Hardness of Water

INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS HARDNESS OF WATER:It is when water passes through or over deposit such as limestone; the level of Ca ²Ã¢  »and Mg ²Ã¢  ºand HCOâ‚Æ' ions present in the water can greatly increase and cause the water to be classified as hard water. This term results from the fact that cation and magnesium ions in water combine with soap molecules, making it hard to get suds. High level of water ion such as Ca ²Ã¢  » and Mg ²Ã¢  ºÃ‚  can cause scaly deposits in plumbing appliances & boilers.These two ions also combine chemically with soap molecules resulting in decreased cleansing. The American water works Association indicates that the ideal quality water should not contain more than 80mg/l of total hardness as CaCOâ‚Æ'. High levels of total hardness are not considered a health concern. There are two types of Hardness:Temporary hardness: this is due to the presence of bicorbonates of calcium and magnesium. It can be easily removed by boiling. Permanent hardness: this is due to the presence of chlorides & sulphate of calcium & magnesium. This type of hardness cannot be removed by boiling.MOTIVATIONI was bothered that the water in Ilara community doesn’t combine easily with soap leading to excessive consumption of WATER.ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE:Scales are formed as inner coating of the pipelines prevents corrosion Absolute soft waters are corrosive and dissolve metalsMore causes of cardio vascular diseases are reported in soft water areas Hard water is useful to growth of children due to the presence of calcium Hard water cause excessive consumption of soap used for cleaning purpose, sodium soaps react with multivalent metallic cations to form a precipitate, thereby lose their surfactant properties. Lathering doesn’t take place until all hardness ions precipitate out.APPARATUS Conical Flask {250ml} Burette with retort stand Beaker Wash bottles Standard flask PipettesMETHOD Simple titration methodREAGENTS Ammonium chloride Amm onium hydroxide Ilara-Mokin water {Hâ‚‚O} Magnesium sulphate Erichrome black T EDTA (Disodium salt).PREPARATION OF REAGENTS 1. Standard solution of EDTAThe usual reagent is the disodium salt, which is a dehydrate, Mr=372.24; it is available in sufficiently pure form to be used as a primary standard for most purposes. If necessary, it may be dried at 80 ° for four days to remove a small percentage of water that may have been absorbed. The solution should be stored in plastic containers rather than glass bottles. The solution is stable but if stored in glass bottles (particularly if the glass is new), the concentration of a dilute solution will decrease appreciably with time as metal ions are extracted out of the glass. To prepare 2 1 of the reagent, dissolve 7.44g of the salt in enough deionized water to make exactly 2 1 of solution. 2. Buffer solution(pH 10)Add 17.5g of ammonium chloride to 142cm ³ of ammonium chloride to 142cm ³ of 0.88 ammonia solution and make up to 25 0cm ³ with deionized water. 3. Eriochrome Black T indicatorThis indicator can be purchased as a powder. The solid is hygroscopic, and so must be stored in a tightly stoppered container.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE (testing of the Ilara-mokin water) We Pipetted 200ml of the water sample and transfer it to a clean 250ml conical flask. We Added 2ml of Ammonia buffer solution to the water sample so that the pH will be maintained between 9 & 10. We added few drops of EBT indicator to the conical flask and the sample turns to wine red in color. Before we started the titration; we rinsed the burette with few ml of EDTA  then Filled the burette with 0.02m EDTA solution & adjusted to zero then fixed it in retort stand. We titrated the sample against the EDTA solution in the burette till all calcium and magnesium ions present in the sample reacted with the EDTA.The appearance of blue color indicated that all Ca and Mg ions were complex with EDTA and forms a metal EDTA complex. i.e. the end poin t of the titration We Noted down the burette reading and repeated titration two more times.RESULT OF THE EXPERIMENTSAMPLE A FINAL READINNGS 1.50 1.40 1.40 INITIAL READINGS 0.00 0.00 0.00 TITRE VALUES 1.50 1.40 1.40Average titre value= 1.50 +1.40+1.40 =4.3 3 3  =1.43cm ³Ã‚  =1.43 x 20= 28.6 cm ³SAMPLE B FINAL READINGS 2.90 3.10 2.90 INITIAL READINGS 0.00 0.00 0.00 TITRE VALUES 2.90 3.10 2.90Average titre value=2.90+3.10+2.90 = 8.90 3 3  =2.97cm ³Ã‚  =2.97 x 20= 59.4cm ³

American Psycho: Obsession comes from the inability

To be successful and functional members of society, we must always be evolving with its changes. But once we grow negligent towards other aspects of our lives, and focus on one only, negative effects inevitably follow. Obsession renders us dysfunctional citizens due to our inability to maintain balance in our lives, and to accept understand ourselves as we are. In the novel, American Psycho, by Bret Gaston Ellis, Patrick Bateman, a Manhattan socialite, Is a caricature by which the horrors of obsession are demonstrated.These fixations demonstrate that obsession comes from the inability to accept oneself. In the following paragraphs, we support our argument by considering the fixations of Bateman with physical beauty, success and Jealousy, and murder and gore. Batsman's fixation with physical beauty are clearly seen when he Is engaged in bragging and putting his wealth on display for the audience and later, for emphasis, cleansing with expensive products. Bateman spends his days In Ind ulgence of wealth; he snorts cocaine, goes to clubs, and feeds his addiction to expensive labels. Take the ice-pack mask off and use a deep-pore cleanser lotion, then an herb-mint facial masque†¦ I use the Bright tooth polisher and next the Interplay tooth polisher†¦ In the shower I use first a water-activated gel cleanser, then a honey- almond body scrub†¦ L always use an aftershave lotion with little or alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out, and makes you look older. † (26-27) He is motivated by his need for physical beauty to spend hours of every day fulfilling extensive cosmetic and exercise rituals.He is very specific about his products, settling for no less than â€Å"a deep-pore cleanser lotion,† and â€Å"an herb-mint facial masque. † HIS routines are detailed carefully so as to avoid any damage to his beauty, such as using alcohol, which â€Å"dries your face out, and makes you look older. † This obsession Is born from his In security about his physical attractiveness. Throughout the book, Bateman is portrayed as being anxious about his looks, asking, â€Å"WOWS my hair? † (232) on numerous occasions. When he is uncomfortable in a social situation tit an ex-girlfriend, Pee immediately becomes self-conscious, â€Å"What? I panic, immediately touching my hair. â€Å"Too much mousse? † (236). Later in the book, he expresses his concerns about becoming addicted to exercise. When confronted, he states, â€Å"You can always be thinner, look better. (372)† This obsession with his physical appearance clearly derived from his inability to accept himself physically. Batsman's dissatisfaction with his career is apparent when he expresses his frustration about being a useless member of the Pierce & Pierce firm which his father rustically owns.This dissatisfaction cultivates into an obsessive Jealousy of Paul â€Å"Hello, Owen,† I say, admiring the way he's styled and slicked back his hai r, with a part so even and sharp it†¦ Devastates me and I make a mental note to ask him where he purchases his hair-care products, which kind of mousse he uses, my final guess after mulling over the possibilities being Ten -X. â€Å"(1 1 1) From the introduction of Paul Owen in the novel until his murder, Bateman remains fixated on Omen's success and handling of a prestigious account.There are numerous occasions in which he asks or thinks about this such as, â€Å"Owen is standing near the bar†¦ I'm about to walk over and mention something about that damned Fischer account†¦ † (185). Batsman's obsession with Omen's successful career comes from the dissatisfaction with his own. This is apparent when asked about work Patrick expresses frustration saying, â€Å"l Just don't want to talk about†¦ Work†¦ I hate it. â€Å"(237). As Batsman's fixation with Paul Owen and his success grows, he is less and less able to accept himself, and his failing career u ntil he is able to murder Owen ND rid himself of his obsession.Such actions clearly imply that Batsman's obsession was born from his inability to accept himself. Batsman's inability to accept and understand himself cultivates in an obsession with murder and gore. This is demonstrated throughout the novel when he murders, rapes, and tortures several people for little to no reason. He is incapable of accepting and coping with his pain and thus becomes fixated on inflicting it upon others. â€Å"My pain is constant and sharp and I do not hope for a better world for anyone, in act I want my pain to be inflicted on others.I want no one to escape, but even after admitting, I gain no deeper knowledge of myself†¦ † (201) Bateman expresses sorrow over not being able to understand himself, or to cope with and accept the pain of psychopaths. This lack of connection with himself results in his dissatisfaction with his life, because of which he does not hope for â€Å"a better world for anyone† and inflicts his pain unto others. His inability to accept and understand his own pain is the origin of his uncontrollable obsession with murder and gore.Patrick Batsman's insecurities and the obsessions derived from them are reflective of the issues modern society is confronted with. The obsession with physical beauty as a product of low self-esteem, the obsession with others' success as a product of one's inability to achieve their own, and the obsession with bringing pain upon others as a product of pain within oneself are the struggles that Patrick Bateman represents that will perhaps resonate forever with mankind; all of which support the argument that obsession originates from the lack of acceptance and understanding of oneself.

Interview : Interview / Background

For this interview process, my initial intention was for it not to be so much of a question and answer type of interview. Since I do have a relationship with these two ladies, I was wanting to make this as smooth, casual and fun as possible. This helped, because it did not create any form of uncomfortable situations; by creating awkward situations, I feel that it can alter the way the interview is conducted and how it can be of a result. The interview took place at as restaurant where the three of†¦ In my interview I choose to interview one of my housemates Samantha Wood. I do not know Samantha very well but have communicated with her the odd time. Samantha goes to Georgian college and is 21 years old. I choose to interview her specifically because she is quite about her life and interests so I was motivated to use this interview to get to know her better. I asked Samantha basic questions about her use of and experiences with social media. The interview process was beneficial for what information†¦ This paper intends to describe an interview conducted with an eight year old about sports. A remarkable quote from this young man was â€Å" I only struck out twice last season and I didn’t get out after that at all†. The sports that Cannon Crooks plays, his favorite sport, his favorite player, his favorite position, and future aspirations and more shall be covered in this paper. The interview was conducted over the phone with an eight-year-old boy named Cannon Crooks. Cannon Crooks is a third grader†¦ There are three types of interviews: structured interviews, semi structured interviews, and unstructured interviews. Structured interviews are interviews that are formal such as telephone interviews, survey research and political polling. The interview is set up with a designed place ahead of time and a set of questions preplanned. Semi structured interviews are interviews that allows the interviewee to talk about a topic more â€Å"open minded† (pg. 87) rather than structured and to the point. The interviewer†¦ research that a well-prepared interview guide is crucial. Within the interview guide, all the items of the interview are included and organised in a certain order with the purpose of promote the flow of the interview. This includes the sections of the interview, task that the interviewer has to do and designed questions with careful wording selection. Although the role of interview guide is crucial in semi-structured interview, it is stressed that the idea of interview guide is â€Å"much less specific†¦ Family Interview and Genogram I chose to interview Inmaculada â€Å"Alex† DeFeo (2015). She is the source of much of the information. I based assessments on my analysis of her explained life. Detailed is given to her age and familial relations. The strength perspective used in order to highlight strengths in how overcoming or living with situations, statuses, and results of events. Individual and family patterns, concern, and influences regarding them aimed are touched upon. Family Members Names†¦ selects interview as the second method to generate the data. This paper, for that selection, deals with the second key research instruments, interview. Specifically, it explains and proposes a plan for carrying out interview for the research. The section starts with discussing the advantages of interview instrument. What follows after is a brief overview and discussion around the issue of critical dimension of interview. This review helps to provide guidelines for the deployment of interview in this†¦ At the very beginning of the interview I noticed how much I was looking down to document what Amy was saying. I was so focused on making sure I had documented everything Amy said and I think I lost some meanings by not watching her body language. If I were to put myself in Amy’s position I probably would have felt like I was just there to answer a bunch of assessment questions and the therapist really did not care what I had to say. The empathy was there in my voice, but not in my actions, so†¦ Interview Analysis The mock interview assignment really helped me identify different strengths and weaknesses in interviewing. This document will be a discussion of my mock interview. I will discuss my strengths during the interview as well as my faults and what I will do in the future to adjust those. I will apply what I learned in this experience to interviews in the future. Perhaps one of the easiest weaknesses to identify in my interview was in my appearance, specifically my hat I forgot to†¦ The majority of the interview took place during periods three, five, and six, but I was able to ask her a few questions before and between the other periods I shadowed her. I first asked her about her schedule and what classes she had other than English and math at the end of the day. She explained that she had three other classes, government, IT, and band. When I expressed curiosity as to how that worked since she didn’t have a science course. Students are given the option to opt out of science†¦

Barriers to Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Barriers to Literacy - Essay Example Over the years different legislations have been passed by government to facilitate the literacy and learning environment but at times these laws become a barrier as laws are difficult to understand and implement. Also, there could be administrative barriers at school, college, university, and district and state levels. Multicultural environments pose barriers to learning and literacy as students seek companionship with the people of same background and language. Interactions among classmates who are from vastly diverse linguistic backgrounds are different from the students with mainly same ethnic or linguistic background. â€Å"Traditionally, some of the factors that restrict access to full literacy for language-minority students have included (a) xenophobic English-only movements (Donahue, 1995); (b) limited resources and personnel within ESL (August & Hakuta, 1997); (c) controversy about bilingual education (Faltis & Hudelson, 1998; Krashen, 1996); (d) differences about the durati on and type of language services children should receive (Collier, 1987); and (e) cultural and linguistic deficit models (Luke, 1986)† (Grant & Wong, 2003). Motivation of individuals for stirring the process of literacy and human development is considered one of the main barriers to learning. â€Å"For adult learners, however, learning is not usually an externally imposed, secondary role, but one that they freely choose. Adults learn to achieve both intrinsic (Bruner, 1966) and extrinsic rewards† (Dinmore, 1997).

Stem Cell Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Stem Cell - Research Paper Example Though one cannot forecast the results from basic research, there is enough information available to suggest that a good deal of this enthusiasm is justified. Definition of Stem Cells Stem cells are basically building block cells of a human being which are capable of becoming 210 different types of tissue. â€Å"Stem cells have traditionally been defined as not fully differentiated yet to be any particular type of cell or tissue† (Irving, 1999). Adult stem cells are found in minute numbers within most tissues, but the majority of stem cells can be obtained from the umbilical cord. A more precise term is â€Å"somatic stem cells† (Sullivan, 2004). There are numerous potential sources for stem cells. Embryonic stem cells originate from the inner cell of an early stage embryo. Embryonic germ cells can be collected from fetal tissue at a later stage of development. Adult stem cells can be obtained from mature tissues. â€Å"Even after complete maturation of an organism, ce lls need to be replaced. A good example (of adult stem cells) is blood, but this is true for muscle and other connective tissue as well, and may be true for at least some nervous system cells† (Chapman et al, 1999). ... It has been substantiated from animal research that stem cells can be differentiated into cells that will behave appropriately in their transplanted location. For example, the transplantation of stem cells following treatments for cancer has found much success for many years. â€Å"Experiments such as the transplantation of fetal tissue into the brains of Parkinson’s patients indicate that the expectation that stem cell therapies could provide robust treatments for many human diseases is a reasonable one. It is only through controlled scientific research that the true promise will be understood† (Frankel, 1999). Argument for use of aborted fetuses The moral dilemma that surrounds the prohibition of aborted fetuses is the idea of abortion itself. The former Bush administration made it very clear that it was opposed to legal abortions, in at least most circumstances, and transferred that ideology to the prohibition of embryonic stem cell research. The concept of scientifi c study of the next stage of development, the fetus, which resulted from an abortion, was unthinkable. The ideology of the past Presidential administration reflected the minority which opposes abortion and also reflects the majority that is opposed to aborted fetuses of consenting parents being used for experimentation. This reality has no basis in reason. Why would those who claim to be ‘pro-choice’ want to waste the aborted tissue? For that matter, why would pro-lifers want to witness what they believe is a living being tossed away in vain? At least its ‘life’ could have meant something to humanity in a very real way. In 1999 alone, more than 850,000 abortions were performed in the U.S.

The Impact of Woodland Management Practices on Biodiversity Essay

The Impact of Woodland Management Practices on Biodiversity - Essay Example For humans, woodlands provide a valuable resource in terms of the wood from cutting down trees, and in some cases the use of cleared land for farmland. Both of these uses of woodland significant disrupt the species living within it, often displacing them or causing local extinction. The purpose of this essay is to examining practices of woodland management and to consider what impact these have on biodiversity and what the long-term outcomes of these approaches are likely to be. In addition, alternative approaches to current woodland management practices will be considered, as well as the underlying drivers that influence what woodland management practices are prevalent. It is argued that current woodland management practices place the biodiversity within the woodland environment at significant risk, and in the long-term will result in an unrecoverable loss of species, ultimately decreasing the usefulness of woodland as a resource. Importance of Biodiversity Biodiversity has become a buzzword of the modern political environment, and is a prominent topic among many different people and areas, including universities, politicians, schools and broadcasters. The current age is often referred to as having a biodiversity crisis, or that there are many threats to biodiversity which must be properly handled in order to conserve biodiversity. The term has become highly popular and politically centred in recent years, and humankind attempts to find ways of preserving biodiversity without compromising growth and human life. However, biodiversity itself is difficult to define, as the term is used by a wide range of people, many of whom do not define what they mean by the phrase. Throughout literature there are more than 80 different definitions of the term, which vary slightly or significantly from one another (Spicer, 2009). The definition of biodiversity that is arguably the most correct is that which was derived as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which wa s signed by 150 nations in 1992. This definition considers biodiversity to be variability among living organisms from all areas of the world, including diversity that occurs within ecosystems, between species and within species. Defining the term however, is only one aspect. To effectively address the problems surrounding biodiversity, there needs to be an effective method of measuring it. Finding consensus approaches to measuring biodiversity is an important approach to solving problems of biodiversity; however, this is not an easy task. For example, a forest ecosystem has a large amount of different species including the easily visible plants, animals and birds, the smaller organisms such as insects, and then microorganisms, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. Counting all of these species would be a large task, and does not take into account another important aspect of biodiversity, specifically , how many of each species are present (Spicer, 2009). Because of these problems , different researchers make use of different approaches to attempt to provide an indication of the measure of biodiversity within an area, such as the number of species that are present or their abundance. Often, a specific type of species may be focused on, such as studies that examine the biodiversity of birds within forest communities (Aleixo, 1999). Other indicators

Shift-share analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shift-share analysis - Case Study Example Thus, fewer jobs created 61 within the trade sector than had it been performing as compared to the Canada (Stimson, Stough & Roberts, 2006). Moreover, this has resulted in massive concern to the regional authorities due to its identification as one of the primary growth sectors within its 5-year economic. Cape Breton Sydney experienced a 5.0% decrease in the manufacturing employment from the 2009-2014 while total provincial manufacturing employment declined by 3.6%. It elaborates the massive local shift number for this underlying sector. Thus, the prevailing manufacturing sector within Nova Scotia is shifting away during the period. Moreover, it is a relatively better measure of the sector’s growth. Construction industry possesses regional shift-share of 1.172 designating that there were approximately 1100 jobs created in the sector as compared in across Canada. It is the relatively better measure of the sector’s development (Stimson, Stough & Roberts, 2006). The construction sector is shifting towards Halifax during the period. The experienced a 57.1% growth of the employment in the sector. Canada Atlantic Nova Scotia Cape Breton Sydney’s biggest positive shifts were towards construction as well as other services. It is mainly shifting away from the primary industries, accommodation and food service In summation, the data depicts within the duration of the national affluence, and Cape Breton Sydney is mainly prosperous coupled with the experiencing of speedy development of a progressively expanded local economy. The trend will be primarily be determined by vigilant opinion and corresponding informed

Feature Article - Japan Nuclear Explosion and Earthquake Essay

Feature Article - Japan Nuclear Explosion and Earthquake - Essay Example The Fukushima accident and Chernobyl nuclear tragedy having had similar consequences, it will be useful to compare these two incidents so as to understand the possible interventions to be made in future. An analysis of Chernobyl nuclear tragedy in terms of its short term and long term impacts would help the scientists working on the Fukushima issue to predict the possible long term impacts of Fukushima accident. Moreover, they will be able take lessons from the Chernobyl experience to be adapted to their present operation in Fukushima. The objective of this essay is to compare the impacts of Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear accidents on environment. Impact on environment It is beyond any doubt that both Fukushima and Chernobyl tragedies have resulted in serious environmental impacts. The danger in the impacts is that the pollutants are radioactive. This would mean that it continually changes its chemical constitution and set forth chain reactions causing complex multiple implications. In terms of environment, the largest danger is the long time these elements take to decompose itself. Half life, which is time taken for a compound to decompose into half of it is very long in the case of these isotopes. Thus the environmental implications are long term and unpredictable. The radioactive elements get into the water, air and soil. It also gets into the supplementary systems of water, air and soil. Marine systems, food chains, agriculture, animals, milk and ecology in general is contaminated by radioactive isotopes. It has been reported that in the earlier days after the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the surface deposits of radionuclides became radioactive for agricultural plants and the animals which consumed these (Roberta, 2009). . This was rapidly absorbed into milk which increased the level of thyroid in people who consumed milk. This was predominately observable across Ukraine , Belarus and Russia. The secondary phase of the sedimentary deposition was that these were taken up by plants from the soil through roots. Ceasium was the isotope which was reported to be most dangerous in this regard. It must be noted that agricultural products from highly affected areas may even now have traces of this isotope (Roberta, 2009). The direct presence of radioactive elements in plants reduced with time. The reasons could be weathering, physical decay, and the downward movement of radioactive elements into lower zones of soil inaccessible to the plants (Greenfacts, 2006). However, the impact of the radioactive leakage on agriculture does not limit to this direct surface deposition and plant uptake. The extensively cultivated areas with high content of organic content were affected. Pasturing of affected animals over unimproved grass lands also contributed to the radioactive content in agricultural plants and products. The people associated with these farms, especially the subsistence farmers in Russia were largely affected (Greenfacts, 2006) Radioactive plant products are reported to be largest contributors for human internal dose of radioactive elements. As these isotopes, especially Ceasium, has long life, the traces of the element is still found in some of the products. The current scenario is that the level of radioactive elements in products from Chernobyl has come down below national and international action levels. However, in Zhytomir and Rovno

Orion Nebula Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Orion Nebula - Research Paper Example It was the first nebula to be photographed (1880), by Henry Draper in the United States† (Encyclop?dia Britannica, 2013). Orion is amongst the simplest to be found patters of star in the sky on the evenings of the winter season. The feature that defines Orion is a three stars’ row that constitutes Orion’s belt. The bright reddish star called as Betelgeuse is located above the belt. The bluish star called as Rigel exists just underneath the belt. A dimmer stars’ sword hangs straight from this belt. The ancient astronomers were impressed to observe a splotch of blood upon the stars’ sword, that can be seen with the naked eye in the dark; that is Orion Nebula. Although Orion Nebula can be seen with the naked eye, it was not until 1610 that its actual nebulous nature was identified. â€Å"As a vast and active star-forming region of bright dust and gas located a mere 1,500 light-years distant, the various stars within the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) has g iven astronomers invaluable benchmarks for research on many aspects of star formation† (Major, 2012). Orion Nebula appears as a web of dark dust and glowing gas when observed with the help of a large telescope or when its processed images are seen. â€Å"As a region of gas and dust coalesced under its combined gravity, stars began to burst into life and lit up the rest of the cloud resulting in the bright and colourful swirls of gas and dust that you can easily see through binoculars and telescopes† (Active Astronomy, n.d.). Inside the Orion Nebula forms the adolescent stars’ energy. Trapezium is the conglomerate of four bright stars that exist in its center. Observations made with the help of telescope have led to the conclusion that 11 stars exist inside the central group whereas the number of immediately neighboring stars is more than 2000 (Fraknoi, 2007). These surrounding stars are very small in age; their age is less than one million years which is why they can be considered as babies according to the astronomical standards. Nebula gains its glow from the energy provided by one of the stars, that is known as Theta-1C Orionis. Theta-IC Orionis can make up to 40 stars like Sun. The glow it contains is equal to the brightness of 210,000 Suns. The width of nebula is around 30 light years. A certain number of infant stars can be seen throughout the nebula. Disks of darker material surround the infant stars. These disks make a planet system that is similar to the system of planets that surrounds the Sun. â€Å"Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed over 150 such "getting-ready-to-make-planets" disks, an indication that the birth of stars is frequently accompanied by the birth of planets† (Fraknoi, 2007). The Orion Nebula entirely extends over the sky’s one degree region. It consists of numerous associations of stars, neutral clouds of dust and gas, reflection nebulae, and ionized gas volumes. Orion Nebula i s a constituent of a larger nebula called as the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex that includes Barnard’s Loop, Flame Nebula, M43, Horsehead Nebula, and M78 and extends all across Orion’s constellation. The heat-intensive process of star formation inside the Orion Nebula makes it prominent in the infrared. The roughly spherical cloud formed by the nebula that reaches its peak in the density close to the core. The temperature of the cloud ranges up to 10,000 K that

Voices of freedom Journal Industrialization Essay Example for Free

Voices of freedom Journal Industrialization Essay Industrialization, †the new economy† brought on a wave of new movements and activism in America. Labor movements, women’s rights activists, social, religious, and political reform are among the changes of the Market Society. Industrialization shaped Market Society expansion in many ways. Immigration, Nativism, Westward Expansion, the rise of Nativism,Transcendentalists Movement and The Second Great Awakening all taking place during the 1800-1840 Market Society growth. Market Society refers to farmers, large city growth, factory system, and immigration. Industrialization was the force that shaped Market Society. In the Northwest farming and commercial cities were booming. Westward expansion was due to land being cheap and plentiful which was especially appealing. The belief that freedom laid in the west was because of the availability of land and was ultimately important to economic independence. Here farmers sold livestock and were able to rapidly plow land with aid of the steel plow. While credit and the market was to the east. Cities like Cincinnati and Chicago would grow due to the population growth from immigration and high demand for jobs. Artisan workers were soon replaced by that of the factory worker usually female or immigrants. The very first factory was established in 1790 based on an outwork system. Later large scale factories would be constructed focusing on cotton textiles. Lowell factory is known for their female factory workers. These women adopted the name â€Å"Lowell† girls. Lowell girls were young women of farm families who were offered meager wages for long hours of labor. Ultimately overworked and frustrated workers would expose the grueling conditions of working in the factory. In the words on one Lowell factory worker document 51 in Voices of Freedom, Eric Foner â€Å"Shall they be compelled to listen in silence to those who speak for gain, and are the mere echo of the will of  the corporations? Shall the worthy laborer be silenced by wealth and power, and for fear of being deprived of the means of procuring his daily bread?†. Written is 1845 this worker was upset and speaking out after being over worked, mistreated, and underpaid. This quote is telling not only of her personal feeling about being silenced by power but the mass feelings of injustice to the common worker by corporations at the time. I feel the audience this worker is trying to reach is not only fellow workers to gain backing in resistance of mistreatment but the corporations as well. She is standing up for her own integrity and encouraging others in her situation to the same. She is rightfully casting shame on those corporations for inflicting those conditions. It is during this time that women began to fight for equal rights of opportunity and happiness outside of the home. Immigration caused labor demands to rise fueling the economic expansion. The approximately 4 million immigrants who migrated to America had a variety of motivating factors. Irish Potato Famine, European economic conditions, religion and politics are all some of the reasons immigrants were making the voyage to the America in such large numbers. Most immigrants during this time were German or Irish. Generally Germans came to America more skilled workers and the Irish were unprepared fleeing famine forcing them to fill low-wage laboring jobs. Eventually Nativism would rise in the 1840’s and 50’s. A racially fueled violent backlash in New York City and Philadelphia against immigrants, â€Å"Nativists† feared immigrants were the down fall of America. Nativists blamed immigrants for crimes, corruptions, addictions, and poor wages. ‘Walks among the New york City Poor’, New York Times June 23,1853. Document 52. Voices of Freedom, Eric Foner. â€Å"Healthy, stout frames, and low, degraded faces with many stamps of inferiority†. Here the writer really captures the discriminatory American opinion of immigrants at this time. Nativism labeled these people as inferior and not capable of rising above the status that they arrive with. He is stating that immigrants are seen as inferior to everyone around them and in for a hard time as the reading goes on. I feel like the purpose of the article is to shed light on the high hopes of immigrants and minimal possibility in the new world. This was a very difficult time to be an immigrant. During this time a group of New England intellectuals formed called The Transcendentalists. This group of men believed in the idea of The Free Individual. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a Transcendentalist who believed freedom obtained by the process of self realization transforming ones self according to their own liking. Voices of freedom, Eric Foner document 54. â€Å"The American Scholar 1837,† Ralph Waldo Emerson opens his powerful statement â€Å"In self-trust, all the virtues are comprehended†. Ralph Waldo Emerson addresses the nation and President directly. He is expressing here that self realization is the key success and freedom. This was the fundamental principle of Individualism the the Transcendentalist’s believed in. Henry David Thoreau also a Transcendentalist believed the market revolution worsened individual judgment and freedom was within the individual. The Second Great Awakening was more optimistic than the first and had similar philosophy of the Tra nscendentalists with the addition of a religious twist. The belief in self improvement through determination with the addition of Christianity. Christian denominations such as baptists and methodists began to branch off during this time.

Celtic Christian Art Origins and Development

Celtic Christian Art Origins and Development How Celtic was Celtic Christian Art? The art of the Early Christian Period has been regarded as an Irish phenomenon representing the survival in Ireland of La Tene artistic traditions. (Laing, 1975, 339) It has gained considerable attention due to its wealth of ornamental metalwork, illuminated manuscripts and stone structure. However there is still the debate How Celtic is Celtic Christian Art? The term must first be analysed in order to understand the characteristics of Celtic Christian Art. The high point of this Insular art of the early Christian era was the creation of a series of illuminated Christian manuscripts, notably the Book of Durrow (c.650) and the Book of Kells (c.800), as well as such metalwork masterpieces as the Ardagh Chalice, the Derrynaflan Chalice, the unusual Moylough Belt Shrine, famous processional crosses like the Tully Lough Cross and the Cross of Cong, and the secular Tara Brooch. Within this essay I will attempt to summarise the origin and development of Celtic art in Great Britain and Ireland. As a result, this would assist my analysis on the significant influence Christianity had on Celtic art. A breakdown on examining Celtic art, is to begin defining the term. The term Celtic Art is defined by the people who spoke the Celtic language and embraced their traditions. Thus explains the characteristic decorative motives, for instance the divergent spiral were of foreign origin. However, one must understand that the conversion of the inhabitants of Britain from Paganism to Christianity was a gradual process, extending over a period of several hundred years. Therefore the evidence for the existence of Romano-British Christianity is scarce. Out of the several hundreds of inscribed and sculptured monuments belonging to the period of the Roman occupation of Britain there are hardly any which bear Christian symbols or show traces of Christian art.(Allen, 2001, 162) Moreover another misinterpretation about the term was that many believed the term came from art found in a church or a specific object. The term usually means art which embraces the character of Christianity. A number of problems must also be considered such as assessing beyond the religious aspect of the Celtic Christian tradition, creates a challenge as distorts the image of the range of material which may once have existed. Robert Lloyd Laing supports this view as he suggests that the Early Christian Art is a complex amalgam of artistic traditions which became blended together in the fifth to seventh centuries.(Laing, 1997, 339) Another issue of reliability of using other sources (for instance the La Tene Art), to assess the Christian Celtic Art, as it creates some imperative variations. Whilst La Tene art is undoubtedly of the same genus as that of the early Christian Celts, the variety in vogue after the fourth century AD was markedly different.(Laing, 1987, 5) These difficulties must therefore be interpreted by using the Celtics traditions and its influences from outside elements. This would allow a descriptive analysis of the origin and changes within Celtic Christian Art. Ireland was one of the very few countries that were never colonized by Rome. Unlike Britain and Continental Europe Irish Celtic art was neither influenced by Greek or Roman art. Between the end of the Iron Age and the gradual emergence of Christianity in Ireland a prominent feature within the Irish culture was its unbroken tradition of Celtic culture influenced only marginally by Roman art. Furthermore, Christianity gained more attention with the arrival of St. Patrick in the 5th century CE. This along with the significant introduction of the renaissance of Hiberno- Saxon style or Insular art which was caused by the mission of Aidan of Iona in the 630s to the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, were was especially important in the later development of insular Celtic art and changed the Celtic Christian art. The spread of Christianity throughout Ireland introduced the Irish monastic art. Archaeological evidence such as the monasteries became the principal artistic centres which aid archaeologists, to understand the origin and development of Celtic Christian art. Thus emphasises the impact of Christianity on Irish art and should not be underestimated. A renaissance in the arts was created due to the close connection of the network of monasteries throughout Ireland, Britain (especially Northumbria) and parts of Europe. All these monasteries combined acted as centres of learnin g and artistic craftsmanship as well as places of religious devotion. Thus resulted to the illumination of manuscripts and the enhancement of Celtic designs taken from jewellery and metalwork produced for the Irish secular elite, but most insular art came about because of the patronage and direction of the Catholic Church. Christian Celtic art can generally be summarised by looking at stone crosses, illuminated manuscripts, and metal objects such as chalices, shrines and reliquaries. The art of this period utilized traditional Celtic curvilinear designs enriched with foreign influenced brought back to Ireland by returning missionaries-motifs such as the Saxon use of entangled, interlocking animal forms in geometric decorations. The art of the Anglo-Saxons came into contact due to the Irish missionaries. They practised the traditional colourful animal style in metalwork which became a significant aspect within Celtic art as they associated the animals to individual gods and myths. This is supported by Paul Jacobsthal who analysed that The Scythian animal style expresses a Eurasiatic beast-mythology, a totemism which was all its own. (1935, 113) This shows a subtle influence Christianity had on Celtic Art as the people of the time are beginning to assess animals with religion. However there are limitations with using the animal designs for understanding the changes within Celtic art. Allen suggests that Animal forms are comparatively rare in Late-Celtic art, as they are not interlaced, so that it is almost useless to seek for the original inspiring idea in this direction. (2001, 250) Nevertheless we could still establish a connection with the La Tene compositions and the animal ornaments. For instance from Donore a disc was found; it demonstrated an elaborate composition of trumpet scrolls in tinned bronze, placed against a richly textured background. The sophistication of this striking pattern may be compared to the great Chi-Rho page of the Gospel book, the Book of Kells, which was preserved at the nearby monastery of Kells, Co. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/irish-images/kells-chi-rho-page.jpgMeath for many centuries. The Early Christian Mediterranean artistic traditions would be similarly seen amongst the Frank and Lombards in which these missionaries would have travelled. In addition this connection would have produced a shared manuscript for illuminators, metalworkers and later, monumental sculptors which enabled the basic houses to foster a new art form in northern Britain and Ireland. The most notable artefacts of Christian Celtic Art were dominated by ornaments such as trumpet scrolls, fine spirals often designed to be seen as a reserved line of metal in a field of red enamel. This pattern is best exemplified on the escutcheens of a series of vessels called hanging bowls. These bowls are most likely to be found in Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in eastern and southern England. In addition these bowls have a distinct decoration which is more likely to be Celtic in character. Allen suggests that The closest resemblance between the spiral decoration of the Pagan period and that of the Christian period is to be found on the discoidal ornaments with patterns in champlevà © enamel, forming the attachments of the handles of certain bronze bowls, several examples of which have been discovered from time to time in different parts of England.(2001, 243) the distinctive Celtic character is often argued, for instance some archaeologist believe that it represented booty taken by the conquerors from the Celtic lands and others believe it was uniquely religious. Another important artefact of the time was the Book of Durrow. It is another illuminated manuscript of the Insular style. There are unique textual peculiarities which create a similarity with the Book of Kells. It was seen as one of the most outstanding early manuscripts in the history of Irish art. The illuminated text includes the four Gospels of the New Testament, along with the six surviving carpet pages (which were believed to have been devoted for decoration). It is furthermore suggested that it was linked with the earlier patterns of Celtic metalwork. Unusual symbols are assigned to the gospels which do not follow tradition: a man for Matthew, but an eagle for Mark (instead of the traditional lion), a calf for Luke, but a lion for John (instead of the traditional eagle). These symbols along with the cross which unites them amplify harmony if the Gospels and the argument that early Christian art had influences from the Celtic tradition. This is furthermore supported by the interlace pattern-work, spirals, zoomorphic triskeles, and knots, which were all derived from Celtic art. OSullivan agrees with this argument as they suggested that In Durrow it is followed by a page of abstract design based on Celtic ornament, the first of five so-called carpet-pages, one of which originally faced the opening of each gospel. (2005, 526) In the late 7th to early 8th century, Irish missions in Europe produced the most impressive Celtic Christian art in Europe. This is shown in the illuminated manuscripts of the Bible, which were embellished with decorative borders and astounding intricate, inventive lettering. The complexity of the twining geometric designs dominated previous art, the rare representations of human faces and figures were abnormally stylized. Another book which was considered just as important as the Bible and was seen as a masterpiece of its time was the Book of Kells. The Book of Kells shares the monumentality of its conception with some of the later Pictish cross-slabs, decorated with a wealth of biblical and secular scenes (Laing, 1979, 168) This book was deemed as the most famous, finest group of manuscripts of the 6th through to early 9th centuries, in the monasteries of Ireland, Scotland and England. The book had many similar features to the bible, it included the iconographic and stylistic traditions and the decorated letters, which were usually found in incipit pages for the Gospels. Large stone crosses were also seen as a significant aspect in evaluating how Celitc Celtic Christian art was during its time. During the later eighth and ninth centuries the form of the ringed High Crosses came of great importance. Many of the crosses are devoted to Christian scriptural themes but one early group, probably mostly ninth century in date, is dominated by abstract interlace ornament, the La Tene animal interlace, and key- and fret-patterns. Pure ornament plays a major part also on the crosses with figured scenes and frequently occurs in the form of bossed fleshy scrolls. These sculptural works reached their high point during the early tenth century, as evidenced by Muiredachs Cross at Monasterboice, County Louth, and the Ahenny High Cross in Tipperary. The free-standing crosses, in which the outline of the stone corresponds with the outline of the cross, are the most highly developed type of Celtic sculptured monument of the Christian period, and are therefore presumably the latest, with the exception of those of the decadent period just before and after the Norman Conquest.(Allen, 2001, 188) These crosses were vital in understanding the Celtic Christian art, they were carved with interlacing relief decorations such as ceremonial religious objects, which ornamented with gold filigree and coloured enamel stud. An example of this type of cross would be the Ardagh Chalice. The Ardagh Chalice largely conceals its Christian symbolism, but it carries two medallions on its bowl that contain prominent crosses of arcs.(Duffy, MacShamhrian, Moynes, 2005, 141) This highly sophisticated design is considered one of the finest works of Insular art. Stokes suggested that The Tara brooch and the Ardagh chalice offer the most perfect examples of the use of this peculiar spiral that have been found in the metal-work of Irish Christian Art;(2004, 63) The Ardagh Chalice itself is made from a silver-bronze alloy and its main features include delicate gold filigree work, ornate handles and the use of semi-precious and coloured stones and enamels. The overall impression is that of a master craftsman at work and probably dates from the eight century. Another significant chalice was the Derrynaflan Chalice which was considered to be one of the most outstanding religious artworks in the history of Irish art. It was made in the eigth and ninth century by Irish metallurgists. These were highly skilled craftsmen who had superlative artistic skills during the Insular Art period (c.650-1000) in the ultimate La Tene style. Duffy, MacShamhrain and Moynes analysed that the Derrynaflan Chalice is less colourful than the Ardagh Chalice however its filigree is of great interest because it shows elements of common Christian iconography griffons, birds, beast, and quadrupeds, probably lions that are widespread in early medieval European sculpture and metalwork as part of the Tree of Life and related motifs. (2005, 141) Brooches are also very useful in examining How Celtic is Celtic Art? In Ireland, the Celtic brooches were a perfect example of the type of jewellery the high-status people used to wear. Many of the brooches features include symbols that have come to epitomize the Celtic culture; examples such as Claddagh, the Brigids cross, the Celtic hound and the classic example of Celtic interlace are typical patterns for Celtic art. The most popular Celtic brooch is the Tara brooch design. The Tara brooch design and the Hunterston brooch are considered to be two of the most important evidences in Celtic Christian art. Hourihane suggests that It has long been recognized that while both brooches show elements from the native Celtic La Tene repertoire, their design also reflects outside influences and incorporates many foreign elements.(2001, 211) The Tara brooch is a classic example of an artefact from early Christian-era Ireland. It dates around 700AD and features an embellished circle with a long, straight pin. It is a representation of the Celitc peoples brilliant craftsmanship. The Hunterston brooch is one of the earliest examples of decorative brooches from Britain and Ireland. Solid silver with gold and silver filigree and amber studs compose the head and pin of the brooch. The style of the brooch derives from the Pictish tradition in its presentation of zoomorphic creatures.Brooches can be found on monument al sculpture of the Mullaghmast stone, in which they appeared to be used for carrying variants of the early hanging bowl style. Moreover during the period of 800-100AD, silver became exceedingly popular with the Irish and Anglo-Saxon metallurgists, thus led to the creation of well-noted brooches. In conclusion Celtic Christian art was very Celtic as just like all art, it was inspired by religion. The Celts paganism was different to that of the Greeks and Romans as it was supported by the authority of druids, who were the guardians of writing, teaching, culture and most importantly religion. Their polytheistic ideas manifested themselves through animals, various monsters and collective goddesses, (Gods and demigods were usually depicted on coins). Thus, this explains the popular use of zoo morphology in their art. In addition to understand Celtic art we must analyse the unity between the materials and techniques the people of the time used. For instance Celtic art consists of hard or hardened objects such as metal, stone, wood, leather, glass and clay. There is no painting (except on pottery), no wax, no wickerwork and virtually no weaving. Iron engraving and abstract sculpture in bronze both derive from the Ancient Celts who combined the techniques of engraving and sculpting most effectively. Their strong point was the creation of tiny sculptures, particularly for the embossed engraving of coinage. Another form of unity was their common use of animals. Frequent subjects such as the quadrupeds, birds, fish and reptiles are often represented, along with the merge of plant designs which lend themselves into transformations. The Celts favoured using animals and plants than those depicted humans, thus makes it simple for an archaeologist to identify Celtic Christian art. The very human representations which were found are usually a form of an imaginary being for instance a monster, as though everything in the world were metaphysically linked. The treatment of these subjects is a source of bafflement for, in each case, the Celts present us with riddles. In conclusion, to answer the question How Celtic is Celtic Christian Art? an archaeologist must look at the common traditional themes which continued through to the Early Christian art. The complex, twining geometric designs predominated; the rare representations of human faces and figures were abstract and stylized, would assist us in judging how Celtic, Celtic Christian Art was at the time. Bibliography Allen J. R., 2001, Celtic Art in Pagan and Christian Times, Dover Publications Inc, General Publishing Company Ltd, 30 Lesmill Road, Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario Duffy S., MacShamhrain A., Moynes J., 2005, Medieval Ireland: an encyclopedia, Routledge, 2 Park Square Miton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN, U.K. Dumbleton W. A., 1984, Ireland, life and land in literature, State University of New Yotk Press, State University Plaza, Albany, N.Y., 12246 Hourihane C., 2001, From Ireland coming: Irish art from the early Christian to late Gothic period and its European context, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeston University, Princeston, New Jersey, 08540 Laing R. L., 1975, The Archaeology of Late Celtic Britain and Ireland, c.400-1200AD, Methuen Co Ltd, 11 New Fetter Lane London EC4P 4EE Laing R. L., 1997, Later Celtic Art in Britain and Ireland, Shire Publications Ltd, Cromwell House Church Street Princes Risborough Buckinghamshire HP27 9AA UK OSullivan, 2005, Manuscripts and Palaeography in A New History of Ireland: Prehistoric and early Ireland, Oxford University Press, New York Stokes M., 2004, Early Christian Art in Ireland, Kessinger Publishing,

Comparing The Passionate Shepherd To His Love, Her Reply, and Cecil Day

Comparing The Passionate Shepherd To His Love,  Her Reply, and Cecil Day Lewis  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When looking at these three poems,   it immediately becomes noticeable that all of them are very similar.   They often share the same lines,   almost word for word,   and furthermore follow a smilar tone,   as well as having an identical rhyming pattern.   „The passionate shepherd to his loveâ€Å" (poem number one)   is followed by an answer from his lover (poem number two),   and is then followed up by a further poem by Cecil Day Lewis,   which like in poem number one,   is an attempt at winning a ladies heart over,   and convincing her to devote all her love to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first poem seems to be an idyillic one,   and spends a lot of time going into the description of the surrounding nature.   Christopher Marlowe describes the countryside as being pure and beautiful,   and seems to be trying to suggest that his love is also something natural and pure. „That hills and valley,   dales and fields, Or woods or steepy mountain yieldsâ€Å" However it almost seems as though it is too good to be true,   as one knows that nature also conceals many dangers.   However he takes it further than that,   and seems to try and build up a kind of utopia for his love talking about treating her as well as he possibly can. „And I will make thee a bed of roses, And a thousand fragrant posiesâ€Å" However the poet is now attempting to build up such a perfect image of their possible life together,   that it becomes ever more unrealistic.   The answer from the lady whose heart he is trying to win over however,   takes a far more realistic approach,   and seems to try and bring him back down to earth.   She makes him aware of the fact that time brings change,   an... ...,   but in the closing two lines of the last stanza in poems in and three the poets once again use the same lines to express their feelings. „If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my Love.â€Å" To conclude the comparison of the three given poems it must be said that they are very similar,   and in certain aspects even identical.   The only exception to this seems to be the second poem,   which was a reply to the first.   Despite talking about the same topic,   and being directly linked to the first poem,   it is very different,   as it is not attempting to proclaim the poets love,   but is turning it down.   Equally the last poem differs slightly due to different circumstances.   Yet all of them are attempting to show the reader (or the person it is meant for),   what the poets feelings towards that person is,   by using very descriptive language.

Antigone, Empress of Byzantium, and My Aunt :: Antigone Essays

Antigone, Empress of Byzantium, and My Aunt I have very few heroes, but if I could pick three people who are heroic to me, I would have to choose Antigone from the tragic play Antigone by Sophocles, Theodora, Empress of Byzantium, and my own personal hero, my great aunt Alice. All of these women have had a profound effect on the world around them, and worked hard to shape the world as they saw fit, to protect their loved ones and those to whom they were and are loyal. My personal hero especially has had a profound effect on my upbringing and me. While I have few heroes, I will pick some people from the past, present, and literature to represent what I believe a hero should be. The first hero is Antigone from the well-known Greek tragedy Antigone, written by Sophocles of an older Greek myth. Antigone was not only a hero, but also a martyr. She died for her cause; she died to save the honor and soul of her brother Polynices, even though he was a traitor. She defied the order of the main antagonist Creon, or Kreon, whose edict was that no one should bury Polynices body, or even mourn his passing. (Antigone) On the other hand, her other brother who had seized the thrown after Oedipus's passing, was buried with honor and as a hero. Antigone would not stand for this, as both her mother and father were dead, and thusly she would never have any other brothers ever again. She did not want either of her brothers bodies to be, "left as a corpse eaten by birds and dogs and torn to pieces, shameful for everyone to see," because this would bring more shame to her family then had already been brought by her father, who had killed his own father unknowingly and married hi s own mother. This is one reason that Antigone is dangerous and heroic, she remembers the past, unlike Creon, who unwittingly begins to repeat the mistakes of Oedipus in his reign, and Antigone uses this information as well as any sword master as a weapon against Creon. She knows that she will be put to death, however she faces up to that and defends her brother anyway, and is unafraid of the consequences. She even makes Creons orders seem shameful, putting them up in a classic rivalry between divine and human law, making it clear that the will of her gods is more important then life or death.

Friendship in The Pact :: Personal Narrative Pact College Friends Essays

Friendship in The Pact Works Cited Missing Friendship can lift you up, strengthen and empower you, or break you down, weaken and defeat you† (32). In The Pact, George, Rameck, and Sam lifted each other through the hard times. They helped each other reach their dreams, even though they had their rough times. George, Rameck, and Sam all lived troubled lives while growing up. They all suffered with financial problems, and judicial problems. Their friendship helped them succeed and eventually gave them a more stable live style. Friendship is very powerful and can help you in so many ways. Many high school seniors are excited about going to college. Meeting new people, trying new things, and finding who they are, are all things they look forward to. But, not until a few days before the big move out, do they become nervous. To me, overcoming the transition to college was very difficult, and would have been more difficult if I did not have friends to encourage me. I was filled with excitement throughout the entire summer. I could not wait to get out of Scranton to expand my horizons. As the summer progressed, the excitement grew. When receiving the room assignments, I was shaking with nerves to see who I would be living with. I remember seeing their names and immediately forming a stereotype of them just by the looks of their name. A week before moving out, reality hit me like a gigantic rock. The feelings that were excitement were now anxiety. I was scared about leaving my safety zone. I knew many people in Scranton, and fit in well. I did not know anyone that was attending Penn State Harrisburg, I was alone for the first time in my life. I began to look at college as a fresh start of life. I had the opportunity to change anything I want about myself. However, the day before leaving, I wanted to change my mind, I no longer wanted to leave everything that I have known for my entire life. But, I refused to show my new feelings because I knew it was a common feeling among other college bound freshman. After some tears and deep breathes, I realized I always wanted to go away to school and if I backed out, I would regret my decision for the rest of my life.

Major Problems Faced by Indian Agriculture

Major Problems Faced by Indian Agriculture The major problems confronting Indian agriculture are those of population pressure, small holdings, depleted soils, lack of modern technology and poor facilities for storage. (a) Population Pressure: India has a huge population of over one billion and it is increasing at a very fast rate. According to 2001 census figures the over all density of population is 324 persons per sq. km. This is likely to increase further in future. This has created great demand for land. Every bit of land has been brought under the plough.Even the hill slopes have been cut into terraces for cultivation. (b) Small and Fragmented Land Holdings: The pressure of increasing population and the practice of dividing land equally among the heirs has caused excessive sub divisions of farm holdings. Consequently, the holdings are small and fragmented. The small size of holdings makes farming activity uneconomical and leads to social tension, violence and discontentment. (c) Inadequate Irrigation Facilities: By and large the irrigation facilities available in India are far from adequate.So for half of the total area under food crops has been brought under irrigation and the remaining half is left to the mercy of monsoon rains which are erratic in time and space. (d) Depleted Soils: Indian soils have been used for growing crops for thousands of years which have resulted in the depletion of soil fertility. With deforestation the sources of maintaining natural fertility of soil has been drying out. Lack of material resources and ignorance of scientific knowledge have further depleted the soils of the natural fertility. Earlier only animal waste was enough to maintain soil fertility. e) Storage of food grains: Storage of food grains is a big problem. Nearly 10 per cent of our harvest goes waste every year in the absence of proper storage facilities. This colossal wastage can be avoided by developing scientific ware-housing facilities. The government has ta ken several steps to provide storage facilities. (f) Farm Implements: Although some mechanisation of farming has taken place in some parts of the country, most of the farmers are poor and do not have enough resources to purchase modern farm implements and tools.This hampers the development of agriculture. Challenges agriculture sector challenges will be important to India’s overall development and the improved welfare of its rural poor: 1. Raising agricultural productivity per unit of land: Raising productivity per unit of land will need to be the main engine of agricultural growth as virtually all cultivable land is farmed. Water resources are also limited and water for irrigation must contend with increasing industrial and urban needs.All measures to increase productivity will need exploiting, amongst them: increasing yields, diversification to higher value crops, and developing value chains to reduce marketing costs. 2. Reducing rural poverty through a socially inclusive s trategy that comprises both agriculture as well as non-farm employment: Rural development must also benefit the poor, landless, women, scheduled castes and tribes. Moreover, there are strong regional disparities: the majority of India’s poor are in rain-fed areas or in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic plains. Reaching such groups has not been easy.While progress has been made – the rural population classified as poor fell from nearly 40% in the early 1990s to below 30% by the mid-2000s (about a 1% fall per year) – there is a clear need for a faster reduction. Hence, poverty alleviation is a central pillar of the rural development efforts of the Government and the World Bank. 3. Ensuring that agricultural growth responds to food security needs: The sharp rise in food-grain production during India’s Green Revolution of the 1970s enabled the country to achieve self-sufficiency in food-grains and stave off the threat of famine.Agricultural intensification in the 197 0s to 1980s saw an increased demand for rural labor that raised rural wages and, together with declining food prices, reduced rural poverty. However agricultural growth in the 1990s and 2000s slowed down, averaging about 3. 5% per annum, and cereal yields have increased by only 1. 4% per annum in the 2000s. The slow-down in agricultural growth has become a major cause for concern. India’s rice yields are one-third of China’s and about half of those in Vietnam and Indonesia. The same is true for most other agricultural commodities.Policy makers will thus need to initiate and/or conclude policy actions and public programs to shift the sector away from the existing policy and institutional regime that appears to be no longer viable and build a solid foundation for a much more productive, internationally competitive, and diversified agricultural sector. Priority Areas for Support 1. Enhancing agricultural productivity, competitiveness, and rural growth Promoting new techno logies and reforming agricultural research and extension: Major reform and strengthening of India’s agricultural research and extension systems is one of the most important needs for agricultural growth.These services have declined over time due to chronic underfunding of infrastructure and operations, no replacement of aging researchers or broad access to state-of-the-art technologies. Research now has little to provide beyond the time-worn packages of the past. Public extension services are struggling and offer little new knowledge to farmers. There is too little connection between research and extension, or between these services and the private sector. Improving Water Resources and Irrigation/Drainage Management: Agriculture is India’s largest user of water.However, increasing competition for water between industry, domestic use and agriculture has highlighted the need to plan and manage water on a river basin and multi-sectoral basis. As urban and other demands mu ltiply, less water is likely to be available for irrigation. Ways to radically enhance the productivity of irrigation (â€Å"more crop per drop†) need to be found. Piped conveyance, better on-farm management of water, and use of more efficient delivery mechanisms such as drip irrigation are among the actions that could be taken. There is also a need to manage as opposed to exploit the use of groundwater.Incentives to pump less water such as levying electricity charges or community monitoring of use have not yet succeeded beyond sporadic initiatives. Other key priorities include: (i) modernizing Irrigation and Drainage Departments to integrate the participation of farmers and other agencies in managing irrigation water; (ii) improving cost recovery; (iii) rationalizing public expenditures, with priority to completing schemes with the highest returns; and (iv) allocating sufficient resources for operations and maintenance for the sustainability of investments.Facilitating agric ultural diversification to higher-value commodities: Encouraging farmers todiversify to higher value commodities will be a significant factor for higher agricultural growth, particularly in rain-fed areas where poverty is high. Moreover, considerable potential exists for expanding agro-processing and building competitive value chains from producers to urban centers and export markets. While diversification initiatives should be left to farmers and entrepreneurs, the Government can, first and foremost, liberalize constraints to marketing, transport, export and processing.It can also play a small regulatory role, taking due care that this does not become an impediment. Promoting high growth commodities: Some agricultural sub-sectors have particularly high potential for expansion, notably dairy. The livestock sector, primarily due to dairy, contributes over a quarter of agricultural GDP and is a source of income for 70% of India’s rural families, mostly those who are poor and he aded by women. Growth in milk production, at about 4% per annum, has been brisk, but future domestic demand is expected to grow by at least 5% per annum.Milk production is constrained, however, by the poor genetic quality of cows, inadequate nutrients, inaccessible veterinary care, and other factors. A targeted program to tackle these constraints could boost production and have good impact on poverty. Developing markets, agricultural credit and public expenditures: India’s legacy of extensive government involvement in agricultural marketing has created restrictions in internal and external trade, resulting in cumbersome and high-cost marketing and transport options for agricultural commodities.Even so, private sector investment in marketing, value chains and agro-processing is growing, but much slower than potential. While some restrictions are being lifted, considerably more needs to be done to enable diversification and minimize consumer prices. Improving access to rural fi nance for farmers is another need as it remains difficult for farmers to get credit. Moreover, subsidies on power, fertilizers and irrigation have progressively come to dominate Government expenditures on the sector, and are now four times larger than investment expenditures, crowding out top priorities such as agricultural research and extension.

Poetic form meter Essay

Exploring how Allen Curnow portrays the search for inspiration in Continuum In the poem ‘Continuum’ by Allen Curnow, he tells us about his lack of inspiration. The theme of the poem revolves around poetic inspiration, and how he is unable to get inspiration. Allen Curnow uses a variety of stylistic devices to portray this. The title, â€Å"Continuum†, shows us that the problem Allen Curnow talks about, his lack of inspiration, is never ending and is continuing all the time, i.e., it is continuous. The first stanza signifies the first stage of poetic inspiration and also shows us Curnow’s unstable thoughts; â€Å"the roof falls behind†, as he is unable to compose poetry he is in a sense, rolling and falling all over the place so to speak. In the first line, the word â€Å"moon† is used as an image: a symbol for Curnow. As the moon is unable to shine on its own (it has to draw its light and energy from the sun), just like that Curnow depends on his writing to keep him going in life. The first stanza also tells the reader about the setting and time of the poem which is at night. The moon also evokes images of loneliness and a solitary state in that it is the only bright object in the night sky just like Curnow is the only (and therefore lonely) person awake at night. The poem has no definite rhyme scheme, suggesting to us that the poet is finding it difficult to express his thoughts, and he cannot tap into the world of imagination. The last line of the first stanza; â€Å"I am talking about myself.† Is a clear statement of his frustration and his inability to write. In the next stanza, Curnow is seeking connection with nature to find poetic inspiration. The line, â€Å"It’s not possible to get off to sleep†, tells the reader that the poet is unable to sleep which shows that something is troubling him. He tries to convey that it’s as tough to get rid of his thoughts as it is to get rid off the planet. Curnow goes out â€Å"barefoot†, to rid himself of the human material and wants to connect with nature†¦.

Inherit the Wind Essay

Inherit the Wind â€Å"Here in Hillsboro we are fighting the fight of the Faithful through-out the world! † (53) Inherit the Wind is the epic legal drama, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, of a controversial subject: creationism versus Darwinism. Hillsboro is extremely determined to defend creationism. Though fictional, Inherit the Wind is based on the Scopes Trial, which occurred in July of 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee.The play was published in 1957, a period of time where people, especially those of Hillsboro, the small town in which the play is set, were only allowed to teach the theory of creationism; teaching evolution was against the law. The people of the town were extremely religious. To not believe in the bible or attend church would result in being shunned by Hillsboro. In Inherit the Wind, the attitude of Hillsboro subtly changes throughout the course of the trial of the young schoolteacher who purposely broke the law.The town reflects the fiercely religiou s and biased views collectively shared by its people, such that it becomes an important character in itself. The changes in the town’s attitude are small, evident by certain individuals within the town learning to open their minds and accept the theory of evolution. Before the trial of Bert Cates, the attitude of the town is reflected by its behavior towards Bert Cates, Henry Drummond, and Matthew Harrison Brady. Bert Cates is a schoolteacher who was imprisoned for teaching evolution to his class, something Hillsboro considers to be very wrong.Rachel Brown is the daughter of the Reverend, and though she tries to defy her father and his views, even she sides with Hillsboro and does not understand â€Å"why [he] can’t be on the right side of things† (8). The â€Å"right side† is Hillsboro’s side; the only â€Å"right† answer is in the bible. Because Hillsboro is so close-minded, it refuses to accept any other theories or opinions. It wants Cat es to be found guilty. It considers him a criminal for what he did; therefore, the bias against him is clear before the trial even begins.In turn, Hillsboro is equally unhappy with the defense attorney, Henry Drummond. Drummond is a renowned lawyer who is described as â€Å"the most agile legal mind of the Twentieth Century† (22). He has the ability to win the case, something Hillsboro assumed would not to be done. Reverend Brown calls him the â€Å"Devil† (25) because â€Å"[one] looks into his face, and [wonders] why God made such a man† (25). Given this description, Hillsboro assumes it to be true and treats him as though he is evil. Hillsboro thinks Drummond does not believe in God because he has won cases where the defendants were clearly guilty.Hillsboro knows that Drummond is an excellent lawyer, and with him defending Cates, the trial could have a remarkably different result from what Hillsboro was expecting. By calling him the â€Å"Devil†, Hills boro is able to turn its people against Drummond. However, the attitude Hillsboro displays towards Matthew Harrison Brady is completely opposite. The famous lawyer is the lead prosecutor for the trial of Bert Cates. Hillsboro worships Brady; he is devoted to the bible, believing â€Å"all the answers to those questions are in the Bible† (34) and that evolution is nonsense.Hillsboro is overjoyed, and rather star struck to have him in town. All of Hillsboro gathers to welcome Brady with a feast and frequently sings, â€Å"It is good enough for Brady† (17). The difference with which Hillsboro treats Brady compared to Cates and Drummond is colossal. Everyone is completely taken in by his charm and presentation; each hang on every word he says. Before the trial begins, Brady already has Hillsboro on his side. With the negative attitude Hillsboro displays before the trial, how could Bert Cates stand a chance against their bias and closed minds?Throughout the trial of Bert Ca tes, the behavior and bias Hillsboro had previously displayed, remains, and escalates, to the point where even Brady feels uncomfortable. The meaning of religion to Hillsboro is reflected by its people, shown by the answers and opinions given by the potential jurors. The members of the jury were selected by Drummond and Brady, both of whom had to agree upon the individual in order for them to serve as a juror. Brady does not care whether it is a fair trial; he only wants to win.This could be almost guaranteed as the jurors are all members of Hillsboro and many seem to â€Å"believe in the Holy Word of God †¦ and Matthew Harrison Brady† (36). It is impossible to have a fair trial for Bert Cates when the jury members are all chosen from Hillsboro, thus it is clear they do not want Cates to stand a chance. A message from Reverend Brown to Hillsboro further illustrates this. At the end of the first day of the trial, the Judge announces â€Å"there will be a prayer-meeting t onight on the courthouse lawn, to pray for justice and guidance†(42), a message Reverend Brown asks him to relay.The judge seems to see nothing wrong with doing so, demonstrated by his reaction to Drummond’s objections. Clearly the judge does not care about the fairness of Cates’ trial, as he openly announced a meeting to pray for a guilty verdict. There were no evolutionist meetings being held, as Drummond pointed out. The only option Hillsboro gives is to believe in the bible. The degree of the importance of religion to Hillsboro is revealed during the prayer meeting. Reverend Brown becomes very passionate and eventually deranged when telling Hillsboro how God supposedly created the world in seven days.Hillsboro, in turn, reacts fervently, screaming and roaring â€Å"Hosannah! Bless the Lord who created us! † (57) And â€Å"Amen, amen! † (57). The Reverend goes on further to directly talk about Cates, asking Hillsboro â€Å"Do we call down hellfi re on the man who has sinned against the Word† (59), which Hillsboro agrees with, encouraging the Reverend to continue in his rant, and ask God to have Cates’ soul â€Å"writhe in anguish and damnation† (59). It is at this point in time that Brady realizes the extent Hillsboro is willing to take religion.Hillsboro would have Cates sent to Hell and eternally damned because he chose to teach evolution. As much as Brady is a religious man, even he believes Hillsboro has gone too far. The trial of Bert Cates has illuminated how religious Hillsboro truly is and how the opinion of a few people can impact an entire town. After the trial of Bert Cates, there is a small, but nevertheless definite, shift in attitude of Hillsboro, demonstrated by the outcome of the trial and individual character changes.Bert Cates is the first person in Hillsboro to dare oppose the law against evolution; this is the first step in bringing about the change. Although his actions are technical ly wrong, Cates believes he did the right thing and refuses to stand down. Even the woman he loves, Rachel Brown, begs him to â€Å"tell ‘em it was all a joke† (7), and though he wavers, he sees the trial through to the end. Cates opens the door to a different side, one which most of Hillsboro has never even considered, at least not openly.Though Hillsboro may not accept or like evolution, the town was forced to contemplate the idea of it because of the trial. Rachel Brown is the Reverend’s daughter, and throughout the play, struggles to stand up to her father; the conclusion of Cates’s trial allows her to find the courage to finally do so. Rachel is terrified to show her support of Cates for fear of her father. Reverend Brown answers Brady’s question â€Å"My daughter will be pleased to answer any questions about Bert Cates† (22).Before the trial begins, Rachel refuses to stand up for herself or answer for herself. She begins to oppose her f ather, when she jumps on stage and implores her father â€Å"[not to] pray to destroy Bert! † (59), during the prayer meeting, something she could not have done at the beginning of the play. She has had creationism enforced upon her for her whole life, yet Cates’s trial opens her mind to evolution, when Drummond questions Brady on how the World could possibly have been created in Seven days. The trial also gives her the strength to stand up to her father.A change in the attitude of one person can have a significant impact on the people around him, especially in a town as small as Hillsboro. Rachel cannot have been the only person in Hillsboro to doubt creationism after the trial; however, if she were, her new outlook would surely inspire those surrounding her. The result of the trial plays a key role in the change of Hillsboro’s attitude. Although the jury finds Cates guilty, his punishment is only a five hundred dollar fine. This case turned into something much bigger than just a small town case; the entire state was waiting with baited breath to hear the results.Yet after all the fuss and trouble that was made about this case, to fine Cates only five hundred dollars is astounding, especially considering Hillsboro wanted to have Cates’s soul â€Å"writhe in anguish and damnation† (59). The jury is made up of biased people who were completely close-minded to begin with, but Drummond is able to convince Hillsboro to slightly open its mind, which is an incredible accomplishment. Although Cates technically lost the trial, it should be considered a victory. In Inherit the Wind, the attitude of Hillsboro subtly changes throughout the course of the trial of the young schoolteacher who purposely broke the law.The town reflects the fiercely religious and biased views collectively shared by its people, such that it becomes an important character in itself. The changes in the town’s attitude are small, evident by certain individ uals within the town. The people of Hillsboro are extraordinarily similar. They all think, feel, and act the same way. There are few individuals who stand out in the town, as most are from the same cookie-cutter mold. Because the people are so alike, they are able to blend into one character that represents all of them.As a result, the town becomes a vital character to the story. Hillsboro is willing to send a schoolteacher to jail for voicing his opinions, because he goes against what the town collectively believes to be â€Å"right†. Through the course of the play, we are given insight into how much religion can mean not only to one person, but an entire town, and the lengths a town is willing to go to prevent change. Setting this play in a different town, one without the same religious beliefs, would alter the story immensely; in fact, the entire trial may not have occurred.

Nature Strongly Influences Early Human Development Essay

Since biology was determined as a science there have always been argues about the question of whether nature or nurture influence is more important to early human development. Early human development includes the period between conceiving the fetus and till the first steps of infancy. Each arguing side has many supporting arguments and evidences, which bring a new â€Å"fuel† to this ever-burning flame. Although nurture’s influence on the newborns could not be underestimated, nature’s influence is stronger and more important to the early human development because of genes and some inevitable processes in development. As it is known, at the moment of conception a remarkable amount of personal characteristics are already determined by the genes. They decide sex, the color of eyes and human characteristics. These genetic determinants are expressed in development through the process of maturation. This evidence shows the role of nature is much higher than the role of nurture. Despite this view, many still consider nurture to be more influential to early human development due to conditions in uterine environment. However, such an argument could not deny the fact that early human development innately determined sequences of growth and change that a relatively independent on environmental events. The process of human’s fetus development within the mother’s body is strictly fixed by genetically programmed time schedule, and fetal behavior, such as kicking, also follows an orderly sequences that depends on the stage of growth. The process of maturation is also fixed by this schedule. One of the best examples of inevitability of these processes in development is disappearance of the reflexive head-turning response to the direction of the source of sound. The temporary disappearance of this reflex probably represents a maturational transition from a reflexive response controlled by sub cortical areas of the brain to a voluntary attempt to locate the sound source. (Hiller, Hewitt & Morrongiello, 1992; Ashmead et al. , 1991; Field, 1987). By four months, infants will reach the correct direction toward the source of sound in the dark; by six months, they show a marked increase in their responsiveness to sounds that accompanied by interesting sights and are able to pinpoint the location of sound more precisely, an ability that continues to improve into their second year (Hiller, Hewitt & Morrongiello, 1992; Ashmead et al., 1991; Field, 1987). Opponents argue that this genetically programmed schedule is depends on environmental influence and nurture. Study carried out by McGraw indicates that practice or extra stimulation can accelerate the appearance of motor behaviors to some extent, especially in a stepping reflex. However, this five-seven weeks difference on start of walking between stimulated and does not stimulated newborns just highlights the inevitability of development processes. In conclusion, it should be evident that the arguments which was given to support that nurture is more strongly influences early human development is not valid. On the contrary, many people involved to studying this issue say that genes contribute to strengthen of nature’s influence on early human development by inevitability of natural processes. Furthermore, extra stimulation is not so significantly important for development because the children may develop without it. Therefore, Nature strongly influences early human development than nurture.

Knowledge managment MBA Level Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Knowledge managment MBA Level - Assignment Example It is because of these problems that knowledge management (which entails generation and Embedment of knowledge into the operations of these construction organisations) has been enhanced. Regardless of the fact that generation and Embedment of knowledge in these organizations is of great importance, their implementation is also faced with challenges such as mistrust, and poor management of knowledge among others. Introduction Construction projects have become very dynamic and complicated in the recent times such that managers of these projects face great challenges in managing the current projects (Bektas, Heintz, & Wamelink 2007). Normally, construction companies as well as their employees perform activities as well as tasks associated with project management based on the past experience instead of following or using approaches prescribed in textbooks (Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi 2004). They also prefer these carrying out project management activities based on their past work expe riences to utilizing analytical approach. Also, costs associated with retaining, recruiting and attracting employees who are talented and experienced is normally high. This fact is further complicated by fact that in the recent times construction companies have been losing some of their most talented, skilled, experienced and knowledgeable employees to other industries as well as to other competing construction companies (Bektas, Heintz, & Wamelink 2007). One of the ways of ensuring that the skills, knowledge and experience related to managing these projects are retained is by knowledge management. Knowledge is normally considered is one of the most essential factors in project management as well as managements associated with decision making processes (Anumba , Egbu & Carillo 2005). Knowledge also ensures that construction companies have competitive advantage while carrying out construction projects. Therefore, knowledge management would ensure that knowledge and experience related to managing these projects are distributed and utilized accordingly (Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi 2004). Regardless of the fact that generation and embedment of knowledge in these organizations is of great importance, their implementation is also faced with challenges and threats. This research paper, therefore, aims at identifying challenges and opportunities that confront project-based organisations. The research paper will also identify some of the challenges that face generation and embedment knowledge into the operations of these organizations in the construction industry. Challenges facing project-based organizations Before discussing the challenges that face project based organizations it is important that the meaning of expression â€Å"project-based organization† is understood. According to Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi (2004), project-based organizations are those organizations that involve themselves with temporary projects or temporary project tasks such as co nstruction activities. These organizations are the common phenomenon in construction industry, and are normally faced with a number of challenges. The challenges or dilemmas that normally face project-based organizations are discussed in the preceding paragraphs. One major challenges that faces project-based organization is dilemmas associated with their practices and the need theory. According to Syd

Critically evaulate the care and management of a Scaphoid fracture Essay

Critically evaulate the care and management of a Scaphoid fracture from the perspective of a Emergency Nurse Practitioner - Essay Example I chose to focus on scaphoid fractures since they are part of the injuries that I am likely to come across as an emergency nurse practitioner (Rutter, 2008). This paper touches on the clinical assessment and differential diagnosis of scaphoid fractures. I will discuss different assessments that a nurse can perform and the diagnosis process that is supposed to be followed when dealing with a fractured scaphoid. I will also look at the psychological as well as the cultural factors that might affect the patient suffering from a fractured scaphoid. I will also include the treatment options available for scaphoid fractures. There are several issues related to the management of fractured scaphoids. And I will delve deep into some of these issues in my discussion. Clinical assessment and differential diagnosis Scaphoid fractures are quite difficult to diagnose correctly since X-Ray interpretations are normally vague (Gunal, Barton and Calli, 2010). This draws to attention the need of clinic al assessment in the diagnosis process. The diagnostic process of a fractured scaphoid needs to be thorough enough to be able to make accurate diagnosis. Signs and Symptoms It is quite challenging to diagnose fractured scaphoids due to the lack of apparent signs that are common with bone fractures. The most common symptom or sign of a fractured scaphoid is tenderness and pain, which is usually accompanied by swelling on the wrist (Elhassan and Shin, 2006). However these signs are not very specific and one might make unnecessary outpatient reviews. In the health facility where I worked, MRI technology was used to a certain the presence of a fractured scaphoid on a patient (Garcia and Holtz, 2001). However, the patient had to undergo plain-film radiographs to ascertain that indeed there was a fracture on the wrist. The first step of the clinical assessment of the suspected fractured scaphoid was to take the patients history (Bickley, 2005). Taking the history of the patient was import ant as it showed the injury mechanism. For a fractured scaphoid, the injury mechanism normally involved: Falling onto the outstretched hand Forced dorsiflexion, with a radially deviated wrist Sometime there could be palmar flexion After checking the common signs of a fractures wrist such as swelling, lack of a strong grip and pain, the next step involved the use of radiographs (Elhassan and Shin, 2006). The lateral radiograph was used to indicate whether or not there was any sign of inconsistency in the alignment of the carpal and distal joints (Edwards and Stillman, 2006). If the patient had positive radiograph results but negative initial clinical findings were treated using cast immobilization for two weeks. After two weeks, the examination was repeated to examine whether there had been any form of healing or bony resorption at the site of the fracture. Emergency nursing practitioners carried out the initial clinical evaluation which in most cases showed the following (Muscari. 2 001): Pain on the wrist Fullness and swelling off the snuffbox, which was a clear indication of effusion Tender palpation in the anatomical snuffbox and scaphoid tubercle Reduction in the range of motion Pronation and ulnar deviation that caused pain Reduced strength of grip When the radiographs failed to indicate the fracture, even when it was apparent there was one, the other option used was MRI. In many health facilities which deal with emergency care for minor

Financial Conservatism. Determinants of cash and leverage conservatism Dissertation

Financial Conservatism. Determinants of cash and leverage conservatism in USA firms - Dissertation Example Microsoft, Exxon, Apple are all examples of non-financial firms that have held huge stockpiles of cash1. According to a recent San Francisco Chronicle report, Apple reportedly has a stockpile of $137 Billion, and the company justifies this by saying that it is â€Å"preserving its options†2. In financial literature, a firm which holds more cash reserves or lower leverage than is optimal according to capital structure is known to be financially conservative. To avoid having to depend on costly external sources of debt, having spare debt capacities by maintaining low liabilities to total asset ratios is important. Also for the same reason, retaining adequate cash reserves is also important. From 1980 to 2004, the average cash-to-asset ratio for industrial US firms has increased by 129 percent. During the same time period, net debt for these firms has fallen substantially (Bates et al, 2009). Therefore, on average these firms seem to have adopted more financially conservative pra ctices in both senses by reducing leverage and increasing cash holdings simultaneously. However, much of the reduction in net debt is attributed to higher cash holdings rather than any reduction in liabilities. In general financial conservatism has become a very relevant topic of study in this backdrop. In this context, this paper studies the characteristics of financially conservative firms. The main objective is to see whether financially conservative practices can protect firms from being distressed and what effects the financial crisis had on financially conservative practices. Barring Iona, Leonida and Ozkan (2004), Prior research has focused on analysing conservative behaviour of firms from either the perspective of holding excessively high cash balances or from the perspective of maintaining lower than optimal leverage levels. Iona, Leonida and Ozkan (2004) look at non-financial financially conservative UK firms that adopt both these practices simultaneously. No work prior wo rk has examined the coexistence of both cash conservative and leverage conservative practices for US firms. Using a large sample of industrial US firms over the period of 2002-2011, I enquire into the nature of financial conservatism. Since a firm is financially conservative if it is conservative in terms of holding extra cash reserves as well as maintaining low leverage, I start off by looking at the determinants of cash conservativeness and the determinants of leverage conservativeness. Then I look at what are the important characteristics of firms that contribute to making its financial practices conservative in general. In particular, I ask, what factors influence the probability of a firm being both cash and leverage conservative at the same time. After determining the important factors, I turn to the critical question of how financial conservatism affects the probability of a firm being financially distressed. The major contributions of this paper are twofold: first, extending the literature on conservative firms which adopt both cash and leverage conservatism simultaneously and second, applying the theory of jointly cash and leverage conservative practices to characterize conservative US firms which have not been examined in literature at all. The rest of the paper is structured as follows. Section II presents a review of the relevant literature. This section lays out the