Bandura's theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bandura's theory - Essay Example In fact, several studies have shown a high correlation between mastery of these behaviours and high achievement in school. Observation has been demonstrated as having a significant impact on learning in several areas of psychology (Bandura, 1986; Rosenthal & Zimmerman, 1978). These researchers have documented evidence that shows children responding to behaviours observed in adults. The children then learn and subsequently emulate the behaviours. Specifically within the education context, this theory has been found to have merit in that students who observe a model (parent or teacher) depicting positive study attitudes and habits and then emulate that model generally demonstrate a higher level of academic success than those who do not engage in observational learning (Bird et al., 2005; Martinez-Pons, 2002). One of the problems with observation in the educational context is that physical processes are much easier to observe than mental processes. The child who learns how to assemble a toy by watching an adult or older sibling is at an advantage compared to the student who must acquire skills for studying. A model's retreat to a quiet area is visible enough, but self monitoring and regulatory skills generally take place within the mind of the studier and can often only be passed on to an observer through conscious effort on the part of the modeller to get the idea across. Studies have shown that behaviours of students to whom the meta-cognitive strategies have been purposively modelled have demonstrated high levels of achievement than those who are generally left on their own to figure it out (Martinez-Pons, 2002). In a study done by Zimmerman and Kitsantas (1999) students given a writing task were separated into groups in which the necessary strategies for successfully completing the task were either modelled for emulation, verbally described, or directly practised (as distinct from modelling in which mental as well as physical processes are exposed). The result of the experiment was that students who received support in the form of adult modelling of the behaviours necessary for success were better able to independently display skills that led to success in the academic task (Martinez-Pons, 2002). The observation of parents in situations that can be related to learning has also been seen to have an effect on students' ability to perform academically. It is often the case that students who grow up in an environment that encourages learning do better academically than those who have not that privilege. This phenomenon has been described by Martinez-Pons (2002) as a "hidden curriculum." The students exposed to such a curriculum are often able to watch parents in behaviours that are self-regulatory and that lead to learning. A study carried out by Martinez-Pons demonstrated that "parental modeling and support for self-regulatory processes precede students' development of these skills" which lead to positive and high levels of academic achievement. Self Efficacy Self efficacy has been defined as a person's perception of his or her ability to perform a given task. It is distinct from self esteem and self concept in that it is closely tied to a given context, so that a person's self efficacy might vary with different

An Analysis Of Fractional Distillation

An Analysis Of Fractional Distillation Describe, with the help of a diagram, how the different hydrocarbon fractions in crude oil are separated by fractional distillation. Identify the main fractions by name and according to the approximate number of carbon atoms in the molecules. In the world today the primary source of fuel for most of our needs come from fossil fuels. These are in the form of coal, natural gas and crude oil. In the petrochemical industry the crude oil is refined through a process of fractional distillation. This breaks apart the larger hydrocarbons into their smaller fractions at varying temperatures in the distillation tower. The heavier fractions containing the most carbon atoms are drawn off at the highest temperatures and the lighter the hydrocarbons the lower the temperature needs to be to draw off the fraction. The process of fractional distillation provides the following groups of products: 1. Liquid petroleum gas 2. Naphtha 3. Gasoline 4. Kerosene 5. Diesel oil 6. Lubricating oils 7. Fuel oils 8. Residues 8. Residues Furnace Liquid petroleum gas id the lightest fraction and is drawn off as a gas from the top of the distillation tower. It contains between 1 and 5 carbon atoms. It is the lightest fraction and is not very dense, because of this it can be drawn off at a temperature of 20 °C. It is used as an alternative to petrol in cars following a conversion. FurnaceNaphtha is a fraction that contains between 5 and 9 carbon atoms, with this increase in carbon atoms the density and boiling points increase. This means that the fraction will come off at a higher temperature of 70 °C. This fraction can be further broken down in the process of thermal cracking to produce ethylene and benzene which are important in the plastics and pharmaceutical industry. Gasoline contains between 5 and 10 carbon atoms and is drawn of at a temperature of 120 °C. This is the lightest fraction of the liquid grade fuels that are commonly used. It is what we know as petrol and widely used in cars and small 2 stroke engines. Kerosene contains between 10 and 16 carbon atoms and is drawn off at a temperature of 170 °C. This is the principal fuel in the aviation industry where it is graded further depending on the final use. It is widely used for powering gas turbines and other internal combustion engines in propeller driven aircraft. The use of kerosene to fuel aircraft is because it must have a high specific enthalpy of combustion per gram as this will release a lot of energy when it burns this means it will also have a high enthalpy density. This is important as the fuel must be stored. A less dense fuel will use more space and provide less energy for the space it takes up on the aircraft. Diesel oils are drawn off at a temperature of 270 °C and contain between 14 and 20 carbon atoms. This is very similar to kerosene and has a similar consistency with the increase in viscosity and increase in boiling point it become necessary to keep the fuel warm in cold environments as the fuel becomes thick and refuses to flow through fuel systems, this problem if needed can be solved by lighting a fire under the fuel tank to bring the fuel up to temperature and enable it to flow. Also as this fuel is not dissimilar to kerosene some gas turbines like the Rolls Royce Pegasus 11-61 turbofan will operate with no appreciable loss of power or function. Lubricating oils come off at a temperature of between 300 and 375 °C and contain 20 to 50 carbon atoms. This high content of carbon atoms gives the lubricating oils their high viscosity and high melting point making them ideal for this use. Fuel oil is the heaviest of the fractions to come of other than the residue and is drawn off at a temperature of 600 °C and has between 20 and 70 carbon atoms, this is a very heavy thick fuel which often requires pre heating before use in the fuel system. The main uses for this fuel are for large diesel engines in ships trains and factories. It is also used as a reserve supply for power stations at peak demand when gas supplies are limited. This fraction is also used to quench the residue in the process of thermal cracking to produce heavy fuel oil. This is also known as bunker oil, the lowest grade of fuel oil for use in the shipping industry as a cheaper alternative to fuel oil. The residue from the distillation process is drawn off from the bottom of the distillation tower and contains a high number of carbon atoms >70 this carbon rich mixture is washed in fuel oil in the steam cracking process to make heavy fuel oil. This process leaves the residue coke. The raw residues are used in the manufacture of asphalts for road surfacing and bitumens for sealing roofing materials that also may be made from this residue sold as roofing felts. b. Why might fractional distillation be carried out under reduced pressure? Fractional distillation is carried out under reduced pressure because when the pressure of the substance is reduced the intermolecular forces between the molecules become weaker. These molecules are then able to escape as vapour more rapidly and means that the process of fractional distillation can take place at a lower temperature which both reduces the energy needed and ultimately cost. c. Some heavier fractions are processed using cracking. Explain what is meant by cracking and why it is carried out. The term cracking is used to refer to the breaking of larger hydrocarbons into smaller constituent parts to produce the smaller and more useful alkanes and an alkene and to further process the residues from fractional distillation. This can be done in several ways, and can be split into thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. Both of these processes are used in the petrochemical industry to process some of the heavier fractions of crude oil further into gasoline and other useful products the lighter fractions of naphtha and butane are also processed into compounds of ethylene and benzene for use in the pharmaceutical and plastics industry The demands of consumers for large amounts of gasoline for cars means that over 50% of the crude oil has to be turned into gasoline to meet demand and as this fraction only forms 30-40% of crude oil the demand has to be met by way of other processs . d. Distinguish between thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. Give examples of products formed by each method. Thermal cracking of hydrocarbons is done in 3 ways. steam, vis breaking and coking. In these processes the hydrocarbons are heated to a high temperature until they break into there component parts. Steam cracking is where the hydrocarbons are briefly heated with high temperature steam to 816  °C Ethane and Naphtha produce light alkenes such as ethylene and propylene the heavier naphthas are cracked into gasoline. Benzene comes off at the higher temperature of around 1000 °C and is an important molecule in the pharmaceuticals industry. Ethylene is used in the manufacture of plastics Vis breaking is carried out to process the residues from the distillation process. This is done by heating the residue to 482 °C and then quenching it with fuel oil. This then poured down a distillation tower and then flashed without oxygen. This flashing of the residue produces the product heavy fuel oil and tar. Coke is the final residue from the process of steam cracking and is deposited on the sides of the furnace which is then periodically cleaned off in the process of decoking the furnace. This coke is then sold on for use in industry as a fuel. Fluid catalytic cracking is the most important process of converting the fractions of crude oil into the more valuable gasoline, olefinic and other products. This process has largely replaced the thermal cracking process as it yields a higher return of gasoline with a higher octane rating. This process of fluid catalytic cracking runs as a continuous process in the refinery without interruption 24 hours a day for a number of years without before routine maintenance. The modern fluid catalytic cracking is a complex process in which the recycled fractions are injected into a riser with a high boiling point stock which is at a temperature between 315 °C and 430 °C and a pressure of 1.72barg. This vaporises the larger hydrocarbons and on contact with the catalyst it cracks them into smaller hydrocarbons. The catalyst that is used in the process is then cleaned of the hydrocarbon deposits and then recycled back through a regenerator. This is done by blowing air into the regenerator an d burning off the coke deposits. This regenerator operates at a temperature of 715 °C. The burning off of the coke from the catalyst is exothermic a heats it up. This recycled catalyst is then returned to the process and provides the heat to vaporise the stock and residue mixture and provide the energy for the endothermic cracking reaction. This process is dependant on both the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst. There are four main components to the modern catalyst in the FCC. These are crystalline zeolite, matrix, binder and filler. The zeolite is the main provider of catalytic activity. The matrix contains amorpous alumina which also provides some catalyst activity within the sites of large pores. This enables the cracking of larger hydrocarbons than the zeolite alone. The binders and fillers of the catalyst provide the physical strength and maintain its integrity. Contaminants in the stock from metals all have a detrimental effect on the catalyst which can be mit igated in some way by avoiding stock with contaminant, fresh catalyst, demetalisation though this is expensive, and by adding other metals to form compounds that are less troublesome to the catalyst. e. Write a possible equation for the cracking of dodecane, C12H26. Heat + CH3(CH2)10CH3 CH3(CH2)4CH3 +H2C=CH(CH2)3CH3 Dodecane _ hexane 1-hexane. The thermal cracking of the dodecane is exothermic and the heat that is used in the process is largely taken up by the catalyst in an endothermic reaction. This heat energy is then partly recovered in the re use of the catalyst up until the point it requires cleaning or replacing. 2 a.(i) Define what is meant by a catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed chemically or consumed in the reaction. They can however change physically. Catalysis is the process of increasing or decreasing the rate of a reaction. These can be both positive and negative. The catalysts that speed up reaction are called positive catalysts and ones that slow down reactions are called inhibitors. There are also substances that increase the activity of the catalysts which are called promotors; the substances that deactivate the catalysts are called catalytic poisons. The use of catalysts is a means of making the process viable if it would not happen without it and also as a means of making the process cost efficient in terms of energy use and cost. The ability of the catalyst to be reused in most cases reduces the cost further. a.(ii) How do catalysts work? During chemical reactions the addition of a catalyst will increase the rate of the reaction at a lower energy level than the reaction without an addition of a catalyst. The combination of product and catalyst reactants raises it above the activation barrier and raises the potential energy of the reactant molecules as they come together. The energy of the activated complex reaches its maximum and form an activated complex, this activation energy then falls and the product forms and the molecules of the catalyst and product separate. This means the catalyst can be recovered from the product and used again following some reprocessing in some instances. The use of catalysts can be for both cost saving and also as some reactions may take a long time or not even be possible without the addition of a catalyst. b. Why is it important that catalytic converters start working at as low a temperature as possible? It is important for the catalyst converter to work at as lower temperature as possible as reaction rates are almost always increased when the temperature rises. This is because as the temperature increases so do collision rates of the molecules between the catalyst and exhaust gases. To ensure that the rich mix of gases emitted by a cool engine is converted fully at low temperatures it is necessary for the catalyst to be active at a low temperature. This also means as the temperature increases the reaction rate will increase too. c. Why do you think the catalytic converter is sited close to the engine? The catalytic converter is sited close to the engine to ensure that the exhaust gases are as hot as possible before entering the converter. By keeping the gases hot it will increase the catalysis rate due to the molecules being more active as the temperature is increased. d. Why are harmful emissions on short car journeys or in cold weather particularly high? Short journeys will not raise the temperature of the engine block or manifold assembly, this leads to the hot combustion gases being cooled in the short journey to the converter. Operating in low temperatures will also cool the manifold assembly on a continuous basis as cold air passes the manifold leading to the cooling of the exhaust gases If the temperature is consistently cold the injectors or carburettors can be retuned to burn a leaner mix which raises the burn temperature in the cylinder and reduce the emission of un burnt fuel and rich exhaust gases into the catalytic converter. The burning of a lean mix at normal temperature will raise the cylinder temperature and cause pitting on the piston head and possible damage to the cylinder which in time will cause oil to pass into the cylinder producing soot and partially burnt oil into the exhaust system. e. Explain what is meant by poisoning a catalyst? The catalyst converter can be poisoned by containments in fuel and by burning the wrong type. This leads to the coating of the catalyst with contaminants like lead from leaded fuels and manganese which is used as additive to gasoline. Gasket failure in the cylinder head will lead to oil and coolant entering the cylinder and being ejected out in the exhaust gases. Depositing partially burnt oil and silicon from the coolant in the converter. This reduces the contact between the catalyst and exhaust gases. Some of this reversible over time but the catalytic converter will be less effective in the mean time and may never fully recover its full working capacity. f. What is done to the catalyst metals to increase their efficiency? The catalytic converter is made of several components witch all have important roles to play in the functioning of the catalytic converter. The core or substrate in modern catalytic converters is made up of a ceramic honeycomb or a stainless steel foil. This is so that it doesnt react with the catalyst and also providing an extremely large surface area to support the washcoat. This washcoat is to make the converter more efficient and is often a mixture of silica and alumina. This provides a rough surface area on the substrate which greatly increases the surface area compared to the honeycomb structure alone. The catalyst and washcoat are mixed and then added to the substrate. This catalyst is made up of precious metals such as platinum which is the most widely used metal as it is the most active catalyst but not necessarily suitable in all situations. There are several different metals used as catalysts as some are more suitable than others in certain circumstances. To reduce the cos t and reduce unwanted reactions palladium and rhodium are also used. Platinum and rhodium are used as a reduction catalyst; platinum and palladium are used as an oxidising catalyst. There are several other metals used in catalytic converters though their uses have limitations and legislation also prevents use in certain countries due to the toxicity of the substances they produce. g. What is meant by homogeneous catalysis? Is the catalysis taking place in a catalytic converter a good example of homogeneous catalysis? Discuss. Homogeneous catalysis is when the catalyst is in the same phase as the reactants and product. The homogeneous catalysts are more selective for a single product, more active and easily modified for optimising selectivity. Though these catalysts are more prone to permanent deactivation and are difficult to separate from the product so the catalytic converter is not a good example of a homogeneous catalyst. The catalytic converter in the exhaust system of a car is a heterogeneous catalyst as the catalyst product and reactant are not in the same phase. As the metals are coated onto a ceramic honeycomb surface the gases from the engine must diffuse to the catalyst surface and absorb onto it. This is why the catalyst needs to be coated thinly onto the honeycomb structure to increase the chance of the molecules coming into contact with the catalyst. The 3 main reactions that take place in the converter are as follows. 2CO(g) + O2(g) → 2CO2(g) 2NO(g) + 2CO(g) → N2(g) + 2CO2(g) 2C6H6(g) + 15O2  Ã¢â€ â€™ 12CO2(g) +6H2O(l) h. Suggest a reason why the catalytic converter has to be replaced eventually. The catalytic converter will eventually have to be replaced as the physical structure and catalyst will become worn out and polluted by contaminants. This will reduce the capability of gases to be converted as there will be less contact both from soiling and reduced surface area due to physical and chemical degradation of both the substrate and the catalyst. As this catalyst is coated onto the substrate in the manufacturing process it is not possible to reuse the catalyst and a new one will be required. i. Catalytic converters convert the pollutant gases carbon monoxide, C7H16 and nitrogen monoxide into harmless gases. However, this is still only a partial solution to the emission problem. Explain why. Even though the catalytic converter converts the more harmful gases into carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas and waters it is only a partial solution to the problem of huge amounts of waste gases being emitted into the atmosphere? This is because the carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases are both pollutants that both contribute to the problem of global warming and in the case of CO2 a contributor to the acidification of the oceans. This latter problem could have far reaching consequences in relation to marine life for which 2 billion people rely upon for protein and the associated industries that harvest the sea for commercial gain. j. An. oxygen sensor monitors the oxygen flowing through the exhaust system and feeds back to control the fuel-air mixture entering the engine. Why do you think too little oxygen flowing over the catalyst would be a bad thing? Why do you think too much oxygen flowing over the catalyst might be a bad thing? The sensor in modern cars monitors the oxygen that flows through the catalytic converter. This provides the information for the engine management system to feed oxygen into the exhaust gases when insufficient oxygen is present from either cold starting or fuel rich gases being emitted this ensures the catalyst can completely react and convert the gases. If there is insufficient oxygen the gases will not be completely converted leading to the emissions of the more harmful gases. The presence of too much oxygen will cause an increase in temperature and also oxidisation of the catalyst which will cause degradation from heat or corrosion. k. It has been suggested that battery-powered cars, which do not emit pollutants, are a solution to the problems of environmental pollution. What effect would the increased use of battery-powered cars have on the demand for electricity? What would be the consequences for the environment of this demand? The global car count to date is approximately 600 million and is expected to double in the next 30 years to a huge 1.2 billion cars. This is clearly going to cause problems both for the demand of fuel to build and power them and also in the pollutants they emit. The use of gasoline and diesel oils to fuel this demand is eventually going to rapidly deplete world reserves at an ever increasing rate. This will happen even if car numbers stayed at todays level as extraction is almost at its peak level. The current theories on how much is left is a secret closely guarded by opec and the oil rich nations like Saudi Arabia who for the last 30 years have never changed the forecast for the reserves they hold. This is clearly untrue, and in the future will cause a sudden collapse of the availability of oil. It has been suggested that electric powered cars could be a solution to the problems of both pollution and consumption of one of the most valuable resources mankind has. As a solution is th is possible? There are a number of factors to take into account. Cost of replacing 600-1 billion cars in both raw materials and energy to make them and scrap the old one. Increase in the demand for electricity and can this demand be met without a net increase in global emissions from power stations without burning huge amounts of carbon fuels. Will the electric car be able to meet the demands of the travel hungry consumers? Is there the global political will to address the issue? Resistance of the world population to change there ways, this is important as all the thinking in the world is of no use if nobody will do anything. On the cost of replacing 600-1.2 billion cars, it is going to cost a huge amount of money, approximately 12 trillion pounds for the new ones and 3 trillion for scrapping the old ones. This is a total of  £15 trillion. An estimate on the total amount of dollars in the world is 908 billion in use as of 2009 (source: Federal Reserve). In addition to this there is $1,655.6 billion in current accounts, $8,326.8 billion in savings and approximately $10 trillion in bank deposit certificate and stocks. As this latter one is money that is not freely available it could be said there is approximately $8.3 trillion of accessible cash. This is a huge amount of money, far short of the money needed to replace the global car collection. Although this is not all the money in the world it is a considerable amount of it and can be taken as a fair marker of how difficult it is going to be to fund the change. Although the electric powered car is efficient at approximately 40% compared to gasoline at15%. Could the demand be met from the electric industry without increasing emissions? The answer to this is yes at a cost. global electricity production annually is 13.7 trillion watts. The requirements on demand if we were all to go electric would be approximately 60.44 billion watts though the annual cost of charging the cars up would be cheap compared to the use of gasoline. There needs to be a global political will to change and this may not come until problems from global warming have started to have an economic effect Last of all will the people of the world do the right thing for the good of the planet and make the change, it would be nice to think they would but this will be the most difficult challenge of them all as most people are not keen on a change.

Ambiguity in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay -- Young Goodman Br

Ambiguity in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Peter Conn in â€Å"Finding a Voice in an New Nation† makes a statement regarding Hawthorne’s ambiguity:   â€Å"Almost all of Hawthorne’s finest stories are remote in time or place. The glare of contemporary reality immobillized his imagination. He required shadows and half-light, and he sought a nervous equilibrium in ambiguity† (82). There is considerable ambiguity in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† and this essay will examine this and its causes.    R. W. B. Lewis in â€Å"The Return into Rime: Hawthorne† mentions the ambiguity associated with the key imagery in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†:   â€Å"For Hawthorne, the forest was neither the proper home of the admirable Adam, as with Cooper; nor was it the hideout of the malevolent adversary. . . . It was the ambiguous setting of moral choice. . . .† (74-75). Henry James in Hawthorne, when discussing â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† mentions how allegorical Hawthorne is, and how it is not clearly expressed with this author:    The only cases in which it is endurable is when it is extremely spontaneous, when the analogy presents itself with eager promptitude. When it shows signs of having been groped and fumbled for, the needful illusion is of course absent, and the failure complete. Then the machinery alone is visible and the end to which it operates becomes a matter of indifference (50).    When one has to grope for, and fumble for, the meaning of a tale, then there is â€Å"failure† in the work, as Henry James says. This unfortunately is the case of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† It is so ambiguous in so many occasions in the tale that a blur rather than a distinct image forms in the mind of the reader.    The Norton Anthology: Amer... ...    Lang, H.J.. â€Å"How Ambiguous Is Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Lewis, R. W. B. â€Å"The Return into Time: Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965.    Melville, Hermann. â€Å"Hawthorne and His Mosses.† In The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.      Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.         

Hiring Of Employees

The school will higher teachers using a structured interview with allowance for questions that may arise. This will be done using qualified private recruiter company but after the establishment of the school the interviews will be undertaken by the administrators and at least three teachers.During the advertisement of the interview people from all academic background will be encouraged to apply especially the young and energetic. A variety of issues will be considered at the time of the interviews. This will include the academic background, spirituality, leadership skills and extra curricula qualifications. After interviewing the candidates a selection will be done that will put into consideration the race, gender and professions.The school will have a head teacher who will be a professional teacher and an administrator who could be a retired teacher. The school will be expected to start on a small scale with only three grades. The initial number of teacher is expected to be at least six.The school will also hire a few other temporary teachers who will step in on special occasions. This could be collage students pursuing their studies in different fields who will open up the children to the mystery of different education a head of them.The special occasions will include when the regular teachers are on training. The professional teachers will be considered such that in every three teacher one should be a professional teacher. Other employees to be recruited will be the secretary, the drivers, cooks, gate keepers and the cleaners.Since the school will be of the lower grades the secretary will be expected to be of the same qualification as some of the teachers with good computer skills. All the other staff are expected to have some basic academic background that can enable them to communicate effectively. They should also be dedicated to their work and should be of good moral standards.Evaluation of the school employeesThe teachers the administrators and the othe r employees will be evaluated to find out if they are performing their duties effectively. The evaluation will consist of a list of questions that will give the performance index of the employee when answered.

Physiology Presentation on Bone Growth, Muscular Movement, and Nerve Transmission

Slide 1 Physiology Presentation On Bone Growth Muscular Movement Nerve Transmission Slide 2 Physiology of Bone Growth Understanding Bone Growth ?Ossification is a process of cartilage gradually changing into bone tissue. †¢Fetus’s bones are made of cartilage. †¢During childhood, the cartilage is replaced by bony tissue. †¢New bone is formed along the epiphysical growth plates. †¢The epiphysical growth plates are found at the end of long bones as the body grows taller. ?Osteocytes are bone cells. There are two types of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoclasts break down areas of old or damaged bone. †¢10% of entire skeleton is broken down and rebuilt each year (Turley, 2007). †¢Generally occurring in areas that are damaged or subjected to mechanical stress. †¢Osteoblasts are deposits of new tissue in those areas; forming, and rebuilding bones. †¢Begins as immature cells, but later becomes a mature cell that produces bone, cartilage, or co llagen fibers. ?Through all stages of life, formation of new bone is dependent on having enough calcium and phosphorous in the diet. Calcium in the body is stored in the bone throughout the body. †¢Calcium is an extremely important mineral for proper functioning of skeletal muscles and heart, keeping them contracting regularly and forcefully. †¢After the osteoclasts process, calcium is continuously released to the rest of the body. Slide 2 Speaker Notes ossification is the process of converting the cartilage in embryonic skeletons into bone. Cartilage is deposited early in development into shapes resembling the bones-to-be. Cells inside this cartilage grow and begin depositing minerals. The spongy bone forms, and osteoblasts attach and lay down the mineral portions of spongy bone. Osteoclasts remove material from the center of the bone, forming the central cavity of the long bones. The perichondrium, a connective tissue, forms around the cartilage and begins forming compact bone while the above changes are occurring. Blood vessels form and grow into the perichondrium, transporting stem cells into the interior. Two bands of cartilage remain as the bone develops, one at each end of the bone. During childhood, this cartilage allows for growth and changes in the shape of bones. Eventually the elongation of the bones stops and the cartilage is all converted into bone. Mature bone is a hard substance that is also a living tissue that undergoes change. Slide 3 IMAGE http://www. growtaller. net/ http://www. healthyfellow. com/images/2009/bone-growth. jpg Slide 4 Physiology of Muscular Movement ?Fascicle is a bundle of individual muscle fibers. These muscle fibers run parallel to each other, so when they contract they pull in the same direction (Turley, 2007). †¢Each muscle is composed of several muscle fascicles. Fascicles are composed of many muscle fibers surrounded by fascia. †¢The muscle is wrapped in fascia and connects to the tendon. †¢Fascia is a thin tissue sheet that connects each muscle or group of muscles. †¢The fascia merges into and becomes part of the tendon. ?Multinucleated is a muscle fiber having hundreds of nuclei scattered along the length of the muscle (Turley, 2007). †¢The nuclei help speed up the chemical process t hat must occur along the length of the muscle fiber before it can contract and move (Turley, 2007). †¢Each muscle fiber is composed of myofibrils. Myofibril is composed of thin strands of protein actin and thick strands of protein myosin. †¢Myofibril gives the skeletal muscle its characteristic striated (striped) appearance (Turley, 2007). †¢Actin and myosin is the source of a muscle contraction at a microscopic level (Turley, 2007). Speaker notes A muscle is composed of many parts. The body of the muscle is composed of muscle fascicles. Around each of the fascicles are arteries, veins, and nerves. Each fascicle contains bundles of muscle fibers (muscle cells) that contain thin strands of actin and thick strands of myosin. Slide 5 ? Continue†¦. from slide 4 ?Neuromuscular junction is where each muscle fiber is connected to a single nerve cell. †¢Muscles contract in response to an electrical impulse from a nerve (Turley, 2007). †¢The nerve cell releases neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Turley, 2007). †¢Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that is moved across to the neuromuscular junction. †¢Acts as a key to unlock receptors on the muscle fiber. †¢Changing the absorption of the membrane allows calcium ions to flow into the muscle fiber. Contractions are produced by calcium ions; calcium ions cause the thin actin to slide between the thick myosin, shortening the muscle and producing a muscle contraction (Turley, 2007). †¢The muscle eventually relaxes when †¢Acetylcholine is inactivated by an enzyme at the neuromuscular junction. †¢Calcium ions are pumped out of the cell. Speaker notes Even when not actively moving, your muscles are in partial contraction. This is from the nerve impulses from the brain and spinal cord. The nerve impulses produces muscle tone that keeps the muscles firm and ready to act. This is the only aspect of the skeletal muscle activity that is not under conscious control. Slide 6 IMAGE http://www. bio. miami. edu/~cmallery/150/neuro/sf43x15a. jpg http://faculty. etsu. edu/forsman/Histology%20of%20musclefor%20web_files/image013. jpg Slide 7 Physiology of Nerve Transmission ?Each neuron consists of three parts; the dendrites, a cell body, and an axon (Turley, 2007). †¢The dendrites are multiple branches at the beginning of a neuron that receive a neurotransmitter from previous neuron. †¢Converting it to an electrical impulse, and sending to the cell body. Nucleus is the cell body that directs cellular activities, providing energy for the cell. †¢Cytoplasm around the nucleus contains structures that produce neurotransmitters. †¢Neurotransmitters then are transported to the end of the axon (Turley, 2007). ?Axon is a single elongated branch at the end of the neuron. †¢The axon is covered by a fatty, white insulating layer of myelin (Turley, 2007). †¢The axon does not directly connect to the dendrites of the next neuron (Turley, 2007). ?Myelin keeps the electrical impulses on tract throughout its travel. †¢Myelin is only present on the axon of the neuron (Turley, 2007). Synapse are spaces between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of the neuron †¢Electrical impulses cannot across the synapse. †¢Instead the axon releases a chemical messenger or neurotransmitter (Turley, 2007). ?Neurotransmitters cross the synapse and binds to receptors on the dendrites of the next neuron. †¢These processes all happen within a fraction of a second (Turley, 2007). Slide 7 speaker notes A neuron consists of several dendrites, cell body, and an axon. The dendrites receive nerve impulses from other neurons. The cell body contains the nucleus of the neuron. The axon transmits nerve impulses to other neurons, whether it’s a muscle fiber, to a cell in an organ, or to a cell in a gland. Slide 8 http://www. clarian. org/ADAM/doc/graphics/images/en/9682. jpg http://www. cidpusa. org/synapse6. jpg Bones provide the structure for muscles to attach so that our bodies are able to move. Tendons are tough inelastic bands that hold attach muscle to bone. The nervous system ‘communicates' with muscle via neuromuscular (also called myoneural) junctions. These junctions (Figure 1) work very much like a synapse between neurons. In other words: †¢the impulse arrives at the end bulb, †¢chemical transmitter is released from vesicles (each of which contains 5,000 – 10,000 molecules of acetylcholine) and diffuses across the neuromuscular cleft, †¢the transmitter molecules fill receptor sites in the membrane of the muscle & increase membrane permeability to sodium, †¢sodium then diffuses in & the membrane potential becomes less negative, †¢and, if the threshold potential is reached, an action potential occurs, an impulse travels along the muscle cell membrane, and the muscle contracts. Some muscles (skeletal muscles) will not contract unless stimulated by neurons; other muscles (smooth & cardiac) will contract without nervous stimulation but their contraction can be influenced by the nervous system. Thus, the nervous and muscle systems are closely interconnected. Let's now focus on muscle – what is its structure & how does it work. Muscular movement is necessary, given as we are humans, and without muscular movement we would not have any strength of any kind. Without muscles, our bones would not be able to move and without bone growth, we would not have any type of size or shape–we would be formless and shapeless individuals. Without nerve transmission, our bones and our muscles would not know what to do and when to do it. In conclusion, all these processes are interrelated.

Biography of Giordano Bruno, Scientist and Philosopher

Biography of Giordano Bruno, Scientist and Philosopher Giordano Bruno (1548–1600) was an Italian scientist and philosopher who espoused the Copernican idea of a heliocentric (sun-centered) universe as opposed to the churchs teachings of an Earth-centered universe. He also believed in an infinite universe with numerous inhabited worlds. Asked by the Inquisition to recant his beliefs, Bruno refused. He was tortured and burned at the stake for his outspoken beliefs. Fast Facts: Giordano Bruno Known For: Heretical views about astronomy and the nature of the universeAlso Known As: Filippo BrunoBorn: 1548 in Nola,  Kingdom of NaplesParents: Giovanni Bruno, Fraulissa SavolinoDied: February 17, 1600 in RomeEducation: Privately educated in a monastery and attended lectures at the Studium GeneralePublished Works:  The Art of Memory,  Concerning the Cause, Principle, and One, On the Infinite Universe and WorldsNotable Quote: The universe is then one, infinite, immobile...It is not capable of comprehension and therefore is endless and limitless, and to that extent infinite and indeterminable, and consequently immobile. Early Life Filippo (Giordano) Bruno was born in Nola, Italy in 1548; his father was Giovanni Bruno, a soldier, and his mother was Fraulissa Savolino. In 1561, he enrolled in school at the Monastery of Saint Domenico, best known for its famous member, Thomas Aquinas. Around this time, he took the name Giordano Bruno and within a few years had become a priest of the Dominican Order. Life in the Dominican Order Giordano Bruno was a brilliant, albeit eccentric, philosopher whose ideas rarely coincided with those of the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, he entered the Dominican  convent of San Domenico Maggiore in Naples in 1565 where he assumed the name Giordano. His outspoken and heretical beliefs were noted by his superiors, but he was nevertheless ordained as a priest in 1572 and sent back to Naples to continue his studies. While in Naples, Bruno discussed his heretical views aloud, including the Arian heresy which stated that Christ was not divine. These actions led to steps being taken toward a trial for heresy. He fled to Rome in 1576 and fled again in 1576 after some of his forbidden writings were uncovered. Leaving the Dominican order in 1576, Bruno wandered Europe as a traveling philosopher, lecturing in various universities. His chief claim to fame were the Dominican memory techniques he taught, bringing him to the attention of King Henry III of France and Elizabeth I of England. Brunos memory enhancement techniques, including mnemonics, are described in his book, The Art of Memory and are still used today. Crossing Swords With the Church In 1583, Bruno moved to London and then to Oxford, where he presented lectures discussing the Copernican theory of a sun-centered universe. His ideas were met with a hostile audience, and, as a result, he returned to London where he became familiar with the major figures of the court of Elizabeth I. While in London, he also wrote a number of satirical works as well as his 1584 book, Dell Infinito, universo e mondi  (Of Infinity, the Universe, and the World). The book attacked the Aristotelian vision of the universe, and, building on the works of the Muslim philosopher Averroà «s, suggested that religion is a means to instruct and govern ignorant people, philosophy as the  discipline  of the elect who are able to behave themselves and govern others. He defended Copernicus and his sun-centered vision of the universe, and further argued that the universe was infinite, that it contained an infinite number of worlds, and that these are all inhabited by intelligent beings. Bruno continued his travels, writing and lecturing in England and Germany through 1591. During this time, Bruno both intrigued and angered local scholars. He was excommunicated in Helmstedt and asked to leave Frankfurt am Main, finally settling at a Carmelite monastery where he was described by the prior as â€Å"chiefly occupied in writing and in the vain and chimerical imagining of novelties.† Final Years In  August  1591, Bruno was invited to return to Italy and, in 1592, was denounced to the Inquisition by a disgruntled student. Bruno was arrested and immediately turned over to the Inquisition to be charged with heresy. Bruno spent the next eight years in chains in Castel Sant’Angelo, not far from the Vatican. He was routinely tortured and interrogated. This continued until his trial. Despite his predicament, Bruno remained true to what he believed to be true, stating to his Catholic Church judge, Jesuit Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, I neither ought to recant  nor will I. Even the death sentence handed down to him  did not change his attitude as he defiantly told his accusers, In pronouncing my sentence, your fear is greater than mine in hearing it. Death Immediately after the death sentence was handed down, Giordano Bruno was further tortured. On February 19, 1600, he was driven through the streets of Rome, stripped of his clothes and burned at the stake. Today, a statue of Bruno stands in the Campo de Fiori square in Rome. Legacy Bruno’s legacy of freedom of thought and his cosmological ideas had a significant impact on 17th and 18th century philosophical and scientific thought. On the other hand, while some of his ideas had merit and could be considered forward-thinking, others were based largely on magic and the occult. In addition, Brunos disregard for the politics of the day was the direct cause of his death. According to the Galileo Project, It is often maintained that Bruno was executed because of his Copernicanism and his belief in the infinity of inhabited worlds. In fact, we do not know the exact grounds on which he was declared a heretic because his file is missing from the records. Scientists such as Galileo and  Johannes Kepler  were not sympathetic to Bruno in their writings. Sources Aquilecchia, Giovanni. â€Å"Giordano Bruno.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica.Knox, Dilwyn. â€Å"Giordano Bruno.†Ã‚  Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 30 May 2018.The Galileo Project. Giordano Bruno.

The eNotes Blog The Best Book I Read LastYear

The Best Book I Read LastYear Looking for a good read to begin 2014 right? We have some recommendations for you!  Heres a list of staff members favorite picks from a year of reading. We hope it inspires you when creating your list for 2014. Clearly the editors, interns, marketing staff and others behind are a mixed bunch, with high-brow, chick lit, and even photography manuals between us. Check out our reads and let us know whats on your list in a comment below. Gone Girl This huge bestseller was probably on many readers lists for 2013, with its spellbinding plot and really, pretty horrifying characters. It had me compulsively turning its pages, making Gillian Flynns dark thriller easily a one-weekend-read. Warning: dont pick it up without a bit of time on your hands; you wont want to put it down without solving the mystery of Amy Dunnes disappearance. Infinite Jest One of co-founders selected a throwback for his 2013 pick: David Foster Wallaces 1996 novel  Infinite Jest. The book is set in a futuristic society of North America and has inspired some polarizing opinions from readers for its complex plot, but it has to be admired for its influence over the past two decades of fiction. If youre looking for a challenging, important read, look no further. The Age of Miracles The Age of Miracles is the captivating imagining of what would happen to our world should Earth gradually cease to spin. The ensuing apocalypse is a slow and torturous one, wreaking havoc on both the natural world and the formerly normal teenage life of its main character. If youre looking for YA fiction with truly poetic prose, this is your read. Speedliters Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites So, our managing editor is a bit of a photography nut. If you are too we suggest you pick up the Speedliters Handbook. Itll teach you all kinds of things about Canon Speedlites. The rest of us have no idea what those are, but hey, look at the cover shot! Thats good, right? Art as Therapy Into philosophy? Weve got a high-brow selection for you with Alain de Botton and John Armstrongs  Art as Therapy. The philosopher and art historian duo explore the purpose of art and specifically of masterpieces, suggesting that they can be useful, relevant, and above all else therapeutic for their viewers. Finally, walk into a museum and get the art! Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy And onto the lists most controversial choice: Helen Fieldings latest installment of Bridget Jones Diary. I know, I know, Darcys dead (sacrilege!) but I challenge you not to smile at Bridgets encounters with Twitter, toyboys, head lice and heartache. Just dont be a buzzkill and compare it to Bridgets debut. On its own the novel is really v.g. The Sense of an Ending editorial intern Tylers choice for his best 2013 read is Julian Barnes 2011 novel The Sense of an Ending. Sitting at only 150 pages, the Man Booker prize-winning novel is a quick but important read. It centers on the life of Tony Webster, who recounts his youth and tries to make sense once and for all of the suicide of his schoolboy friend Adrian. The title of the book is pulled from a literary theory book that concerns making sense of the ways we try to make sense of our lives. Vivian Maier Street Photographer Vivian Maier was one of the talented few in street photography who captured all facets of humanity in her expertly shot portraits: the humorous, beautiful, and often heartbreaking scenes of city life following WWII.  But until just a few years ago, nobody had seen any of her work. The full-time nanny had no formal training in photography, and though she passionately, compulsively shot photographs into the 90s, she never shared them with anyone. This 2011 collection of more than 100 of her best prints is a fascinating read for any photography admirer. The Kitchen Counter Cooking School Another of our editorial interns, Katie, recommends this unique spin on a cooking book: Flinns book was really interesting because  it demonstrated just how transformative learning to cook can be. She takes on a group of women and visits their homes and takes inventory of their kitchens, interviewing them about why they would like to cook. Then she does a series of classes with all of them and once they finish, she does a follow up visit a few months later to see how the experience had changed them.  Really interesting and inspiring, plus lots of good recipes! The Cairo Codex Again from Katie, Lamberts book is very provocative. Its reminiscent of Dan Browns books, but her protagonist is a female anthropologist who discovers an ancient codex that seems to have been written by a member of the Holy Family. Ive always been fascinated by Egypt and its culture, and thats where the book is set. The book really keeps you on your toes.  Im excited because its the first in a trilogy. So, whats up on the list for 2014? For me its the enticing  The Light Between Oceans  and Eleanor Cattons Booker prize-winning The Luminaries  (to start). What will you be reading this year? Happy New Year from the gang at

Elision in Italian - Italian Elision

Elision in Italian - Italian Elision In Italian linguistics, elision is the omission of a unaccented final vowel before a word beginning with a vowel or the (since the letter â€Å"h† is silent). Normally, in spoken Italian, many elisions take place unconsciously, but only a portion of them are accepted forms in written Italian where they are marked with an apostrophe. A phenomenon similar to elision is called vocalic apocopation. It differs from elision, though, since an apostrophe is never used. The Spoken Elision and the Written Elision In theory, elisions are possible whenever two vowels are adjacent at the beginning or end of adjoining words- especially when those vowels are the same. In practice though, elisions have become less frequent in contemporary Italian, which is ironic since the so-called d eufonica has become increasingly common. Certain elisions seem automatic, like how â€Å"lamico - (male) friend† and â€Å"lamica - (female) friend† sound much better than â€Å"lo amico† and â€Å"la amica.† However, others may appear superfluous, like â€Å"una idea  » unidea.† And certain joined elisions result in awkward spellings with more apostrophes than necessary, like â€Å"dunaltra casa - of another home.† Here are the primary words that can be elided in Italian: Lo, la (as articles or pronouns), una and compounds, questo, questa, quello, quella Lalbero - TreeL’uomo - ManLho vista - I saw her / itUnantica via - an old streetNient’altro - Nothing elseNessunaltra- Nothing elseQuestorso - This bearQuestalunna - This student The preposition â€Å"di† and other grammatical morphemes ending in -i, like the pronouns mi, ti, si, vi Dandare - About goingDItalia - Of ItalyDell’altro - OtherD’accordo - Of agreement (e.g Sono d’accordo - I agree)D’oro - Of goldMha parlato - He talked to meMascolti? - Are you listening to me?Talzi presto? - Did you get up early?Savvià ² - He proceededSudirono - (They) were heardVilludono - They are deceiving you The preposition da is usually not elided, except in a few fixed phrases Daltronde - MoreoverD’altra parte - Somewhere elseDora in poi - From now on For ci and gli (and also as an article), there must be continuity with the usual spelling of the sounds: ci, ce, cia, cio, ciu; gli, glie, glia, glio, gliu. That is to say, ci is elided before e- or i-, while gli elides only before another i-. Accordingly cindicà ² la strada - he / she showed us the roadCà ¨ - there isc’era(no) - there was / there areCeravamo - There wasglItaliani - ItaliansGlimpedironoT’acchiappo - I catch you Some exceptions are: ci andà ² - he / she went thereci obbligarono - they forced usgli alberi - treesgli ultimi - the last The particle (particella) : se nandà ² - he / she left. Many other words such as santo, santa, senza, bello, bella, buono, buona, grande: SantAngelo - Saint AngelSantAnna - Saint AnnaSenzaltro - Certainly, definitelyBellaffare - Good businessBellamica - Good friendBuon’anima - Good soulGranduomo - Great man Others: Mezz’ora - Half hourA quattr’occhi - Face to faceArdo d’amore - I’m burning with love for you

Accidents and Catastrophes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Accidents and Catastrophes - Essay Example , meaning depending on the number of casualties and destruction done or according to the nature of the accident, that is whether it was caused by human or natural factors (Quarantelli, 1987). The linear model of classifying accidents uses ‘size’ to categorize and give different names to accidents (UN, 1992). An emergency can be termed as being an unanticipated occurrence that threatens life and property and calls upon immediate and urgent reaction from the relevant authorities within the given social set up. It is to be found that each social set up has its own way of coping with emergencies and, that there are different pre-arranged response depending on the magnitude of the emergency situation (Porfiriev, 1995). A disaster is an occurrence that causes extensive damage to the infrastructure within a given societal set up that is so severe to the extent that the resources available within the society itself are not adequate to function a response. At the same time a disaster jars the day to day activities of the society (Porfiriev, 1995). While a disaster might disrupt the functioning within a social set-up, a catastrophe brings a society to a standstill. A catastrophe throws a community into total mayhem where institutions of leadership may completely disintegrate and other institutions like schools and hospitals may be wholly destroyed. Catastrophes call for international intervention if the society affected is so crippled that it does not have the capacity to help its own survivors and casualties (Quarantelli, 1987). Although there is no unanimous agreement as to how accidents are to be listed using the linear model, it is generally accepted that, from the smallest to the most dire the order is an incident emergency, disaster and catastrophe. There are other terminologies that occur frequently when dealing accidents and their nature. A calamity is an occurrence that, like a disaster brings about large-scale disruptions in the normal functions of a

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS DESTINY Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS DESTINY - Assignment Example does not provide a precise description of destiny but establishes situations in the lives of the characters to show the influence of destiny in their lives (Niebuhr, 2004). According to the Christians’ perspective, destiny is the main determinant of a person’s past, present and the future predicaments. For example, most of the instances in the lives of human beings influenced by destiny include poverty, excessive possession of wealth, greediness, corruption, immorality, relationship and their influence in the society. Moreover, an individual’s future predicaments are also determined by destiny. For example, Christians believe that, ones actions and conduct on earth determines their future situations in terms of hell and heaven. This remains a fact in the majority of the Christianity believers and is regarded as the primary form of manifestation of destiny in the human life. Most of the actions and conducts of individuals on earth are highly influenced by destiny which determines their future position, which is life after death according to Christianity. While formulating the answer to the fascinating question on the destiny, study was conducted on the basis of the teachings of the bible. Evaluation of the different instances under which the lives of the characters in the bible was determined by destiny provides an excellent argument for the research. In addition, a literature review of the existing theologists and their attempts to identify the exact meaning of destiny as depicted in the bible contributed to the study (Nieburh, 2002). Furthermore, more supportive evidence on the topic was obtained by interviewing various Christians on their understanding of destiny and how it has influenced their live (Niebuhr, 2004). The results obtained clearly show that, based on the Christianity view, destiny is an occurrence that determines an individual’s past, present as well as future conditions. It cannot be determined by the person but dictates their

Financial and Strategic Management of Projects Essay - 1

Financial and Strategic Management of Projects - Essay Example The analysis of cash flows assists the CEOs and other top officials in ensuring that the investments made by the company is giving adequate return and company’s funds are not tied up in all the wrong ventures. Such an analysis cannot be made via Balance sheet analysis which represents the value of the assets on historical cost or the market value. From the perspective of a newly launched company, it is of prime importance to the management to ensure whether the operations are being conducted in the most prudent manner and are generating sufficient cash flows. Cash stream is considered to be the lifeline in the financial stability of any organization, and cash flow analysis plays a significant part in cautious cash management planning References [1] â€Å"Importance of Cash Flow Statement† accountlearning.blogspot.com. Account, n.d. Web. 16 July. 2011. [2] â€Å"Importance of Cash Flow Statement† buzzle.com Buzzle.com, n.d. Web. 16 July. 2011. 2) Ratio analysis is a very accurate and reliable tool when it comes to analyzing the financial outlook of a bank. The primary reason to conduct a ratio analysis is to quantify the results of the operations of a bank and compare them with that of the prior year(s) in order to assess different aspects of the financial feasibility. The ratios can be divided into various categories such as profitability, gearing and liquidity, each focusing on a different area of the financial outlook of the bank and highlighting its performance. These analyses form an integral part of the financial statement analysis, especially from the investors point of view, who always strive to invest in companies having strengthen and stabilizing financial ratios and representing an upward trend. It is of great significance that the ratios must be benchmarked against a standard in order for them to possess a meaning. Keeping that into account, the comparison is usually conducted between companies portraying same business and financ ial risks, between industries and between different time periods of the same company. The liquidity ratio measures the company’s ability to pay its short term liabilities. The ratio illustrates that how quickly a company can convert its assets into cash and cash equivalent in order to pay off its short term liabilities [Jim Mueller]. The most commonly used liquidity ratio, the current ratio, which is calculated by comparing the current assets and current liabilities. The strengthened the current ratio the more ability the company has to pay its debts and short term obligations over the next 12 months. The gearing ratios and indicate the level of risk taken by a company as a result of its capital structure [gearing ratio]. These ratios are a great source of determining the level of financial risk to which the company is exposed and thus helps in reducing it to the optimum. The debt ratio represents characteristics which is the opposite to that of the equity ratio. Debt ratio, which calculated by comparing the total liabilities to total assets, is a primary tool in determining the influence the company is under as a result of obtaining finances from sources other than equity. A lower ratio represents that the company is utilizing its equity in order to finance its operations and thus curtailing the financial risk

Should the capital punishment be allowed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Should the capital punishment be allowed - Essay Example 46). The increased number is attributed to these four nations being most populous nations globally. The death penalty is matter controversy in different nations across the world. The positions are varied based on either cultural region, or political ideology. Among the member states of the European Union (EU), Article 2 of the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the EU prohibits the use of capital punishment (European Union, 2010). In the same way, the Council of Europe that is comprised of 47 member states does not allow capital punishment among its members. The public opinion in relation to the death penalty varies considerably. Nonetheless, studies have evidenced adequate reasons as to why the death penalty needs to be abolished. Hodgkinson and Schabas (2004, p. 57) shares the evidence that the death penalty needs to be illegalised because life is very valuable. Life is very important and even murderers are not supposed to be deprived the value of their lives. Life cannot be taken back and every justice system is vulnerable to failure. Therefore, capital punishment puts numerous innocent lives at risk (Kronenwetter, 2001, p.53). Any mistake from the prosecution team may lead to demise of an innocent person. In the same way, innocent people will be prosecuted and killed due to flaws in the justice system. Justices, prosecutors, and witnesses can makes mistakes, which may result in the wrongful convictions of persons. It therefore becomes inevitable that innocent individuals may be sentenced to death for capital crimes. For example, in America, according to Amnesty International an estimated 130 people have been found to be innocent who were on death row. The mentally ill persons may also be executed not knowing why the reasons for their mistakes. The uncooperative and cold behaviour of the mentally challenged persons in the courtroom makes them unable to participate in the trials. As a result, they convicted and put on death row when they are

Corporate Collapse Case Study Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Collapse Case Study Part 2 - Essay Example In USA this procedure is a part of fraud accounting but in the UK it is used to provide flexibility in the existing accounting and regulatory system of the company. The sole purpose of accounting is to provide a true and fair view to the users of the financial information (Larson, 2008). Creative accounting does not necessarily mean the violation of GAAP rules or breaching of any terms and condition of the company. The accountants generally use this concept to insert flexibility in the accounting system and deliver a true and fair view to the users of the financial report and information (Jones, 2011). Mark to Market accounting on the other hand is used for updating the value of an asset or a liability to reflect the real market value of the asset/ liability (Wolnizer, 2003). This was mainly used for transaction related to future exchange and recently it is been used by banks and other financial institutions. This method got official recognition in the year 2009 by FASB (Financial Ac counting Standard Board). This method was used to prevent inappropriate use of financial value. Companies usually use this method for assets and liabilities but it is also used for future exchanges to meet the profit margin requirements. If the margin accounts are not monitored regularly then the current market value could drop drastically below the required levels. The process of internal audit adds significant value by preventing fraud accounting within the company and improving financial control. Audit failure leads to misappropriation of funds and non detection of fraudulent activities within the company. Companies which rely on external source for internal auditing process are likely to detect less error than those who conduct the process themselves (Idowu and Caliyurt, 2012). Examples of failure in the accounting procedure One of the most controversial accounting scandals was the â€Å"Enron scandal† in which Enron Corporation, a Houston based energy, service and commod ities corporation filed for bankruptcy in October 2001. The shareholders of the company lost $74 billion and thousand of employee lost their retirement accounts and jobs. The CEO of the company Jeff Skilling and former CEO Ken had not portrayed the huge debt amount in their balance sheet. In October 2000, the share price of the company skyrocketed to $90 per share and later in the November, 2000 the stock price dipped to $1(Bierman, 2008). The stock price of the company went down because Sherron Watkins, an employer of the company had raised suspicion about the high stock prices through the whistle blowing method. The CEO of the company and his accomplice was eventually caught and were termed for 24 years in prison (Accounting Degree, 2013). This had tarnished the image of Enron Corporation completely and the management of the company who had sought plans for IPO (Initial Public Offering) for the internet department could not continue with the plans of IPO. Another similar incident which had sparked controversies in USA was popularly known as the â€Å"World com Scandal†. In the year 2000, the CEO of MCI Communications Mr. Bernie Ebbers became one of the wealthiest men in the nation even amidst the financial crisis faced by the telecom

Climate Change Impacts on Indigenous People Research Paper

Climate Change Impacts on Indigenous People - Research Paper Example According to archaeologists, food storage is widespread and sharing or reciprocity is integral to survival during climate change and catastrophes (Cherrington 18). Nevertheless, a great deal of what populations have created in reaction to catastrophe has also been quite unsound. Social and environmental pressures lead to a huge number of deaths and conflicts. Destruction of ancient civilizations is more widespread than survival. These are vicious and potent lessons to reflect on as individuals and/or groups try to learn from indigenous communities about climate change. Across the globe, agriculture was cultivated at the conclusion of the final ice age, at the advent of the Holocene roughly 11,500 years ago (Geoffrey 18). There have been significant alterations in hydrological processes and in intense weather episodes as well, and changes in temperature throughout the Holocene. The ‘Anthropocene’ theory states that human activities, mostly agriculture and deforestation, l ed to rise in carbon dioxide over the last eight thousand years and rise in methane gas over the last five thousand years (Geoffrey 18). If this hypothesis is true, there are significant repercussions for human-made climate change. Measurements of climate change have coherently revealed and verified that the Earth’s climate is shifting. As reported in the latest statements of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is clear and indisputable proof that the climate of the world is warming and that this is almost certainly caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) provoked by human beings (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs 95). Human activity has weakened the environmental strength of the planet by exploiting the atmosphere as a cesspool for GHGs. Climate change is an adverse reaction presently felt in the world as an outcome of the increase in greenhouse gas production and discharges as a result of burning of fossil fue ls, mostly for transportation and industrial operations. Due to this ‘smoke’ emitted from machines and automobiles, carbon dioxide gas is accumulated in the atmosphere and raises the intensity of heat in the planet (Chavez & Tauli-Corpuz 39-42). This occurrence is known as the ‘greenhouse effect’. Since the 19th century, global temperatures have risen by roughly 0.74%. A further increase in temperature is expected and indigenous peoples will be more seriously affected than other populations. The effect of climate change involves (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs 95): diminishing polar sea ice and rising of sea levels, threatening low-lying coastal areas, notably many small islands in the Pacific; greater exposure to natural disasters, such as floods, and to frequent and intense extreme weather events; degradation of wetlands due to changing freeze-thaw cycles; glacial melts in high-altitude regions and subsequent inundations of valleys and hill areas; increased fires in tropical rainforests; changes in precipitation and desertification. Even though climate change is an occurrence that affects the entire world, affecting all peoples and places, different environments and areas are affected quite differently. Indigenous peoples are by now coping with effects of climate change in their everyday lives. Changes due to climate change, such as weakening of

Corporate Collapse Case Study Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Collapse Case Study Part 2 - Essay Example In USA this procedure is a part of fraud accounting but in the UK it is used to provide flexibility in the existing accounting and regulatory system of the company. The sole purpose of accounting is to provide a true and fair view to the users of the financial information (Larson, 2008). Creative accounting does not necessarily mean the violation of GAAP rules or breaching of any terms and condition of the company. The accountants generally use this concept to insert flexibility in the accounting system and deliver a true and fair view to the users of the financial report and information (Jones, 2011). Mark to Market accounting on the other hand is used for updating the value of an asset or a liability to reflect the real market value of the asset/ liability (Wolnizer, 2003). This was mainly used for transaction related to future exchange and recently it is been used by banks and other financial institutions. This method got official recognition in the year 2009 by FASB (Financial Ac counting Standard Board). This method was used to prevent inappropriate use of financial value. Companies usually use this method for assets and liabilities but it is also used for future exchanges to meet the profit margin requirements. If the margin accounts are not monitored regularly then the current market value could drop drastically below the required levels. The process of internal audit adds significant value by preventing fraud accounting within the company and improving financial control. Audit failure leads to misappropriation of funds and non detection of fraudulent activities within the company. Companies which rely on external source for internal auditing process are likely to detect less error than those who conduct the process themselves (Idowu and Caliyurt, 2012). Examples of failure in the accounting procedure One of the most controversial accounting scandals was the â€Å"Enron scandal† in which Enron Corporation, a Houston based energy, service and commod ities corporation filed for bankruptcy in October 2001. The shareholders of the company lost $74 billion and thousand of employee lost their retirement accounts and jobs. The CEO of the company Jeff Skilling and former CEO Ken had not portrayed the huge debt amount in their balance sheet. In October 2000, the share price of the company skyrocketed to $90 per share and later in the November, 2000 the stock price dipped to $1(Bierman, 2008). The stock price of the company went down because Sherron Watkins, an employer of the company had raised suspicion about the high stock prices through the whistle blowing method. The CEO of the company and his accomplice was eventually caught and were termed for 24 years in prison (Accounting Degree, 2013). This had tarnished the image of Enron Corporation completely and the management of the company who had sought plans for IPO (Initial Public Offering) for the internet department could not continue with the plans of IPO. Another similar incident which had sparked controversies in USA was popularly known as the â€Å"World com Scandal†. In the year 2000, the CEO of MCI Communications Mr. Bernie Ebbers became one of the wealthiest men in the nation even amidst the financial crisis faced by the telecom

Business Plan for a food truck Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Plan for a food truck - Article Example Our marketing mix which includes all the segments in terms of pricing, place, promotion and product are updated. The company’s financial projection and the current trends in operation is a good indicator of the ability of our company to break even fast and start realizing its profits. N. Panadas is the name of our company which is located at 12321 University Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32817. Our Company is a Venezuelan food truck that offers Venezuelan empanadas. N. The stuffing for the empanadas is your choice of beef, chicken, cheese, shrimp and fish. While attending to a college I noticed that most of the common fast food chains were built around college campuses. While offering a lot of variety, there were no fast food chains offering empanadas. Most importantly none of the fast food chains offered delivery to dorms even while being across the street from them. N.Panadas offers not only authentic Venezuelan empanadas but also caters to the college lifestyle. The fast food industry is one of the booming industries in terms of business. Most of the students have no time to prepare their own food and would therefore bump into any food store to look for food. For this reason the N. Panada’s has decided to meet the needs of our customers. Our target customers as already described above as the UCF campus students. Most of our target group is students who are aged between 16-30 years. This is a youthful stage which requires a lot of energy due to their extensive active nature in their daily activities. The figure below is an indication of the rising fast food trends. The figure projected above represent the rising population of our target location. There is a good indication that with the rising numbers of the population the fast food industry demands also increases as well. This is proof enough on the rising profits that are being attained from the fast food company. With these projections it is expected that N. Panada’s company is likely to enter

Informal Jobs in Nicaragua

Informal Jobs in Nicaragua Freddy Espinoza Nicaragua is a third world nation located in Central America. The capital of Nicaragua is Managua. It is the biggest country of the region with an extension of 129,442 km2. Nevertheless its population is small in comparison with its size, only 6,071,042 habitants, although some cities like the capital, Managua, and Leà ³n are overpopulated. Nicaragua has had hard knocks in its economic history, but also has had good times. In the 60’s the economy of the country was good and increasing because of the industrialization but it started to decrease when people started to feel the oppression of the dictatorship. Also the economy was losing power because only the government and its allies had all the money; they were the largest owners of the industries while the rest of the population was poor. Then in 1972 the economy got worst because of the earthquake of that year which destroyed almost complete the downtown of the capital; many business and factories were destroyed so the production of the country decreased. In 1979 started the revolution (civil war) against the dictatorship Anastacio Somoza, causing a very low economic performance. During the revolution people were fighting in the rural areas therefore most of the croplands were destroyed. This caused the production of food to decrease and due to the shortage between the demand and the supply the prices were forced to increase in order to contract the demand. Also the revolutionaries were recruiting men in order to have more power and fight against the National Guard, which was the president’s personal army. The reclusion caused a lack of labor for the production of goods because they had almost all their people working in their guard. With this low production the inflation rate reached a percentage of 70% in 1979. The communist government of Daniel Ortega overthrew Somoza but they didn’t do something good for the economy. They stayed in the power by imposing strength and controlling the imports and exports, so the other countries with different thinking couldn’t export to Nicaragua because the government would not let their products come i nto the country. Due the political and economic crises in those times, Nicaragua’s external debt increased excessively, even more than its gross domestic product; being the debt impossible to pay. Since that time, government companies have been privatizing in order to reduce the external debt. Nowadays the economy has improved but there are still delimited works and unemployment creating a social-economic problem because many people have opted for informal jobs. Informal jobs are a type of work that occurs mostly in developing countries, these are characterized by employments that don’t comply with legal formalities. They are divided in two: wage employment and self-employment. In Nicaragua informal jobs are considered as people’s works which are not in the formal sector of the economy. These jobs are not recognized by the INSS (Instituto Nicaraguense de Seguridad Social) which control the requirements and rights of workers, or are people who decides to work by themselves and they don’t inscribe their business in the corresponded institution. In Nicaragua 63% of the population is considered poor, of that 63% the 43% is considered extremely poor and the 20% is considered poor. The education and sanitary conditions have increase but no too much, and almost the half of the population is unemployed. Half of the population doesn’t finish their studies. The level of education sometimes is until 6th grade but in rural areas it hardily reaches 4th grade Every company wants the best for its economy so they try to look for the best level of workers that they can have, that’s why everybody needs a curriculum is they want a job in a formal company and have a good salary. The relation of this whit informal jobs is that in Nicaragua many people don’t have a good grade of education and if they don’t study a major they are not going to be able to compete for good works because their lack of knowledge is going to impede them get a work that another person with a major in that work knows how to do it. We see that every time it is more important for a person to study a major and get degrees in it because in that way they can win the competition against others and get a better job. Unfortunately unemployment is everywhere and Nicaragua does not offer too many good works and they are many college graduates who are looking for a job or working in a different area of what they studied. When people don’t even find a job in another area, sometimes they are forced to work in the informal sector and it get worst for people who don’t have a major that’s why we see a lot of immigrants working in our neighbor country of Costa Rica and The United States. Sometimes the companies get advantage of this situation paying less or disrespecting the rights of workers. However they are people who look these problems and they decide to have self-employment because they prefer to earn their own money and work hard for a better future than feel their selves disrespected by someone else. In 2003 the INEC (Instituto Nicaraguense de Estadisticas y Censo) calculated that the amount of people working in informal Jobs according to their education was: 4% from college g raduates, 27% from high school, 46% from primary and 23% from any grade of education. Nowadays 79.2% of homes in Nicaragua have people working in the informal sector; and in many they are the principal income for the family. This information was given by the recent survey prepared by the firm M R, which by face to face interviews consulted 1,600 people over 16 years in all regions of the country. The rural population forms the biggest amount of people working in this sector; the cause of this is almost in its totality due the education because in rural areas the education is difficult because the teachers have to travel through difficult paths where the communication is difficult and in some places it does not even exist yet, the students have to walk large distances sometimes confronting dangerous rivers in order to get education but sometimes it is impossible to get in some days because in winter because the lack of communication routes and the river flow increases don’t let the student go to his destiny. Informal jobs in urban areas: Urban areas like Managua are characterized because you can find people from all the areas of the country that have come to the urban areas looking for a best future and good opportunities of work. Usually people from rural areas are the principal ones who emigrates to the urban areas looking for a best income but sometimes what they find is not what they thought. Due to their lack of education people hire them just like gardeners, guards, and mates earning a low salary and sometimes they don’t know their rights and are overexploited or they just do not denounced their bosses in order to don’t lose their jobs. In urban areas the biggest amount of informal jobs are seen in their local markets. Managua has 8 markets, being ‘el Mercado oriental’ the biggest market in the country and in Central America the new official data of the Corporacià ³n de Mercados de Managua (Commema) indicates that ‘el Mercado oriental’ is officially composed of 91 blocks. In these markets are estimated 35 thousand fixed traders and a similar amount of informal workers who works with baskets, wagons, and some ones who carry their products; these people are called itinerant workers. Meanwhile the itinerant workers work by themselves they are others who prefers to work for somebody else in the business of the markets, but the problem is that they also get in the informal sector because almost in all the cases they don’t get a formal contract and they are not inscribe in the INSS. These markets have a committee named CONMEMA which collect leases but they don’t collect any money f rom itinerant workers. Also they are many people who decided to create their own business at home and they create a â€Å"pulperà ­a†, this is basically a minimarket where you can find basic things that you forgot to buy in the supermarket commonly normal goods and inferior goods. In Managua and Masaya you usually are going to find â€Å"fritangas† at night, fritangas are small restaurants where you can find typical food and their food is characterized for being unhealthy but delicious; the fritangas are not registered or controlled by the ministry of health in the majority because they have emerged spontaneously and they are not famous enough to attract the attention of the institution, even though they are some others which comply with all the requirements and licenses. Actually fritangas have taken part of our culture and if you are a foreign you should try it when you visit Nicaragua. In the semaphores you will see the different products that the itinerant workers sell to the cars since fruits of the season until covers for cellphones and exotic animals like parrot. Government institutions like the MARENA (Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales) have taken rules against the sale of exotic animals but they are still people selling. Also they are people who are glass cleaners, so they wait the semaphore to turn red in order to start working but sometimes they don’t get even a Cordoba. In these places we can even see the influence of child exploitation in informal jobs and homeless. Actually they have appeared women carrying newborn children and they ask for money to the cars and pedestrians, they do all these under the shining and hot sun of the tropic. They are other parents who came with their children to work and their children wait in the boulevard while the parents work, or they help their parents. The child exploitation also is reflected with paren ts that wait and watch their children since the boulevard, observing that they are working constantly either selling a product or begging. Child exploitation is common in informal jobs because it is the only place where children can work. According to Nicaraguan laws their age don’t let them work even they want to work because it is considered child exploitation so if they get a job in a formal business or company this can be demanded, meanwhile the informal sector is not controlled or regulated by any organization so they can work there with any problem while there is not an investigation. The situation in the semaphores is sad to see. Even though it has being show in national television programs and television reports, it is still seeing clearly that they are not changes and the situation continues. Informal jobs in rural areas: Rural areas have the biggest rate of informal jobs the causes are their level of education and the developed of the region. Because of the limited accessibility and the lack of infrastructure the economy activities are limited and it is based in agriculture and animal husbandry. In the most remote rural areas, people mostly harvest for their own consumption and the animal husbandry is scarce. Their income is only from the little amount of product that is left after they save enough products for consumption. The little money that they earn is used to buy clothes or a tool to improve their harvest. Commonly these people have only a cow and two chickens; although it is hard to believe they have learned to subsist just with that limitations some people continue doing it and they have family and are able to raise their children.

Small Pox Essay examples -- essays research papers

Small Pox Small pox, which was once the most feared disease known by mankind started out in the days of Christopher Columbus. The disease set out to change the lives of the people in the worse way. It became known as an epidemic disease that ended up killing hundreds of people. Small pox started out in Hispaniola and because of no cure, it traveled to the island of Puerto Rico, and then Cuba. It was only a matter of time until it spread to the mainland, somewhere in America. In the Middle Ages, small pox was a highly contagious disease which often lead to death if not treated. In this term paper you will read and learn about the causes, symptoms and treatments of this horrible disease. Small pox which was often refereed to as a life threatening disease, is caused by a virus, which was not discovered until the nineteenth century. Most of the victims whom acquired small pox, was a result of face to face contact. It is passed through the nose where tiny particles are released when the infected person sneezes, also by the mouth where particles are once again ejected when the victim coughs. The disease can be transmitted by dried small pox scabs and through materials the infected person has come in contact with. The virus is reproduced in the lymphoid tissue and released into the body. Virus reproduction begins when the virion comes into contact with a suitable host cell. The virus must interact with a receptor on the cell surface. The infectious cycle usually consists of two stages. The first stage makes the proteins necessary for the protein to form. The second stage forms the adult virion to start the attack on the body. Smallpox attack with no warning. There are several painful symptoms that are brought upon by this disease. In most of the cases, symptoms in a new victim will occur ten to twelve days later. Patients will develop chills, high fever, and nausousness. The fevers may reach up to 105 degrees farenht. In three or four days later a rash erupts and the fever and discomfort may subside. It begins on the face, then spreading to the chest, arms, back and finally the legs. It consists of hard red lumps which become pimple like, swelling and containing puss. "The pustules gave the disease its name, by which it was first known in the west as Variola" (Giblin 59). This rash itches severely but scratching must be avoided in order to prevent an... ...The vaccination contained the virus that causes cowpox, this disease is similar to small pox but a milder form. This causes the production of antibodies that give protection against both cowpox and small pox. There is no specific treatment for small pox. Due to the disease being so contagious, patients need to be isolated until they are completely recovered. The sores must be kept clean and penicillin and sulfa medications are sometimes given to prevent further infections. However, after a person has come across the disease and recovers from it they become permanently immune to the virus. Jenner later promoted the smallpox vaccination and ultimately wiped the virus clear out. Since then there has only been one case of smallpox but they are not certain that it really was the smallpox virus or just a clone of a chicken pox virus. Vaccinations only work depending on ones immune system if it is weak the vaccine will not take. The number of small pox infected countries gradually decreased. " In April 1978, WHO ( world health organization) officials announced the world's last known case of naturally occurring small pox had been found in Somalia in October 1977" ( Fetzer 513).

Neuromancer Essay -- Literature Review

The life of a human being is defined not only by their own definition by character or nature but also by external influences such as environment and development. It is only natural for a human being to be inter-connected with surroundings and to be a part of the actions and events around him /her. Due to the nature of the human mind in which we use to improvise upon existing methods of improving quality of life and comforts, the world has evolved into a place of complex technological development. The influence of technology and other developments in regard to artificially created luxuries has played an important role in shaping our world and continues to be our top priority of existence. The impact that the evolving world and ideologies has had its influence on most other fields, including literature, as authors attempt to envision the future that the evolution process holds for us, trying to imagine extreme possibilities that might take shape in the future, leading us into a world that would have seemed like a fantasy in the past. This paper studies in detail the use of technology for negative causes, contributing to the view that technology could mean destruction or negative implications when considered in the light of its negative applications. Another aspect that has been discussed is the fact that these negativities would seem plausible as it might be common in the future that we will have to face as the human race evolves further in terms of science. There have been several authors that have based their fictional works on the future of science, William Gibson being one such author who was successful in conveying to his readers the vision of a distant future that he held in his mind, a place that held c... ...nternet crimes. The novel gives a picture of the world that technology could lead us into, the main themes mentioned giving us an idea of the outcomes that would follow the extension of the technology that prevail currently. The base of the story may said to be "more accurate in an iconic sense than as a map of where we're going."(Gibson 55). However, the most interesting aspect is that these ideas were not entirely predictable in the year of the book’s publication, 1984 and yet has been successful in guessing the direction of the development of scie4nce and technology. This is perhaps the most disturbing aspect too, as it makes the readers wonder that if he was right about the direction that technological advances have taken, it could also be true that we will be lead into a world similar to that described by Gibson in his book.

A Different History- Analysis

A Different History By- Suajata Bhatt The poem ‘A Different History’ is set in India. In the first paragraph the poet describes how the world is developing at a fast pace and leaving behind culture, morals, value, spirituality etc. But India on the other hand has managed to sustain its tradition and modernity. â€Å"Great Pan is not dead; he simply emigrated to India Here, the gods roam freely Disguised as snakes or monkeys; every tree is sacred† Pan is the Greek god of nature. This reference to Greece and Pan could refer to two things.One of the possible interpretations is that- Rome, Greece and India are considered the hubs of spirituality and they have their own set of gods and goddesses. But over the years Greece has developed and consequently its people have lost faith in god. On the contrary, India continues to be highly spiritual and god fearing and the ‘Great Pan’ emigrating to India could connote how India continues to have faith and believe in god. Another explanation could be the love for nature and respect for the natural environment in India. Legend has it that Pan died due to the depletion of nature and animals in Greece.At the time this poem was written India was not a shade of what it is now and was known for its natural beauty and its peoples dependence and respect for nature. The next three lines seem to be mocking the Indian psyche of turning everything and everyone to god and creating a god for everything. The stereotypical Indian has a habit of using god’s name to get things done; associating every minute detail in his life to god and this is what I feel the poet is mocking. â€Å"And it is a sin to be rude to a book It is a sin to shove a book aside with your foot, sin to slam books down hard on a table, a sin to toss one carelessly across a room. † â€Å"You must learn how to turn the pages gently without disturbing Sarasvati, without offending the tree from whose wood the paper was made. â €  These lines describe the Indian culture, traditions and the values that are inculcated into kids at a young age. Sarasvati, who is considered the goddess of arts and knowledge, is, according to Hindu beliefs, resides in books. So books are respected (reference to mockery of Indian psyche) but in this case she is admiring this aspect of Indian culture.Books are considered an equivalent of god and touching god with your feet, slamming him et cetera is profanity. What the poet is trying to say in the first paragraph is that India is probably the only country in the world that have maintained its values, morals, culture and tradition and these have gone hand in hand with development. She also talks about the element of god being added to an array of things. Some of which, she thinks, are completely bizarre and others that she truly respects. â€Å"Which language has not been the oppressor’s tongue? Which language truly meant to murder someone? And how does it happen hat af ter the torture, after the soul has been cropped with a long scythe swooping out of the conqueror’s face- the unborn grandchildren grow to love that strange language. † I feel that the transition from the first paragraph to the second is not very good as the connection between the two themes is not evident. In my opinion the connection is that she is drawing a parallel between the pre- British India and the colonised India. She is using the English language as a representation of the colonised India and how it forgot or was made to forget its culture in the name of a ‘better future’ and ‘development’.Here, she refers to them as ‘oppressors’, ‘murderers’, but murderers of what? In my opinion murder in this context refers not just to taking lives but also the murder of spirits, souls and more relevantly cultures and customs. She seems to be blaming the British for the loss of the culture, customs, values, morals and in t his case language as well. She questions how despite all the damage done by the British we continue to speak the English language and have stopped speaking our mother tongue. This is the same language that was spoken by the people who destroyed out heritage and culture used .This is not only in reference to language but our love for anything ‘foreign’ and our disdain at our very own country and shame at our deep, brilliant and fascinating culture. But a poem is open to interpretation and the tone and the way it is said can change the meaning completely. While reading a poem it is important to analyse what background the poem has, the life of the poet how it is connected to her life. Sujata Bhatt, it was the first time I heard her name. She was born in Ahmedabad to a Gujarati family.She was brought up in Pune and then in 1968 at the age of twelve she shifted to the US. Currently she lives in Germany. Suajata Bhatt’s life is a complete contrast to the poem. In the poem she keeps talking about how we are forgetting our culture how we have been influenced by the ‘Conquerors’ et cetera. My first reaction to this was that she was a hypocrite. But then I realised that many times in life there are things that bother you, things that eat your insides but it is completely different and much harder to change or work against these things.I got to thinking that maybe Sujata Bhatt considers herself an example of the ‘unborn grandchildren’, maybe while writing this poem she had herself and her whole life in mind. Maybe she realised how she was losing contact with her motherland how she was losing the Indian in her. This poem could be a poem to reach out to the masses and try to make them understand the value of being in touch with your motherland and not commit the same mistake she had committed. This poem was written in the post colonial period.At a time when India was finding its bearings in the world. It was a time when India was still hung over from the British rule but at the same time it played the rebellious teen and tried to fight the natural course of things. When your country has been ruled by foreigners, colonisers for as many as three hundred years there are bound to be an influence on the country. The British ruled over many many generations of Indians and after a point of time the British way of living and approach in general started seeming normal to the Indians and they began to follow it.When the British left India in 1947 the youth were in an awkward predicament while they wanted to revive their culture and their lifestyle they continued to be westernised. Sujata Bhatt continuously emphasises the importance of a national identity not only in this poem but throughout. A national identity is what defines you globally. On the world map it is not the people who are visible it is the countries. Outside your territory your country plays a major part in your identity. The poet says that if you lo se your native habits, morals, values and culture your identity is depleted. * Arjun Nayar 9C