Exploring Song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exploring Song - Essay Example This paper is an analysis of the poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In!† in a musical setting. It will explain the choices made in order to place the song in a musical setting. It will then compare the poem with a recorded version of the song, â€Å"Dream Variations† and finally draw conclusions on whether there were any effects of the recorded version of the song to the poem. Part I: Poem Analysis in a Musical Setting The poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In!† is a cheerful song, one in which the author expresses joy and happiness in the arrival of the month of March. In the poem, the speaker, while expressing his joy to the arrival of March, uses different expressions and words to explain his feelings. In a musical setting, I would use the through-composed form of music in order to express these feelings of the speaker. Since through-composed form contains different music for every stanza, and the poem has different ideas and mixed feelings in the various stanzas, then, t his would be the best way to go about the song. In a musical setting, using the correct singers, combined with the right instruments is the best way of creating the best record song. In a musical setting, due to the high range of the poem, I would use singers with a high range of voice, signifying the mood of the song, which is cheerful. As the song starts, I would use baritone, which is the voice falling between tenor and bass. Coupling this with tenor, which is the highest male voice, I would get a good combination expressing the speaker’s feelings in the song. The entire sing would then have a rich tenor. However, there would be the harmony in the singer’s voices in the last stanza. These, combined with the piano, a saxophone and a violin would blend well enough to make a great piece. While creating a musical setting of the poem, I would use a number of musical elements in order to get the right combination and come up with a great piece. Texture in a song, often re garded as the density, thickness, range, or width between the lowest and the highest pitches, determines the relationship between the various voices in a particular song (Stein 64). A song texture comprises of the monophony, homophony or polyphony. While monophony describes a clear text setting, polyphony describes a less clear setting. Since the poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In!† has a clear text setting, I would use monophony in the first and second stanzas, but later switch briefly to homophony at the beginning of the third stanza to the line, â€Å"As soon as you have come†, but pick up homophony from the line, â€Å"That blame is just as dear as praise.† Tone in a song describes the system or the language of music, describing the hierarchical relationship between the pitch, based on the key centre. Tone in a song could be either happy or sad (Rumery web). In a musical setting of the poem, â€Å"Dear March, Come In†, there are tonal variations in the v erses, as the singer expresses his emotions to March. At the beginning, the author indicates a cheerful tone, one that shows delight and the happiness of the singer, in celebration of March. However, after the stay and April knocks on the door, the author shows reluctance in opening the door. This shows some of sadness, after realizing that match is about to leave. Analysis and Comparison After listening to the recorded version of the song, it is possible to draw a number of conclusions.

International Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Theory - Essay Example s came about, and two of these theories emerged to what we presently know as the English School and the Classical Liberalism theories in international relations. These theories shall be discussed and differentiated in this paper. Classical liberalism believes that if people are given as much freedom as possible, the principles of authoritarianism shall eventually fade away, democracy shall have a chance to emerge, and wars will eventually cease to exist. Classical liberalism in international relations has four main beliefs. First and foremost, classical liberalists believe that peace can best be achieved through the more widespread application of democratic principles. Classical liberalism prescribes to the notion of institutional liberalism, in the sense that it desires for more nations to be more democratic in their political approach. They believe that democracy epitomizes the perfect breeding ground for peace within and among nations. Secondly, they believe that naturally harmonious interests will help ensure that citizens and states â€Å"make rational calculations which make national interest and international interest one and the same† (O’Connor, 2008). They advocate the belief that the state preferences, not the state capabilities determine the behaviour of the state. It therefore has a high degree of tolerance for various preferences. Thirdly, disputes should be settled by the set judicial procedures under the rule of law. Classical liberalism stresses that the rule of law is applicable to states, not just to people. It advocates that it is possible to identify aggressors and belligerents; therefore, it is also possible to come up with an effective coalition of states opposing such violators. Finally, collective security would replace notions of self-help. They agree that different states may have different preferences, and that governments actually make the decisions to go to war, not people. And they ultimately prefer adherence to the

The Garden City Movement: Development and Impacts

The Garden City Movement: Development and Impacts THE GARDEN CITY MOVEMENT The Garden City Movement was invented by Sir Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928) (Couch, 2014). It was first described in his book Garden Cities of To-morrow, published in 1902 (Ebenezer Howard, 2014). The Garden City Model introduced the application of some basic planning principles which are still in use today. It consists of self-sufficient communities surrounded by greenbelts with planned proportionate areas in agriculture, housing, commerce and industry (Audiopedia, 2014). This essay discusses the creation and development of the theoretical and planning principles of the Garden City Model and its success in solving economic and social problems of densely populated cities in UK. It also discusses the modification of these principles and their applications in modern planning theories. The search for an ideal city was due to the intense industrialization and resulting urbanization of major UK cities about the late 19th century. There were many social, economic and commercial activities in large cities, thereby causing high levels of migration from less developed regions in the UK towards these cities. This excessive immigration resulted in issues like; overpopulation, housing shortage, high rents, air pollution, urban slums and lack of sunlight and open spaces (Howard, 1902). According to (Fishman, 1982), Howard perceived the economy to be corrupt, inhumane, inefficient and unhealthy(see Fig 1,2). Fig. 1 Hine (1912) Fig. 2 Industrial Cities (n.d.) Analyzing the issues developed by the rapid urbanization, Howard noticed a contrasting phenomenon in the  countryside. The countryside suffered from; depopulation, lack of amusement, lack of society, capital and labour. The town had all that the country was lacking and vice-versa. Howard then sort to combine the best aspects of  the town and the country in formation of the garden city (Ebenezer Howard, 2014). Fig. 3 The Three Magnets. (1902) Redefining the town and countryside as magnets, the people as needles, and man’s socio-economic desires  as attraction, Howard realized the theory of The Three Magnets, introducing the third alternative; the Town-Country Magnet (Howard, 1902).The Town- Country offers; high wages, social opportunities, and places of amusements, healthy living conditions, low rents, and large parks (Howard, 1902). Howard believed that the Town-Country would enhance the enjoyment of human society and the beauty of nature simultaneously (Fishman, 1982). In order to achieve the socio-economic aspects of the Town-Country, the ideal city would run by communal land ownership, whereby, the rent would be the main source of revenue, employed by municipality(governing body) in the creation and maintenance of public amenities, old age pensions, and accident insurance (Howard, 1902). The Garden City was to be built from scratch on agricultural land, which had low ecological value, thereby increasing the value of the land, so that it could generate significant revenue through rent for municipality (Howard, 1902). Fig. 4 Garden-City. (1902). Fig. 5 Ward and Centre Garden-City. (1902). The spatial plan of a sector of the city Although the Garden City Model is very descriptive, it is not a morphological but rather socio-economic illustration of principles (Butcher, 2010). Planned in a concentric pattern, with six radial boulevards, on a site of 6000 acres, the Garden City would have a population of 32,000 people (Audiopedia, 2014). In the centre of the city lies a public garden, surrounded by the public buildings which includes; hospital, library, museum, picture-gallery, town hall, concert hall and theatre (John, 2014). The succeeding space is the central park for recreational activities. These large parks are more of country features, but they perform much better in the town-country because of the increment in population. Beyond the central park is the crystal palace a circular glass arcade, for commercial activities (John, 2014). Placement of the crystal palace beside the central park shows Howard’s intentions of connecting human activities with nature. Before the invention of Howard’s pri nciples, commercial zones in the cities rarely had parks and open spaces, because of the high value of land. It is now a common planning practice today to have open spaces in commercial areas. Beyond the crystal palace are houses with tree lined streets, additional parks occupied by public schools, playgrounds and churches (John, 2014). On the outskirts of the city are industries with direct access to the railway, saving cost of packaging and cartage and transportation of goods from the train to and fro factories (John, 2014). The rest of town beyond the railway is utilized as agricultural land held by various individuals and organizations and also providing alternative farm job opportunities to the working class without separating them from the city (Howard, 1902). This agricultural land also serves as a barrier to urban sprawl, as it cannot be built on. As shown in Figure 6, the use of green belts to control urban sprawl is still evident in UK cities today. Fig. 7 Group of Slumless Smokeless Cities. (1902). Considering the fact that town country community is bound to reach its population capacity due to its socio-economic advantages, Howard envisioned as series of garden cities, separated by green belts and connected by roads and railways, with the central city having a population of 58000 (see Fig.7). The introduction of these series also controls the excessive migration to cities with more attractions. Fig. 8Letchworth-1925 Poster. (n.d.) Fig. 9 Original plan of first Garden City, Letchworth 1904. (n.d.) Howards Garden city model was directly experimented on two towns; Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City. Letchworth was the first Garden City ever built (Ebenezer Howard, 2014). It lies on a train line, 35 miles from London, located in Herdfordshire, England, and it covers an area of 5,500 acres, which used to serve as agricultural land with little or no value (Ebenezer Howard, 2014). Although Letchworth was not designed in a regular concentric pattern, it follows the zoning principles of the Garden City Model. In other to build Letchworth, Howard needed funding, but he did not get any financial support from the government. I suppose it was because the development of his ideal city had no positive effect on the pre-existing cities, which have been invested heavily upon. The idea of destroying or ignoring pre-existing cities to rebuilt perfect ones was also the basis of many other revolutionists in solving the industrial crisis. This approach displays the lack of consideration of the fina ncial requirements in the realization of ideal cities. According to Audiopedia (2014), Howard got financial support only from private investors who were concerned with their personal profits, rather than the communal growth of Letchworth City. As a result, Howard forwent the idea of communal land ownership with no landlords (Audiopedia, 2014). Fig. 9 Aerial photo of Letchworth Garden City (n.d.) Fig. 10 Howard Park (n.d.) Fig. 11 Broadway Gardens (n.d.) Letchworth was environmentally successful, with lots of open spaces and public parks healthy living conditions and beautiful tree-lined streets, most of which remain today (Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, 2014). The city attracted firms because of the cheap rent and surplus space, resulting from its earlier use as agricultural land. It also attracted residents, as the living conditions were favorable. Due to the fact that the implementation of communal land ownership was ignored, the rents were not cheap, they could only be afforded by skilled white collar workers (Audiopedia, 2014). Letchworth failed partially as an independent community because of the improved transportation system which made it easier to connect to London. Welwyn, the second Garden City, 20 miles from London, performed just as well as Letchworth, but it lacked public, commercial and industrial buildings, which caused it to depend heavily on London for socio-economic activities. Due to the physical success of Letchworth, the principles of the Garden city were applied to various developments worldwide and in most cases it has been misconceived as the development of suburbs. The New Towns Act 1946, implement by the government after World War II. was inspired by the Garden City Movement (Audiopedia, 2014). The Act, involved the designation of land for the development of garden suburbs in U.K (New Towns Act 1946, 2014). The development of ne towns meant the suburbanization of cities, which was the antithesis to Howard’s theory (Audiopedia, 2014). Despite it’s contradiction Howard thoery, the New towns succeeded in offering healthy living conditions, and maintaining the population density, but they were not economically independent. Fig. 12 Uxcester Garden City. (2014) Fig – new suburbs in blue, pre-existing city in grey. Recently, the Uxcester Garden City; an imaginary city, inspired by the Garden City Model, was announced the winner of the 2014 Wolfsons Economic prize (Sweet, 2014). It was initiated as a solution to the current U.K housing shortage crisis. It is a combination of the planning principles of the Garden City and the suburbanization scheme of the New Towns. Unlike, the Garden City, it is not built from scratch, but rather gradually incorporated into pre-existing cities. The scheme involves the development of residential communities on agricultural green belts, which are presently considered to have low ecological value (Sweet, 2014). Fig. 13 Uxcester Garden City. (2014). Organic representation of Uxcester. Each community is planned to have half it’s area designated to; forests, public parks and lakes (Sweet, 2014). These new residential communities would require reliable transportation systems, linking them to the city centre, which provides the most social activities. On the other hand, the new suburbs will revitalize the city centre by channeling new demand for what is on offer there (Sweet, 2014). Although the scheme involves suburbanization of cities, it observes the Garden City objectives, which includes the provision of healthy living conditions to ordinary people and socio-economic independence. The Garden City Model inspired the New Towns Act and Uxcester Garden City. It has had a major effect on town planning, which has a direct effect on human behavior. Howard’s principles have recently been adopted in the development of Uxcester Garden City scheme for solving housing shortage problem U.K is facing today. Although the effect Uxcester will have on U.K. housing has not been decided, I think the further development of suburbs would either increase the lack of job opportunities or increase the volume of commercial buildings in the city centre. It will then be up to architects to ensure healthy working conditions in these city centres. References Aerial photo of Letchworth Garden City. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://www.letchworth.com/heritage-foundation/news-and-blog/media-enquiries [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Audiopedia . (2014).Garden city movement. [Online Video]. 13 November. Available from:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_MacpHZ-Bk. [Accessed: 03 January 2015]. Broadway Gardens. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://www.letchworth.com/heritage-foundation/news-and-blog/media-enquiries [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Butcher, L., 2010. ARCHITECTURE + URBANISM. [ONLINE] Available at: http://architectureandurbanism.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/ebenezer-howard-garden-cities-of-to.html [Accessed 03 01 2015]. Couch, A. (2014) Arch 221 Urban Studies Week 4 Lecture: Note taking skills from lectures and readings, Liverpool: School of Architecture. Fishman, R., 1982. Urban Utopias in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. Garden-City. (1902). [image] Available at: http://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2008/09/history-of-the.html [Accessed 1 Jan. 2015]. Group of Slumless Smokeless Cities. (1902). [image] Available at: https://socialethicsoundideasandfreedom.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/garden-city.png [Accessed 3 Jan. 2015]. Hawkes, J. (n.d.).Houses, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. [image] Available at: http://stock.jasonhawkes.com/media/8d181e48-3248-11e1-900f-1127b07b6f75-houses-welwyn-garden-city-hertfordshire [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Hine, L. (1912).New York: Tenements. [image] Available at: http://www.allposters.com/-sp/New-York-Tenements-1912-Posters_i8677584_.htm [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Howard, E., 1902. Garden Cities of To-morrow. [ONLINE] Second Edition ed. s.l.: Sonnenschein Co., Ltd. Available at: https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/h/howard/ebenezer/garden_cities_of_to-morrow/complete.html#chapter7. [Accessed 01 January 2015]. Howard Park. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://www.letchworth.com/heritage-foundation/news-and-blog/media-enquiries [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Industrial Cities. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://johnsonschneider.weebly.com/ [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. John W. Reps,. 2014.Garden Cities Of Tomorrow. [ONLINE] Available at: http://urbanplanning.library.cornell.edu/DOCS/howard.htm [Accessed 02 January 15]. Letchworth-1925 Poster. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/11/11.001j/f01/lectureimages/6/image31.html [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, (2014).Letchworth Garden City. [online] Available at: http://www.letchworth.com/heritage-foundation/letchworth-garden-city/quick-facts [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Louis de Soissons, Welwyn Garden City town plan. (1921). [image] Available at: http://cashewnut.me.uk/WGCbooks/web-WGC-books-1975-1.php [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Sdoutz, F. (2015).à ¢- ± GARDEN CITIES Howard, Unwin Parker, Lutyens, de Soissons Links. [online] ARCHITECTURETHEORY.NET. Available at: http://www.mediaarchitecture.at/architekturtheorie/garden_cities/2011_garden_cities_links_en.shtml [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Lucey, N. (1973).The Effect of Sir Ebenezer Howard and the Garden City Movement on Twentieth Century Town Planning. 1st ed. [ebook] Hertfordshire: Norman Lucey. Available at: http://www.rickmansworthherts.freeserve.co.uk/howard1.htm#snd [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. New Towns Act 1946. (2014).Wikipedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Towns_Act_1946oldid=621188191 [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Sdoutz, F. (2015).à ¢- ± GARDEN CITIES Howard, Unwin Parker, Lutyens, de Soissons Links. [online] ARCHITECTURETHEORY.NET. Available at: http://www.mediaarchitecture.at/architekturtheorie/garden_cities/2011_garden_cities_links_en.shtml [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Sweet, R. (2014). Welcome to Uxcester, the imaginary city that has British planners in a flap. Global Construction Review. [online] Available at: http://www.globalconreview.com/sectors/welcome-uxcester-imaginary-city-has36392725british/ [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. The Three Magnets. (1902). [image] Available at: http://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2008/09/history-of-the.html [Accessed 1 Jan. 2015]. U.K. Green Belts. (2014). [image] Available at: http://www.estatesgazette.com/blogs/london-residential-research/2014/02/green-belt-fit-21st-century/ [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Uxcester Garden City. (2014). [image] Available at: http://www.archdaily.com/545656/urbed-s-bold-proposal-to-reinvigorate-the-garden-city-movement/ [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Original plan of first Garden City, Letchworth 1904. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://lunaprod.library.cornell.edu/images/RMC/Size4/RMC0129/RMC2011_0602.jpg?userid=10username=administratorresolution=4servertype=JVAcid=10iid=CORNELLvcid=NAusergroup=Facultyprofileid=2 [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Ward and Centre Garden-City. (1902). [image] Available at: http://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2008/09/history-of-the.html [Accessed 2 Jan. 2015]. Ebenezer Howard. (2014).Wikipedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebenezer_Howard [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. Welwyn Garden City. (2014).Wikipedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welwyn_Garden_City [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015].

Country of Origin Meat Labeling :: essays research papers

A large problem that has arose in our country is Country of Origin (COO) meat labeling. Imported meat is not labeled with its origin and has become a great problem because of the lack of universal packaging and processing laws. The United States imports meat from 26 foreign countries. This means when you buy a package of hamburger from your local grocery store it could contain meat from anywhere in the world. Other countries meat isn’t the same quality as US meat. Some meat comes from countries such as china where it is legal to feed livestock ground up bone meal from scraped animals. In which that bone meal can carry such diseases such as mad cow disease or a variety of other ailments. Other variances to US policy are things such as pesticides (rodent killer), insecticides (bug killer), and herbicides (weed killer). And when these poisons are used around livestock, they eat them also and are incorporated into the meat you buy at the supermarket. Furthermore, some foreign countries have no sanitation in the way livestock are produced. Some are grown on disease and urine infected water and food. So without labeling of meat origins, the consumer does not know what they are buying which should be immediately changed. The opposition to meat labeling laws claims it is â€Å"too much regulation and cost to gyrate through unnecessary protocols just to label the meat†. But obviously the opposition really has no defense and just doesn’t want their product to plummet once the truth is shown to the consumer. Once labels are applied to meat countries with notorious standards and unsanitary practices will be justly shut out of the market.

Virtual Child Essay

I was asked to create and answer questions about a virtual child. When I was told this was an assignment I thought â€Å"this should be easy†. Boy was I wrong! I found many things can affect the outcome of my child. If I am too strict or too easy, the child’s behavior will show this. Over time, this will also affect the child’s temperament. I have learned that some of my classmates’ virtual children are harder to get along with and require more discipline then others. I decided to just trust my instinct and answer the questions as if they were for a real child. In this report you will see how my answers affected my virtual daughter Alexis and, my experience throughout the duration of the assignment. 0-8 MONTHS 1. How does your baby's eating, sleeping and motor development compare to the typical developmental patterns? ~Alexis’s motor skills are typical for her age, crawling, sitting up, and standing up, but not walking yet. Her sleeping habits are normal for her age. Infants normally sleep sixteen-seventeen hours a day. For the first week or so Alexis wasn't very hungry and actually lost a little weight, she has now started eating and has gained back some of the weight she lost. . At 8 months of age was your child an â€Å"easy†, â€Å"slow-to-warm-up†, or â€Å"difficult† baby in terms of Thomas and Chess's classic temperamental categories? On what do you base this judgment? ~Alexis was an easy baby. She had a positive disposition and her body functions operated regularly. She is mostly positive and shows intens e interest in her surroundings. She smiles at familiar people and toys, and she is able to laugh at funny and is developing lots of cute little habits. 3. How is your child's attachment to you and your partner developing? What is happening at the 3-month and 8-month periods that might affect attachment security according to Bowlby and Ainsworth, and various research studies? ~Alexis is more attached to me than my partner. She is able to focus her eyes on me and she studies my face. When Alexis started daycare she would usually cried when I dropped her off but got over it quickly. Now she is use to it and doesn’t seem to have any problem with it. 8-18 MONTHS 1. Describe and give examples of changes in your child's exploratory or problem solving behavior from 8 through 18 months and categorize them according to Piagetian and information processing theories. Note that 8 months is included, so you'll need to use the time-line to look back at 8 months for examples. ~When Alexis was 8 months she was in substage 3 based on Piaget’s 6 substages. . I played a hiding game with Alexis, she could find the object when I hid it in the same spot but was unable to find it if I put it in a different place. Now Alexis is in the substage 4, based on Piaget’s 6 substages. I played a hiding game with Alexis again and she was able to find the object even after long delays and seemed to think this is was great game. 2. Analyze your baby's temperament in more detail at 18 months than you did at 8 months. How would you describe your baby in terms of the five aspects of temperament utilized by the Virtual Child program (activity, sociability, emotionality, aggressiveness vs. cooperativeness, and self-control)? Has Alexis's temperament been stable over the first 18 months? A blurb defining and providing examples of the five aspects of temperament is provided at 12 months, but you should seek out further explanations of temperament from your textbook. Explain how the concept of goodness of fit (also discussed in the blurb on infant temperament) applies to your interactions with your child. Alexis is very active and is a very social baby. She isn’t aggressive at all and she cooperates very well. I play with Alexis and introduce her to new things and she seems to enjoy it very much. 3. Were you surprised by anything in the developmental assessment at 19 months? That is, does your perception of your child's physical, cognitive, language and social development differ from that of the developmental examiner? Give specific examples. If you were not surprised, write instead about some aspects of your child's development that need the most work. I was very surprised that Alexis scored above average in all aspects of language development and she was above age-norms for building a block tower to model one made by the examiner and other skills such as copying shapes, coloring within the lines and solving picture puzzles. 2 YEARS OLD 1. Have there been any environmental events in your child's first 2 1/2 years that you think might have influenced his or her behavior? On what do you base your hypotheses? ~She is now in preschool and I think it has been difficult for her because she isn't use to the new caregiver and environment. Another instance is she was in an accident with her tricycle and she is now afraid to ride it. 2. How is your child progressing on typical toddler issues, such as learning household rules, learning to follow routines, listening to you, developing self-control and learning to get along with other children? ~She has been doing well with learning household rules and listing to me. Sometimes she looks guilty when she breaks something, or embarrassment when she has a potty accident. She gets along with other children good. 3. Analyze your own parenting philosophy and practices. What principles from social learning theory, Bowlby, Ainsworth, Piaget, Vygotsky, information processing theory, developmental neuroscience and other theories do you appear to have relied on in making your parenting choices or interpreting your child's behavior? Include three principles/theorists from the above list in your answer. ~My parenting practices and philosophy come from my experience as a child. I remember when I was young my parents didn’t really push me to succeed and learn new things. I want my child to explore and learn as much as she can. My parents were also lenient when it came to me getting in trouble which made me do worse things when I was older because I knew the consequences wouldn’t be so bad. That made me want to be a strict parent. 3 YEARS OLD 1. What activities and experiences you and your child have engaged in might be promoting healthy behavioral practices and an interest in physical activity? ~Alexis like to play hide and seek and likes to play sports for a short time. I think this will help her be more interested in sports when she gets older which, will make her an active child, reducing the chance of obesity. . Describe development of your child’s language and cognitive skills and discuss how these might be affecting his or her interactions with you ; your responses. ~Alexis’s language development is very good. She likes to tell people about things she has done, but she sometimes leaves out details. When I hear her telling stories I ask questions to help her to fill in a few detai ls. Alexis is also fascinated with her new baby sister Ashlynn and tells everyone about her. 3. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them? ~Alexis clings more to adults and only has a few friends in preschool. The only behavioral problem she has is acting up in public places and she is somewhat anxious and unsure of herself in social situations. I think these problems are occurring because she is constantly around adults. I’m going to invite a few friends over and have play dates to help her get use to children. 4 YEARS OLD 1. How would you characterize your parenting style? How have your specific parenting techniques changed since infancy? In what ways do you think your parenting style, or any other aspect of your parenting, has been influenced by your cultural background or other experiences? ~My parenting style is Authoritative. I set rules and boundaries and if they are not followed there are repercussions but, at the same time I am a loving parent and I am emotionally supportive. My parenting techniques have been about the same since Alexis was a baby. I don’t think my parenting skills have been influenced by my cultural background at all. My experiences might have influenced my parenting because I was treated horribly when I was a child so I know I don’t want my child treated like that. 2. Describe two specific examples of changes in your child's behavior at age 4 that seem to stem from growth in cognitive and language ability since the period of infancy (e. g. , improvements in symbolic thinking, reasoning, knowledge of the world, theory of mind). ~Alexis’s symbolic thinking and reasoning has grown a lot since infancy. She is above average in her problem solving skills and language abilities. She can solve problems with more than two steps and she can complete full sentences. 3. How would you characterize your child's personality? Would you say that your child is primarily overcontrolled, undercontrolled or resilient? Support your argument. ~Alexis is in the overcontrolled category. She is cooperative, and follows the rules, but she is very shy in social situations and anxious and clingy under pressure. For example, when she is in class and is asked to join a group for work she gets very unsure of herself and clings to the teacher. 6 YEARS OLD . How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them? ~Alexis is doing well in social situations she has made more friends and she isn’t as clingy towards adults as she was before. Alexis still acts up on occasion in public places but overall has been doing great. 2. Do you notice any improvements in cognitive and language skills since age 4? Give specific examples. Does your child have any special needs with regard to cognitive or language development at this point and what do you plan to do? ~Alexis’s cognitive and language skills are above average. Alexis’s memory is getting better. She beats me on memory games such as Concentration because she remembers where the cards are located. But when she tells people about things that happened to her, she leaves a lot of details out and sometimes gets the order wrong. I join in the retelling of the experience, prompting Alexis with questions, rather than just butting in and telling it myself. . Which aspects of your child's behavior and personality reflect continuities from earlier behavior (e. g. , at ages 3-4 years) and which seem to be novel for this age level? ~Alexis doesn’t act up in public places anymore like she used to. But she does like to cheat when we play games. Her personality is about the same a sweet girl who sometimes gets nervous and shy and looks to an adult to help her out. She has made more friends. Alexis has become a kind of quiet leader of her small group of friends in first grade. She is still a bit shy, but well-liked by the other kids YEARS OLD 1. How smart is your child, and in what areas? Think back to the blurb on multiple intelligences that appeared at age 6. Find specific evidence regarding your child's verbal, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence from your observations of your own child as well as the psychologist's report at age 8 years, 11 months. ~Alexis is very smart for her age. She is grate in solving problems, telling stories, and she is very talented in piano and singing. Alexis Demonstrates strength in her reading and writing. Alexis is able to hold her own in conversations with adults, and uses some surprisingly difficult words in her speech. She also is beginning to use this vocabulary in her writing for school. Areas of speaking and listening and in content knowledge of social studies and science, areas of mathematical problem solving, understanding of data and number concepts and, in the areas of spatial understanding and visual arts. 2. Describe some examples of your child's behavior or thinking that you think are due to typical American gender role socialization and explain why you think so. Several examples can be found at ages 6 and 8. How closely does your attitude toward gender roles correspond to typical American attitudes, and if there is a discrepancy, to what do you attribute this (e. g. , cultural background, attitudes of your own parents, etc. )? ~Alexis likes to follow me around and do what I do. Alexis enjoys playing sports with one of her friend’s brothers, and sometimes Alexis will also play sports with some of the boys on the block. Alexis is able to play with both boys and girls at school, but mostly plays with girls. I have taught Alexis that she can do whatever she want’s. Such as being a police women or a sports athlete. I grew up playing with cars and toy soldiers as well as Barbie dolls to me it doesn’t matter what gender you are. 3. How might your child's development have been different if s/he was raised by people with a different socioeconomic, ethnic or cultural background? Base your answer on specific evidence of SES/cultural differences from the textbook and class lectures. ~Different cultures have different views on how a child should be raised. For instance a child in a Chinese household would have to focus more on school and less on activities and would have much stricter rules. Or a female child in a Hispanic culture would focus more on home economics. 10 YEARS OLD 1. Describe your child's academic skills between ages 6 and 10 and assess how well these skills are developing. The 5th grade report card will be useful for this but you should also incorporate your own observations. What are you doing to help your child? ~Alexis demonstrates strength in all areas of reading, and in spelling and appropriate for grade level in writing. Alexis s also demonstrating strength in the areas of speaking and listening and in content knowledge of social studies and science, in the areas of mathematical problem solving, understanding of data, number concepts, graphical applications, and arithmetic computation, in the area of art as well as in area of music. She is very smart. I help her by introducing her to new things and encouraging her to write, work on music and her art work. 2. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them? ~Alexis is doing good in outside social situations. She is already adept at social networking. She adds photos to the family page every so often and sends messages to her friends. Alexis likes to go on weekends and hang out there with one or two friends. At home she sometimes fights with her sister Ashlynn. Sometimes Alexis gets upset in stressful situations inside or outside the classroom, and will withdraw from activities or become anxious or moody. She usually improves before the day is over. When she fights with her sister I put her in time out and tell her what she did wrong and why it is wrong. 3. Has your parenting changed since the preschool period and if so, why do you think it has changed and what effect might this have on your child? Refer to your textbook or lecture notes for evidence on typical changes in parenting that occur in middle childhood. ~I don’t think my parenting has changed at all. I’m still a strict but loving parent and I still help Alexis excel in her school and music and other activities that interest her. 12 YEARS OLD 1. Describe any physical or behavioral signs of incipient puberty. Alexis argues with me more, mostly about clothes bedtime and chores but otherwise we get along pretty well. I have to renegotiate household rules more then I use to with Alexis. And I have to make reasonable concessions, such as a later bedtime in exchange for more chores. Alexis has shown an interest in boys and likes to talk about hot actors or music ians. I’ve also noticed she’s been reading magazine articles about sex. Alexis thinks she’s too fat due to a growth spurt. She has taken to staring at herself in the mirror and refusing to wear certain clothes that she thinks make her look big. She seems to be more interested in hanging out with her friends than studying, and tries to get out of doing homework. Alexis has been getting teased for not wearing a bra because she is developing. 2. How would you characterize your child at this point in terms of the under-controlled, over-controlled or resilient categories? Have there been any changes since the preschool period and why might they have occurred? ~Alexis is now in the undercontrolled category she does not follow the rules, and has a tendency to become distracted and overly emotional, particularly when under stress. When she was in preschool she was undercontrolled. I believe these changes have occurred because she has hit puberty and has entered a sort of rebellious stage. 3. Using the 7th grade report card and your own observations, summarize your child's academic skills at this point. What specific activities might promote some of these skills? ~Alexis is still doing great in school making straight A’s. She needs to focus more on time management, working independently in the class room and finishing homework on time. Some activities to promote her good grades would be to encourage her to keep it up. 5 YEARS OLD 1. What activities and experiences at ages 12 and 14 has your teen been involved in that might promote healthy behavioral practices, physical fitness and skill in sports? ~Alexis tried out for the high school dance team and made it. Alexis practices routines and stretches at home quite often. She also played a little bit of Tennis one summer. She likes to do outdoorsy things lik going camping. I believe these things will help promote healthy behaviors. 2. Have there been any changes in your teen's behavior toward you or your partner? Why are these occurring and how are you responding? Alexis occasionally gets upset and becomes cranky or gives us the silent treatment when we have discussions about issues such as bedtime, chores, curfew, clothing choices, music choices, etc. , but otherwise we get along pretty well. When we have discussions and she gets like this I drop it and talk to her about it more once she has calmed down. 3. Do you see any examples of how cognitive and physical changes in early adolescence (ages 12-14) relate to your teen's social or emotional behavior? ~Now that she’s older she wants to hang out with friends more and she’s a lot more social. She was a little emotional about her body because of the changes puberty brought on. Along with puberty came a lot of emotional ups and downs. 16 YEARS OLD 1. Think about your teen's cognitive strengths and weaknesses and how they are reflected in his or her school grades and activities from 14-16 years of age. What careers or courses of study might be best suited to your teen's abilities and interests? ~Based off of Alexis’s grades and interest, I think she would be best suited for a career in science, art, or music. She has excelled in these three subjects and she enjoys them very much. The most practical career would most likely be in science. 2. How important have your teen's relationships with peers been to his/her social development, emotional well-being and school achievement from 14-16 years of age? ~It has been very important to her social development and wellbeing. It has helped her socially by getting her interested in things teens her age should be interested in and has made her emotional well-being much better. It hasn’t helped her school achievements much, she would rather hang out with her peers instead of doing homework or working on school things. 3. How has your teen adjusted at 14-16 years of age to typical adolescent issues such as risk-taking, drugs, alcohol, and sexual interests, and how have you responded to your teen? ~She has experimented with alcohol, I talked to her and grounded her. She has been dating a boy for a few months and says she’s in love so I talked to her about sex, birth control and condoms. 18 YEARS OLD 1. As the program ends, what pathways does your child appear to be on in terms of physical, cognitive, social, emotional and moral development? To what extent could you have predicted these pathways based on what you knew of your child's earlier development? Describe some specific ways in which you think your parenting mattered for your child's development, based on evidence from the course regarding the contributions of parents to child development. ~I think Alexis will continue dancing and she is on a great path for education. She had magnificent grades and did great on her PSAT’s. I believe she will get into a great college and have a great career. She has good social skills and even though she is a little emotional I think she will make good friends in the future. Her moral development is good she knows what’s right and what’s wrong and I think she will act accordingly. I knew Alexis would be smart from the time she was little. She always wanted to learn and she always did great in her academics. My parenting skills helped her achive as much as she did because I always encouraged her to learn and do what made her happy but at the same time I was strict and made sure what she needed to get done was done. 2. Describe some specific ways in which your child developed that appeared to be influenced by factors outside your control, such as genes, random environmental events or the general influence of contemporary middle-class American culture. I think her shyness was probably a genetic factor. I also think that her school environment and the influence of other children her age made her the way she is. Our culture also influenced her with music and T. V. 3. Bonus Question: Are there any issues you had with your parents, your school work, your friends, or your romantic involvements in the last year of high school that continued to be issues for you in coll ege? Reflect on your own personality, interests and cognitive abilities at the time you graduated high school. How did these personality characteristics and abilities manifest themselves in subsequent years? How have they changed since your high school days, if at all? ~My last year of high school my foster mother passed away which really affected my school work which made college harder for me. I love music it’s my passion and I think when I left high school I focused more on it because I had more time to do so. When I first started my virtual child I figured it would be easy, and at first it was. After I created my user name and password I was prompted to answer a few questions to help determine my baby’s gender and inherited traits. A few minutes later my virtual daughter Alexis was born. I have to say that doing virtual child was by far a great experience. I was very eager to do this project because I believed it would show me what kind of mother I will be when I decide I’m ready for children in real life. A few weeks after Alexis was born she was somewhat lethargic, didn’t want to eat very much, and she hadn’t gained much weight. When I read this I was a little worried. I then read that I took her to a pediatrician and he said it was nothing serious. I thought it was a little strange as well so I looked it up. I learned that it is normal for newborn babies to stay around the same weight or even lose weight within the first few weeks, after that, babies generally start eating more and gaining weight. I also learned when a baby loses weight they can become lethargic from lack of energy due to not eating enough. A short time passed and Alexis was eating heartily and gaining weight back. While raising Alexis I learned a lot of things. Like that genetics play a key part in her temperament. For example, the questionnaire I answered at the beginning asked me about my sleeping habits, and I answered that I slept often and I was told that Alexis sleeps virtually all the time. At every stage, I learned something new about the stages of development. When Alexis was five weeks old I wanted Alexis to be curious about her environment so I gave Alexis a lot of audio stimulation, including talking to her, singing to her, and putting on music for her to listen to. At eighteen months Alexis was very interested in music, and often danced to the rhythm. Then when Alexis was five she impressed everyone who heard her with her singing ability and ability to play songs by ear on the portable keyboard. I think playing music for her when she was a baby influenced this. At three months, Alexis started to make sounds like she was trying to speak to me. So I would encourage her by talking back with her. One of the things I thought was cute about Alexis was that she would smile at familiar people and toys, and she was able to laugh at surprising or funny things like playing peek-a-boo. Alexis also preferred people over objects and smiled and interacted with nearly everyone. This made me feel good about how I was raising her. One part of the program said that my â€Å"mother† would come over and watch Alexis while I went out with my â€Å"husband† but I would call and check on her often. I think I would probably do that in real life. I think good mothers always worry about their children. When Alexis was fifteen months old, I noticed she would often study things in her environment and perform simple little experiments with them, almost like a little scientist. Right away I thought it was interesting. I found out later on when she was older that she enjoyed science very much. I thought to myself, wow, things that you do when you are young carry on in to your older years. This made me think about what I was interested in when I was younger. When I was about four I sang in church and now I’m twenty-two and I still love to sing and write lyrics. I had never thought about it before and I thought it was cool to compare it with my life. When Alexis was ten she got into social networking. I was kind of shocked to learn this. Even though I know computers and internet are very common these days, I wasn’t aware such young children were using social networks such as Facebook. When I was ten I didn’t even know what a computer was. Coming from my background and my raising I do not think I would let my child on a social network until they were at least fourteen. I just believe there are too many predators on the internet to let a ten year old join Facebook. A few times in the program Alexis told me that I was more supportive and approving of her than the average parent. She also said that I was stricter than most of the other children’s parents. Even though Alexis is a virtual child this comment made me feel really good. When I do have a child this is exactly the kind of parent I want to be. When I was growing up my parents were not very supportive of me at all and they were extremely strict. I do not want to be like that so knowing I was making the right choices brought me great joy. In Alexis’s teenage years she started becoming more isolated and emotional. She started spending a lot of time in her room and was very moody. She also became a lot less corporative. At first I thought it was because I did something wrong but, I started thinking about myself and other teenagers I know. From my own experience I figured out that that is just something that comes with puberty. Realizing that this was normal for teens, it helped me see that not everything was my foster parents fault when I was a teen, some of it was actually me. I believe this information will also help me when I have a teenager of my own. When Alexis was sixteen she got a part time job at a grocery store. This was an important thing for me. When I was fifteen I got my first job and it helped me become more independent. I was able to save money during the summer and buy my own school clothes and did not have to rely on my parents for much. It made the transition from living with parents to living on my own a lot easier. I think this will help Alexis strengthen her independence when she becomes an adult. Alexis was a straight A student all through school. This made me feel extremely proud of my virtual daughter. I believe that school is a very important part of having a successful life. When I was in school I strived to do my best so that I could go to college and have a great life. This experience with my virtual child was a very important one. To know my child was doing excellent in school told me I was doing something right in my parenting method. Some things that I found challenging in this assignment was the fact that there was not as much information as I thought there would be and what information was there was very spread out. I think it would have been easier if during the infant years they gave information for every month instead of every three months. Also some of the information given to was a kind of confusing and I did not agree with some of the answers to the questions because, in my mind, I could come up with so much more scenarios. My virtual child definitely challenged me and putt my mind to work. Some of the things that were easy for me during this project is the fact that at the end of each stage they gave a parent and child evaluation information. This helped me with my assignment it showed where I was at as a parent and what I needed to work on. My virtual child all in all was an excellent experience for me. To raise a child from birth to adulthood is very interesting. It helped me understand more about my human development class and I think it prepared me to be a wonderful parent in the future. My virtual child also helped me see where my all my parents were coming from when I lived in different homes and each of their own individual parenting methods. I also learned a lot from this experience about children. I know information that I probably wouldn’t have learned anywhere else. Mostly, I think my personality made this experience even better for me. The fact that I love children and projects made this fun for me which helped me get through the program.

Chemistry Report

Standardize a solution of potassium manganate(VII) by an iron (II) salt (ammonium iron (II) sulphate) Introduction Oxidation numbers describe the number of electrons the atom will gain or lose during a reaction. Each atom in an equation can be assigned an oxidation number according to certain rules. If the oxidation number of an atom increases as you go from the left side to the right side if an equation, oxidation has occurred (electrons have been lost); if the oxidation number decreases, reduction has occurred (electrons have been gained). MnO4? + 8 H+ + 5e? Mn+? + 4 H2O (1) In the above reduction half-reaction, manganese has undergone a decrease in oxidation number from +7 to +2. In the following oxidation half-reaction, each iron atom has undergone an increase in oxidation number from +2 to +3. Fe+? > Fe+? + e? (2) Oxidation must occur along with reduction. These reactions are called redox (reduction/oxidation ) reactions. The number of electrons lost and gained in the half react ions must be equal. The overall redox reaction becomes: MnO4? + 5 Fe+? + 8H+ > Mn+? + 5 Fe+? 4H2O (3) Potassium permanganate is widely used as an oxidizing agent in volumetric analysis. Since the MnO4 ion is a deep pink-violet colour and the Mn2+ ion is nearly colourless, the end point in titrations using KMnO4 can be taken as the first pink colour that persists in the solution. In titration , permanganate solution is put in the burette and is run down to an acidified solution of reducing agent, e. g.. ammonium iron(II) sulphate solution. In this experiment, KMnO4 will be used to determine the percentage of Fe2+ in an unknown solid sample dissolved in water. The permanganate oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ is carried out in an acidic solution to prevent the air oxidation of Fe2+. A potassium permanganate solution will be standardized by titrating it with a known mass of Mohr's salt, ferrous ammonium sulphate hexahydrate or Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2Â ·6H2O. (Mohr’s salt fulfils the requirements of a primary standard. It is easily obtained in pure form, it is stable to oxidation when dry and is not hygroscopic. http://faculty. ccri. edu/eterezakis/1100%20Exp%205,%20Iron%20Analysis%20by%20Redox%20Titration%20_egt_. pdf http://www. mrteverett. om/Chemistry/labs/Chem%201A%20-%20Lab%20-%20Titration%20%28Redox%29. pdf Objectives To prepare and standardize a solution of an oxidizing agent,potassium manganate(VII) by titrating it with standard solution of a reducing agent,ammonium iron (II) sulphate. Then use the standardized to determine the concentration of a sample of unknown concentration. Materials Ammonium iron (II) sulphate crystals Potassium manga nate (VII) solution Distilled water 1. 0M sulphuric acid Apparatus Beakers 250cm? volumetric flask Conical flask Burette Pipette Electronic weighing machine Methods

Anti-Terrorism Bill essays

Anti-Terrorism Bill essays The senate, in regards to the safety of America, should pass the bill proposed by Ashcroft. Our lives in America are no longer calm and idyllic. We have been struck by these horrid attacks on September 11th, 2001. It is time to struck back and take action and we need to pass the bill to obtain the protection needed for America. Terrorism is a clear and present danger to Americans today and the American people do not have the luxury of unlimited time in erecting the necessary defenses. Terrorism is a threat to America. We must take action to prevent the terrorists from invading our safety in this country. This bill will help increase security and allow law enforcement to seize suspected terrorists. Our best defense right now is to pass the bill because safety comes first in a situation like this. We need to be more cautious and enhance our security to protect the good citizens in America. We need this bill to authorize search and surveillance. It is stated in section 201 of the bill that they will enforce the Alien Terrorist Removal Procedures. This provision would authorize the INS to deport aliens accused of engaging in terrorist activities. It is critical to be more vigilant and be aware of all activities around us. The bill will allow broader disclosure of grand jury information. It is important for us to increase our wariness and make sure we will not be attacked by terrorists ever again. The bill serves as our protection in America. Many people argue, The civil liberties we value so much as a society are at stake. Although it is often times mentioned that our rights will be violated, it is undeniable to say that America needs this bill. We need examination and protection to give us assurance in this country. The bill is meant to allow authorities to detain individuals only when they are already in violation of the immigration law. It is not meant to shred our constitution ...

Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs

Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs By Mark Nichol The words for body parts that enable us to perceive stimuli have, sensibly, been applied to other meanings that are extensions of the original connotations. Here are additional meanings of ear, eye, nose, skin, and tongue. Ear An ear is an earlike part of an object or a body or a plant. It also means â€Å"sensitivity to pitch and tone of music or melody or rhythm of speaking,† and it’s a figurative term for a listener or the attention or awareness a listener offers. Eye This word refers to something resembling an eye in appearance or function. It might also denote a glance or a look, or close attention or scrutiny, as well as judgment or point of view or good eyesight or discernment. Eye also refers to the direction from which wind blows or the center of a storm. Nose Nose is employed to mean â€Å"the sense of smell,† or to refer to the aroma or bouquet of something. It also applies, usually in the adjectival form nosy, to curiosity or meddling, though, more positively, one might be said to have a nose, or a knack for comprehending or finding, for something. Also, the forward or projecting end of a tool or any object is frequently referred to as its nose. Skin The covering of a piece of fruit or a seed is called the skin, and any casing or sheathing, or a film or a similar layer, is often referred to as such. It also refers to well-being (â€Å"Save your skin!†) or to one’s self (â€Å"She’s comfortable in her own skin†). Tongue Tongue applies to the power of communication, or to language itself. The word also describes the quality of the tone of something said, or the intention or sense of the message (as when describing someone as having a sharp tongue). In plural form, it refers to meaningless utterances, usually in the context of religious ecstasy (â€Å"speaking in tongues†); tongue also denotes the cry of a hound during a hunt, or a similar sound. It also applies to a narrow projection of an object or of land, or to an object resembling a tongue in form, a projecting edge on a board designed to be inserted into a groove on an edge of an other board (this system of construction is called tongue-and-groove), or a flame. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsRules for Capitalization in TitlesPrepositions to Die With

Definition and Examples of Epideictic Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Epideictic Rhetoric Epideictic  rhetoric (or epideictic oratory) is ceremonial discourse:  speech or writing that praises or blames (someone or something). According to Aristotle, epideictic  rhetoric (or epideictic oratory) is one of the three major branches of rhetoric. Also known as  demonstrative rhetoric  and ceremonial discourse, epideictic rhetoric includes funeral orations, obituaries, graduation and retirement speeches, letters of recommendation, and nominating speeches at political conventions. Interpreted more broadly, epideictic rhetoric may also include works of literature. In his recent study of epideictic rhetoric (Epideictic Rhetoric: Questioning the Stakes of Ancient Praise, 2015),  Laurent Pernot notes that since the time of Aristotle, epideictic has been a loose term: The field of epideictic rhetoric seems vague and laden with poorly resolved ambiguities. EtymologyFrom the Greek, fit for displaying or showing off Pronunciation:  eh-pi-DIKE-tick Examples of Epideictic Rhetoric Daniel Webster in Praise of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson:Adams and Jefferson, I have said, are no more. As human beings, indeed, they are no more. They are no more, as in 1776, bold and fearless advocates of independence; no more, as at subsequent periods, the head of the government; nor more, as we have recently seen them, aged and venerable objects of admiration and regard. They are no more. They are dead. But how little is there of the great and good which can die! To their country they yet live, and live for ever. They live in all that perpetuates the remembrance of men on earth; in the recorded proofs of their own great actions, in the offspring of their intellect, in the deep-engraved lines of public gratitude, and in the respect and homage of mankind. They live in their example; and they live, emphatically, and will live, in the influence which their lives and efforts, their principles and opinions, now exercise, and will continue to exercise, on the affairs of men, not onl y in their own country but throughout the civilized world.(Daniel Webster, On the Deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, 1826) Oprah Winfreys Eulogy for Rosa Parks:And Im here today to say a final thank you, Sister Rosa, for being a great woman who used your life to serve, to serve us all. That day that you refused to give up your seat on the bus, you, Sister Rosa, changed the trajectory of my life and the lives of so many other people in the world.I would not be standing here today nor standing where I stand every day had she not chosen to sit down. . . . Had she not chosen to say we shall not- we shall not be moved.(Oprah Winfrey, Eulogy for Rosa Parks, October 31, 2005) Observations on Epideictic Rhetoric Persuasion and Epideictic Rhetoric:Rhetorical theory, the study of the art of persuasion, has long had to recognize that there are many literary and rhetorical texts where rhetoric does not aim directly at persuasion, and their analysis has long been problematical. To categorize speeches aimed at praise and blame rather than at decision-making, speeches such as funeral orations and encomia or panegyrics, Aristotle devised the technical term epideictic. It can readily be extended to take in literary and theoretical texts insofar as they also do not aim directly at persuasion.(Richard Lockwood, The Readers Figure: Epideictic Rhetoric in Plato, Aristotle, Bossuet, Racine and Pascal. Libraire Droz, 1996) Aristotle on Epideictic (Ceremonial) Rhetoric:The ceremonial orator is, properly speaking, concerned with the present, since all men praise or blame in view of the state of things existing at the time, though they often find it useful also to recall the past and to make guesses at the future.(Aristotle, Rhetoric) Cicero on Epideictic Orations:[Epideictic orations are] produced as show-pieces, as it were, for the pleasure they will give, a class comprising eulogies, descriptions, and histories, exhortations like the Panegyric of Isocrates, and similar orations by many of the Sophists . . . and all other speeches unconnected with battles of public life. . . . [The epideictic style] indulges in a neatness and symmetry of sentences, and is allowed to use well-defined and rounded periods; the ornamentation is done of set purpose, with no attempt at concealment, but openly and avowedly . . ..The epideictic oration, then, has a sweet, fluent and copious style, with bright conceits and sounding phrases. It is the proper field for sophists, as we said, and is fitter for the parade than for the battle . . ..(Cicero, Orator, trans. by H.M. Hubbell) Aims of Epideictic Rhetoric:If we speak in praise . . . if they do not know him, we shall try to make them [the audience] desire to know a man of such excellence since the hearers of our eulogy have the same zeal for virtue as the subject of the eulogy had or now has, we hope easily to win the approval of his deeds from those whose approval we desire. The opposite, if it is censure: . . . we shall try to make them know him, in order that they may avoid his wickedness; since our hearers are unlike the subject of our censure, we express the hope that they will vigorously disapprove his way of life.(Rhetorica ad Herennium, 90s BC) President Obamas Epideictic Rhetoric:Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that there were many forms of political discourse. . . . She said Mr. [Barack] Obama excels at speeches read from a teleprompter to a mass audience, not necessarily at the other forms. And his best speeches, she said, were examples of epideictic or ceremonial rhetoric, the kind we associate with conventions or funerals or important occasions, as opposed to the deliberative language of policymaking or the forensic language of argument and debate.They don’t necessarily translate to, say, selling major legislation, a skill mastered, for example, by Lyndon B. Johnson, hardly a compelling orator.It’s not a kind of speech that’s a valuable predictor of one’s capacity to govern, she said. I don’t mean to say it doesn’t forecast something. It does. But presidents have to do a lot more than that.(Pete r Applebome, Is Eloquence Overrated? The New York Times, January  13, 2008)

The Involvement in the Manufacturing Industry and High Rates of Research Paper - 4

The Involvement in the Manufacturing Industry and High Rates of Joblessness - Research Paper Example Trade between two economies is very sensitive to the slightest changes in understanding. It is factual that the cost of tyre production in China is lower than that in America. This enables the sales of Chinese tires at affordable prices while still making profits. Furthermore, some American firms have established their tyre manufacturing industries in China to benefit from the least cost of production (Mankiw et al. 165). This implies that the imposition of the trade tariffs cannot be effective without an equal disruption of the American investors in China. On the other hand, the imposition of specific tariffs for partner countries arouses diplomatic questions on the legitimacy of the protective approach to trading. During the accession of China to the World Trade Organization, it ratified the agreement that gave a loophole for such unprecedented tariffs. This ratification gave room for The protectionist measures undertaken by the American government translates into mere political posturing without any substantial positive effects on trade (Sutter 214). This scenario may escalate into a trade war and inflict a serious economic slump on both the American and Chinese economies. The spill of the trade row may necessitate equal invocation of key agreements such as the anti-dumping policy for the American goods by the Chinese government. Setting the tariffs on Chinese rubber tires at 35% may have appeared plausible for the American government since the world trade organization had preferred a 55% tariff. However, as it turns out, this form of protectionism in the end only incurs expenses to the American economy overly.

The Use of Technology in Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Use of Technology in Finance - Essay Example Stricter more stringent rules required firms to change their reporting processes, enabling more transparency. The resultant strict rules enacted necessitated firms to adopt modern accounting practices that could only be employed through innovative technology interfaces. The integration of automated or technological applications although costly in terms of resources and time has proven to be an effective control measure for the authorities while simultaneously assisting corporate leaders manage their internal systems. Other benefits of using technology in finance have been the development of enhanced marketing, communication, research and transaction technologies by organizations. Technology has been described as the application of individual, logical or material approach to resolve an impasse that leads to enhanced efficiency. It has been credited with improvement of business operations in firms including: administration, communications (from postal letters to email, mobile phones, telecast etc.), trading (online trading or ecommerce), automated production line technology, and research facilities among others.The need for embracing advanced technology by corporations was highlighted by the tighter regulations enacted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in conformity with compliance rules relating to requirements regarding evaluation of internal control over financial reporting and management certification requirements mandatory to amendments under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that were adopted on June 5, 2003, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Companies needed advanced technology to detect undesired movement in inconsisten cies, automated reporting, upholding customer assets, violations etc., hence avert bad practices while enhancing the companies efficiency (WS&TStaff, 2005). Corporate governance encompasses the compliance to rules or procedures, traditions, edicts,

Compare Chinese monster and American monster Essay

Compare Chinese monster and American monster - Essay Example Chinese holds the Spring Festival to commemorate Nian Monster. Besides, they consider the Spring Festival as the grandest, most magnificent festival in the history of the country’s culture. On the other hand, Momo the Missouri Monster is a hairy, foul-smelling monster. According to Taylor (130), Momo, in simple term refers to Bigfoot. It was first reported in 1971 and identified to live in Missouri. Since that time, the monster has been spotted up and down the Mississippi river. In the first scenario, two picnickers asserted that they saw the monster come out the woods nearby. The foul-smelling creature allegedly ate their food while they locked themselves inside the car. In the second scenario, local children (Doris, Wally and Terry) reportedly saw Momo walk regally past them hauling a dead dog. The fundamental differences between the two legends, Nian and Momo, highlight the deep-seated cultural variation and beliefs between Chinese and Americans. In this regard, this paper tries to compare the existence of Nian vs. Momo the Missouri Monster and their importance to Chinese and American cultures respectively. Nian was a furious monster that allegedly descended from the mountains or under the sea to hunt people every 1st and 15th of the lunar month. Thus, people locked their doors very early before nightfall on the days the creature was likely come (Wong 27). Although the monster attacked anyone regardless of gender, it mainly preferred children. Parents were terrified of a possible fatal attack on their children who often played outside their homes. The old man in the village thought the panic in people perhaps made the monster furious and so bold. He asked the people to come together and find a way of conquering the monster. According to the old man, burning of bamboo, beating gongs and drums, lighting off fireworks would be an effective approach to conquering Nian (Wong 27). He believed that large noises would threaten and scare away the horrible monster.

Cancer dedection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cancer dedection - Essay Example Carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, gold particles, quantum dots etc can be used to fabricate nanotool sensors which may be used for detection of cancer biomarkers accurately (Zhang et al,2013,71). Recently colloidal gold or nano-gold particles had been used to distinguish cancerous cells from non-cancerous ones and by interacting these particles with light the cancerous cells were burnt up (Prajapati et al,2010). Thus nano-particles are not only used for detection but maybe used for its diagnosis of cancer as well. It is true that nanoparticles are bestowed with unique properties which are both a boon and a bane. Much of its efficacy is dependent on the way these particles are engineered. There is no way for the nanoparticles to target the tumourous cells solely and chances are that minimal damage maybe inflicted on normal human body cells as well. However, since this is a relatively new field ,researchers are still to find out the negative points about nanotechnology. However, so far nanotechnology has shown positive results especially in the field of medicine. Questions are raised on the ethics of using nanotechnology especially for health purposes. The engineering of materials at the atomic or molecular level may seem unethical to some. However, there is no doubt about the fact that nanotechnology is a revolution in the medical field which makes it easier for us to fight against diseases more efficiently. Oncologists are of the opinion that nanotechnology maybe the answer to many unanswered questions about cancer detection and treatment. The accuracy and efficacy of nanotechnology in cancer detection and subsequent diagnosis makes it a promising diagnostic and detection tool. More research should be undertaken to study its positive as well as its negative

Appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Appeal letter - Essay Example I have taken all the previous evaluations constructively and have dedicated my time and effort in bettering my language proficiency. However, despite my hard work, it seems that my essay was not accurately evaluated. Therefore, I appeal the committee to reconsider my score in the Writing Portfolio. The comments from reader 41 starts with the statement that the â€Å"essay does not contain any direct quotes from the authors†. However, direct quotes were not a required element in the essay although its use would have helped back up the claims in the essay. It is clearly stated in the Portfolio Reading Set prompt that the â€Å"essay must quote and/or paraphrase† implying that paraphrasing could also be used in places rather than direct quotes. The line, â€Å"Similarly, religious values and the personality of an individual also determine the factors which may contribute in carving a happy life for an individual, which may differ from one individual to another (Kesebir 9),† from my essay is an example of paraphrasing with proper citation. Throughout my essay, I have also made sufficient attempt to connect claims with the text by means of paraphrased statements followed by the appropriate citation. The sentence, â€Å"At the same time, the study conducted by Inkeles concludes that monetary factors like financial status and the job or education of an individual may or may not directly affect the happiness of an individual, however, a reversal pattern is absolutely unattainable in his model (Easterlin 13),† is another example of analysis with proper connection with the text. I have tried to articulate the connection between happiness and money seeking as theorized by the authors in their essays. The ideas have been supported by theoretical explanations as laid down by the various authors. The comment further states that the â€Å"essay lack citation completely†. At various places, effort has

INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE REPORT - Essay Example Therefore, it is clear that incidence is totally different from the rate of prevalence in the sense that the incidence rate aims to measure the possibility of developing new cases of disease within a given period of time whereas the prevalence rate aims to measure the percentage of population that has already been diagnosed with a specific disease (McGrath et al., 2008). As a type of chronic brain disease, there is no cure for schizophrenia but is highly treatable (Kahn & Fawcett, 2008, p. 383). Schizophrenia is often characterized by having a distorted speech, perception, and thoughts. For this reason, it is difficult to handle cases of schizophrenia not only on the part of the patients but also amongst their family members and caregivers. To give the readers a better idea with regards to schizophrenia, the first part of this report will purposely discuss basic information about schizophrenia including its signs and symptoms, common age affected by schizophrenia, and current treatments. The main purpose of this report is to gather, compare and contrast the incidence and prevalence rate of schizophrenia in Calgary (local city), Alberta (provincial), Canada (national), and the world (global). To gather up-dated information about the incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia in these four (4) levels, a wide-range of online resources will be utilized in this report. Schizophrenia is a type of mental health problem that can equally affect both men and women (McGrath et al., 2004; Aleman, Kahn, & Selten, 2003). Even though Jablensky (2003, p. 212) strongly suggests that the incidence and prevalence rate of schizophrenia are comparable across populations, the research study of Goldner et al. (2002) proves otherwise. After conducting a systematic review of literature (between the 1st of January 1980 and the 31st of December 2000) with regards to the incidence and prevalence rate of schizophrenia, Goldner et al. (2002) found out that with a variation rates between

Appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Appeal letter - Essay Example I have taken all the previous evaluations constructively and have dedicated my time and effort in bettering my language proficiency. However, despite my hard work, it seems that my essay was not accurately evaluated. Therefore, I appeal the committee to reconsider my score in the Writing Portfolio. The comments from reader 41 starts with the statement that the â€Å"essay does not contain any direct quotes from the authors†. However, direct quotes were not a required element in the essay although its use would have helped back up the claims in the essay. It is clearly stated in the Portfolio Reading Set prompt that the â€Å"essay must quote and/or paraphrase† implying that paraphrasing could also be used in places rather than direct quotes. The line, â€Å"Similarly, religious values and the personality of an individual also determine the factors which may contribute in carving a happy life for an individual, which may differ from one individual to another (Kesebir 9),† from my essay is an example of paraphrasing with proper citation. Throughout my essay, I have also made sufficient attempt to connect claims with the text by means of paraphrased statements followed by the appropriate citation. The sentence, â€Å"At the same time, the study conducted by Inkeles concludes that monetary factors like financial status and the job or education of an individual may or may not directly affect the happiness of an individual, however, a reversal pattern is absolutely unattainable in his model (Easterlin 13),† is another example of analysis with proper connection with the text. I have tried to articulate the connection between happiness and money seeking as theorized by the authors in their essays. The ideas have been supported by theoretical explanations as laid down by the various authors. The comment further states that the â€Å"essay lack citation completely†. At various places, effort has

The American Pursuit of Happiness Beyond US Borders Essay Example for Free

The American Pursuit of Happiness Beyond US Borders Essay In recent times, more and more Americans are immigrating to countries like Canada and Australia in a spirited search of the American Dream. Catalysts for this recent trend are tied largely to the American economic crisis which has been afflicting Americans for quite some time. The incredibly high levels of crime in the United States have also influenced Americans to pursue happiness beyond U. S. borders. Countries like Canada and Australia demonstrate lower rates of crime than the United States and that seems to resonate with most Americans. Another convincing factor towards emigration is the high cost of healthcare in the United States compared to some of the government-funded healthcare systems around the world. All of these dynamics are deeply valued in American society and are seen as worth chasing. I believe emigration towards countries that promote economic stability, low crime rates and socialized healthcare is the ideal thing to do for U. S. citizens in search of these pursuits. America is experiencing a high unemployment rate, large income gaps and an evident lack of growth for the working middle class due to the modern economic crisis and this is swaying Americans to search for jobs in foreign countries. According to Trading Economics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of unemployed Americans is 8. 3% as of January, 2012. This fares out higher than the Canadian unemployment rate which is at 7. 6% and especially elevated compared to the Australian unemployment rate which is 5. 1% (Trading Economics). Also, the latest studies show that mobility between classes in the United States is less apparent than in other countries due to the large American poor class and the tall demand U. S. employers place on the need for college degrees from prospective employees (DeParle). It has become clear to me that the opportunities needed to develop into a successful and effective worker can be found, with less effort, in a foreign country. The United States has a ghastly reputation of having some of the highest crime rates in the world including considerable quantities of violent offenses. As indicated by the Disaster Center and the F. B. I. Uniform Crimes Report, in 2010 the United States had over ten million reported criminal offenses and over one million of them were violent crimes. This measures up much higher than Canada’s crime rates which in 2009 were reported at just over two million criminal offenses (Rodriguez). What is dumbfounding is the significant difference in violent offenses which was under four-hundred and fifty thousand (Rodriguez). That is less than the amount of aggravated assaults in the United States in 2010 which totaled over seven-hundred and seventy-five thousand (Disaster Center). The pursuit of happiness certainly entails residing in a safe and sound country and the evidence points towards the land beyond U. S. borders. There is very little the American people treasure more than their health, but with healthcare prices soaring to astronomical heights, it has become difficult to acquire the necessary coverage that Americans need. Statistics show that Americans pay over fifty percent more on premiums per capita for health care over other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which includes, among others, Canada and Australia (Med Health Insurance). Canadian citizens benefit from publicly funded healthcare coverage without the need to consider their income or medical history (Canadian Health Care). In Australia, the government is primarily responsible for healthcare funding by covering roughly seventy percent of medical costs (Australian Law Reform Commission). The peace of mind gained by having a socialized government funded health care plan is invaluable and a worthy basis for emigration from the United States. The American Dream is sought after by all Americans and comprises of several key principles. A primary principle is social and financial stability through employment and mobility. The second standard is the sense of security brought on by reduced crime rates and a reduced amount of violent crimes in particular. A final and yet crucial ideal for those in pursuit of happiness is the sense of tranquility acquired through a government-financed healthcare plan. All of these standards cannot be met within the United States, but they can be attained in countries like Canada and Australia. I consider it imperative for Americans to search for these ideals across American boundaries through the act of emigration. I encourage U. S. citizens to think outside this country.

Flexible working time and work life balance

Flexible working time and work life balance The male breadwinner model, which puts an emphasis on the household as the womans sphere and the workplace as the mans sphere, no longer defines how most families divide labor between men and women (Crompton 2006). The increased participation of women in the labor market, along with technological change and globalization, have dramatically changed the structure of the labor market, and have most likely changed how workers balance their life between work and family. (copy) Good as well: flexible working practices brought upon by an increasing need for work-life balance which have been largely if not wholly due to external forces that are beyond the control of organisations. However, all organisations operate and seek to support in the environments that are continuously subjected to change. These changes can have a marked effect on an organisation, its performance, even its survival. Meanwhile, time after time, organisations react to the drivers of change by taking short-term or knee jerk decisions that predictably have an effect on the way work is organised. What is work life balance? Work life balance is employment based on emergent new values, which doesnt discriminate against those with caring or other non- work responsibilities, and which provides an opportunity for people to realize their full potential in work and non work domains. Lewis (1996:1) According to a recent study by Georgetown University, employee stress from trying to find time for their children correlates with decreased productivity and increased absenteeism. The study found that unplanned absences were costing some businesses nearly $1 million a year. Thus, HR specialists are trying in many attempts to help employees reach work-life balance by introducing new working strategies. One of these strategies is flexible working time. Flexible scheduling allows employees to adjust the time or place their work as completed. It can mean compressing 40 hours into four days, starting and ending workdays at different times, or doing some of your work at home. The reason may be as simple as wanting to better manage a long commute. Some parents choose to arrive at work later so they can take their children to school. Some companies may offer these options to retain female employees who might consider leaving their jobs after having children. But is it really that flexible time always helps to achieve work-life balance? Does employee prefer to manage his/her time or like to be committed to a specified timing because he/she may not be able to manage time, which leads to a more mess and imbalance? And which of these two options will increase the p roductivity? This research brings together material from diverse sources to provide an overview of recent research, current thinking and future debates on the key work-life policy issues, especially those which affect organizations in Bahrain. To build an informed policy debate on work-life balance issues in Bahrain, more Bahraini based research is essential. Chapter Two Literature review: 2.1 Work-life balance: The (phrase) Work-Life Balance was originated as a consequence of the Family Friendly Policies that were introduced in the 1970s and 1980s in UK, primarily as a retention tool for women, and since then it has become a widespread concept. With this, they were for women and about women. To avoid the pitfall of being viewed as discriminatory and the need to bring a more, all-inclusive significance into these policies, they were renamed as work-life balance policies. Since the 1970s, the UK Government has introduced several governmental changes to strengthen and to protect the rights of workers. In response to these changes, demands from employees as also from customers who want a larger business window a large number of organizations in the UK, have today introduced varied and innovative Work-life balance policies. The Government continues to play a key role in ensuring that (WLB) continues to gain momentum through legislation, financial incentives and support and promotion of best prac tices (Milburn, 2003). ** DTI (2003) Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice Department of Trade and Industry, London. 2.2 What is Work life Balance? Meanwhile, the definition of Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work (DTI, 2003). This is achieved when an individuals right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society. work life balance emphasizes on the adjustment of working patterns, and it focuses on the need for everyone, regardless of age, race or gender, to find a pace (that suits them) to help them combine work with other responsibilities or aspirations. Work-Life Balance has an important underlying implication that Work-Life Balance is for everyone, not just for mothers or families and is critical in not just developing policies but also in reviewing them and their impact on employees (Alexandra, 2003), thats why the idea that employers should enhance flexibility has been promoted recently. Within the UK, The Prime Minister Tony Blair launched the Work-Life Balance campaign, in March 2000. The aim of the campaign was in two-fold. First, to convince employers of the economic benefits of work-life balance (this was done by the employment of real-life case studies). Secondly, to convince employers of the need for change (DTI, 2003). Work-life concerns are simply added to an organizations bundle of practices that are designed to benefit competitive strategy to aid attraction and retention in tight labor markets, reduce high levels of absenteeism, and establish long-term relationships with employees based on commitment and productivity. 2.3 The need for a work-life balance As individuals, are all expected to play multiple roles, i.e. employee, boss, spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend, and community member. In turn, each of these roles imposes demands on us that necessitate time, energy and commitment to fulfill. The conflict of work-family or work-life happens when the cumulative demands of these many work and non-work life roles are miss-assorted in some respect so that participation in one role is made more difficult by participation in the other role (Duxbry and Higgins, 2001). Duxbry and Higgins conceptualize work-life conflict to include areas such as, role overload (RO) (having too much to do and too little time to do it in) as well as role interference (when incompatible demands make it difficult, if not impossible, for employees to perform all their roles well). Additionally, role interference can be divided into two factors: family to work interference (FTW) and work to family interference (WTF). With the first case, interference occurs when the roles and responsibilities of the family hinder the work related responsibilities (i.e., a family illness prevents attendance at work; conflict at home makes concentration at work difficult). With the latter case (WTF) interference occurs when work demands make it harder for an employee to fulfill their family responsibilities. 2.4 Background to Flexible Working Rights In April 2003 employees in the UK were first given the right to request flexible working. In the modern work environment, the introduction of these new rights helped to point up that traditional working patterns could no longer be sustained by employers and that there was a need to address the work/life balance. Organizations already facing skills shortages would find recruitment and indeed retention made harder if a more flexible approach to working patterns was not adopted. Suite of Rights The flexible working rights which were established were significant in themselves, however, they formed part of a new set of rights which sought to create a more family friendly work environment. Until April 2003, individual parental rights were primarily limited to maternity leave for a new mother giving her the right for a leave, the right for parents to take emergency time off for dependants (not just limited to children) and to take up to 13 weeks parental leave, which had been introduced in December 1999. In April 2003, however, the following new rights were introduced: The right to maternity leave was extended considerably so that, for the first time, all employees (regardless of their length of service) were entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave and those with more than a years service acquired the right to 52 weeks maternity leave. Fathers also gained rights, albeit limited to 2 weeks paternity leave, on the birth of their child. Extraordinary new rights were given to those seeking to adopt, with statutory adoption leave and statutory paternity leave, giving rights reflecting maternity and paternity leave, for adopting parents. It is significant (and perhaps indicates the extent to which this Government is keen to support working parents) that the next item on the flexible working agenda, announced in 2004, is the possibility of allowing flexible maternity leave between parents; instead of only a mother having the right to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave, there is the vision of some limited swapping of the right to maternity absence as between the mother and father of the child. Before these revolutionary new rights in 2003, the ability of any employee to work flexibly or indeed part-time was very much limited to circumstances where an employer agreed through good will or good practice to such an arrangement. Critics of the flexible working rights argue that the new provisions have not moved this position forward because all they provide is a right to request and to have that request considered seriously. Before they existed, however, there were only two circumstances where flexible working patterns of any sort could be enforced: Firstly, where an individual was a disabled employee and could demonstrate that some form of adjustment to their working hours or duties and working arrangements amounted to a reasonable adjustment which their employer was grateful to make in accordance with the disability discrimination. Secondly, and only as a way of challenging a refusal, female employees could argue that in respect of part-time working, a refusal to agree to part-time work was contrary to the sex discrimination. This is on the basis that it can be shown that a practice within an organization prohibiting part-time working (or indeed a practice allowing only full-time working) operates to the greater disadvantage of women than men and thus falls within the concept of indirect sex discrimination. Why was it Implemented? The history that reflects the flexible working laws introduced in 2003 goes back a number of years. In June 2001, the UK Government established a Task Force whose role was to consider specifically the issues which working parents face; in particular the Task Force was to consider how to assist parents in meeting their desire for flexible working patterns, whilst at the same time remaining compatible with the need for business efficiency and requirements. The establishment of the Task Force was against the background of a voluntary campaign and Government funding to encourage employers and businesses to address work/life balance issues. In March 2000, the Prime Minister launched a campaign known as the Work/Life Balance Campaign with a view to persuading organizations to improve the lot of working parents in such a way as to nevertheless continue achieving business and customer requirements. The original campaign was not in fact focused upon parents, but looked at all employees regardless of whether they had caring responsibilities or not. It was significant, however, in recognizing that the attitude, culture and philosophy of workers had moved on considerably from the ambitious society of the 1980s and 1990s. According to information from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Work/Life Balance Campaign was accompanied by a test fund which, in the run up to the introduction of legislative requirements and legal obligations, encouraged employers to introduce and develop innovative working arrangements. By helping to fund consultancy support, projects were undertaken with work/life balance in mind, including the introduction of new working patterns as well as specific recruitment projects. Over the three years from 2000 to 2003, the Work/Life Balance Challenge fund benefited employers to the sum of  £10.5 million. In its report on 19 November 2001, the Government Task Force made nine recommendations to the Government, many of which were translated to form the basis of the new legislation. In addition to the campaign and the recommendations of the Task Force, the Government had also informed itself of the views of the working population, through the issue of a green paper: Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice. This consultation paper was issued in December 2000. The responses to the consultation paper made clear that whilst improving maternity and indeed paternity rights (such as parental leave) would be of benefit to working parents, by far the most popular and indeed significant benefit was improved flexibility to meet childcare and work responsibilities. Armed with these responses and the Task Force report About Flexible Working, the Government tabled parts of the Employment Act 2002 which resulted in implementation of significant new flexible working rights, implemented through an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 and two sets of regulations. Demographic Changes Demographic changes have played a significant role in impressing the need for organizations to develop more varied and non-traditional working patterns: With the ageing population, many more people are finding that they have caring responsibilities such as looking after elderly or disabled relatives. As we are all living longer, more individuals are becoming disabled, according to the Employers Forum on Disability in UK. With the move away from extended families and as people become more mobile, so they are not living close to relatives and parents, those with children are less able to rely on grandparents or other relatives to help with child care responsibilities. The percentage of women who have taken up employment has increased. The trend for life expectancy, although different for men and women, has increased by roughly five years. The Business Case So much for the demographic changes, but there are also business benefits for organizations which offer new or more flexible working arrangements, particularly given the high skills shortage in the UK and more older people who themselves are keen to work but may prefer or indeed require more flexibility. Employers may be surprised to know that for some individuals the ability to work flexibly is more important than the pay or benefits that a particular job may provide. In an online poll carried out by Reed Recruitment in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry in UK as part of its Work/Life Balance Campaign 2002, a third of those polled (out of 4,000 people) expressed a preference for having the opportunity to work flexibly, rather than having a  £1,000 pay rise (Reed.co.uk). Over 43% of the men who responded to the poll selected flexible working as the benefit they would most look for in a new job, compared to 13% who would look for a company car, and 7% who considered gym membership to be the priority. Adopting family friendly and flexible working policies has the following advantages for employers: Retention of staff is the key to the stability and knowledge of the organization. Knowledge is lost when somebody leaves and networks are broken. This can be critical in a small business where major customers can go elsewhere when an employee, who understands their needs and whom they trust, moves on to a competitor. The typical recruitment costs of replacing an individual have been estimated at an average  £3,500, ranging from  £1,000 for an unskilled manual worker to over  £5,000 for a professional employee. These costs do not take account of the investment made in training (both formal and informal training) which is lost if skilled employees leave the workplace, as well as lost time and experience. Consequently, it makes commercial sense to try and retain staff rather than recruit new staff [Labor Turnover, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, October 2000]. Savings in absenteeism. Absenteeism costs approximately  £500 per employee a year. A quarter of employers rank home and family responsibilities as one of the five main causes of sickness absence. Employers that help their employees to balance their work with their family lives see improvements in business performance (Cheibl, L. and Dex.S, 1998). It enables businesses to benefit from a greater contribution from the workforce and maximizes the contributions that working parents are able to make to their employers. A strong track record in work/life balance can be a selling point to potential employees who consider that such a balance is important. Many employers sees benefits from flexible working and leave arrangements including: improved employee satisfaction and motivation improved retention rates and recruitment benefits increased employee productivity reduced labor turnover improved reputation Reduced absenteeism. All of which provide improved business results. After having introduced the new rights for parents in 2003, a survey was conducted and analysis of how successful the new rights have been within the UK (Employment Relations Occasional Papers: Results of the First Flexible Working Employee Survey, Tom Palmer, Department of Trade and Industry). The outcome of that report demonstrated that one million parents had made requests for flexible working. That is only a quarter of those who are eligible, meaning that three million who could have made such a request have not done so. Perhaps significantly, it seems that employers when faced with such requests do not have any major difficulty acceding them. 80% of those employees requesting flexible working had their request agreed. The shortfall of those pursuing their new rights and the three million who have not, may be explained by the surveys statistics which demonstrate that 52% of parents who are eligible are unaware in the first place that they have the right to request flexible workin g. The Government has declared an intention to extend these new rights beyond parents with children under six. However, the success and significance of new rights such as these can only be measured when individuals become fully aware of their abilities. The fact that 10% of employees without dependent children were reported in the survey to have requested flexible working, suggests that there is a need on the part of individuals without children to gain this benefit. In organizations where requests were made, despite that individuals did not always have the statutory right, the reasons for the change warrant examination: 13% quoted work life balance 11% cited family responsibilities 11% simply because they wanted more free time (i.e. voluntary and not driven by childcare or family pressures) 7% because of travel arrangements 7% to meet the caring needs of relatives or friends 6% due to health problems. As these statistics demonstrate therefore, an organizations ability to offer flexible working arrangements provides a significant benefit to an extremely wide pool of actual or potential employees. This may, however, just be the tip of the iceberg. What the survey does not analyze is how many individuals simply do not pursue a request. In the Equal Opportunity Commissions Annual Report for 2003-2004 (available at www.eoc.org.uk) four in ten mothers, one in ten fathers and one in five carers have left an organisation or refused a job because of caring responsibilities. This suggests that there are many who do not have confidence in their organizations willingness to accommodate them. What Can be Requested? The statutory request for flexible working, which must be in writing and must be dated (Regulation 4), can request a variation to the individuals contract in one of the following ways: a change to the hours of work; a change to the time when the work is required (for example, the same eight hour day but an early start and early finish); a change to the place of work as between home and place of business. The statutory provisions do not go beyond these fairly focused and limited flexible arrangements. Nothing within any of the provisions appear to prevent the employee seeking a change to more than one of the above, for example to reduce hours and work from home. What other scholars said: Given the competing demands of work and life, it is unsurprising that many employees experience conflict between the two domains. Work-life conflict can affect any employee but people with care responsibilities are more likely to suffer most because of the greater demands on their time. Research has tended to find that mothers, particularly those with young children, are less satisfied with their work-life balance than other groups of workers (Saltztein et al. 2001). Feelings of work-life conflict have been associated with, psychological and physical health problems; marital and family relationship problems, increased sickness absence and decreased life and job satisfaction (Evans and Steptoe 2002; Crouter et al. 2001;Westman 2001) The effects of work-family conflict on organizational outcomes have been well documented in the management and psychology literatures. According to Netemeyer, Brashearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœAlejandro, and Boles (2004), work-family conflict is an inter-role conflict where job expectations interfere with family-related responsibilities. The detrimental effects of work- family conflict on job satisfaction, employee retention, and psychological well-being have also been addressed (Brough, and Kalliath 2004). Related to work-family conflict, identity theory suggests individuals possess certain life roles (i.e., work-family roles) that may conflict, thus creating a spillover effect (Thoits 1991). When role clash occurs, the more valued role (i.e., family) takes precedence, and individuals are likely to instill protective measures to safeguard valued roles against potential damage. According to identity theory, these defense mechanisms may be implemented at the risk of abandoning the conflicting role(i.e., work) (Thoits 1991). Consistent with this notion, a study based in the retail sales industry indicates that when salespeople encounter conflict between two salient roles (work and family), they tend to withdraw from the less salient work role through higher turnover in order to maintain the more valued family role (Netemeyer, Brashearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœAlejandro, and Boles 2004). Work-life conflicts are seen to have a potentially detrimental impact on productivity, personal effectiveness, marital relations, child-parent relationships and even child development (Gornick and Meyers, 2003). A review of the role conflict literature indicates that studies proposing links between work-family conflict and job satisfaction have also witness a dramatic increase. For instance, the majority of studies have shown that work-family conflict is associated with decreased levels of job satisfaction (Adams and King 1996). Employers do realize that employee stress is partially due to the challenges in balancing work and family (Matusicky 2003). A good balance between work and family life has been said to benefit employers, as it is linked to better life satisfaction and subsequently to workers being more productive, creative and efficient (Zelenski, Murphy and Jenkins 2008). Numerous studies have demonstrated that employees who are dissatisfied with their jobs are more likely to engage in organizational deviance behaviors such as working less hard, absenteeism and company theft (Lau, Au, and Ho 2003). A recent meta-analysis on the effects of ethical climate suggests that job dissatisfaction poses a significant threat to organizations due to its intensifying effects on dysfunctional behavior (Martin and Cullen 2006). Drew et al.,(2003) believes that a number of factors might encourage employers to adopt policies to promote work-life balance. These include the business case for such polices such as a lower staff turnover, reduced absence and improved productivity, as well as changes in human resource management and changes in technology that enhances opportunities for working from home. Another key factor is increasing demand for greater flexibility from employees. All reviewed research results show positive effects of flex-time on the work-family balance. Flex-time workers with children under the age of 18 report lower levels of time pressure, and a higher level of job and life satisfaction than do their non-flex counterparts (Zuzanek 2000). Flexible work hours are associated with more satisfaction with family life (Jekielek 2003) and a reduction in perceived time stress (Tausig and Fenwick 2001). Analysts Comfort, Johnson and Wallace (2003) also found flex-time to be related to increased job satisfaction, increased satisfaction with pay and benefits, and a reduction in paid sick days. All of these relationships appeared slightly stronger for women. Over one-third of Canadian employees report having flex-time schedules (Comfort, Johnson and Wallace 2003).The proportion of those who reported having flex-time arrangements is higher among men than among women and is mainly found in small establishments, non-unionized settings, low-skill occupations, retail and commercial industries. A research on flexible working in Ireland has found these arrangements are more common in the public than in the private sector and that, women make use of them more frequently than men (Drew et al., 2003). Gender and the public/private sector distinction are two key factors in the analysis of the effects of flexible working. The measure of work-life conflict captures tensions between work and family commitments. In this research I want to investigate whether flexible working arrangements facilitate a work-life balance and reduce work pressure.