Severe Costs of Alcohol Abuse Essay - 912 Words

I have learned from my personal experiences that young teens should avoid consumption of alcoholic drinks. This in turn avoids many problems in the future and gives the person a better quality of life. Alcohol is the most widely abused legal depressant in the United States. The numerous problems associated with alcohol abuse are a major problem in todays society. This major problem kills many innocent people and is a deadly habit to start. One focus I choose to illustrate is the severe costs of abusing alcohol. Researchers from the University of California have compiled various statistics on the costs of abusing alcohol. They say alcohol abuse is known to cause illness,†¦show more content†¦Almost 16,000 Californians were hospitalized for injuries that resulted from alcohol use. Hospitalization costs amounted to $1.3 billion. The mean length of hospitalization in non-federal hospitals was 6.5 days and the mean cost per hospitalization was over $12,000. Public programs paid for 64% of hospitalization costs, including 38% paid by Medicare, and 19% paid by MediCal. Costs of other medical services, including outpatient care, nursing homes, pharmaceuticals, and other health professionals, totaled $1.11 billion. Health insurance administration costs in California attributed to alcohol abuse amounted to $122 million for 2001. They also found out that More than 13,000 Californians died as a result of alcohol abuse, including 3,600 who died of primary alcohol-caused diagnoses, over 5,100 who died of an alcohol ?related diagnosis, and 4,400 who died of an injury attributed to alcohol. These deaths represented lost productivity of nearly $8 billion and over 358,000 life years. (Wendy Max Ph.D) I view this as a severe problem needing dramatic solutions to solve it. This study also found that criminal justice system costs attributed to alcohol were as high as $6.7 billion including $2.1 billion for police protection, $2.1 billion for judicial and legal ser vices, and $2.4 billion for corrections. Also,Show MoreRelatedAlcohol Abuse Should Not Be Confused With Alcoholism Or Alcohol Dependence950 Words   |  4 PagesAlcohol abuse should not be confused with alcoholism or alcohol dependence. It is important to note the difference between the three. It is predicted that alcohol abuse affects individual physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Although some psychological, physical and economical effects may occur with both, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence (alcoholism) for the purpose of this paper the alcohol abuse is the main focus. Introduction Alcohol abuse is a serious disease that impacts individualRead MoreBody. 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We often wonder the effect that is has on different individuals, and wonder why some become so heavily addicted to it while others do not. B ecause the prevalence of alcohol has continued to flourish in our society, the number of peopleRead MoreThe Relationship Between Bipolar Disorder And Alcohol Abuse With Emotional Instability1595 Words   |  7 Pagesa history of alcohol abuse with emotional instability. The patient’s family reports they have noticed many changes in their loved ones life and presence. They report moods where he or she was overly joyous and then shifted to severe anger. As a nurse you wonder is there something else causing the patient’s emotional shifts. Bipolar disorder is a serious mental disorder that is characterized by sudden intense shifts in mood, behavior and energy levels (Dual Diagnosis, 2015). Alcohol use disorder isRead Moredrug addiction802 Words   |  4 Pageseveryone is different. Drug affect different ways. 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Lesson Reflection - 802 Words

Lesson Reflection Spelling Lesson My lesson reflection My lesson was based upon the spelling words for the week. I enlarged the letters of each word i.e: make. These letters were distributed between the students, I would call out a word and the students were to utilise cooperative learning to create the answer. The students with the corresponding letters stood up, they said each letter and then the word, from here the entire class would day and spell the word. Students worked well during the cooperative learning task, sharing and discussing which letters and students needed to be used. This continued with the words; little, made, look, just. From here students completed a spelling word sheet which complemented the spelling†¦show more content†¦Uses a reward game (buzz) to motivate students to complete class task. Instructions are explained clearly to students and examples are given. Students are to repeat the instructions. Good cooperation work between class and student teacher. Good use of room, walks around and checks on students progress during the task. If student is stuck, she encourages them to think, if they are still stuck then she uses examples. Knows how to extend the taskShow MoreRelatedScience Lesson Reflection1279 Words   |  6 PagesThis science lesson was taught as a stand alone lesson because Ms. Bell’s classroom is currently studying the regions in social studies. However, we decided science would be a nice change of pace for a day. The goal was for students to construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. Specifically, we focused on being able to recognize how camouflage helps certain animals survive and to interpretRead MoreEssay on British Literature Lesson Reflection1376 Words   |  6 Pagesa lot of thought regarding the priorities of the course. On one hand, my main aim is to help learners enjoy the artistic part of written language. On the other hand, I have been tempted by the idea of using my time to give a more language oriented lesson. The session used to write this essay is one of my fir st attempts to pursuit the second. When choosing the materials, I picked a short comedy written on the fifties (Pinter 2006, 1254-1259) basically because I thought It could be appealing to myRead MoreThe Lesson Reflection978 Words   |  4 Pages As I was reading â€Å"The Lesson† there was nothing that hit me to the core or something that really stood out to the point where I was in disbelief. Something that came close to it was probably the fact that Harper and Thanh left to a an island for the wedding of a friend when their baby from a surrogate could possibly come at any moment. This was a little surprising because it felt like they weren’t too excited about their baby that they are expecting even though they are paying for it, so it wasRead MoreReflection On Science Lesson845 Words   |  4 Pageson November 1, 2017, I taught my second science lesson at Maverick Elementary School. It took place during my Kindergarten class’ usually scheduled science less on. This week my class was going over the 5 senses, so my lesson fit perfectly into their curriculum. My lesson was about using the 5 senses to predict what an unknown object was in a closed bag. I chose to do this lesson because my students were learning how to â€Å"use senses as a tool of observation to identify properties and patterns of organismsRead MoreReflection Paper On The Lesson1898 Words   |  8 PagesReflection (Day 1) The lesson was taught as planned. Initially students struggled to explain their thinking; however, with more practice and substantial support, they began to get the idea, and were eager to explain the different ways they represented a given number. Students learned the objectives, and the standards well enough. Here are few examples of how students represented their thinking of the number five: This lesson worked well for most students because students had the ability toRead MoreLesson Reflection Essay1398 Words   |  6 PagesLesson Reflection Annotation ENDS 101 class was drastically different from my expectation. I came from a background of great involvement in Robotics and portray great interests in Engineering. The title of Design Process misguided me into thinking about the learning of traditional design process engineers take to approach problem solving. Through each lessons, I said to myself that I am physically being in the most realistically useful and most applicable class in the University. Never did I thoughtRead MoreReflection Of A History Lesson1225 Words   |  5 Pagescourse was definitely more than just a history lesson for me. It was an exploration of ideas from the past, and I learned how those ideas can trickle down into the present and future. If I had to do it over again, I would definitely pay more attention to the legends, folktales, and out of class readings we had discussed since they are so rich in life lessons and human nature. Even learning about how the different cultures lived can teach these lessons as well. Maybe I was too naà ¯ve before: I expectedRead MoreScience Lesson Reflection700 Words   |  3 PagesConsidering my science lesson is part of a new unit, the preceding lesson is unrelated due to the subject involving heredity. The new unit focuses on Earth’s place in the universe while the first segment teaches students about the different components of the universe. 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How could I have known that my whole world was going to change that day? Yet again if I just would’ve climbed down the same side of the tree, I wouldn’t be writing this right now. The sun was veiled by the perilous clouds looming over us, setting a somber look to the horizon. The icy air funneled through my throat and surged through my veins. A small group composed of my Mother, Father, Aunt, Grandma, Grandpa

Florence + the Machine Free Essays

Florence and the Machine are a BRIT Award winning group who burst onto the music scene after a series of gigs in London, then at the summer music festivals leading to a fast track route to fame starting in UK and spreading across the world. Florence and the Machine’s sound have been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul. The band’s music has received praise across the music media before they gained mainstream success, especially from the BBC who played a large part in Florence and the Machine’s rise to prominence by promoting her as part of BBC Introducing. We will write a custom essay sample on Florence + the Machine or any similar topic only for you Order Now According to the bands lead singer Florence Welch, â€Å"The name Florence and the Machine started off as a private joke that got out of hand. I made music with my friend, who we called Isabella Machine to which I was Florence Robot. When I was about an hour away from my first gig, I still didn’t have a name, so I thought â€Å"Okay, I’ll be Florence Robot/Isa Machine†, before realizing that name was so long it’d drive me mad†. In 2006 Welch’s performances with Isabella Summers in small London venues under the joint name Florence Robot/Isa Machine began to attract notice.In 2007, Florence recorded with a band named Ashok, who released an album entitled â€Å"Plans† on the Filthy Lucre/About Records label. This album included the earliest version of her later hit â€Å"Kiss With a Fist†, which at this point was entitled â€Å"Happy Slap†. The band’s debut album, Lungs, was released on 6 July 2009, and held the No. 2 position for its first five weeks in the UK Album Chart. On 17 January 2010, the album reached No. on the UK album chart, having remained in the chart for 28 consecutive weeks up until that point. The album has been within the top 40 in the United Kingdom for 63 consecutive weeks, making it one of the best selling albums of 2009 and 2010 so far. At the 2010 BRIT Awards, Lungs won the â€Å"Mastercard British Album† award. Florence and the Machine performed at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The first time I heard â€Å"The Florence + the Machine† I was in Scotland, being homesick and listening to the radio.As it was I was listening to the BBC Radio 1, because it was the only radio station that was broadcasting more music than news and at the moment I just wanted to relax and stop thinking for a moment. I think it was part of the BBC Introducing, because they were broadcasting more than one song, for what I was very thankful. The music had an instant uplifting effect. The lead singers voice coupled with the harmony and play of the instruments of the band were something different, but in a good way.Their sound is unique and at the same time it’s ageless, in some way even primal. This is the music for every mood and every occasion. I can vouch for it, because it has helped me through some tough times, it’s been with me when I was happy, it’s helped to give me energy when that has been the thing I have needed the most and it’s always moved me. Be it make me cry, make me laugh or just makes me want to dance and say â€Å"I love you† to my loved ones.I think they are such a success because of their emotionally charged music and because Florence is the music and she sings from her heart and that gives her an edge that other modern artist doesn’t have, because most of the contemporary artists are very commercial and sometimes because of that way of thinking their music feels soulless. However â€Å"Florence and The Machine† is full of soul, anguish, joy, life, love and even basic instincts. I love that even playing in live lounge they sound just as perfect as when I’m listening to their recorded albums. The How to cite Florence + the Machine, Papers

Killing Us Softly by Jean Kilbourne Essay Example For Students

Killing Us Softly by Jean Kilbourne Essay There are many different ways in which advertisements have influenced us. They have changed our point of view on what clothes we should wear, what accessories we should have and what we should look like! Almost all places we go we are surrounded by advertisements in one way or another. And it’s not just the commercials on television! We can see ads posted on the internet, talked about on the radio and even mailed to us! Each year companies and marketing agencies spend a fortune to get the word out about their service or product. Sure, some advertisements are funny and inspiring but when you portray women as objects and dictate what they should look like it’s sickening and unacceptable. Jean Kilbourne a well known author and the maker of the short film â€Å"Killing Us Softly,† argues that â€Å"advertisements give women power and image of beauty; they show how society believes women should look like. † Depicting women as objects doesn’t only affect today’s generation, it also impacts girls entering adolescence because by viewing these ads they are being lured into changing themselves or their identity just so they can be accepted by society. Today, almost all businesses have some sort of advertising plan to make the customers buy their product. These advertisers love a gullible audience and serve only one purpose: to capture their attention. If you pick up a fashion magazine from early 2000’s and compare it to the one published today the difference in advertising is quite noticeable. This is because of the trends that are constantly changing and the impact social media has on the younger generation. Kilbourne believes that the images and beauty displayed in advertisements are unfulfilling and short-lived. This is certainly true because the women shown to the consumers are not at all in their real form. The images have been edited to show us what society thinks a perfect woman should look like. These advertisers show us long legged models, with a slim waist, long hair, and substantial amount of makeup as normal. A study done by Sydney University in 2008 showed that one in five teenage girls starved themselves to control their weight. It’s fair to say these advertisements have played some part in that. Girls in adolescence believe that they need to look the same as models in order to be accepted by society. Women are also displayed as being passive. This can impact the younger generation specifically girls entering adolescence because at that age most people are gullible. By looking at these ads they are being lured into this belief that women should wear certain types of clothes, always wear makeup, and should look a certain way. Also, girls entering adolescence are exposed to this idea that men are suppose to be superior because advertisers show an example where a woman is shown in a pose where she’s weak, can’t help herself and a man is standing beside her who is tall, strong and looking down at the woman. This exposure also increases teenage violence. It’s not only the girls that being exposed to this ideology but also the boys. Around the same age as the girls, boys also get this idea where they think they’re supposed to be more superior than a girl which leads to violence. Major social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter play a huge role in the amount of bullying and violence most of which can be traced to the need of feeling powerful. Kilbourne also points out a great factor which is important. Kilbourne argues that men will never have any part of their body displayed and criticized on an advertisement because men are part of the society in which their bodies aren’t scrutinized and judged whereas a woman’s body is. Most advertisers select women as the primary subject of an ad because it is believed that today we live in a man’s world. It’s easy for advertisers to use women and give them this fake image of beauty in an ad rather than men because their thinking is that men are more superior. Displaying an ad where a man is treated like an object would kill the company’s business and it would be heavily criticized. .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 , .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .postImageUrl , .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 , .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:hover , .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:visited , .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:active { border:0!important; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:active , .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13 .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf5611cef87b05b91fe73dcb7b74b3f13:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Film Analysis - Pan's Labyrinth EssayThere also wouldn’t be much attraction towards the product since a man is doing a woman’s job. Jean Kilbourne, who was recently awarded â€Å"a superstar lecturer† by the Boston Globe, believes that the consumers also need to fulfill their responsibility. Our primary responsibility as the consumer is that we have to pay close attention to the product and shun the glamour. Kilbourne suggests â€Å"we should be more involved to change what moves us†. Part of that is to let the younger generation be creative, let them be themselves, let them be different, teach them not to follow the crowd. Another way we can improve this issue is by thinking of ourselves primarily as citizens rather than consumers. Most of the ads we view, we have no clue what the agencies have put the models through. The finished product isn’t always the truth because most of it is edited and changed in some way. By thinking of ourselves as citizens, it allows us to act in a way in which we can step in and resolve or control this issue. Certain ads where women are heavily criticized, we need to focus on the product rather than the images.

A View From The Bridge By Arthur Miller Essays - Free Essays

A View From The Bridge By Arthur Miller Essays - Free Essays A View From The Bridge By Arthur Miller After reading Arthur Miller's play A view from the bridge, I am convinced that the most striking character is Marco. He is an Italian immigrant that moved illegally to the United States with his brother Rodolpho to work as longshoremen, since at the time (the play was written in 1955) his country of origin, Italy, was going through a major economic depression because of the outcome of World War II. In the play, we are told that Marco's plan is to make enough money to survive and be able to send some of that money to his wife and his three kids back in Italy, who are starving. Marco physically resembles the Sicilian stereotype, with dark skin and dark hair. He is also very strong and he could easily load the whole ship by himself.(pg.541) In this play, the author uses plot, dialog, actions and symbolism to emphasize Marco's honor which, in my opinion, is his prominent characteristic. Throughout the play, we can clearly see that the plot helps us develop Marco's character in our imagination. For example, he is an illegal alien, and this might give the reader a less honorable view of him, and it might justify Eddie's action. But the fact that Marco left his family to give them support and to save his oldest son who is sick in the chest, (pg. 535) makes the reader forget about his illegal stay and makes his status rise to the one of a hero. In this play, Marco's actions lead us to the discovery of a violent side which he uses to defend his honor in a number of occasions. For example, when he challenges Eddie to lift the chair at the end of the first act, we understand that he did it to save his brother's face and his family's honor. In addition, the killing of Eddie by Marco's own hands at the end of the play, is the final display of his character. Marco's character is definitely expressed more by his actions than by his words. He is very strong, and he is obviously aware of that, but doesn't like to show it in words, or brag about it. In fact, when Eddie was making fun of his brother Rodolpho, instead of replying to him in words, he chose to use his strenght to get his point across by lifting the chair. In addition, Marco doesn't talk about his family much; instead, he works as hard as he can, and that is enough to show everybody how much he cares about them. As a final insult to Eddie, Marco chooses to spit in his fac e in front of everybody. This is because in the Italian culture, that act is considered as an extreme expression of anger toward a person, and it is rarely left without punishment. In addition, the action of going to the church before facing Eddie shows us that he is very religious and cares about his soul. Marco is a very honorable man and believes in his tradition, and the author shows us that through a number of symbols. For example, spitting on Eddie's face once he realizes that Eddie turned him and his brother to the police is a symbol of disgust and revolt for Eddie's actions. In addition, at the end of the play, we are told that Marco went to church before going to talk to Eddie. This action tells us that Marco is ready to give up his life and commit a mortal sin to defend his honor, because what Eddie has done, the breaking of the omerta', the breaking of trust, is something that in his culture must never be left unpunished. Throughout the first act of the play, Marco is only referred as a flat character and the only time we are really aware his persona and his strength is at the end of the first act, when he lifts a chair over his head and makes it seem like a challenge to Eddie, as a response for mocking Rodolpho. But only in the second act his character is fully exposed and we see his image transform into a round character. In this

Mistakes Made by Native Spanish Speakers

Mistakes Made by Native Spanish Speakers Question: Do native Spanish speakers make as many grammatical mistakes in everyday Spanish as Americans do in everyday English? I am American and I make grammatical mistakes all the time unknowingly, but they still get the point across. Answer: Unless youre an incessant stickler for grammatical details, chances are you make dozens of errors each day in the way you use English. And if youre like many native speakers of English, you might not notice until youre told that a sentence such as each of them brought their pencils is enough to make some grammarians grit their teeth. Since language errors are so common in English, it shouldnt come as a surprise that Spanish speakers make their share of mistakes too when speaking their language. They generally arent the same mistakes youre likely to make when speaking Spanish as a second language, but they are probably every bit as common in Spanish as they are in English. Following is a list of some of the most common errors made by native speakers; some of them are so common they have names to refer to them. (Because there isnt unanimous agreement in all cases about what is proper, examples given are referred to as nonstandard Spanish rather than as wrong. Some linguists argue that theres no such thing as right or wrong when it comes to grammar, only differences in how various word usages are perceived.) Until you are so comfortable with the language that you have reached fluency and can use a style of speech appropriate for your situation, you are probably best off avoiding these usages - although they are accepted by many speakers, especially in informal contexts, they might be viewed as uneducated by some. Dequeà ­smo In some areas, the use of de que where que will do has become so common that it is on the verge of being considered a regional variant, but in other areas it is strongly looked down on as being the mark of an inadequate education. Nonstandard: Creo de que el presidente es mentiroso. Standard: Creo que el presidente es mentiroso. (I believe the president is a liar.) Loà ­smo and Laà ­smo Le is the correct pronoun to use as the indirect object meaning him or her. However, lo is sometimes used for the male indirect object, especially in parts of Latin America, and la for the female indirect object, especially in parts of Spain. Nonstandard: La escribà ­ una carta. No lo escribà ­. Standard: Le escribà ­ una carta a ella. No le escribà ­ a à ©l. (I wrote her a letter. I did not write to him.) Le for Les Where doing so doesnt create ambiguity, especially where the indirect object is explicitly stated, it is common to use le as a plural indirect object rather than les. Nonstandard: Voy a enseà ±arle a mis hijos como leer. Standard: Voy a enseà ±arles a mis hijos como leer. (I will teach my children how to read.) Quesuismo Cuyo is often the Spanish equivalent of the adjective whose, but it is used infrequently in speech. One popular alternative frowned on by grammarians is the use of que su. Nonstandard: Conocà ­ a una persona que su perro estaba muy enfermo. Standard: Conocà ­ a una persona cuyo perro estaba muy enfermo. (I met a person whose dog was very sick.) Plural Use of Existential Haber In the present tense, there is little confusion in the use of haber in a sentence such as hay una casa (there is one house) and hay tres casas (there are three houses). In other tenses, the rule is the same - the singular conjugated form of haber is used for both singular and plural subjects. In most of Latin America and the Catalan-speaking parts of Spain, however, plural forms are often heard and are sometimes considered a regional variant. Nonstandard: Habà ­an tres casas. Standard: Habà ­a tres casas. (There were three houses.) Misuse of the Gerund The Spanish gerund (the verb form ending in -ando or -endo, generally the equivalent of the English verb form ending in -ing) should, according to the grammarians, generally be used to refer to another verb, not to nouns as can be done in English. However, it appears to be increasingly common, especially in journalese, to use gerunds to anchor adjectival phrases. Nonstandard: No conozco al hombre viviendo con mi hija. Standard: No conozco al hombre que vive con mi hija. (I dont know the man living with my daughter.) Orthographic Errors Since Spanish is one of the most phonetic languages, its tempting to think that mistakes in spelling would be unusual. However, while the pronunciation of most words can almost always be deduced from the spelling (the main exceptions are words of foreign origin), the reverse isnt always true. Native speakers frequently mix up the identically pronounced b and the v, for example, and occasionally add a silent h where it doesnt belong. It also isnt unusual for native speakers to get confused on the use of orthographic accents (that is, they may confuse que and quà ©, which are pronounced identically).

Ian Strachan argues that tourism is a neo-colonial enterprise that Essay

Ian Strachan argues that tourism is a neo-colonial enterprise that marginalizes blacks. Write a research based ARGUMENT in favour of this assertion - Essay Example urism is considered to be the world’s largest industry and some regions are endowed with natural and manmade resources that are conducive to developing the economy based on these resources. But tourism or any other industry for that matter should not just be a money making endeavor for investors. It should benefit the stakeholders (including employees, the local population, and other ancillary industries) at all levels for sustenance and growth. The Caribbean islands are considered to be one of the prime tourist destinations in the world, primarily due to its natural resources. This paper is a review of the tourism industry with regard to the economic development of the local population in the region. It is based on an article by Ian Strachan, titled, ‘Paradise and Plantation’. The author is of the view that economic well being is skewed towards foreign investors at the cost of the economic development of the local population. Colonialism has caused many of its ne gative effects to continue in neo-colonial societies (after gaining independence and sovereignty). Research on this area tends to agree with what Strachan has stated from his research and studies. Ian Strachan provides a powerful argument against the exploitation or neglect of the local population in the tourism industry of the Caribbean Islands. Effective advertising about genuine tourist attractions can naturally attract people to travel to destinations of their liking. It is extremely practical or prudent for governments and other agencies to promote a place attractive to visitors. The author states that even though tourism is a big industry, it has developed, to a large extent, at the cost of the local population. In Strachan’s words, â€Å"however distant this imagined, heavily promoted, and staged Eden may be from everyday experience of the majority of the Caribbeans, it is a fantasy that the regions’ nations encourage their citizenry to maintain for the benefit of tourists† (Strachan,

Motivational Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivational Plan - Research Paper Example This is based on the identification of the factors that are in correlation to values, emotions and attitude of the team members. The paper also offers a summary of the different modes of identifying the factors and providing conclusions that are overtly related to influencing the performance of the team positively. There has been a focus on business design as a necessary component of motivating a team in an organization. In order to achieve motivation, performance and satisfaction, every organization needs to have a working design. Through having a working design, there is a boost to the effectiveness of a given team. However, the behavior of the term is shaped by the individuals’ values, personalities, emotions and attitudes. Working as a mentor that manages a Shipping Department for Athletic Equipment, there is a need to have a grip on these matters and get to understand, evaluate and analyze the different attributes of each and every team member. This is the means through which effective work design and efficient team layout can be put in place. Moreover, having individuals with different personalities, attitudes and emotions mean there is s need for the establishment of a comprehensive motivational plan. For instance, at the department, there are three individuals with different per sonalities (Keller, 2009). Pursia and Cleveland are impressed while Lydia is an interactive person. This, therefore, implies a need for a comprehensive motivational plan if the potential of the team members is to be exploited. Worthy to note is the fact that those team members who seem not too ecstatic about their work are more often not comfortable with the concept of the team. In order to build a progressive team, one needs to use personalities, values, attitudes and the emotions of the employees in order to motivate the performance of the team. Attitude refers to the perception of an individual with regards to other people, items or events. Attitude can

Risk factors for depression Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk factors for depression - Research Paper Example The best treatment options are said to be the combination of both medications and psychotherapy, but electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is also an option when others do not work. Depression: Evidences of Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms, and Treatment Methods Introduction The human experience of sadness and gloom is normal among individuals, but it may be different once it becomes chronic and interferes with activities of daily living. Depression is one of the common causes in seeking professional psychologic help, and timely interventions could greatly help the depressed individual. Although depression may appear to be merely preoccupations of negative emotions, it can lead to dreadful effects, including suicide, once neglected. The diagnosis of depression may also be co-existing with other illnesses as well. It comes in different types with several signs and symptoms, and may be caused by a variety of elements, of which the present text will explore the risk factors associated with th e condition using recent studies as evidences. Risk factors Numerous researches have been published to study risk factors of depression. In a 7-year longitudinal population study, Lorant et al. (2007) determined if longitudinal change in socio-economic factors affect change of depression level. Low socio-economic status, especially in the context of material standards of living, has constantly been associated with increased incidence of depression. Results gathered show that a decline in socio-economic status is consequent to increased risks of depression, looking also into ceasing cohabitation with a partner and unemployment. Ceasing cohabitation with a partner increased risk levels of depression particularly among women; and unemployment did not influence the level or risk of depression, in contrast to other cited studies, but with considerations of the research design and methods (p. 296). It is also seen that generally, the negative effects of worsening socio-economic conditions were greater than the positive effects when these conditions improved (p. 296). This study presents that socio-economic factors, including income, poverty, unemployment, education, and social relationships, are linked to prevalence of depression, where both have an inversely proportional relationship. Netterstrom et al. (2008) focus on work-related psychosocial stressors in relation to the development of depression. Using several models, the authors review previous researches to assess such relationship, basing on either psychiatric scales, scales with with diagnostic classifications, or antidepressant prescription, or depression measured with a questionnaire (p. 121). According to the review, occupational psychosocial factors were associated with the development of depression, especially in instances where there are high psychological demands and low degree of social support (p. 126). Demands would, however, vary according to the job and the work setting. This review, in accordanc e to the studies looked into, implies that an individual’s work, especially job satisfaction and social support in such occupation, is linked to depression. When an individual feels satisfied and fulfilled with his or her job and receives positive reinforcement, there are lesser chances for depression, and vice versa.

Costs and Benefits of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Costs and Benefits of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) FDI 1) General Information About FDI Foreign direct investment (FDI) can be defined by saying: If an investor takes place in far from their home country with purchasing a firm in the landlord country’s border. According to â€Å"The Organization of Economic Corporation and Development (OECD)†, If a foreign investor has more the ten percent of the local company, this means that the foreign investor has control on the local company. One different description suggests that, basically, a company from one country’s doing a substantial investment into structure a plant in a different nation. Foreign Direct Investment plays an important part in global entrepreneurs and businesses. The FDI can easily provide a firm with new business environments and markets, cheaper production facilities, usage chances of newest technologies, cheaper financing and skills. FDI mobility slacked up in 2011 after a short time interval of improvement in 2010. FDI leakage around the world raised in 2011 with around 11% to USD1558 billion contraversely to 24% increase in 2010 and stayed splendid under the most high degree in 2007 ($2190B). There is an significant difference between FDI and foreign portfolio investment (FPI). Foreign portfolio investment means investing of individuals, companies, or policy makers of a nation in foreign fiscal tools (for example government bonds, foreign stocks). making an important wealth piece in a foreign entrepreneurship is not involved. Evaluating the FPI level is more different that evaluating the FDI level and these two of them focus very distinctive topics. There are two strategic kinds of FDI: 1) Horizontal foreign direct investment : If FDI is made in way which in same sector as a company have activity in at home. To give an example for Horizontal Foreign Direct Investment, we can say that If Ariston makes investment on Caribbean and Scandinavian nation it can be countted as horizontal foreing direct investment. Authorities suggest that studying on horizontal foreign direct investment may be very helpful to understand the vertical foreign investment. 2) Vertical foreign direct investment: If a company or multi national establishment (MNE) supplies production resources for a company’s local transactions, or this kind of foreign direct investment can take place with selling the final product of a local company in their company’s country. After briefly defining the foreign direct investment, now on next part, we will be studying on benefits and costs of the foreign direct investment for a country. 2) FDI: Benefits for Economy of Host Country In order to get more positives from FDI freely, improving countries have started to dilate and make more suitable laws and FDI policies and attempted to reach most suitable arrangement to get interest the FDI makers. Professors of economy who supports the liberal market perspective suggest that the gain of FDI to a landlord country so preponderate the costs that practical nationalism is an ideologywhich has been unable to imply. Four determined benefits will be studied on this part for the landlord country: effects on resource – transfer , the effect on employment, effect on balance of payments, and the aspect of competition. 2.1) Effects on Resource Transfer Foreign direct investment can add great amount of value to a landlord economy with providing cash and capital, innovative technology, and governance sources that might the directly invested country does not have and with the help of three important resource the country’s economy’s expanding rate can be increased. That type of source transport can contribute to the stimulating the fiscal expanding of the landlord economy. There are three elements in Resource – Transfer Effect, which are Capital, Technology and Management. 2.1.1) Capital When we get to talk about the capital, multinational enterprises (MNEs) spend money and make investment for long term basis, get into jeopardy and use their corporate identities only when the projects makes money well. After the free capital transfer across nations regulations, capital-holders are very likely to seek highest rate of return. It causes that the countries which are in need of capital, try to attract MNEs to invest. A lot of MNEs , with the help of their big size and financial strength, get accesibility to fiscal instruments and opportunities which may not be ready to use to company’s of landlord nation. These funds are likely to be ready to use for MNEs. That situation is caused by the multi national enterprises’ popularity, huge MNEs more easily access to money from capital markets than host country firms would. That situation helps MNEs to invest their money to host country and get higher return rate with the help of the MNEs, the host country gets the i nvestment. For example, after the seeing that definition we may think, as an example to capital transfer, the efforts of Turkish government to find a partner for their tele communication company of Turk Telekom. That partnership was thought as an opportunity to grow for that company mentioned. One professor suggests three general advantages of FDI on capital, these are ; 1)company presidents have less risk with the help of free flow of capital around the world. With the different financial instruments, president can distribute the risk. 2) If the money and capital markets become worldwide, that situation increase the quality of capital and money governance and management, gathers more modern regulations. 3) With the integration to international system of capital flowing, country’s governments must have some limit to make bad policies. 2.1.2) Technology If a company wants to grow, must be able to use and follow technology very well. That sentence is generally approved by the authorities. Technology can create a movement and mobility in the economy which may be able to facilitate economic improvement and industrialization. There are two different ways of effect of technology to take place in landlord country. Both of the are very valuable and can not be ignored. Technology may take place in a process of production or it can take place in final product (for example., smart phones we use). Although, there are too many nations which do not have enough technology and innovation, they also have to have their own research and improvement for their economic growth. Last sentences is also specifically accurate for less improved nations. It is evident that the having appropriate technology has a great amount of corelation with being improved country or not. If a country has enough technology, they can directly evacuate their technology to different country and make great money. Because technology is an expensive resource. Technologies which are taken from improved countries are more willing to bring modernism and liberalism to the landlord country. 2.1.3) Management Foreign expertise for management which are gained by FDI is very helpful for the landlord country. The mentioned benefits take place with different ways. First, the investing MNE can train the host country’s citizen to expertise on their respectively occupation. This way is thought to be cheaper. Secondly, the investing MNE can bring their own employees from their company’s nation and with making this, the invested company’s brunch may has already trained employees to manage the business in landlord company. These benefits sometimes get less if the mentioned benefits are unique for the investing MNE’s company. That problem cause ineffectivity in managemenet and governance of the landlord’s branch of the company. With creating suitable management team is accepted to increase the efficiency of the company and also the landlord country’s nation’s management traditions. For this concept, one of experienced professor offers three benefits in managerial way. Such as more accurate training and high level of regulations can help to increase effectiveness of managemenet, being skillful on investment possibilities can be increased by entrepreneurial soul, the employees who get training, takes arising externalities. 2.2) Employment Effects Employment is effected by foreign direct investment (FDI) directly and also indirectly. Facilitating of employment is most important effect of FDI in the countries with high working power but having less capital to invest. This kind of impact takes place when the MNE hires a lot of host country’s citizen. This is the direct effect of employment. The indirect effect of employment is creating jobs in domestic resource provider as a outcome of FDI of the MNE and increased local spending. Some argue that that not all the newly created employments established by FDI shows net additions in employment. For example; If we think about FDI by German chemical company in the Greece. , some argue that the employment established by this FDI have been less than break even with creating employment lost in chemical companies from Greece, which have started to lose market share to foreigner chemical investor. As a result of this kind of substition effects the real number of the employment which is created by FDI of the German chemical company may be less than it is expected. That employment effect helps and creates leverage for the investing MNEs when the MNE and the landlord country’s government negotiate about a conflict. Create employment is always important task for a government. 2.3) Balance of Payments Effects Balance of Payment is a country’s balance-of-payment is the difference between the payments to and receipts from other countries. FDI can have beneficial and negative effects on a country’s balance of payment. FDI s effect on a country’s balance of payment accounts is an significant regulation topic for most landlord policy makers. There are three possible balance of payments outcome of FDI. Initial Capital Inflow If a MNE invest directly on a country, that multi national enterprise gathers their own money to spend and invest. Substitute for Imports If a MNE produce goods in a country and If these goods were imported earlier, this kind of situation will look good on balance of payments. Inflow of payments from export of goods and services If a MNE produce goods in a country and If these goods are exported, this kind of situation creates good values on balance of payments. 3) Costs of the Foreign Direct Investment Three costs of FDI concern host countries. They arise from possible adverse effects on competition within the host nation, adverse effects on the balance of payments, and the perceived loss of national sovereignty and autonomy. 3.1) Adverse Effect on Competition This aspect basically be summarized with saying;the MNEs which directly invests to another county.may have â€Å"too much† power and kill off competition. Even though the landlord country’s government seems to be satisfied with the positive effects of the FDI, sometimes they start to have some concerns with the gaining or being too much strength of foreign investor can cause deadly effect on the competition. Eventually, the foreigner investor or the MNE can become the monopol in sectors of landlord country’s economy. This kind of concerns take place in countries which have small amount of big companies operate locally. 3.2) Adverse Effect on Balance of Payments This aspect can be summarized with saying; when a foreign subsidiary imports a substantial number of its inputs from abroad, there is a debit on the current account of the host country’s balance of payments. The landlord country’s company’s balance of payment possibly effected adversely with two concepts showed below. The money and capital generated by the FDI will not be staying in the landlord country’s account forever. Eventually the MNE which invested on landlord country, will take their money and takes their home nation. If a foreign group member country imports great amount of production from abroad, the figures will take place on landlord country’s debit account in balance of payments accounts. 3.3) Does the FDI cause loses in national independence? National sovereignty problems are caused by the having too much power for a foreign multi national enterprise. Some argue that a foreign multi national enterprise with great amount of economic and governmental power would be too active on the landlord nation’s internal businesses. Some take this idea forward with saying that If a county lets a multi national enterprise to have too much power and also be monopol in an sector, that company can be depend on the MNE’s country mediately. For example, If a country’s monopol natural gas provider were foreign, in an conflict situation between MNE’s country and landlord company, that MNE can cut the natural gas out. Conclusion : Critical Discuss on Benefits and Costs of FDI on Emerging Markets With the light of these all information, all we all understand that foreign direct investment can be tricky for different countries. Effects of the FDI for different countries may be different as well. As we’ve seen that even though there are significant benefits in foreign direct investments, FDI also have some costs for the countries. In this conclusion section, we are going to discuss these tricky things for the emerging markets briefly. In order to FDI be beneficial for a country, the country must have a enough working power to facilitate necessary working power, must have suitable regulations which provide good environment for capital to flow freely, countries should have a condition that the MNEs’ power on the economy does not threaten the countries’ national sovereignty, and the countrÄ ±es have to suitable balance of payments values because FDIs may have big amount of influence on these values. That influence may be beneficial but it may also be costly. Some of the emerging markets countries such as Turkey and South Africa are in need of capital badly. FDI provide some of these necessities but the problems of that transactions are according to economy’s situation the money flow can be costly more and other disadvantage of that is these FDI are not in the country to stay. The MNEs which provide FDI can decide to leave the country and take back their invested capital from the country. That kind of situation may create a huge problem for country. As we all see that, a country should not depend to FDI too much. Before demanding the FDI from the MNEs, countries must make their research very solid. As we’ve seen that too much FDI can cause some problems. The graph below shows the FDI distribution to emerging market countries (EMC); References www.oecd.org – global foreign investment trends, country investment guides, investment reviews, analysis www.columbia.edu/cu/libraries/indiv/business/guides/fordinv.html – a wide range of links to statistical information on global foreign direct investment. OECD (2010), Measuring Globalisation: OECD Economic Globalisation Indicators, OECD Publishing. â€Å"The Effects of Foreign Direct Investments for Host Country s Economy† Selma Kurtishi Kastrati (2013) Hill, C. (2000) International Business Competing in the Global Marketplace. University of Washington: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Feldstein, M. (2000) Aspects of Global Economic Integration: Outlook for the Future. National Bureau of Economic Research.Cambridge, Massachusetts: NBER Working Paper No.7899 Romer, P. (1994) The Origins of Endogenous Growth. Journal of Economic Perspectives , 8(1),3 22. Lall, S., Streeten, P. (1977) Foreign Investment, Transnationals and Developing Countries. London: Macmillan. Aaron, C. (1999): The contribution of FDI to poverty alleviation. Singapore: Ther Foreign Investment Advisory Service. Dunning, J. (1961) The Present Role of US Investment in British Industry. Moorgate and Wall Street 1990-2002, Balance of Payments Statistical Yearbook, IMF

Social Conditioning of Boys Essay -- Papers Stereotypes Role Essays

Social Conditioning of Boys As everyone knows, within the human race there are males and there are females. We all figure out what our gender identity is at a young age. For boys, male toys like building blocks and trucks and sports like baseball and soccer help a boy form into what society considers to be a man. Society believes that boys should grow up to be strong, dependant and bread winning in order to be a real man. These social standards that are expected from boys, can also be explained by social roles. We are cast into social roles at the moment we are born. These social roles construct boys to be a certain way and follow the set boy code. Boy’s are taught to stay clear from emotional openness, vulnerability, and dependance. We are also taught to not let others know when we feel scared , depressed or when we are happy and in love. The most important rule altogether for boys, is to stay away from anything that people think of as being feminine. Society has made it clear that in order to be a ‘real man’, you must be a leader, successful, in control, confident, d...

Becomin a Dentist Assistant

Dental assistants work closely with, and under the supervision of, dentists. (See the statement on dentists elsewhere in the Handbook. ) Assistants perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties. Dental assistants should not be confused with dental hygienists, who are licensed to perform different clinical tasks. (See the statement on dental hygienists elsewhere in the Handbook. ) Dental assistants sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, prepare and lay out the instruments and materials required to treat each patient, and obtain patients’ dental records. Assistants make patients as comfortable as possible in the dental chair and prepare them for treatment. During dental procedures, assistants work alongside the dentist to provide assistance. They hand instruments and materials to dentists and keep patients’ mouths dry and clear by using suction or other devices. They also instruct patients on postoperative and general oral health care. Dental assistants may prepare materials for impressions and restorations, take dental x rays, and process x-ray film as directed by a dentist. They also may remove sutures, apply topical anesthetics to gums or cavity-preventive agents to teeth, remove excess cement used in the filling process, and place rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment. Some States are expanding dental assistants’ duties to include tasks such as coronal polishing and restorative dentistry functions for those assistants that meet specific training and experience requirements. Dental assistants with laboratory duties make casts of the teeth and mouth from impressions, clean and polish removable appliances, and make temporary crowns. Those with office duties schedule and confirm appointments, receive patients, keep treatment records, send bills, receive payments, and order dental supplies and materials. Work environment. Dental assistants work in a well-lighted, clean environment. Their work area usually is near the dental chair so that they can arrange instruments, materials, and medication and hand them to the dentist when needed. Dental assistants must wear gloves, masks, eyewear, and protective clothing to protect themselves and their patients from infectious diseases. Assistants also follow safety procedures to minimize the risks associated with the use of x-ray machines. About half of dental assistants have a 35- to 40-hour workweek. Most of the rest work part-time or have variable schedules. Depending on the hours of the dental office where they work, assistants may have to work on Saturdays or evenings. Some dental assistants hold multiple jobs by working at dental offices that are open on different days or scheduling their work at a second office around the hours they work at their primary office. Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement [About this section] Back to Top Back to Top Many assistants learn their skills on the job, although an increasing number are trained in dental-assisting programs offered by community and junior colleges, trade schools, technical institutes, or the Armed Forces. Education and training. High school students interested in a career as a dental assistant should take courses in biology, chemistry, health, and office practices. For those wishing to pursue further education, the Commission on Dental Accreditation within the American Dental Association (ADA) approved 269 dental-assisting training programs in 2006. Programs include classroom, laboratory, and preclinical instruction in dental-assisting skills and related theory. In addition, students gain practical experience in dental schools, clinics, or dental offices. Most programs take 1 year or less to complete and lead to a certificate or diploma. Two-year programs offered in community and junior colleges lead to an associate degree. All programs require a high school diploma or its equivalent, and some require science or computer-related courses for admission. A number of private vocational schools offer 4- to 6-month courses in dental assisting, but the Commission on Dental Accreditation does not accredit these programs. A large number of dental assistants learn through on-the-job training. In these situations, the employing dentist or other dental assistants in the dental office teach the new assistant dental terminology, the names of the instruments, how to perform daily duties, how to interact with patients, and other things necessary to help keep the dental office running smoothly. While some things can be picked up easily, it may be a few months before new dental assistants are completely knowledgeable about their duties and comfortable doing all of their tasks without assistance. A period of on-the-job training is often required even for those that have completed a dental-assisting program or have some previous experience. Different dentists may have their own styles of doing things that need to be learned before an assistant can be comfortable working with them. Office-specific information, such as where files are kept, will need to be learned at each new job. Also, as dental technology changes, dental assistants need to stay familiar with the tools and procedures that they will be using or helping dentists to use. On-the-job training is often sufficient to keep assistants up-to-date on these matters. Licensure. Most States regulate the duties that dental assistants are allowed to perform. Some States require licensure or registration, which may include passing a written or practical examination. There are a variety of schools offering courses—approximately 10 to 12 months in length—that meet their State’s requirements. Other States require dental assistants to complete State-approved education courses of 4 to 12 hours in length. Some States offer registration of other dental assisting credentials with little or no education required. Some States require continuing education to maintain licensure or registration. A few States allow dental assistants to perform any function delegated to them by the dentist. Individual States have adopted different standards for dental assistants who perform certain advanced duties. In some States, for example, dental assistants who perform radiological procedures must complete additional training. Completion of the Radiation Health and Safety examination offered by Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) meets the standards in more than 30 States. Some States require completion of a State-approved course in radiology as well. Certification and other qualifications. Certification is available through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) and is recognized or required in more than 30 States. Certification is an acknowledgment of an assistant’s qualifications and professional competence and may be an asset when one is seeking employment. Candidates may qualify to take the DANB certification examination by graduating from an ADA-accredited dental assisting education program or by having 2 years of full-time, or 4 years of part-time, experience as a dental assistant. In addition, applicants must have current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. For annual recertification, individuals must earn continuing education credits. Other organizations offer registration, most often at the State level. Dental assistants must be a second pair of hands for a dentist; therefore, dentists look for people who are reliable, work well with others, and have good manual dexterity. Advancement. Without further education, advancement opportunities are limited. Some dental assistants become office managers, dental-assisting instructors, dental product sales representatives, or insurance claims processors for dental insurance companies. Others go back to school to become dental hygienists. For many, this entry-level occupation provides basic training and experience and serves as a steppingstone to more highly skilled and higher paying jobs. Employment [About this section] Back to Top Back to Top Dental assistants held about 280,000 jobs in 2006. Almost all jobs for dental assistants were in offices of dentists. A small number of jobs were in the Federal, State, and local governments or in offices of physicians. About 35 percent of dental assistants worked part time, sometimes in more than one dental office. Job Outlook [About this section] Back to Top Back to Top Employment is expected to increase much faster than average; job prospects are expected to be excellent. Employment change. Employment is expected to grow 29 percent from 2006 to 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. In fact, dental assistants are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 projection period. Population growth, greater retention of natural teeth by middle-aged and older people, and an increased focus on preventative dental care for younger generations will fuel demand for dental services. Older dentists, who have been less likely to employ assistants or have employed fewer, are leaving the occupation and will be replaced by recent graduates, who are more likely to use one or more assistants. In addition, as dentists’ workloads increase, they are expected to hire more assistants to perform routine tasks, so that they may devote their own time to more complex procedures. Job prospects. Job prospects for dental assistants should be excellent. In addition to job openings due to employment growth, numerous job openings will arise out of the need to replace assistants who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave for other reasons. Many opportunities for entry-level positions offer on-the-job training, but some dentists prefer to hire experienced assistants or those who have completed a dental-assisting program.

Effects of Overpopulation in China Essay Example

Effects of Overpopulation in China Essay Example Effects of Overpopulation in China Paper Effects of Overpopulation in China Paper The results of these studies clearly show that the overpopulation has multiple active impacts on the Chinese environment and that strategies and policies regarding these issues should be established. The population of China is growing exponentially and it is a serious issue because of its impact on the environment. The water deficiency is growing and as it is presented, the expectations of the Chinese people exceed the capacity of the land. Since the population of China is increasing fast, the arbitration of land and the agricultural development increase at the same rhythms. As it is presented, human activity and human density are the main explanation for climate hanged. According to Shies Hangs study, the southwest of China is experiencing a desertification, in other words the land becomes like a desert left with no resources. Each article presents a different way of conducting its research to prove its point. In Asian Hong et al. Research, the methods used to pursue the study are Pressure-State-Response (USSR), the landscape ecology method and Remote Sensing Global Positioning System (RSI-GAPS) According to the authors, there are three types of indicators: Pressure indicators, State indicators and Response indicators. The indicators either resented a high or a low number. If the number is high, it means that the region suffered from important water degradation; if the number is low, it means the opposites. The analysis of the research is made through a process called Analytical hierarchy process (APP) that has four specific indicators. Joanna Sheens study uses urban-rural population model to do predictions about the density of the population and is also represented as spatial demographic-economic model 8, whereas Shies Wang conducted its research by investigating the studied region and by using indicators such as aerial hoots and satellite images. He then compares and analyses the results with previous images and researches from the land. The only piece of work that did not use any kind of Research method was written by Hung Mining-Et et al. Who preferred to write the paper in reference to researches and studies made and scientific predictions One Of the most important consequences of overpopulation is the expanding deficiency in water resources. Investigators processed in six districts of China which are part of one region (Jinn) that was recognized for its important source fatter, aquatic ecosystem and surface. Due to industrial development and human actions the water condition became polluted and rarer. Researchers found that water deficiency and erosion, rainy climate, poor land vegetation, climate change, loss and decrease of agricultural production, which all lead to desertification of land, are all consequences of the activities of the overpopulation. Mining-Et et al. s study presented that the UGH level increased rapidly and the national security is at risk. UGH growing production would also make the lack of water and air pollution worse than it actually is; also they stated that climate change, in addition to being caused by overpopulation, is influenced by poor sustainable development, poor resources management and over-use of energy. This study shows that such changes have impact such as poor water resource and low agricultural production.

Modernization of America essays

Modernization of America essays The Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869. The telephone was invented in 1876. The first practical system for a radio was developed in 1895. The Wright brothers created a flying machine in 1903. The first gas powered automobile, the assembly line and the refrigerator were produced in the early 20th century. These are all very important steps in laying the foundation for the modernization of America, but I would argue that the first truly modern period in American history would have to be the 1920s. The 1920s brought a capitalistic population who, as a nation, leaned toward isolationism. In two main fields, the 1920s modernized American society to reflect the America of the 21st century more than any era before it. These fields are media and business. Along with a new decade came a new attitude from the media. By 1922 there were 22 magazines in circulation and by the end of the 1920s, 40% of Americans owned a radio. The first tabloid magazine appeared in 1919. The media that we know today spawned from this growth in the 20s. This new type of mass media permitted the spreading of national trends or obsessions, such as flagpole sitting. A 21st century equivalent to this type of rather bizarre behavior of national trends could be the Christmas Tickle me Elmo or Furby craze over the last few years. The national connection that the mass media provided also allowed for fashion to become important and for heroes in the world of sports to emerge. Advertising became a lucrative business and targeted middle class homes. The decade brought a new openness about sex, and the media did not miss the chance to take part in this revolution. The movies were very popular and the film stars who were known for being cute and innocent, such as Americas Sweetheart, Mary Pickford were replaced by stars who were sexy, like ...

Beowulf Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beowulf - Essay Example The hall was the place where his warriors had fun while drinking mead. In the same hall, the king gave his warriors treasures after every battle. The hall was a center for listening to music and singing songs which theme was bravery and the heroic adventures that brave people get through. Therefore, the hall was a good place to experience all the joys. However, a monster that lived in the nearby started attacks in the hall built by the king. Grendel was the name of the monster and he was extremely brutal in his actions. According to Heaney, once at night Grendel went to the hall and attacked the people who were there. Now all the warriors in the hall were asleep at the time of the attack. The monster butchered around thirty of the men who were in the hall. King Hrothgar was overwhelmed because of the pain and sorrow of losing his people. Scyldings had the same experience as their king. However, it was hard to do anything at that time to overcome the situation that had just occurred. The following night, the monster came back to the hall again and killed again. Despite the efforts that the Scyldings applied to overcome the monster, nothing worked and they did not achieve their objective. The monster was resistant to the weapons used to harm it. None of the weapons harmed Grendel. He was too strong and resistant to be defeated. Scyldings thought of seeking help from gods but the monster remained strong and undefeatable. The monster continued its attacks in the hall and harming all those in the hall. Warriors tried to defend the others but they ended up being slayed. It reached a point that Scyldings started avoiding fighting and at the end, they started abandoning the hall every now and then. However, Grendel continued expanding attacks from the hall to the areas around the hall by causing terrors to the Danes for about twelve years. Stories told about what was happening in the kingdom of Hrothgar spread like fire in the bush. The news about the horrifying creatu re in Hrothgar’s kingdom reached Southwest Sweden that was the Geats’ Kingdom. (Heaney 18). When Beowulf heard the news, concerning Hrothgars’s Kingdom and the dilemma that the king of the kingdom had, Bewoulf remembered that King Hrothgar was a good person to his father because he did a favor for him once. Beowulf felt that he had a debt to either pay to the king of Danes through finding a solution to the dilemma that the king had or take the challenge to get rid of Grendel. He decided to take challenge and fight against the monster. He planned a journey to Denmark for fighting Grendel. No one could stop Beowulf or prevent him from going to Denmark to accomplish his endeavor of helping King Hrothgar overcome the monster (Collins 200). Beowulf was a young man by then but determined to win over the monster. He searched for fourteen warriors who he regarded them as worthy to accompany him. They assembled and started their journey to Denmark by sailing. When they a rrived at the magnificent hall, they made a petition to meet King Hrothgar. Inside the hall, Beowulf made a request in a speech that he wanted an honor to fight against the horrifying and terrifying monster, Grendel. He promised that he was willing to fight the monster using his bear hands without using any weapon or a shield. Honoring of the request was in form of a feast by the king. One of the Scyldings by the name

Study Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study Research - Essay Example Mcmahon-Parkes et al. researched the outlooks and beliefs of patients who were resuscitated and those never resuscitated as well. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. argue that nurses always fear that family members may obstruct efforts to resuscitate their relatives (Mcmahon-Parkes et al., 2009). This fear is the key reason they do not tolerate them during resuscitate procedures. Nurses today also fear that family members who see their relatives undergo resuscitation processes might be harmed mentally. Mcmahon-Parkes et al justify this study by pointing out that there are no past qualitative literatures on the perceptions of nurses towards the company of families during the resuscitation of patients (Schmidt, 2010). In addition, few research works ever examined what patients preferred when it came to their families witnessing their resuscitation. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. explained the perspectives of patients who were revived successfully and patients taken to the ER but not requiring resuscitation (Mcmahon-Parkes et al., 2009). These perspectives examined whether both types of patients preferred their relatives present during resuscitation or not. The methodology used by Mcmahon-Parkes et al involved a sample of 21 revived patients and 40 patients taken to the ER. All patients were from 4 hospitals in two big cities in Southwest England. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. used a myriad of reviewers and uniform decision-making techniques (Schmidt, 2010). These methods proved effective for gathering perspectives from both types of patients regarding the company of their relatives during resuscitation. Findings showed that most patients preferred the company of their relatives while being resuscitated. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. discovered that both types of patients had three common themes in their preferences. The first theme was positive. Both types of patients understood that the company of their relatives meant that they were

Giant Snakes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Giant Snakes - Essay Example Boa belongs to Squamata order and Boidae family. Boa is found in Madagascar, Papua and the Pacific islands. The remarkable feature of this giant snake is its color. "Boa constrictors are pinkish or tan in color, with dark crossbands. They range in length is from 20 inches (50 cm) as neonates to 13 feet (3.9 m) as adults" (Boa 2007). The most colorful snakes are found in Amazon basin. The female are larger than male species. Pythons belong to Pythoninae subfamily, Boidae family. Pythons can be found in the tropics of Africa, Asia, and Australia. Similar to boas their females are larger than males (Mattison 87). The movement of both giant snakes looks magical. Though they have no legs, snakes can move fast and quite efficiently in all sorts of situations. Their long backbones comprise of between 100 and 400 vertebrae and, with a very special arrangement of muscles, they can adopt several efficient modes of locomotion and, furthermore, can switch virtually instantaneously from one to another. During this elegant side-to-side undulation, each part of the body passes across the same spot on the surface. There is also the concertina-type movement consisting of anchoring one part of the body on the substratum while the rest of it is either pulled or pushed along, clearly an efficient strategy when moving through narrow tunnels. Boas and pythons use the side-winding motion on moderately rugged surfaces, including unstable sand dunes. Pythons "coil themselves around their prey and with each breathe the creature takes the snake will squeeze a little tighter until they stop breathing completely" (Py thons 2007). Diet and Reproducing Pythons and boas can survive without food during a year. "Boa feeds on large lizards, small or moderate-sized birds, opossums, bats, mongooses, rats, and squirrels. It is a nocturnal hunter and uses its heat-sensitive scales to locate its prey" (Boa 2007). The main difference between boa and python is that pythons lay eggs while boas produce living boas. The female Python protects her eggs by coiling round them, and at this time her temperature rises several degrees, probably to promote hatching. Body Temperature and Vision Their body temperature depends on the environment, so they are said to be ectothermic. They regulate their body temperature by exploiting various behavioral attitudes such as warming themselves in the sun. Boas and pythons even seek warmth at night and, in tropical regions, they often rest on tracks which have accumulated heat during the day. In excessive heat, as in some deserts, they cool themselves by burrowing into the sand, leaving their eyes just above the ground (Mattison 2007). They are also able to adjust their body temperature by living nocturnally or diurnally or, in cold conditions, by hibernating in deep holes. Boas and pythons have classical senses: sight, smell, touch, probably taste (as suggested by the presence of taste buds in some snakes but not demonstrated in all) and hearing. With no movable eyelids, protection for their eyes is provided by a fixed transparent shield which is shed together with the whole skin during sloughing. Though vision in

A History of Melody Essay Example for Free

A History of Melody Essay The violin emerged from a primitive musical bow, usually an arched stick with a string stretched taut between the two ends (Hughes, 2008). The string is divided by a loop or a bridge (Thinkquest, 1999). The first bridge was used to add to the instruments resonance when the string was vibrated, and strings were attached across suitable receptacles (Hughes, 2008). These resonance enhancers took many forms-tortoise shells, coconut, calabash, wooden boxes and even pig bladders (Thinkquest, 1999), thrust tightly between the strings and the bow (Thinkquest, 1999). Also to enhance the resonance of the bow, the instrument was held before the mouth (Thinkquest, 1999). The violin probably came to Europe around the 9th century, mostly originating from Asia (Thinkquest, 1999). It took the evolutionary process of the violin about 450 years to bring the violin to its present form. This only shows the long years of experience needed by the makers of the stringed instrument (Thinkquest, 1999). The use of a bow to draw across the strings followed, probably imported into Europe from Asia by Arab travellers (Hughes, 2008). The evolution of the violin was slow. It took until the middle Ages for a version of the zither, a popular and older instrument, to evolve into the vielle, which saw the instrument being held against the shoulder. This differentiated it from the zither, as the latter was held across the knees (Hughes, 2008). As time went on, the original one string grew to four, and for a time, five strings (Hughes, 2008). Fashionable until the 16th century, the vielle was changed with the small wooden ribs used in similar wooden plucked instruments replaced by the tailpiece and bridge (Hughes, 2008). Violin 2 By the time of the Renaissance, the viol (a bowed stringed instrument chiefly of the 16th and 17th centuries made in treble, alto, tenor, and bass sizes and distinguished from members of the violin family especially in having a deep body, a flat back, sloping shoulders, usually six strings, a fretted fingerboard, and a low-arched bridge (Merriam-Webster, 2008), was being used, the first having a hole adding resonance and tone to the instrument (Hughes, 2008). It was a short time that the viol evolved into the viola da gamba (a bass member of the viol family having a range approximating the cello (Merriam-Webster, 2008), which was played between the knees of the musician, and the viola de braccio held against the shoulder. The modern shape of the violin was evolved from the second version of the instrument (Hughes, 2008). The Violin evolved form many different instruments, including the Rebob, the Rebec, Lira da Braccio and the Renaissance fiddle. The violin today, the â€Å"new violin† was not used until 1630 in Italy (Berkeley, 2008). The evolution of the modern violin appears to have been completed in Italy with the most famous violin maker Andrea Amati at Cremona, providing 24 violins, six violas and eight cellos for the French King Charles IX in 1560 (Hughes, 2008). Another famous violin maker, Antonio Stradivarius, joined the Amati school in the latter half of the 6th century (Hughes, 2008). The violins refinery As stated earlier in the paper, that apart from the Arab travellers influence had an on the violin, there is no certain fact on who invented the violin or a stringed instrument that is played with a bow (Hughes, 2008). Some of the theories place the invention of the violin at around 1520 A. D. wherein the violin is included in the Gaudenzio Ferrari painting The Madonna of the Orange Trees (cited in Berkeley, 2008). Violin 3 But the violin emerged in Italy in the early 1500s and seems to have developed from two medieval bowed instruments-the fiddle, also called the viele or fiedel, and the rebec-and from the Renaissance lira de braccio (a violin-like instrument with off the finger drone strings (Rosenblum, 2007). Also related to the violin, but not direct ancestors, is the six-string fretted viol. The viol appeared in Europe before the violin and existed with it side by side for about 200 hundred years (Rosenblum, 2007). In the early 1600s, however, the violin gained prestige through its use in operas such as Orfeo(1607) by Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi, and through the French King Louis XIII band of musicians, the 24 violons de roi (the â€Å"Kings 24 violins†, formed in 1626). This growth in stature continued throughout the Baroque period (1600-1750) in the works of many notable composer-performers. Among them were the Italians Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi and Giuseppe Tartini and the Germanys Heinrich Biber, Georg Philipp Teleman and Johann Sebastian Bach (Rosenblum, 2007). The Craftsmen The earliest important violin makers were from Northern Italy, Gasparo da Salo (1540-1609) and Giovanni Maggini (1579-1630) from Brescia and Andrea Amati (1525-1611) from Cremona. The craft of violin making reached its height in the 17th and 18th centuries in the workshops of the Italians Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1737) and Giuseppe Guarneri (1698-1744) from Cremona and the Austrian Jacob Stainer (1617-1638) (Rosenblum, 2007). Violin 4 Gasparo da Salo (1542-1609) The founder of the Brescian school of violin makers, Gasparo Bertlotti, or Gasparo da Salo, was a dedicated craftsman and instrument maker. He was formerly credited with the claim of having developed the violin in the shape we know today. Although his claims have been disproved, his instruments are nevertheless admired and venerated (Smithsonian, 2008). Gasparos violas are considered finer than his violins and probably were more numerous (Smithsonian, 2008). His viola da gambas were converted to violincellos and are much esteemed, and some of his six-stringed bass viols have been remounted as three and four stringed double basses. Twenty instruments have been recorded (Smithsonian, 2008). Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1579-1630) An apprentice of Gasparo da Salo, he acquired a thorough knowledge of the woods available to him (Smithsonian, 2008). Maggini made his own mark and as a master, his own techniques of craftsmanship. He frequently experimented to improve tone quality for his pieces and perfect his construction methods (Smithsonian, 2008). Many of the instruments made by Maggini at the twilight of his career are considered his finest work. These works are known for the quality of the woods and unusually large sound holes as well as for their unusually mellow tones (Smithsonian, 2008). Andrea Amati (1525-1611) The founder of the great Cremona school of violin making, Amati focused on violins and was making viols and rebecs. Instruments dated after 1584 are said to be the works of his sons Antonio and Hieronymus (Smithsonian, 2008). Violin 5 It is claimed that he made 24 violins, 6 violas and 8 cellos for the French king Charles IX for use at the court at Versailles (Smithsonian, 2008). A few of these instruments survive to this day (Smithsonian, 2008). Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1734) Stradivarius interpretation of geometry and design served as a conceptual model for violin makers for more than 200 years (Smithsonian, 2008). Stradivarius also made harps, guitars, violas and cellos- more than 1,100 instruments by current estimate (Smithsonian, 2008). About 650 of these instruments survive today (Smithsonian, 2008). Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri (1698-1744) Guarneri is considered the most illustrious member of this violin making family. The fifth and last member of the family, he is known more as Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu. Guarnerius is the Latin form of the family name and Joseph the Hebrew form of Giuseppe (Smithsonian, 2008). The estimate of his total production is not more than 250 violins; no evidence suggests that he made more (Smithsonian, 2008). But at least one violoncello and some violas are attributed to him. The outline of his violins, with slight modifications, is founded on instruments of Stradivarius (Smithsonian, 2008). Stradivarius and Guarnerius are ranked as among the greatest violin makers, but fine violinists prefer Guarnerius over Stradivarius (Smithsonian, 2008). Whatever the history or whoever the maker of the violin, we all must appreciate the efforts of these individuals who in one way or another contributed to the making of the violin. All these men have given much by way of continuously honing the instrument as it is known and enjoyed today by scores of people. Violin 6 Personal Reflection The violin represents probably on of the more versatile, elegant and mysterious of the instruments that we have today. The seeming smallness of the instrument somewhat does not tell of the long and painstaking process that went into its refinement and development. The reason that I centred the paper on this instrument is just for those following reasons. The instrument for me seems to just waft its notes and sounds over the listeners ears at just the right moments. They are, I believe, different from the wind pieces such as the trumpet and the saxophone. These pieces produce these shrill notes that sometimes tend to be irritable if you are not an admirer for the kind of music. But the violin just seems to play its notes in a mellow and smooth sound. It sometimes will want to lull to sleep at times. Im a fan of the violin. For me, there is just no instrument just like it in sound and depth and quality of sound. Yes, there are many pieces out there that seem to sound alike, but cant seem to touch the position of the violin. I cant imagine an orchestra without a violin in the strings section. It would be incomplete without it. The sound would be really different than the violins in it. And the violin can cross over to different genres of music, from classical to country to pop to jazz and to others, without a tad of difficulty. Thats another thing I like about this instrument, its very versatile. It can just blend in with the various styles of music that you put it with and it will perform handsomely, a trait not all instruments can boast of. What we can do now is just relax at every playing of the violin, just to enjoy the elegant sound of the instrument as the musician begins to play and begins to once again weave its magic over its listeners. Reference Berkeley. (2008). The origins and history of the violin. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Berkeley website. http://www-atdp. berkeley. edu/2030/jmoriuchi/violin-title. html Hughes, A. (2008). Where did the violin originate? Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Answer Bank database http://www. theanswerbank. co. uk/Article1910. html Merriam-Webster. (2008). Viola. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Merriam-Webster website http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/viol Rosenblum, M. (2007). Violin. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Microsoft Encarta encyclopaedia database. http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761576364/Violin. html Smithsonian Institution. (2008). Violin makers. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Encyclopaedia Smithsonian website. http://www. si. edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/violdasa. htm ThinkQuest. (1999). The violin. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Oracle Education Foundation database. http://library. thinkquest. org/27178/en/section/1/index. html

affirmative action Essay -- essays research papers

Affirmative Action Affirmative Action, policies used in the United States to increase opportunities for minorities by favoring them in hiring and promotion, college admissions, and the awarding of government contracts. Depending upon the situation, â€Å"minorities† might include any underrepresented group, especially one defined by race, ethnicity, or gender. Generally, affirmative action has been undertaken by governments, businesses, or educational institutions to remedy the effects of past discrimination against a group, whether by a specific entity, such as a corporation, or by society as a whole. According to the Merriam-Webster New World Dictionary, Affirmative Action is defined as an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups or women. To put that definition in English, it means a program designed to help either minorities or women achieve equal rights, as with the rest of the population. In this case, the minorities are being discussed, or to be less broad, the African Americans. â€Å"I have a dream today.† This is a famous quote by one of histories most famous and influential civil rights activists of all time, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Being a civil rights activist, Dr. King wanted nothing more than for his people, the African Americans, to have equality. In the effort to gain equality, there were four steps he took. The first step was the collection of facts. In other words, this meant that they would identify t...

The Death of Christen :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Death of Christen It snowed for three straight days after my grandmother died. I wouldn't think the two facts were related but for the fact that the roads were all closed on the second day of the blizzard, and we were stuck at the wake all night long, like someone or something was trying to keep us there. It was weird, spending the night with dead people. I wasn't alone, of course. There was my family, and then there were the Szerniaks and their dead father, and the corpse of some creepy guy named William Manfred III who had apparently been abandoned at his own wake because his family couldn't make it through the snow. I went in to visit him once, but it was just too creepy in there by myself. My own dead relatives were bad enough, thanks. I finished off another piece of cold, greasy fried chicken from the fast food place next door and looked up. My uncle was still snoring in the corner, my cousin was still trying to look up my skirt (the perv) and my dad was still just sitting there in front of the coffin, candlelight tracing shapes around his eyes, swallowing the few tears he had left to cry. My mother wasn't there...she was stranded like us, although she had it slightly better. While we were here with a bunch of corpses, she was at least stuck in an office with hot coffee and her computer and stuff. She was probably having a blast. I wasn't. After a few more minutes of boredom, I decided to get up, stretch my legs and look for some sort of entertainment. There was a television in a small lounge near the bathroom, but it was currently being used as a smoking room by some nervous Szerniaks. I wasn't in the mood for watery eyes and a hacking cough, so I avoided the low-tar menthol-flavored fog bank and went and traced my name on the ice that had formed on the inside of the outside glass door, watching the world swirl around outside as I tried to avoid getting slush on my shoes. That's how I met Christen. "Can I sit here?" she asked, sliding down the wall and landing with a thump on the floor across from me, knees drawn up tight because I was taking up most of the hallway.

A Letter from Birmingham Jail

Reflection of â€Å"A Letter from Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther Kingjr. For our honors portfolio this quarter we were required to read three documents. We, then, were quizzed over each of the readings. First, we read â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King, Jr. , then, we read the transcript of President John F. Kennedys inaugural address, and last but not least, we read â€Å"Millennial Makeover† by Morley Winograd and Michael Hals.Furthermore, we had to read and analyze the documents because the quizzes required us to think deeper than the written words on the paper. I believe these documents are critical because they have shaped the government and our society today. My favorite of these three documents, if I had to pick. would be â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail†, not only because I admire Martin Luther King Jr. , but also because this letter Is a very powerful and Inspiring piece of work.Luther wrote while being confined in a jail in Birmingham, Alabama, for participating in civil rights demonstrations. His letter states that he will continue resisting nonviolently against racial discrimination and pleads the readers to see segregation from a different point f view. Moreover, I noticed that he quoted many people including Apostle Paul, St. Augustine, Reinhold Niebuhr and many others. This made me realize that he most likely had the quotations memorized since he didn't have access to those sources while imprisoned.He mentions that â€Å"injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere† and that â€Å"an unjust law is no law at all† (Luther). This means that an unjust law causes harm; for example, If it Is lawful to torture a certain group of people, then that is not a law whatsoever. This idea of injustice affects many directly, ut also affects everyone else indirectly in the fact that prejudice is occurring around them. Furthermore, his words describe in detail what segregation was Ilke and what people like him had to go through.This impacted me because now, the idea of racial discrimination is completely frowned upon, while in the 1900's it was something that seemed right and normal. It took years of hard work, bloody massacres. and non-stop action to obtain equality and I hate to see that a little bit of racism still exists today. The idea that immigrants are taking away Jobs and opportunities that should be for U. S. citizens. surprises me because this country was founded and created by immigrants.Instead of seeing different countries and different people in one world, we should see the whole world as one, because every human being, no matter what race. has his/her own rights and should have the same opportunities that his neighbor does. Luther is one of the most charismatic and persuasive people in history and has not only inspired many, but also revolutionized a country's view. He wrote this letter hoping to stir up some emotion and I think he got his point a cross in very non-violent and mature kind of way that was unexpected and at the same time, admirable.His stance ofa nonviolent action and the desperate cry for an end to social discrimination is as powerful now as It was 50 years ago. We now stand by these liberal values and believe the God has made us all equal and has given us n r gnts tnat no law can take away. A tnougn tnls was not an easy project, I certainly did learn something from it and it inspired me to stand up for my beliefs, but also, in a way, allowed me to see that anything is possible through hard work.