should have been, but both the Natives and the Spanish had their share of heroes and villains. Columbus fell into neither of these categories. He truly believed that he treated the Natives justly, and, for the most part, he did. He did, however, open the door for other, crueler, people to come in. The Natives cannot be lumped into good or bad in this situation either. There were kind Natives, such as those who met with Columbus, but there were also cruel Natives, such as those who attempted to lead Francesco Coronado to his death.

Early year’s child care Essay

Being able to motivate members of staff is a progression towards this. As Mayo found with his workforce, if the staff felt valued, they were more willing to work harder and longer for their manager. Motivating the staff is by no means a simple task, as it means utilising a balance of both people and interpersonal skills. These skills can be grouped into various management styles and each member of staff will require the manager to adapt the style according to their own personality. The setting, which is the subject of this work, provides a good example of the various styles of management needed in order to supervise the workforce. One member of staff is very carefree and relaxed in her work and therefore needs an autocratic, or coercive management style. She is, however, always willing to do as she is told and thrives on carrying out instructions as they are given. Were the manager to employ a laissez-faire approach here, the jobs allocated to this member of staff would not get done. To examine this in more detail, just one of the manager’s duties is to ensure that craft supplies are adequately stocked. As with many of the manager’s tasks, this is one that can be delegated to another member of staff. This particular worker is given this task to do and due it being given to her as a direct instruction, she is happy to proceed with enthusiasm and little procrastination. If, however a more laissez-faire approach were used, she could feel that the task was not important and may leave it until such a time as she chose to do it. These skills and qualities of the manager are familiar with Herzberg’s (1968) two factor theory of motivation. He recognised that offering staff the opportunity of achievement, recognition, involvement, responsibility and empowerment, is the path to true motivation (Dale, 1992). This is the opinion of Ridderstrale and Nordstrom. In early years leadership it is particularly important. The manager constantly has to implement change, often following government legislation. It is the role of the manager, as the leader to ensure all staff members can adjust to these new implementations, instead of clinging on to methods previously followed. The manager of the chosen nursery has an effective method of executing change. If the change has occurred at nursery level, the chances are it has arisen and been discussed during a staff meeting. If the changes come from elsewhere, for example, a government paper, the manager would first address the urgency of the change, before deciding on a course of action. The agenda for meetings is always displayed onto a notice board for all the staff to view. If the change is one that does not require immediate action, it will be added to the board, next to the agenda. However, should it be necessary to act immediately, then a meeting will be called, either with all the staff, or with individual members accordingly.

Top 6 Situations Where You Shouldnt Wear Your Halloween Costume

Top 6 Situations Where You Shouldnt Wear Your Halloween Costume Sure, it’s always fun to wear a Halloween costume to work. But†¦ it’s not always appropriate.   There’s a very thin line between a zany  costume that shows off your personality and one  that makes everyone else feel uncomfortable. This video from FastCompany  gives you  the top 6 situations where you probably should leave the  costume at home. 1. When firing someoneâ€Å"This is the hardest part of my job. Because of recent budget cut, we’re going to have to let you go†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  2. During  a work lunchâ€Å"I didn’t eat breakfast, I just had a protein shake†¦I have to figure out how to eat better†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 3. When laying down the lawâ€Å"Do you know how stupid we look right now? Come on, people, grow up!†4. While supporting a big meetingâ€Å"With a meeting as big as this one, we’ll make sure to send the minutes right after. Seth is going to do that†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 5. When no one gets itâ€Å"I am Ch arlie Chaplin†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  6. While giving a client tourâ€Å"Here’s our technology group. They’re hard at work right now on their innovation†¦let me introduce you to our CTO.†

Pathogens essays

Pathogens essays In todays food preparation world waterborne pathogens are becoming a real threat. Why? Simply because in todays culture people are quick to blame the food industry for most cases of disintary or other ill effects caused by bacteria. In this paper several things will be discussed. To understand what Im trying to say, you must understand a few key terms. First lets define waterborne pathogen. A waterborne pathogen is a micro-organism whose ability to cause disease has recently been identified. Now that you know what a waterborne pathogen is lets name a few. Each of these possible pathogens has been identified but according to the WRcs Final Report to the Department of the Environment on Waterborne Pathogens, it is still possible that several unidentified pathogens In order to understand how these pathogens work, and how to destroy them we must understand several of the parts that make them up. Some of and Susceptibility to removal or inactivation by conventional water Each of these parts is used in todays world to identify and destroy What happens if someone ingests a pathogen before it is identified? Well that is one reason that the Department of the Environment is so concerned. Due to current environmental status new pathogens are appearing semi-daily, and consequently overwhelming those who are working to stop them. One major example of this is Legionella. Legionella is ...

How to Overcome Stage Fright

How to Overcome Stage Fright Imagine standing at the tribune, a couple of seconds before you actually start delivering your graduation speech. Think of the moment when you stand behind the mic, just before the first line of the song you want to perform for the crowd. How does it feel? Are you full of happy excitement or feel like running away (if only you could do it on those shaky legs)? In case it makes you feel any better – John Lennon used to throw up before his live performances. Youre not alone in the struggle. Its Not About You One of the most common reasons of a stage anxiety is worrying what the audience is going to think about you. Well, heres a fun fact: They dont really care about your personality. Most of the time people are worried only about themselves. You are to engage, educate or entertain your audience. If they are satisfied with what they get, they wont judge the one who delivers it too hard. Thus, concentrate on the material youre going to present instead of focusing on your personality. Practice Practice makes perfect. The rule applies to almost every sphere of our lives, right? Public speaking is not an exception. Training helps your brain to reduce the number of unknown variables it has to deal with when the due date comes. This allows you to focus on your story, entertaining your reader and making the whole thing much more fun. If memorizing a speech is a challenge for you, take a look at our infographics on how to memorize a speech. Send Good Vibes Perception is everything, isnt it? Thats why thinking of your audience as of a group of friendly, interested people, rather than a bunch of guys, ready to destroy you with criticism, will be of a great help. Smile and remember about eye contact. Avoid gazing at people, though: diverting your eyes to look at your notes or fix the appliances makes you look human, which is certainly good. We like the things we can relate to. Thus, looking not-so-perfect at times might even be a good thing. Power Posing Body language can shape our behavior, the way we make decisions and feel about ourselves. Power posing is a great tool to achieve these results. The study shows, that standing in a high-power pose for about 2 minutes may seriously boost your confidence and reduce stress. What are these poses? Think of a Wonder Woman or a Superman signature positions. Fake it till you make it. Or, actually, fake it until you become it. Dont Cram Sounding human and looking natural is crucial for successful delivery and impressing your listeners. Thats why you dont want to learn every single word by heart, when it comes to delivering a speech. You surely are to know what goes after what and have some cards or the outline in front of your eyes. Memorizing every single word will make you sound robotic. If you are having difficulties with writing a speech, consider our speech-writing help. If you are going to sing, act or dance in public – situation is a bit different. Here youll seek for a certain degree of mechanization, where you know all the moves, cues or direction of the melody. Nevertheless, leaving some space for your soul and inspiration will help you and your audience enjoy the event much more. Breathe Breathing in certain patterns may be a very powerful relaxation technique. First, it has a positive impact onto your physical state: blood pressure stabilize your brain gets that desired portion of oxygen the muscles relax All in all, you feel far more calm and confident. Second, you simply focus your attention on an activity, not on your being anxious and stressed out. Profit! No Caffeine Lots of people simply cant function without their favorite brew. In fact, its kind of a ritual, that has to be comforting and energizing. That is certainly true. Another fact here is that caffeine is a strong stimulant: it accelerates your heart rates dehydrates the vocal chord and can even make you sweat more intensively Add the general nervousness and get a cocktail of being overly jumpy, sweaty and squeaky. Try saving your cuppa as a reward for success. In case that just doesnt work for you – stick to your regular amount, and dont add any extra portions of caffeine before the actual event. Stretch Out Do a couple of yoga poses. Choose the level of difficulty that suits you best and focus on maintaining that balance, breathing and keeping muscles nice and tight. If youre a fan of yoga already – you know how awesome it is. In case youre not quite into that – give it a shot! You dont have to make yoga your daily routine, but it may work just fine for stressful situations, just like your public performance. Now, take a breath. Your presentation, speech, play or concert will go great. Especially, with our tips. Shine bright! Youll nail it.