Diageo-Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Diageo-Marketing - Case Study Example The firm has distilleries in Europe and North America. Allied Domecq's retail operations include the Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin' Donuts, and Togo's Eateries franchises. Allied was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2005. (Source from website: http://www.hoovers.com/allied-domecq/--ID__50001--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml) Constellation Brands: The Company makes and distributes about 200 brands of beer, wine, and spirits in the US and the UK. Its Constellation Wines division is the global leader in wine sales, offering brands such as Almaden, Banrock Station, Hardys, Inglenook, Vendange, and Arbor Mist. Constellation also makes premium wines including Estancia, Ravenswood, and Simi. Constellation Brands imports beers such as Corona and Tsingtao, markets distilled spirits such as Fleishmann's and Barton, and produces and distributes cider, wine, and bottled water in the UK. (Source from website http://www.hoovers.com/constellation-brands/--ID__11800--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml) Fortune Brands: The holding company is a leading US producer and distributor of distilled spirits (Jim Beam, DeKuyper, Knob Creek, Absolut) and golf equipment (Titleist, Cobra, FootJoy, Pinnacle). Bacardi, Adolph Coors, Carlsberg, Fosters, SABMiller and Pernod Ricard. It also has a diversified non-alcoholic product mix and has added former Allied Domecq brands Sauza, Courvoisier, Canadian Club, and Clos du Bois to its fold. (Source from website: http://www.hoovers.com/fortune-brands/--ID__10075--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml) Data from website: http://www.diageo.com/NR/rdonlyres/E8BFE3FB-B7D8-461B-8E27-4D8449A1C350/0/DiageoFactSheet2006.pdf. Diageo is the leader in terms of revenues and global market share. In 2005, had a market share... This essay describes the Diageo company, that is a very well-known brand globally and markets all over the world that includes including Great Britain, Ireland, United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, Africa, Latin America, Australia, India and the Caribbean. It is stated by the researcher that Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of alcohol beverage brands across spirits, wine and beer categories. These brands include: Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Baileys, J&B, Captain Morgan, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Crown Royal and Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. The researcher then analyzes different marketing strategies that were used by the company, as well as discusses the analysis of the Diageo's competitors. This essay also provides the reader with PEST Analysis and SWOT analysis on the topic, discussing the topic of strengths and weaknesses and opportunities of the company as well as it's technological, social, political and cult ural aspects. In addition, the researcher provides his own recommendations on the topic and concluds that Diageo has always been in tune with the dynamic environment and has been able to strategize accordingly. This has made it a success story and a created a place for itself in the alcoholic beverage industry which is open to numerous sensitive and volatile issues. Selective acquisitions to support brand growth, on-going innovation and customer focus strategies will continue take Diageo on the path to success.

Report on Tesco location Essay Example for Free

Report on Tesco location Essay Introduction For the last six months I have been carrying out a thorough investigation into the suitability of a superstore in Slough. In this report I have outlined most of the key factors in this report that could contribute to the success of a superstore in Slough. Trading Estate Slough currently has the second largest trading estate in Europe, which employs over 25,000 people. Due to this there is a very high employment rate in Slough: Unemployment between 2000 2500 people (this equates to 3%) is amongst the lowest in the country. The very high employment rate in Slough means the public has a lot more spending power. This is why there is such high business activity in Slough which can only be beneficial for Tesco as they will be much more likely to get higher sales and profit. The trading estate is also reason to many people commuting into Slough regularly; Tesco could be the shop they pop into on the way home. The trading estate shows that Slough isnt a developing area rather it is a well-developed industrial area with a well-established and healthy economy, consisting of high business activity. This is one of the reasons it is a rich prosperous area, which is ideal to invest in. The Trading Estate also means that a lot of people travel into the town regularly because of the massive number of jobs available and over 32% of these jobs come from the trading estate. I believe that the number of jobs the Trading Estate currently offers is a huge benefactor to the existence of a superstore in Slough. The spending power is very high in this town and mainly due to the trading estate, there is a gap in this market in Slough and I believe Tesco should act quickly to saturate it. Ever Increasing Population Over the last 10 years the population of Slough has been increasing hugely because of interchangeable factors consisting of its closeness to London, as it is only 20 miles away. Slough Population 106600 108100 110400 112400 114500 116000 117200 117700 118600 119001 Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Above is a table showing the increase in population in Slough from 1992 2001. One of the main causes for this increase as mentioned before is the closeness to the capital, London. House prices are generally much cheaper in Slough in comparison to London and because of the little distance between the two areas, many people live in Slough and look to commute into London. As well the cheaper house prices, Slough also provides a much lower cost of living whereas London is one of the most expensive places to live in the world. In addition to this the commuters are also benefited by the fact that Slough has a lot of transport links including Bus Train stations as well as being next to the motorway. A highlight of the transport from Slough to London is that an Intercity train leaves every 15 minutes in the morning and it takes 20 minutes from Slough to Paddington. Furthermore due to the massive increase of population in Slough companies like Kingsow, Barrats and Redrow have developed and built over 2000 homes in Slough. This shows how Slough is still expanding and is a very good prospect to invest into. Due to these companies there has been huge developments in housing estates in Slough an example of this is Windsor Meadows which has been developed and accommodates much more families and as we, Tesco sell an everyday consumer product, this can only benefit us. The increasing population also relates to the amount of jobs currently offered by Slough. Slough currently provides 78,000 jobs The fact that Slough currently provides 78,000 jobs is astonishing and it is one of the key factors for so much people seeking residence in the town, attracting people from all over the country. I believe that the increase of the population is very positive and convincing. I am therefore led to believe that the population will further increase, increasing the necessity to many for a supermarket providing food and drink, Tesco. Competition Another favourable aspect of opening a superstore in Slough is the lack of competition in the area. The nearest competitor for Tesco is Sainsburys, which is around 3 miles away from the Tesco store, and it is very small in comparison to the Tesco store. The only other competitor in the Slough area is Asda which is around 3 miles away from the Tesco store and tucked away in a housing estate. This demonstrates the real lack of competition in the area and shows how easy it is for Tesco to take over the Slough supermarket share. As well as the lack of competition there is no real superstore in Slough or in any surrounding town for that matter, this will help Tesco to capture the public of Maidenhead, Marlow and Windsor etc. as well as the Slough public. This is another reason why a Tesco superstore would have no problem coping with any competition as there isnt another superstore for miles. Due to these two factors in competition, I can conclude that there is minimal risk of the investment into a superstore into Slough. I can also say that I would completely expect Tesco to get a brilliant return on their investment; it would help us to meet our Aims and Objectives and strive towards becoming a bigger and better company. I hope the information enclosed in this report is of use to you and I truly hope you decide to invest into such a prosperous location that can only take the company forward. If you should require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Washburn V. State :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The evidence presented to myself and the other juror’s proves that Tyrone Washburn is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the murder of his wife, Elena Washburn. On March 12, 1979 Elena Washburn was strangled in the living room of her family’s home. Her body was then dragged to the garage, leaving a trail of blood from the living room to the place it was found. Her husband, Tyrone Washburn, found her in the family’s garage on March 13, 1979 at 1:45 A.M. When officer Dale Chambers arrived at the scene he found her lying face down in a pool of blood. The solid evidence in this case proves only one person, Tyrone Washburn, is guilty of murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We were presented with many facts that all pointed to Mr. Washburn as the murder. In the house all of the entrances were thoroughly inspected by authorities, and they found no sign of ransacking. â€Å"[They] examined all the locking mechanisms, all the doors and windows. In [their] opinion there was no evidence of any forced entry† (P.81). When police looked for fingerprints, â€Å"They were all of the Washburn family and the maid† (P.81). There was no trace of an outside party; somebody usually in the Washburn house committed the murder. While in the living room, an officer found a drop of blood. The evidence technician was called the next night to run some tests. â€Å"He sprayed the living room carpet with luminol. It is a luminous spray, and when it comes in contact with blood it illuminates† (P.82). To both men’s surprise the whole living room was illuminating. After spraying further the men found a trail from the living room thro ugh the kitchen to the garage. In the closet the men found a wet mop, which was tested for blood and also came back positive. Somebody tried to clean his or her bloody mess, and try to save himself. The physical evidence proves the killer was somebody who was familiar to the Washburn household.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The circumstantial evidence further proves only Tyrone Washburn could be Elena Washburn’s murderer. The morning of Elena’s death began just like every morning at the Washburn residence. â€Å"[Tyrone] and the children went out to his VW and got in the car . . . When he got in the car with the children he remembered a report he needed . . . So he went back to look for it while the children waited in the car† (P.

Bob Dole, Bill Sherman, and some blind guys with an elephant :: Essays Papers

Bob Dole, Bill Sherman, and some blind guys with an elephant When I moved back to Vermont and had conversations with friends and relatives about the Gulf War, I was surprised at how different the war they were describing was from the one that I remember. "Stealth" fighters, "Patriot" missiles, "chemical" attacks, people that I talked to had the impression that war was a constant state of danger. At the American Legion's annual convention this past summer, speaker Bob Dole said in part that, for those of us who served in wars, "We did not see the big picture. We saw the small struggle. We did not hear the call of history. We heard the voice of friends" (Stuteville 49). What I remember the most about the Gulf War is also the "small" struggles. Before I went to Saudi Arabia I had the classic American (or was it Hollywood?) idea of what "war" was all about. Just like John Wayne, or Rambo, I knew what war was! (I still remember a briefing chart that we had made of what we, the guys in my company and me, thought of as "our" mission . . . "Go there, kick ass, come home.") I knew that we would get there and, somehow, magically, be delivered to where the Iraqi army was. We would then defeat those same Iraqis in some grand, amorphous "Cinemascope and Technicolor" battle, set the Iraqi people free from the evil clutches of Saddam Hussein, and come home to America where we would all be honored as heroes. There would be victory parades, speeches, and (most importantly) free beer for the rest of our lives. What we found was that for eight months we sat on our butts in the middle of a desert. Not that "Beau Geste" desert of rolling sand dunes and oases with palm trees, Bedouin tribesmen with caravans of camels that Hollywood had managed to find. Oh, no-oo-oo! What we got was a rock-covered, "so-hot-you-couldn't-go-outside-in-the-middle-of- the-day," "so-cold-at-night-that-you-needed-a-sleeping-bag," bug-infested piece of land that, better than "desert," someone should have called "Mars" because it looked as if it was plucked off the face of another planet and thrown down just for us to find. This was as far removed from a Hollywood desert as it could be. There are three things about that war that I will never forget. First, I will always remember struggling with the sun.

Culture and Anarchy by Mathew Arnold Essay

My foremost design in writing this Preface is to address a word of exhortation to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In the essay which follows, the reader will often find Bishop Wilson quoted. To me and to the members of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge his name and writings are still, no doubt, familiar; but the world is fast going away from old-fashioned people of his sort, and I learnt with consternation lately from a brilliant and distinguished votary of the natural sciences, that he had never so much as heard of Bishop Wilson, and that he imagined me to have invented him. At a moment when the Courts of Law have just taken off the embargo from the recreative religion furnished on Sundays by my gifted acquaintance and others, and when St. Martin’s Hall [iv] and the Alhambra will soon be beginning again to resound with their pulpit-eloquence, it distresses one to think that the new lights should not only have, in general, a very low opinion of the preachers of the old religion, but that they should have it without knowing the best that these preachers can do. And that they are in this case is owing in part, certainly, to the negligence of the Christian Knowledge Society. In old times they used to print and spread abroad Bishop Wilson’s Maxims of Piety and Christianity; the copy of this work which I use is one of their publications, bearing their imprint, and bound in the well-known brown calf which they made familiar to our childhood; but the date of my copy is 1812. I know of no copy besides, and I believe the work is no longer one of those printed and circulated by the Society. Hence the error, flattering, I own, to me personally, yet in itself to be regretted, of the distinguished physicist already mentioned. But Bishop Wilson’s Maxims deserve to be circulated as a religious book, not only by comparison with the cartloads of rubbish circulated at present under this designation, but for their own sake, and even by comparison with the other works of the same [v] author. Over the far better known Sacra Privata they have this advantage, that they were prepared by him for his own private use, while the Sacra Privata were prepared by him for the use of the public. The Maxims were never meant to be printed, and have on that account, like a work of, doubtless, far deeper emotion and power, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, something peculiarly sincere and first-hand about them. Some of the best things from the Maxims have passed into the Sacra Privata; still, in the Maxims, we have them as they first arose; and whereas, too, in the Sacra Privata the writer speaks very often as one of the clergy, and as addressing the clergy, in the Maxims he almost always speaks solely as a man. I am not saying a word against the Sacra Privata, for which I have the highest respect; only the Maxims seem to me a better and a more edifying book still. They should be read, as Joubert says Nicole should be read, with a direct aim at practice. The reader will leave on one side things which, from the change of time and from the changed point of view which the change of time inevitably brings with it, no longer suit him; enough [vi] will remain to serve as a sample of the very best, perhaps, which our nation and race can do in the way of religious writing. Monsieur Michelet makes it a reproach to us that, in all the doubt as to the real author of the Imitation, no one has ever dreamed of ascribing that work to an Englishman. It is true, the Imitation could not well have been written by an Englishman; the religious delicacy and the profound asceticism of that admirable book are hardly in our nature. This would be more of a reproach to us if in poetry, which requires, no less than religion, a true delicacy of spiritual perception, our race had not done such great things; and if the Imitation, exquisite as it is, did not, as I have elsewhere remarked, belong to a class of works in which the perfect balance of human nature is lost, and which have therefore, as spiritual productions, in their contents something excessive and morbid, in their form something not thoroughly sound. On a lower range than the Imitation, and awakening in our nature chords less poetical and delicate, the Maxims of Bishop Wilson are, as a religious work, far more solid. To the most sincere ardour and unction, Bishop Wilson unites, in these Maxims, that downright honesty [vii] and plain good sense which our English race has so powerfully applied to the divine impossibilities of religion; by which it has brought religion so much into practical life, and has done its allotted part in promoting upon earth the kingdom of God. But with ardour and unction religion, as we all know, may still be fanatical; with honesty and good sense, it may still be prosaic; and the fruit of honesty and good sense united with ardour and unction is often only a prosaic religion held fanatically. Bishop Wilson’s excellence lies in a balance of the four qualities, and in a fulness and perfection of them, which makes this untoward result impossible; his unction is so perfect, and in such happy alliance with his good sense, that it becomes tenderness and fervent charity; his good sense is so perfect and in such happy alliance with his unction, that it becomes moderation and insight. While, therefore, the type of religion exhibited in his Maxims is English, it is yet a type of a far higher kind than is in general reached by Bishop Wilson’s countrymen; and yet, being English, it is possible and attainable for them. And so I conclude as I began, by saying that a work of this sort is one which the Society for Promoting Christian [viii] Knowledge should not suffer to remain out of print or out of currency. To pass now to the matters canvassed in the following essay. The whole scope of the essay is to recommend culture as the great help out of our present difficulties; culture being a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know, on all the matters which most concern us, the best which has been thought and said in the world, and, through this knowledge, turning a stream of fresh and free thought upon our stock notions and habits, which we now follow staunchly but mechanically, vainly imagining that there is a virtue in following them staunchly which makes up for the mischief of following them mechanically. This, and this alone, is the scope of the following essay. I say again here, what I have said in the pages which follow, that from the faults and weaknesses of bookmen a notion of something bookish, pedantic, and futile has got itself more or less connected with the word culture, and that it is a pity we cannot use a word more perfectly free from all shadow of reproach. And yet, futile as are many bookmen, and helpless as books and reading often prove for bringing nearer to perfection those who [ix] use them, one must, I think, be struck more and more, the longer one lives, to find how much, in our present society, a man’s life of each day depends for its solidity and value on whether he reads during that day, and, far more still, on what he reads during it. More and more he who examines himself will find the difference it makes to him, at the end of any given day, whether or no he has pursued his avocations throughout it without reading at all; and whether or no, having read something, he has read the newspapers only. This, however, is a matter for each man’s private conscience and experience. If a man without books or reading, or reading nothing but his letters and the newspapers, gets nevertheless a fresh and free play of the best thoughts upon his stock notions and habits, he has got culture. He has got that for which we prize and recommend culture; he has got that which at the present moment we seek culture that it may give us. This inward operation is the very life and essence of culture, as we conceive it. Nevertheless, it is not easy so to frame one’s discourse concerning the operation of culture, as to avoid giving frequent occasion to a misunderstanding whereby the essential inwardness of the [x] operation is lost sight of. We are supposed, when we criticise by the help of culture some imperfect doing or other, to have in our eye some well-known rival plan of doing, which we want to serve and recommend. Thus, for instance, because I have freely pointed out the dangers and inconveniences to which our literature is exposed in the absence of any centre of taste and authority like the French Academy, it is constantly said that I want to introduce here in England an institution like the French Academy. I have indeed expressly declared that I wanted no such thing; but let us notice how it is just our worship of machinery, and of external doing, which leads to this charge being brought; and how the inwardness of culture makes us seize, for watching and cure, the faults to which our want of an Academy inclines us, and yet prevents us from trusting to an arm of flesh, as the Puritans say,–from blindly flying to this outward machinery of an Academy, in order to help ourselves. For the very same culture and free inward play of thought which shows us how the Corinthian style, or the whimsies about the One Primeval Language, are generated and strengthened in the absence of an [xi] Academy, shows us, too, how little any Academy, such as we should be likely to get, would cure them. Every one who knows the characteristics of our national life, and the tendencies so fully discussed in the following pages, knows exactly what an English Academy would be like. One can see the happy family in one’s mind’s eye as distinctly as if it was already constituted. Lord Stanhope, the Bishop of Oxford, Mr. Gladstone, the Dean of Westminster, Mr. Froude, Mr. Henry Reeve,– everything which is influential, accomplished, and distinguished; and then, some fine morning, a dissatisfaction of the public mind with this brilliant and select coterie, a flight of Corinthian leading articles, and an irruption of Mr. G. A. Sala. Clearly, this is not what will do us good. The very same faults,–the want of sensitiveness of intellectual conscience, the disbelief in right reason, the dislike of authority,–which have hindered our having an Academy and have worked injuriously in our literature, would also hinder us from making our Academy, if we established it, one which would really correct them. And culture, which shows us truly the faults, shows us this also just as truly. [xii] It is by a like sort of misunderstanding, again, that Mr. Oscar Browning, one of the assistant-masters at Eton, takes up in the Quarterly Review the cudgels for Eton, as if I had attacked Eton, because I have said, in a book about foreign schools, that a man may well prefer to teach his three or four hours a day without keeping a boarding-house; and that there are great dangers in cramming little boys of eight or ten and making them compete for an object of great value to their parents; and, again, that the manufacture and supply of school-books, in England, much needs regulation by some competent authority. Mr. Oscar Browning gives us to understand that at Eton he and others, with perfect satisfaction to themselves and the public, combine the functions of teaching and of keeping a boarding-house; that he knows excellent men (and, indeed, well he may, for a brother of his own, I am told, is one of the best of them,) engaged in preparing little boys for competitive examinations, and that the result, as tested at Eton, gives perfect satisfaction. And as to school-books he adds, finally, that Dr. William Smith, the learned and distinguished editor of the Quarterly Review, is, as we all know, [xiii] the compiler of school-books meritorious and many. This is what Mr. Oscar Browning gives us to understand in the Quarterly Review, and it is impossible not to read with pleasure what he says. For what can give a finer example of that frankness and manly self- confidence which our great public schools, and none of them so much as Eton, are supposed to inspire, of that buoyant ease in holding up one’s head, speaking out what is in one’s mind, and flinging off all sheepishness and awkwardness, than to see an Eton assistant-master offering in fact himself as evidence that to combine boarding-house- keeping with teaching is a good hing, and his brother as evidence that to train and race little boys for competitive examinations is a good thing? Nay, and one sees that this frank-hearted Eton self- confidence is contagious; for has not Mr. Oscar Browning managed to fire Dr. William Smith (himself, no doubt, the modestest man alive, and never trained at Eton) with the same spirit, and made him insert in his own Review a puff, so to speak, of his own school-books, declaring that they are (as they are) meritorious and many? Nevertheless, Mr. Oscar Browning is wrong in [xiv] thinking that I wished to run down Eton; and his repetition on behalf of Eton, with this idea in his head, of the strains of his heroic ancestor, Malvina’s Oscar, as they are recorded by the family poet, Ossian, is unnecessary. â€Å"The wild boar rushes over their tombs, but he does not disturb their repose. They still love the sport of their youth, and mount the wind with joy. All I meant to say was, that there were unpleasantnesses in uniting the keeping a boarding-house with teaching, and dangers in cramming and racing little boys for competitive examinations, and charlatanism and extravagance in the manufacture and supply of our school-books. But when Mr. Oscar Browning tells us that all these have been happily got rid of in his case, and his brother’s case, and Dr. William Smith’s case, then I say that this is just what I wish, and I hope other people will follow their good example. All I seek is that such blemishes should not through any negligence, self-love, or want of due self- examination, be suffered to continue. Natural, as we have said, the sort of misunderstanding just noticed is; yet our usefulness depends upon our being able to clear it away, and to convince [xv] those who mechanically serve some stock notion or operation, and thereby go astray, that it is not culture’s work or aim to give the victory to some rival fetish, but simply to turn a free and fresh stream of thought upon the whole matter in question. In a thing of more immediate interest, just now, than either of the two we have mentioned, the like misunderstanding prevails; and until it is dissipated, culture can do no good work in the matter. When we criticise the present operation of disestablishing the Irish Church, not by the power of reason and justice, but by the power of the antipathy of the Protestant Nonconformists, English and Scotch, to establishments, we are charged with being dreamers of dreams, hich the national will has rudely shattered, for endowing the religious sects all round; or we are called enemies of the Nonconformists, blind partisans of the Anglican Establishment. More than a few words we must give to showing how erroneous are these charges; because if they were true, we should be actually subverting our own design, and playing false to that culture which it is our very purpose to recommend. Certainly we are no enemies of the Nonconformists; [xvi] for, on the contrary, what we aim at is their perfection. Culture, which is the study of perfection, leads us, as we in the following pages have shown, to conceive of true human perfection as a harmonious perfection, developing all sides of our humanity; and as a general perfection, developing all parts of our society. For if one member suffer, the other members must suffer with it; and the fewer there are that follow the true way of salvation the harder that way is to find. And while the Nonconformists, the successors and representatives of the Puritans, and like them staunchly walking by the best light they have, make a large part of what is strongest and most serious in this nation and therefore attract our respect and interest, yet all that, in what follows, is said about Hebraism and Hellenism, has for its main result to show how our Puritans, ancient and modern, have not enough added to their care for walking staunchly by the best light they have, a care that that light be not darkness; how they have developed one side of their humanity at the expense of all others, and have become incomplete and mutilated men in consequence. Thus falling short of harmonious [xvii] perfection, they fail to follow the true way of salvation. Therefore that way is made the harder for others to find, general perfection is put further off out of our reach, and the confusion and perplexity in which our society now labours is increased by the Nonconformists rather than diminished by them. So while we praise and esteem the zeal of the Nonconformists in walking staunchly by the best light they have, and desire to take no whit from it, we seek to add to this what we call sweetness and light, and develope their full humanity more perfectly; and to seek this is certainly not to be the enemy of the Nonconformists. But now, with these ideas in our head, we come across the present operation for disestablishing the Irish Church by the power of the Nonconformists’ antipathy to religious establishments and endowments. And we see Liberal statesmen, for whose purpose this antipathy happens to be convenient, flattering it all they can; saying that though they have no intention of laying hands on an Establishment which is efficient and popular, like the Anglican Establishment here in England, yet it is in the abstract a fine and good thing that religion should [xviii] be left to the voluntary support of its promoters, and should thus gain in energy and independence; and Mr. Gladstone has no words strong enough to express his admiration of the refusal of State-aid by the Irish Roman Catholics, who have never yet been seriously asked to accept it, but who would a good deal embarrass him if they demanded it. And we see philosophical politicians, with a turn for swimming with the stream, like Mr. Baxter or Mr. Charles Buxton, and philosophical divines with the same turn, like the Dean of Canterbury, seeking to give a sort of grand stamp of generality and solemnity to this antipathy of the Nonconformists, and to dress it out as a law of human progress in the future. Now, nothing can be pleasanter than swimming with the stream; and we might gladly, if we could, try in our unsystematic way to help Mr. Baxter, and Mr. Charles Buxton, and the Dean of Canterbury, in their labours at once philosophical and popular. But we have got fixed in our minds that a more full and harmonious development of their humanity is what the Nonconformists most want, that narrowness, one-sidedness, and incompleteness is what they most suffer from; [xix] in a word, that in what we call provinciality they abound, but in what we may call totality they fall short. And they fall short more than the members of Establishments. The great works by which, not only in literature, art, and science generally, but in religion itself, the human spirit has manifested its approaches to totality, and a full, harmonious perfection, and by which it stimulates and helps forward the world’s general perfection, come, not from Nonconformists, but from men who either belong to Establishments or have been trained in them. A Nonconformist minister, the Rev. Edward White, who has lately written a temperate and well-reasoned pamphlet against Church Establishments, says that â€Å"the unendowed and unestablished communities of England exert full as much moral and ennobling influence upon the conduct of statesmen as that Church which is both established and endowed. † That depends upon what one means by moral and ennobling influence. The believer in machinery may think that to get a Government to abolish Church-rates or to legalise marriage with a deceased wife’s sister is to exert a moral and ennobling influ ence [xx] upon Government. But a lover of perfection, who looks to inward ripeness for the true springs of conduct, will surely think that as Shakspeare has done more for the inward ripeness of our statesmen than Dr. Watts, and has, therefore, done more to moralise and ennoble them, so an Establishment which has produced Hooker, Barrow, Butler, has done more to moralise and ennoble English statesmen and their conduct than communities which have produced the Nonconformist divines. The fruitful men of English Puritanism and Nonconformity are men who were trained within the pale of the Establishment,–Milton, Baxter, Wesley. A generation or two outside the Establishment, and Puritanism produces men of national mark no more. With the same doctrine and discipline, men of national mark are produced in Scotland; but in an Establishment. With the same doctrine and discipline, men of national and even European mark are produced in Germany, Switzerland, France; but in Establishments. Only two religious disciplines seem exempted; or comparatively exempted, from the operation of the law which seems to forbid the rearing, outside of national establishments, of men of the [xxi] highest spiritual significance. These two are the Roman Catholic and the Jewish. And these, both of them, rest on Establishments, which, though not indeed national, are cosmopolitan; and perhaps here, what the individual man does not lose by these conditions of his rearing, the citizen, and the State of which he is a citizen, loses.

The hydrogen peroxide Essays

The hydrogen peroxide Essays The hydrogen peroxide Paper The hydrogen peroxide Paper The substances that I am going to use in this investigation are Manganese Dioxide and Hydrogen Peroxide. The Manganese Dioxide is a chemical catalyst and will be used to speed up the breaking down of Hydrogen Peroxide. I am using a chemical catalyst because it would give a more accurate result compared to organic or biological catalysts. This because organic and biological catalysts are enzymes, which require a certain temperature and will need to be kept constant as they work best between that temperatures. For example, 37 degrees centigrade to 40 degrees centigrade are temperatures when enzymes work best. This is because enzymes are found in the human body and are used for digestion. Also the human body has a body temperature of 37 degrees centigrade, which is why the enzymes work best at that temperature. Enzymes such amylase is found in the mouth breaks down starch in to maltose. In the stomach pepsin is used to break down protein in to polypeptides. In the small intestines using the enzyme peptidase produces amino acids when polypeptides are broken down. Also this is where the maltose is broken down into glucose using the enzyme called maltase. Hydrogen Peroxide with a chemical equation of H2O2 looks very similar to the equation for water H2O however having an extra Oxygen atom compared to water but this changes the properties of Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a very reactive compound that can be used for a variety of reactions including bleaching and disinfecting minor wounds. Hydrogen peroxide H2O2 is made up of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms. Hydrogen Peroxide H2O2 looks like water H2O, but that extra oxygen molecule makes this natural water additive one of the most powerful oxidizers. Hydrogen Peroxide H2O2 has many uses and is used to bleach textiles and paper products. Other industrial uses consist of Oil refining, Food processing, Landfills, etc. The Hydrogen Peroxide is constantly being broken down but at a slow rate. With the help of the catalyst, Manganese Dioxide this will speed up the decomposition of the Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide typically decomposes to form water and oxygen at the rate of 10% per year. Here is the word equation for the reaction that I have just described: HYDROGEN PEROXIDE WATER + OXYGEN MANGANESE DIOXIDE Another way of describing this equation is in a balanced chemical equation: 2H2O 2H2O + O2 MnO2 Variables There are many things involved in this investigation, which could affect the speed the speed of this investigation. These called the variables. These variables consist of the surface area, the concentration, and the use of a catalyst, the amount of the catalyst and also the temperature. Heat, light, or a catalyst can accelerate the reaction. Surface area If the Manganese Dioxide has a large surface area increases the speed of the reaction because there will be more space covered by the Manganese Dioxide resulting in more of the Manganese Dioxide reacting with the Hydrogen peroxide hence increasing the speed of the reaction. And a smaller surface area will have a slower reaction rate compared to a larger surface area. Concentration of the Hydrogen Peroxide A high concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide would speed up the rate of decomposition. This because the concentration has an affect on how strong the Hydrogen Peroxide is. The higher the concentration the stronger the Hydrogen Peroxide is likely to be. So if the Hydrogen Peroxide has a stronger concentration that will mean that it is very reactive. Therefore being reactive means it will react faster and speed up the reaction.   The use of a catalyst There are two types of catalysts. They are biological catalysts and chemical catalysts. An example of a chemical catalyst is manganese Dioxide. A few examples of biological catalysts are carrots, potatoes and Liver. Catalysts are used to speed up reactions. Biological catalysts contain enzymes that break down certain substances in to other, easier to break down substances. The enzyme amylase, found in the saliva, breaks down starch into maltose. A disadvantage of using biological catalysts is that they rely on certain temperatures to ensure that they work best. Enzymes in your body work best at 37 degrees centigrade, which is your actual body temperature. When Manganese Dioxide is added to Hydrogen Peroxide, the Hydrogen Peroxide is begins to break down in to two substances. Hydrogen Peroxide breaks down in to Oxygen and water. To collect data I cannot measure the amount of water produced. This is because it will be very difficult to separate the water produced as it has been dissolved with the hydrogen peroxide. Instead I am going to measure the volume of Oxygen in centimetres cube, as the Oxygen bubbles will not easily dissolve in water. I am going to measure the oxygen by collecting the gas in a measuring cylinder, which is full of water. The theory is that when the gas goes in to the cylinder by a delivery tube, the oxygen gas pushes out the water. This process is called the downward displacement of water. I have chosen to investigate how the concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide affects its decomposition. Prediction I think that if I increased the concentration of the Hydrogen Peroxide the speed of the reaction will increase. I also think that as I increase the concentration of the Hydrogen Peroxide, more Oxygen will be produced. This will happen because the higher the concentration the more easy it is for the Manganese Dioxide to react with the Hydrogen Peroxide. This because the concentration has an affect on how strong the Hydrogen Peroxide is.

Writing Obituaries as a Celebration of Life

Writing Obituaries as a Celebration of Life Beginning reporters often view the writing of obituaries with disdain. After all, they say, an obit is by its very nature old news, the story of a life already lived. But seasoned journalists know that obits are some of the most satisfying articles to do; they give the writer a chance to chronicle a human life from start to finish, and in doing so to find themes and deeper meaning beyond the simple retelling of events. And obits, after all, are about people, and isnt writing about people what makes journalism so interesting in the first place? The Format The format for an obit is surprisingly simple - its basically written as a hard-news story, with what amounts to a five Ws and the H lede. So the lede of an obit should include: Who diedWhat happenedWhere the person died (this is optional for the lede, and is sometimes put in the second paragraph instead)When they diedWhy or how they died But an obit lede goes beyond the five Ws and the H to include a summing up of what made the persons life interesting or significant. This usually involves what they did in life. Whether the deceased was a corporate executive or a homemaker, the obit lede should try to summarize (briefly, of course) what made the person special. Obit ledes also generally include the persons age. Example John Smith, a math teacher who made algebra, trigonometry, and calculus interesting for several generations of students at Centerville High School, died Friday of cancer. He was 83. Smith died at home in Centerville after a long struggle with colon cancer. You can see how this lede includes all the basics - Smiths occupation, his age, the cause of death, etc. But it also sums up, in just a few words, what made him special - making math interesting for generations of high school students. Unusual Deaths If a person has essentially died of old age or a disease related to age, the cause of death generally isnt given more than a sentence or two in an obit, as you see in the example above. But when a person dies young, either through an accident, illness or other causes, the cause of death should be explained more fully. Example Jayson Carothers, a graphic designer who created some of the most memorable covers for the Centerville Times magazine, has died after a long illness. He was 43 and had AIDS, said his partner, Bob Thomas. The Rest Of the Story Once youve fashioned your lede, the rest of the obit is basically a brief chronological account of the persons life, with the emphasis on what made the person interesting. So if youve established in your lede that the deceased was a creative and much-loved math teacher, the rest of the obit should focus on that. Example Smith loved math from an early age and excelled at it through his grade-school years. He majored in math at Cornell University and graduated with honors in 1947. Soon after receiving his bachelors degree he began teaching at Centerville High School, where he became known for his engaging, animated lectures and pioneering use of audiovisual materials. Length The length of an obit varies, depending on the person and their prominence in your community. Obviously, the death of, say, a former mayor in your town will probably be longer than that of a school janitor. But the vast majority of obits are around 500 words or less. So the challenge for the obit writer is to neatly sum up a persons life in a fairly short space. Wrapping Up At the end of every obit are a few must-haves, including: Any information available about funeral services, viewings, etc.;A listing of the deceaseds surviving family members;Any requests family members have made regarding donations to charities, scholarships or foundations.

Appreciative and Thank-You Quotations

Appreciative and Thank-You Quotations A word of appreciation or a simple thank you can do wonders for building relationships. A thank you is not just courtesy or good manners; it acknowledges and hence cherishes kindness. Here are some beautifully worded thank you quotes. The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits. -Francois Duc de la RochefoucauldDo not let the empty cup be your first teacher of the blessings you had when it was full. Do not let a bard place here and there in the bed destroy your rest. Seek, as a plain duty, to cultivate a buoyant, joyous sense of the crowded kindnesses of God in your daily life. -Alexander MaclarenO Lord, who lends me life; lend me a heart replete with thankfulness. -William ShakespeareIt is the will to be grateful which constitutes gratitude. -Joseph CookNext to ingratitude, the most painful thing to bear is gratitude. -Henry Ward BeecherThou hast given so much to me,Give one thing more- a grateful heart;Not thankful when it pleaseth me,As if Thy blessings had spare days,But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise. -George HerbertWhen we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs? -G K Chesterton Kindness is the language, which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. -Mark TwainWe can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. -Thornton WilderWhat I have done is worthy of nothing but silence and forgetfulness, but what God has done for me is worthy of everlasting and thankful memory. -Joseph HallFeeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. -William WardWhen eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them. -Chinese ProverbOnly a stomach that rarely feels hungry scorns common things. -HoraceSaying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality. -Alfred PainterSilent gratitude isnt much use to anyone. -G B SternAs each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. -Adabella Radici

The Great Gatsby review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Great Gatsby review - Essay Example This is apparently illustrated by Nick who relocates to New York in search of a better future. At the end of the film, Gatsby exclaims to Nick that he was born penniless. Gatsby was a millionaire who was renowned in the neighbourhood, and this goes to show that success is possible for anyone as provided for by the second tenant of the American Dream. The two final tenets of the ideals of the American Dream are not well depicted in the film. Success is attained through hard work is the third principle. It is not clear to establish what Gatsby did to amass such wealth but there is an instance where Tom accuses him of bootlegging alcohol and conducting other illegal deeds. If in deed this is the reason why Gatsby was wealthy, the third principle does not apply in this case. The same can be said about the fourth tenet that asserts that success is associated with virtue. The hint of involvement in illegal practices may invalidate this tenet in the case of Gatsby and also he plans to take Daisy away from

United States Military Actions Without Congressional Declaration of Essay

United States Military Actions Without Congressional Declaration of War - Essay Example The U.S. has the ability to invade a country simply because it can and not because it is the option of last resort. Prior to the Korean War, the government used military force only when necessary so as to protect the country’s vital interests. Many times since that era the policy makers’ characterization of ‘vital interests’ has been flawed yet U.S. military involvement was always justified in this manner. Beginning with the Korean War, the country’s vital interests were no longer the measure by which to initiate military action. For example, the first President Bush committed forces to Somalia in the early 1990’s to be part of a United Nations humanitarian mission but public support quickly evaporated when the American soldiers began dying. President Clinton sent troops to the Balkans which proved to be successful because it caused minimal U.S. casualties while achieving political objectives. This conflict showed that the American public will tolerate military intervention even when not presented as protecting vital interests but only if it doesn’t cost a great deal of Americans lives. Somalia was a failure but military actions in the Balkans, Haiti, Panama and the first Gulf War have evidently encouraged the United States to initiate military action without any foundation in reason or common sense. The U.S. can overwhelm most other nations militarily, but successful foreign relations and global political objectives are made more complicated and less likely if the military is continually used for dubious purposes (Larson, 1996). The instances of misused military power over the past half century have escalated in the past 15 years which has caused an ever-widening credibility deficit for the U.S. Now, more than ever, it is vital that the U.S. formulate a reasonable policy which dictates the specific guidelines for engaging in foreign military operations. Within this policy, American interests should always be

Summary of story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary of story - Essay Example The narrator is quoted saying; â€Å"they have turned my pity into something hard and ugly† (Sedaris 2004). â€Å"Us and Them† runs along three key events. The first is a move. The narrator’s family has moved from the country of New York State to North Carolina Suburb (Sedaris 2004). The narrator clearly describes the difference in these two environments. Within a year, they move again, but to a spitting distance. Halloween, a popular American holiday is the second event. The Narrator expresses disappointment on this day. He was looking forward to going in a disguise to door for the traditional trick or treat; but they were off to the lake. He however went only to meet a coffee can full of bargain confectionery and with it a sign that read â€Å"DON’T BE GREEDY† (Sedaris 2004). Finally, on the night after Halloween, the entire Tomkins family shows up in costume at the narrator’s door for trick or treat. This angers the narrator who attributes this behaviour to their lack of a TV (Sedaris 2004). His anger graduates to hate when he is forced to give away his ‘earned’ candy to these pesky

Bullies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bullies - Essay Example However, bullying has not been constrained to the learning environment since the problem has also spread to workplaces and cyber bullying. This essay will cover the causes and possible solutions of bullying in details. The causes of bullying vary depending on the age, environment, and the background upbringing of an individual. This implies that the reasons that would influence one to be a bully in the workplace differ from the reasons that influence bullying at school. However, the most cited reason for bullying is personal inadequacy (Booth, Robson & Welham, 2004). In order to fight the inner feeling of emptiness, a bully usually harasses people of weak physical nature in order to achieve high self-esteem. Since the causes of bullying differ depending on the environment, the essay will examine the sources of bullying both in school and at the workplace, separately. Since students are raised in different backgrounds, psychologists have stated that the family background of a child can influence his/her character in their lifetime (Booth, Robson & Welham, 2004). The environment in which a child is brought up will affect how he/she relates with others as well as himself/herself. The best performing students in academics are usually brought up in stable religious families. Therefore, the parent-child relationship influences the child’s personality. Strained parental relationship has been identified as one of the main causes of bullying (Hurley, 2012). Most bullies lack a warm, affectionate, and caring bondage with their parents. Most of these parents subject their children to high academic expectations, which exert pressure on the students. In order to cope up with the pressure, the students turn to weak students and bully them. Moreover, children whose parents are illiterate, or drug addicts are more likely to become bullies due

Behavioural Finance in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Behavioural Finance in Business - Essay Example Tapping telephone calls, monitoring computer and internet usage, and screening e-mails are some of the common employee surveillance practices. This paper will critically discuss the influence of workplace surveillance on managing people at work from the perspectives of both employers and employees. The paper will particularly focus on three relevant issues such as performance management, employee privacy, and use of information technology. Performance management Productive performance management is the ultimate goal of workplace surveillance programs. In order to effectively manage workplace or employee performance, it is necessary to measure employee performance levels frequently. Management professionals claim that surveys or other studies may not be an effective way to measure employees’ work performance and productivity. Furthermore, workplace surveillance is the only potential mechanism in today’s business environment as it is an impossible task for line managers a nd other executives to monitor each employee separately. Therefore, a vast majority of management experts strongly support the use of electronic surveillance techniques in the workplace. According to the 2007 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey conducted by the American Management Association (AMA 2007), nearly 45% of business organizations monitor their employees’ computer, internet, and phone usage. The survey also indicates that a notable percent of employees were terminated for offensive language; excessive personal use of company properties; viewing, downloading, uploading offensive content; and breach of the firm’s confidential rules (ibid). These survey results support the top managements’ argument that workplace surveillance must be in operation to improve value chain efficiency and overall organizational productivity. From an employer’s perspective, the workplace surveillance system would put a moral check on employees and hence they may become more productive. In addition, if there is a workplace system in operation, employees would be conscious of future consequences in case of any workplace misconduct.  

Bullies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bullies - Essay Example However, bullying has not been constrained to the learning environment since the problem has also spread to workplaces and cyber bullying. This essay will cover the causes and possible solutions of bullying in details. The causes of bullying vary depending on the age, environment, and the background upbringing of an individual. This implies that the reasons that would influence one to be a bully in the workplace differ from the reasons that influence bullying at school. However, the most cited reason for bullying is personal inadequacy (Booth, Robson & Welham, 2004). In order to fight the inner feeling of emptiness, a bully usually harasses people of weak physical nature in order to achieve high self-esteem. Since the causes of bullying differ depending on the environment, the essay will examine the sources of bullying both in school and at the workplace, separately. Since students are raised in different backgrounds, psychologists have stated that the family background of a child can influence his/her character in their lifetime (Booth, Robson & Welham, 2004). The environment in which a child is brought up will affect how he/she relates with others as well as himself/herself. The best performing students in academics are usually brought up in stable religious families. Therefore, the parent-child relationship influences the child’s personality. Strained parental relationship has been identified as one of the main causes of bullying (Hurley, 2012). Most bullies lack a warm, affectionate, and caring bondage with their parents. Most of these parents subject their children to high academic expectations, which exert pressure on the students. In order to cope up with the pressure, the students turn to weak students and bully them. Moreover, children whose parents are illiterate, or drug addicts are more likely to become bullies due

Water and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Water and Sustainability - Essay Example In his analysis of the concept of property, Professor Macpherson is concerned with the profound task of re-evaluating the analytical definition of property by returning it to its historical roots (Macpherson, 1 – 12). Such an approach encourages a new understanding about public or communal property matters that have been of concern to communities and governments within the relatively recent past, challenging human rationality and human control. The problems associated with an equitable distribution of water, which is becoming an increasingly scarce resource of vital importance to all humanity, has the capacity for enlarging perception and challenging the mind in its quest for equitable ways of governance and modes of thinking. This is especially true for the Western United States of America in which most of the land lying west of the 100th meridian of longitude receives less than 20 inches of rain annually (MSN Encarta, â€Å"Water Policy in the American West†). The notion of property presented by Professor Macpherson stipulates that the use of the term property to represent things is a misusage (Harris, Chapter 9). In effect, the concept of property has logical and historical dimensions. The logical dimension associated with the concept of property stipulates that property refers to the right to the use of or to benefit from things. Thus, private property rights extend to exclude others from the use of private property. However, property is not always private in nature and the concept of ‘common property’ prevails whenever resources have been set aside for common use. Thus, the notion of common property can give rise to ‘enforceable claims’ not to be excluded from the use of resources. For common property, it is important to understand property rights within the context of the rights of others people, sometimes all people. Thus, common property must be considered within the context of Hohfeldian relations and priv ileges for property

HRM policies in support of organizational objectives Essay Example for Free

HRM policies in support of organizational objectives Essay Employee role for achieving organizational objectives is based on several factors. Each factor is either interrelated to other or may have direct impact on employee performance considering strategic HRM policies. Rewards play a very important role in influencing employee behavior towards meeting organizational goals and increasing their motivational level that positively supports organizational commitment. Different jobs have diversifying demands for the offering of benefits to employees depending on the constituencies of each benefit system. However, employees focus on goals achievement behavior and thus adopt a comprehensive policy for providing benefits to employees. These benefits include on-service perks and bonuses off-service compensation packages in the form of different pension plans. Benefits and rewards system affect a set of individual factors that in combine enable the organization to implement their strategic HRM policies as for supporting organizational objectives. It must be ensured that these benefits and compensation system complies the equity principle thus increasing the harmony and address the recognition, employee rights, motivation, behavioral control, and employee performance management issues. These benefits are directly dependant on the type of the job and employee demands. Younger employees are seem to be more oriented towards higher pay earnings whereas old employees show long term return concern in terms of pension and retirement packages. Implementation of strategic HRM policies in organization becomes great challenge due to resistance by employees as such policies also concern change management in uncertain market conditions. Companies offer numerous benefits such as annual bonuses, perks, overtime allowances, plussage, premia, and other incentives either based on individual performance or group performance. Such bonuses are essential if companies aim at getting benefit from the skills and services of employees for longer term, due to unique skills and potential capability to grow in organization in future. Overtime allowances and premia are essential to motivate the employees for working in odd working timings or more than the usual working hours. In order to support short run operations of firm such allowances enable policy makers to achieve objectives through effective utilization of HRM policies. In order to classify the performance of employee in manufacturing concern firms performance based bay deem appropriate facilitating rewarding the employees based on the results and goals achieved. Concerning the goal based approach, performance based pay is productive to regulate and motivate employees towards achieving higher productive outcomes measured in terms of quantifiable objectives. In contrast to that, skill based pay supports the strategic HRM policy implementation when organizations are unable to classify the objectives in real terms; objectives are set based on the viability of employees to achieve through utilizing their skills qualitative in nature. It must be ensured that skills based rewards require assessing the monetary rewards considering the impact of business growth expansion. Positively valuing the competency of employee increases the motivation level and subsequently results in greater organization commitment. However, this pay system is not suitable to achieve organization objectives in rapidly changing working environment as specific skills become obsolete due to inadequacy to conform latest business requirement. Strategic HRM policies aimed at assessing the potential opportunities for firm in long term by involvement of employees in decision making thus setting the common goal set as corporate objective. Pension plans offer more convenience to firms when they need to retain employees for longer duration; thus in order to profound the policies on regulating employees, pension plans convey the focus towards increasing employee performance aligning to organizational objectives. Occupational pension schemes in addition to state pension scheme offers employee recognition based on their service duration; proper conveying the return outcome to employees especially who are more oriented towards organization goals achievement and shows higher level organizational commitment. Group personal schemes in addition to state pension scheme increases the capability of organization for delivery of HRM policies to sustain in market for longer duration; employees involvement in such programs shows the willingness of employees to understand the organization objectives and potential capability associating to aligning behavior and driving the employees in a particular directional objectives of organization. In addition to pension benefits to permanent employees of organization, adjoining compensation packages and rewards giving the allowances such as sick pay, overtime allowances, and fringe benefits in the form of premia, special compensation for higher research studies, and providing utility facilities such as company maintained cars, employee health insurance, medical allowance, providing company maintained house for specific number of employees. These rewards affect the intrinsic motivational factors of employees due to trust of company being shown in employees by offering various forms of rewards and benefits; classifies the ability to deliver strategic HRM policies based on the situation need and ability of employees of conform. Flexible benefits given to employees are more suitable due to its convenience in practical implication in driving employees’ behavior pertaining to the objectives setting and long term goals achievement. HRM policies must deliver the clear information to employees for the related expectation and demands that address the organization goal setting and strategies adopted to achieve such goals.

The Ecosystems At Risk Environmental Sciences Essay

The Ecosystems At Risk Environmental Sciences Essay An ecosystem is the dynamic link of flora and fauna and micro-organism communities and their non-living surroundings. Two highly specialised ecosystems are coral reefs and coastal dunes. An example of a coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef which spans roughly 2,300 kilometres making it the largest reef in the world. The reef is home to a range of animals and plants and is known for its diversity. Coastal dunes another specialised ecosystem, is formed through a large accumulation of sand located behind the beach zone. Coastal dunes are known for having very extreme environments with only few flora or fauna being able to survive the conditions. With reference to both ecosystems, explain the biophysical interactions that lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning. Coral Reefs Atmosphere Due to the location of the Great Barrier Reef, it faces both positive and negative interactions with the atmosphere. The reef lies in an area classified as Australias Cyclone Zone, an area hit by many fierce storms in its past. The degree of impact on the reef is subject to the intensity and extent of the storm. The damage occurs due to the large storm waves that are produced from strong winds and low-pressure systems. The forceful waves rip apart the more fragile coral and create chips and imperfections in the harder coral. In severe cyclone cases the whole reef ecosystem may be put under sediment. Tropical cyclones are known for having heavily-induced rain cycles. The extra volume of fresh water means that the salinity of the reef ecosystem is then distorted, and affects coral growth. The atmosphere can also be a constructive interaction. For example in 2006 Cyclone Larry that hit the shores of North Queensland. The cyclone struck the reef, but instead of causing destructing within the ecosystem, the cyclone prevented mass coral bleaching from occurring by lowering the temperature of the water. Atmospheric pressures lead to greater functioning ecosystems through adaptation. Lithosphere The Great Barrier Reef is aided in its functioning and transforming by the lithosphere. The reef itself produces limestone. The limestone is weathered and transported throughout the reef. The limestone is then able to create new landforms like coral cay. The limestone is also used as a defence mechanism by coral against the erosive waves. The death of one coral is used as a platform for life for another coral. Another lithospheric factor affecting coral functioning is sediment. Sediment like sand can have the effect of clouding up the water of the reef resulting in increased turbidity levels of the water. There is then less sunlight penetration into the reef, affecting the process of photosynthesis and coral bleaching is more likely to occur. Hydrosphere The Great Barrier Reef tends to have best coral growth when hydrosphere conditions are at their greatest. For example coral reefs tend to have optimal growth when wave energy is high. The wave energy is broken by the reef through the seaward, and produces an area of peaceful, protected water behind the reef. The waters of the Great Barrier Reef tend to flow in a northerly direction most of the year, though during monsoonal seasons the form of the waters change, and there is a reversal in the direction of the waters. The reversal allows the cooler southern ocean current to flow into the reef. The waters that run from the north are warm and high in salinity; they provide the reef with high nutrient levels and are major influences for the diversity of the ecosystem. Biosphere The biosphere element of the Great Barrier Reef is how the reef grows and obtains its wonderful features. An important animal for the reef are polyps. Polyps are simple organisms that have a stomach and their exoskeleton. Within the polyp is an interdependent algae called zooxanthallae. The two organisms provide mutual benefits with one providing sugars and oxygen through photosynthesis and the other supplying nutrients. Polyp regrowth occurs with the use of the deceased polyps exoskeleton. Though coral reproduction is different, where the coral will release their eggs into the summer waters, and instantaneously they release mass amounts of sperm as well. The process of evolving occurs and the larvae grow on the exoskeleton of coral. The diverse range of species within the Great Barrier Reef also has an impact on its functioning. For example crustaceans are great at executing the nutrient recycling role, while the crown of thorn star fish is known for attaching itself to coral and ea ting it to death. (Appendix A Figure 1.1) shows a Crowns of Thorns starfish preying on coral. Coastal Dunes Atmosphere The most pivotal biophysical interaction with coastal dunes is the atmosphere. The atmospheres main components are wind, temperature and precipitation. Wind is a major contributor to shaping dunes through aeolion transport, where sand grains are picked up and transported to another location. The amount of sand removed is dependent on the size of sand, velocity of the wind and nature of vegetation cover. The faster velocity of the wind the more likely sand grains will be moved, due to a greater force. The type of local vegetation and amount of vegetation on the sand dunes also impacts aeolian transport, as the vegetation becomes a barrier against the wind for the sand. Temperature plays the role of influencing the rate of sand dryness, and type of vegetation on the dunes. Temperature values also determine the functioning of ocean currents. As temperature increases the dryness of sand increases resulting in only few vegetations that are able to live on the dunes, which in turn affects the rate of aeolian transport. Precipitation is also an atmospheric component that impacts coastal dunes, through the level of rainfall. The amount of vegetation on dunes is dependent on the level of rainfall, with regular rainfall meaning a greater variety and denser vegetation. Hydrosphere The hydrological processes that have an impact on coastal dune ecosystems include wind-induced waves, longshore drift and rainfall. Wind-induced waves are important for developing coastal dunes. When there are periods of calmness within the ocean, this means sand is able to be transported from offshore deposits to the beaches. This gives greater supply to dunes through wind transportation. On the other hand when there are treacherous conditions in the oceans the waves become powerful, crash into the coastline and remove sand from the beaches and foredunes. Another hydrological process impacting coastal dunes is longshore drift. Longshore drift is the transportation of sediment by currents that are running at parallel to the shoreline. Through longshore drift, sediment is able to be produced in one location and transferred to another. Longshore drift is quite common on the East side of Australia, with many of the islands up in Queensland having been made from sediment that came from N ew South Wales. The final hydrological process to impact coastal dunes is rainfall. The amount of rainfall has a bearing on the erosion of the sand, with high rainfall eroding the surface and making it vulnerable. Biosphere The biosphere influences coastal dunes through flora and fauna. There are three species to flora, primary species, secondary species and tertiary species. The primary species are those that are closest to the sea. These areas are only colonised by vegetation that can handle the conditions. The main role of the pioneer species like Marram Grass is to stabilise any incoming sand. These species of fauna spread at a rapid pace, and so their able to protect much of a sand dune. The secondary species is the foredune vegetation. They are usually comprised of shrubs and small trees like the coastal wattle, and help in maintaining foredune sand mass. The tertiary species are those that go beyond the coastal moorland, like tall trees. This process is known as succession. Fauna on coastal dunes is not very evident. Not many animals live on the dunes closest to the beach, as the conditions are too extreme for them to handle, with only few crabs calling this area home. Towards the back of the dun e systems an increasing number of bird species can be found. Lithosphere Sand particles are not identical; therefore its mineral and chemical composition will vary from place to place. For example in New South Wales most dunes have sand made of quartzose particles. The particles do not bond easily, resulting in less stable dunes. Dune formation starts with the deposition of sediment and offshore sand bars at the mouths of rivers. Through longshore currents the sediment is relocated then deposited on a beach by wave action. Dry sand is blown inland from the beach. The drift accumulates around obstacles like vegetation and a dune starts to form. Coastal dunes have three types of dunes that could occur, the first being foredunes. The foredune is the first stable dune built. Its main objective is to act as a barrier between the sea and inland. It is located at the back of the beach and usually has pioneer grasses colonising it. As the vegetation matures more sand is trapped creating larger dune systems. (Appendix B Figure 1.1) a foredune has developed with pi oneer grasses colonising it. Another type of dune is parallel or transverse dunes. Parallel dunes develop when a foredune has been hit by a storm, and the seaward face has been eroded. When sediment flow restores, a new ridge develops in front of the foredune, with a swale separating them. With the new foredune developing, supply to the old foredune becomes limited and stables. Heath-like shrubs develop on the old foredune once it is stable enough to house them. A diagram of parallel dune is seen in (Appendix B Figure 1.2) where it is shown how a transverse dune develops. The final type of dune is the parabolic dune. Parabolic dunes are the result of blowouts. They are large dunes that are shaped like a horse shoe, and develop in dune systems running parallel to the coast. Their formation is linked to onshore winds. (Appendix B Figure 1.3) shows how parabolic dunes are the resultant of primary wind direction. Question 2. Analyse the impacts due to both human-induced modifications and natural stress on both ecosystems at risk. How does each ecosystem adjust in response to natural stress? Coral Reefs Human Modifications Human dependence on the Great Barrier Reef has been for many thousands of years. As human populations grow the demand for coral reef resources will increase as well. Over-fishing of the coral reef often occurs when there is an increase in the human population, as there is a greater demand for seafood. Fishermen usually target those fish that are closely connected with the coral, like snappers. When these species decrease in population fisherman target all fish using methods like spears and nets. Through observation it has been proven that coral with no fish near are more prone to overgrowth by macro-algae and increases in coral diseases. There is also physical damage sustained by the coral, through the anchors and nets. Tourism is an additional human induced factor impacting coral reefs, and especially the Great Barrier Reef. One of tourisms foremost asset the Great Barrier Reef brings in $4 billion a year. Research performed by James Cook University of Cairns found several comprehensive impacts of tourism on the reef. The first being coastal tourism development, where many people visiting the reef want to stay as close to the reef as possible. The coastal developments near and around the Great Barrier Reef disrupt currents and gravitate to the displacement of sediment. There is also increase tourism on the islands near the reef causing problems linked with sewage and rubbish. Marine based tourism also occurs in the Great Barrier Reef with the anchor chains of boats having catastrophic effects on the coral. Although operators are very careful when it comes to tourist interaction with coral animals, some tourists negatively interact with the wildlife causing complications in the breeding cycles and n atural interactions. (Appendix A Figure 1.2) reveals how close some tourist get to the coral. Climate change is another contributor of human-induced modification to the Great Barrier Reef. Some of the effects of climate change include changes in rainfall patterns, changes to ocean currents and circulation and increase in sea surface temperature. Especially a rise in sea surface temperature will mean coral bleaching events will occur, creating mass damage through the reef. (Appendix B Figure 1.4) depicts the linkage between average temperatures and bleaching events (one being in 1998 and the other being in 2002). The chemical structure of the water is also changed with greater amounts of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. Added on with rising sea levels could spell the destruction of coral reefs. An example of climate change affecting the fauna of reef is through the turtle. Turtle gender is determined through the temperature of the water, with warmer temperatures resulting in greater numbers of female turtles, creating a gender imbalance. (Appendix B Figure 1.5) shows the extent to which coral bleaching occurred in 2002, in accordance with the sea temperature. Natural Stresses Natural stresses are dangerous to reefs but the reef ecosystem can usually recover and adapt to the change. This is because natural change usually occurs over a long period of time, allowing the ecosystem to adapt. One natural stress is the Crown of Thorns Starfish. Crown of Thorns Starfish are known for eating the coral polyps. Coral reefs can only withstand a low population of these starfish. When the conditions are right for the starfish they can grow in numbers to plague proportions and have harmful consequences on the hard coral population. It could take the reefs up to many years to recover from plague numbers of starfish. Weather is another natural stress that inflicts damage to coral reefs. Coral thrive best in warm, salty waters. They are generally found in shallow clear waters, which help the zooxanthaelae algae to undertake photosynthesis. When there are changes in temperature and salinity, due to excessive rain, stress is placed on the coral polyps. This stress causes the coral polyps to eject the algae, which results in coral bleaching. For example it was reported in 2010 of mass coral bleaching occurring throughout South-East Asia, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. The reason behind the bleaching was increased water temperatures. Low levels of water also impact coral, through being exposed to the sun for long periods of time the coral polyps consequently dry up. (Appendix B Figure 1.6) demonstrates the future implications to current scenarios facing the reef ecosystem. Coastal Dunes Human Modifications The main reasons to human induced modifications on dunes are the ever growing desires of humans to live on the coasts, and the increase in human population. Coastal development is occurring all over the world, due to the demand of humans to live near water. Most coastal development involves the process of flattening the parallel dunes to build. These actions result in the flow of sand inland being disrupted, and the protective barrier situated between the land and the sea vanishes. Another form of coastal development affecting coastal dunes is reclamation. Reclamation involves building a wall that is some distance off the coast. It is done to extend the land out into water, and is extremely harmful to dune ecosystems, as it alters the movement of sediment along the coast. The areas that are reclaimed usually provide sand for dune development and growth. Humans also destroy the coastal dunes through the recreational practices that take place. When people try to make their way to beaches they usually trample along plants. This creates holes in the dunes and invites resilient weeds to grow. Most vegetation degradation occurs in the foredune, which happens to be the most important part of the dune system. The weight of vehicles and other means of transport compact the sand, resulting in the sand having less oxygen and therefore less plant growth. For example in Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada research has found that the number of vehicles having access to the dunes has caused the deeper sand to become compact and surface sand to loosen. The loosened sand becomes vulnerable to wind erosion, and causes a decrease in the rate of organic decay. Coastal dunes are very specialised and tenuous. When there is an introduction in a flora and/or fauna species, this creates havoc in the dune ecosystem. One species that has caused major dune damage is the rabbit. The rabbits were introduced to Australia by the First Fleet and have been destructive ever since their introduction. Rabbits impact coastal dunes through eating the grasses and other vegetation, reducing the ground cover and they expose sand to wind erosion. An example of floral impact on the coastal dunes is the detrimental bitou bush. Once the bitou bush has entered the dune system it quickly takes over and kills all the native plants. The bitou bush is so successful due to its high-volume of seed production, large root systems and having no predators in Australia. (Appendix A Figure 1.3) An example of bitou bush monoculture on dune systems. Natural Stresses The major natural factor impacting dunes is storm damage. Storm-induced waves are able to cause a great deal of damage to the structure of the dune system. The ferocious power of the storm can leave the beaches degraded with little sediment, for dune reconstruction. Structural damage comes in two main forms, washovers, and washouts. An example of a major storm damage that has happened was in 1999 on the coastline of Byron Bay, New South Wales. The waves were as high as 3-metres, with the storms created mass coastal erosion. A further example of storms impacting coastal dunes was in Stockton Beach, Newcastle in 2007. The storms occurred over the June long weekend and resulted in approximately 100,000 cubic metres worth of sand being lost, as well as structural damage like erosion around sea walls. This caused major disturbance to the coastal dune functioning, as will take a long time to recover. Dune systems dont have perfectly shaped surfaces. The dunes often have recessions and elevations. When a storm-wave height surpasses the height of a recession in the dune, water seeps into the dune creating a washover. With consecutive storm-induced waves the washover impression deepens and widens, causing major damage. Recurring, powerful storms also cause damage to the flora of the dune, further decelerating the process of regeneration. (Appendix B Figure 1.7) makes evident how washovers make rifts in the dune tops. An example of how washovers have caused damage to dunes was the major storm damage that occurred at the Newcastle Port in 1974. The storm had wind gusts up to 165 kilometres/per hour, and swells were over 17 metres high. The impact of the storm on the dunes was the well-built foredunes had been completely flattened. Washouts are linked with the penetration of sand barriers like those that segregate coastal lagoon from the open sea, after there has been a period of substantial rainfall. Washouts can also occur in dune systems, when there is a build-up of water in the swales that separate dunes. When there are slumps in the dunes surfaces, the water gets directed through the low points and overspills onto the beach, sometimes transport sand with it. Most if not all ecosystems are affected by both human and natural stresses. Though the difference between the stresses is that ecosystems are able to adapt and overcome natural stresses, while human stresses cause great damage to ecosystems. An example of a natural stress impacting coastal dunes is a washover. Washovers can have significant damage to the dune system, and the dune system must adjust. One form of adjustment is through the accretion cycle. Constructive waves bring sand to the beach from the sea. The sand is dried from the wind and sunlight, and is then able to be transferred to the dunes. Like washovers coastal dunes adapt to washouts in a similar fashion. One way in which coral reefs especially the Great Barrier Reef responds to natural stresses like currents is by taking the shape of the stress. This helps the ecosystem in adapting to the stress and alleviating the consequences of the stress. Question 3. Compare and contrast the vulnerability and resilience of the two ecosystems at risk. All ecosystems have vulnerabilities and resilience. Location is one vulnerability. Coral reefs tend to be greater impacted by location than coastal dunes, as coral reefs are more specialised than coastal dunes. For example for coral reefs to thrive they need a certain water temperature. The temperature should be between 25 Degrees Celsius and 29 Degrees Celsius. An increase in temperature in the summer months has devastating consequences. As seen in the 2010 mass bleaching in the South-East Asian region which came with increased temperatures. On the other hand coastal dunes are more resilient to temperature changes. Coastal dunes are able to better adapt to temperature changes and only with a great increase in temperature change will coastal dunes become less resilient. On the other hand a loss of land has more impact on coastal dunes than coral reefs. Coastal dunes have greater vulnerability to a loss of land because they are not large in size. If dune land is taken for human uses like parkland or parking spaces, unwanted competition is created within the dune flora and fauna. For example at Long Beach, Collaroy a large amount of the dune system was replaced with a car park area and grass land. This reduced the area of the dune system and created competition within the ecosystem. (Appendix A Figure 1.4) Long Reef Beach were has been redeveloped to fit human wants. In contrast the Great Barrier Reef is more resilient to reef area being taken. The reef being approximately 2,300 kilometres means that even if a few kilometres of reef area is taken, it will not have a major effect on the reef flora and fauna. The Great Barrier Reef has a large degree of biodiversity, therefore making it more resilient to changes in diversity than coastal dunes. The Great Barrier Reef has around 1,500 species of fish, species of sea grass in beds, 500 coral species and more, showing great diversity. (Appendix B Figure 1.8) shows the diverse range of fish and coral species within the reef, compared to another reef. If for example one producer being algae is ended then there are other producers like sea plants that secondary consumers can feed on. While coastal dunes have very extreme environments, therefore only few flora and fauna are able to survive. This limits the diversity within the ecosystem, and if one primary consumer for example is killed off then there is competition for food, resulting in disequilibrium. Ecosystems with greater interdependence like the Great Barrier Reef can accommodate for change more easily, while coastal dunes (who have harsh conditions, which lowers there flora fauna populat ions), are more susceptible to change. Question 4. Evaluate the traditional and contemporary approaches to management and protection of both ecosystems. Coral Reefs Traditional Management Strategies Traditional management approaches were mostly used by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The Aboriginals focused on preserving the reefs and maintaining equilibrium in the ecosystem. The first traditional management plan was season hunting. Season hunting involved hunting only occurring at specific designated times of the year, for example summer. This strategy guaranteed that there would be flora and fauna available for the future generations. The Aboriginals and Islanders only took what resources they needed from the reef, which helped in maintaining dynamic equilibrium in the reef. Another impressive traditional management tactic used by the Aboriginals in maintaining the reefs was restrictions on fish sizes. This practice involved only catching fish of a certain length or above. Through this practice the fish of the Great Barrier Reef were given the chance to reproduce at least once before they were caught. This let the ecosystem maintain levels of fauna. Contemporary Management Strategies Coral reefs are also maintained through contemporary management strategies, with a startegy being zoning. Zoning involves establishing what can be done and where it can be done. The purpose of zoning is to diminish stress placed on certain areas of the reef. An example of zoning is allowing commercial fishing to occur in some parts of the reef, while tourism developments in other parts. Another way in which reefs can be preserved is through benchmark data. Benchmark data is comparing the ecosystem that is at risk with the standard of that ecosystem. Benchmark data helps in understanding whether the reef ecosystem is at the standard that it should be. For example the standard level globally for the amount of dissolved nitrogen in the water of coral reefs is 0.014ppm. Benchmark data is important in interpreting the risk factor the reef ecosystem has. The managing of tourism on the reef is also a significant factor of contemporary management strategies. Tourism generally has a negative impact on the reef, so its important that these tourists learn more about the reefs and the need to manage them. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) makes all tourists pay a certain fee when visiting the reefs, so they can reinvest the money into the reef. One of the major issues regarding tourism in reefs is the concentration on certain areas. For example, around 85% of all Great Barrier Reef tourism occurs in the areas of Cairns and Whitsunday Islands. Though they only make up 7% of the entire Great Barrier Reef putting immense risk on these areas. Over the years there have been many pontoon accidents in the reef and so the GBRMPA decided to ban all pontoon activity unless granted otherwise. Tourism also impacts the wildlife and breeding cycles. Fauna have certain places and times when they are breeding and sometimes humans distu rb their cycles. For example research found that many bird species that regularly bred on Michaelmas Cays had stopped breeding due to the growing tourist activity on the island. Coastal Dunes Traditional Management Strategies Very little is known on the traditional Aboriginal ways of the management of coastal dunes. The findings of middens, which are mounds of shells, are indicators to the type of marine environment in the area, and the time that the Aborigines used the resources. Totems were also used by Aboriginals. Totems are animals assumed as an emblem to an individual or family. For many Aborigines the totems were an animal ancestor of theirs. They were not allowed to eat their totem animals or harm it in anyway. This management strategy helped in making sure species were not overhunted. The most known form of Aboriginal management of coastal dunes was back-burning. Back-burning occurred through fires or fire stick farming, and would occur during cool periods so the fires would not get out of hand and kill the whole ecosystem. Contemporary Management Strategies For successful dune protection to occur, the natural functioning of the dune must be sustained, while allowing humans to use the coastal dune ecosystem in a sustainable manner. As dune restoration is extremely costly many bodies of power have used strategies that protect the current dunes, and keep them in the best possible condition. One strategy imposed is land-use controls. Through state and local governments there is the ability to have stricter planning laws on human activities on dunes. Local governments have the power to accept or decline any development applications on the dunes. This would help the dune system function in a more natural state. Dune stabilisation is also an important feature to management and involves securing exposed sand and stopping it from blowing away. One way of doing this is through reshaping the dunes. Reshaping transpires through the use of earthmoving equipment that makes the dunes more aerodynamic shaped. Reshaping is able to create the needed form of the dune for vegetation and organisms to become established on the dunes. Dune reconstruction usually occurs on dunes that lack in sand. As it is expensive to import sand, chemicals and other inorganic fertilisers are used. If dune reconstruction is applied with other efficient management methods like revegetation, then it is extremely positive for the dune, as seen in Texas, USA where sand dunes using this method have grown by 2 or 3 metres in only 2 years. The most successful method for dune stabilisation is revegetation. Revegetation is proven to be the least expensive, most durable and is able to self-maintain. The main role of dune plants is to trap and hold wind-borne sand. The leaves of vegetation also play a part, as they disturb the movement of sand by saltation and surface creep. Revegetation usually takes on the form of developing a plant succession on the dunes. If the dune is somewhat degraded then pioneer dune grasses, like sand spinifex, are brought in to stabilise the dune, then introduced are the secondary vegetation like she oaks and finally tertiary species like coastal trees. As coastal dunes are extremely harsh and specialised ecosystems it is preferred that the seedlings of the revegetation come from neighbouring areas, as the vegetation has experienced the conditions. Revegetation does not come cheap and is particularly labour-intensive. Through the actions of volunteers like Dune Care, dune revegetation is able to occur more often and with fewer expenses. (Appendix A Figure 1.5) an example of successful dune revegetation occurring on coastal dunes. Conclusion Both coral reefs and coastal dunes are extreme environments in their own ways. They face common problems in terms of the biophysical interactions and human stresses, but also contrasting difficulties with one being more vulnerable than the other. Much importance must be placed on preserving both ecosystems as they offer us many resources. Efficient management approaches must also be used to sustain them for future generations. These environments offer humans an insight into the power and ferocity that is instilled in Mother Nature. The ecosystems have adapted to the many conditions they have faced, and will continue as long as we can help preserve them.

Our Town Needs a Youth Center :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Our Town Needs a Youth Center Smallville Elementary was built in 1919 in order to enrich the lives of the youth in Smallville. It served as a school until 1977, when it was closed and changed to a community center. The purpose of the building, however, remained the same: to enrich the lives of Smallville' youth (Ellis 67). Many years ago, my grandmother took painting lessons in the old Smallville building while I had daycare. It was a perfect blend of young and old. Recently, however, the building has not been used as it was intended. It is now used strictly as a senior center, leaving no place for the young to gather. Now, as a result of youths'being shut out of the only public recreation building, the city can no longer attract new families and the young are turning to crime as their only pastime. The best solution to remedy these problems is to build a youth center for the children and teens of Smallville. What would this much needed facility provide for Smallville? The Bigtown Recreation Center is a great model for Smallville, housing several basketball courts, tennis courts, a weight room, and a swimming pool. The programs conducted at the center include athletic clinics in the summer, swimming, basketball, and tennis lessons, and even fitness training and aerobics. These are all activities nearly every citizen can enjoy. So, if Smallville had a similar recreation center it would benefit the young and old alike. However, our recreation center should provide programs specifically for children and teenagers. Aside from just providing athletic and sports recreation for the youth, we should also provide them with tutoring services, a game room and a lounge were they can just "hang out." The programs that would be provided by our youth center would improve our town in many ways. Smallville is failing as a city because it cannot attract new residents. The town is dying because most of its citizens are elderly; they will soon pass away. The population is decreasing as older citizens die or are sent to nursing homes and no new residents replace them. According to the 1990 Census, the population of Smallville has decreased by nearly 3,000 people in the last ten years. Of the 11,194 people that are left, nearly forty percent are over the age of fifty-five.

Phantom Limbs, Phantom Pain, And The Essay -- Biology Essays Research

Phantom Limbs, Phantom Pain, And The "I-Function" The so-called "I-function" which describes the brain's sense of self takes on interesting connotations when discussing phantom limbs and associated phantom pain. The loss of an arm or leg through amputation is not an easy experience to endure, and is even more difficult when the patient begins to feel sensations in their now missing limb. These feelings, sometimes referred to as "stump hallucination", is the subjective sensation, not arising from an external stimulus, that an amputated limb is still present (1). Although they no longer exist, patients perceive these limbs as still being essential components of their body-image, and continues to move in sync with their torso and other limbs. For some amputees, these phantom sensations may be no more than painless distractions of pressure, warmth, and cold that do not interfere with their everyday lives. But for the majority of amputees, about 50% to 80% (2), they experience phantom pains that vary in classification from cramping, burning, tingling, shocking, shooting and stabbing pains. These episodes are severe enough to interfere with work, sleep and normal function and do require some kind of treatment. Phantom pain can occur anytime, from immediately after an amputation to several years later. The powerful impression of a stable, embodied self is taken for granted. But it's an perception that's possible only because of the body image created by the brain. A significant element of that image is a mental map of the body surface, generated by the cortex using the sensory signals it receives from the skin. Other regions of the cortex control other components, such as the position of muscles and joints (proprioception),... ... http://www.bfe.org/protocol/pro05eng.htm 3)THEY DO IT WITH MIRRORS , From New Scientist http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/brynmawr_main?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Fweb1.infotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F805%2F448%2F25790840w3%2Fpurl%3Drc1_EAIM_0_A63676311%26dyn%3D4!ar_fmt%3Fsw_aep%3Dbrynmawr_main&cont=&msg=No+Session+cookies&sserv=no 4) Harris, J. A. "Cortical Origin of Pathological Pain." in Lancet, vol. 354 (pg. 1464-1466) 1999 5)Scientific American, Ronald Melzack article http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web1/= 6)Discover Phantom limbs , Brief Article http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_n2_v19/ai_20159526 7) Ramachandran, V.S. & Rogers-Ramachandran, D. "Phantom Limbs and Neural Plasticity." in Archives of Neurology. Vol. 57 (pg. 317-320), 2000, Ramachandran article