Goodnight Mister Tom Essay

Evacuating children to the country was seen as a kind and protective action to prevent them being killed or injured in the blitz. However, for some children, the move could be negative and frightening whilst for those such as William Beech it would prove a beneficial event. When the evacuees first arrive in Little Weirwold it is a massive change for many â€Å"They all looked bewildered and exhausted†. For many children the countryside was quite foreign to them. Tom exclaims to Willie â€Å"‘Ent you never seen a cow?† There are many differences between the city and the country and all need to be adjusted to. The noise level and number of people around are two things that cause Tom to feel â€Å"totally dazed† on arrival in London. All families are unique but although this can be a positive, for some it may prove negative. Despite missing his parents, Zach had a fairly happy time with Dr and Mrs Little. Robert and Christine King were, sadly, made to work too hard to the detriment of their schooling. â€Å"Robert and Christine’s mother †¦ and took them back to London. †¦ she felt they were being used as unpaid labour†. For Willie it was an extremely positive experience. Tom treats him as a caring parent and by the end of the novel – without even thinking – Will says â€Å"I’m sorry, Dad† and Tom is thrilled too â€Å" â€Å"He called me Dad† †¦ overwhelmed with happiness† For a child such as Willie, the contrast between home and Little Weirwold, the contrast between his mother and Mr Tom could not have been more extreme. His mother beat him only â€Å"soft beatings† and saw him as being â€Å"wicked †¦[ enough to be] sent to an ‘ome fer bad boys†. Willie arrives at Little Weirwold his body is covered with the evidence of his mother’s abuse. â€Å"a large multicoloured bruise on his shin and a swollen red sore beside †¦ Willie’s arms and legs were covered in bruises, weals and sores†. Tom, on the other hand, doesn’t â€Å"know nothin’ about children† but does â€Å"know enuff not to beat ‘em and make ‘em that scared.† Little Weirwold is also the place that nurtures Will in other ways. It is where he makes his first friends Zach, Carrie and Ginnie and George. This contrasts sharply with London as there he had â€Å"no friends as such. Bullied and ragged a lot by the kids†. Will’s experience of school and teachers is also vastly different. In London the teacher â€Å"didn’t like† Will and allowed the others to call him â€Å" Sillie Sissie Willie†. Tom patiently teaches Will his letters and at school he is also taught and nurtured by Mrs Black and Mrs Hartridge. The play is an opportunity for Will and once Miss Thorne sees his aptitude, she encourages and nurtures it, asking him to take the role of Scrooge. Overall, the evacuation of London children to the country in the second world war was neither cruel nor kind – for each child it was different. In Zach’s case he was safe in the country but was killed in a bombing when he went back to London. For Willie it was a positive experience in so many ways as he transforms from â€Å"Sillie Sissie Willie† to â€Å"Will†. Without the evacuation and Tom’s affection for him this transformation is unimaginable.

The Importance of Medical Marijuana

Individual Project # 3 Erricka Mayfield Colorado Technical University ENGL126-1204A-03: Sound Writing October 29th, 2012 Professor: David Mulvihill Introduction: The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial issue since it has been suggested as a method for use as medication. Despite its dissention, it comes by patient recommendation and Doctors prescribe it to their patients based on its medical benefits.Marijuana has been classified as a Controlled Substance and there have been statements that it is a â€Å"gateway drug,† in spite of the accusations against it, patients who use medical marijuana opinions differ greatly. Although documented studies exist weighing the benefits or non-benefits of medical marijuana, it is heartfelt that it should be legalized on the basis that it helps those who are critically ill to cope with various side effects of the diseases like AIDS, Cancer, and Multiple Sclerosis by alleviating pain, vomiting, and nausea.While many patients are a fflicted with side effects from the medications that are used to treat their diseases, the United States Government approved marijuana in pill form called â€Å"marinol† which is available as a prescription and has been proven to not be as effective due to the synthetic ingredient known as delta-9-THC.Whereas, marijuana derived directly from the plant has the original ingredient of delta-9-THC which works with the body’s natural endorphins by working in direct correlation of the body’s opioids receptor system and creating benefits to the patients who use it be restoring ailing patients to some quality of life, while battling these life altering diseases. Body: In 1997, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy asked the Institute of Medicine to â€Å"review the scientific evidence on the potential health benefits and risks of marijuana† as a gateway drug.To the White House’s surprise and to the benefits of those who desperately need me dical marijuana, the Institute of Medicine proclaimed â€Å"that marijuana usually precedes rather that follows initiation of other illicit drug use. † The Institute of Medicine also states that â€Å"most users of illicit drugs had already used alcohol and nicotine while underage, before the use of marijuana. † In the opinion of the Institute of Medicine they feel that â€Å"because underage smoking and alcohol use typically precede marijuana use, marijuana is not the most common and rarely the first â€Å"gateway† to illicit drug use. In the studies completed by the Institute of Medicine they â€Å"found no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the direct abuse of other illicit drugs. † The American College of Physicians also â€Å"urges the review of marijuana as a Schedule I Controlled Substance and its reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidence concerning marijuanaâ€℠¢s safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions. In simpler terms the Institute of Medicine found no linkable evidence to â€Å"marijuana† being a gateway drug as most have claimed, stating that â€Å"most users of illicit drugs began using either alcohol or nicotine even before the legal age limit,† therefore stating that â€Å"they would not consider marijuana as a gateway drug. † Maybe the Institute of Medicine reaffirms some of the findings, studies, perceptions, and or opinions of others who agree that medical marijuana has some positive benefits.According to Medical Doctor and Former United States Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders asserts that â€Å"the evidence is overwhelming how marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, and AIDS or by the harsh drugs used to treat the diseases. † Dr. Elders firmly states â€Å"that marijuana can safely alleviate such symptoms in chronically ill patients and that marijuana is less toxic than many of the medications that Physicians prescribe their patients. The Institute of Medicine contributed information upon a study they completed called â€Å"The Efficacy of Cannabinoid Drugs† which is a study completed on the effects of cannabinoids on a range of symptoms in multiple patients who used medical marijuana. Their findings revealed that the cannabinoids were â€Å"effective in anxiety reduction, appetite stimulation, nausea reduction, and pain relief. † The Institute of Medicine strongly suggested that â€Å"cannabinoids would be well suited for particular conditions like chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and in the AIDS wasting syndrome.A study completed at the University of California at San Francisco â€Å"found that smoked marijuana was more effective at relieving extreme pain in a debilitating condition known as peripheral neuropathy, as well as those patients who have diabetes and multiple sclerosis. To gain a better understanding of how cannabinoids work, they work with specific endo- cannabinoids and are produced by the body and also interact with the body’s natural pain receptors. Based upon the opinion of Doctor Gregory T. Carter, who is Co-Director at the University of Washington Medical Center Muscular Dystrophy Association says that there are really no other medications that have the same mechanisms of actions as marijuana, although â€Å"Marinol† is available by prescription but lacks the advantages by containing only a synthetic ingredient of delta-9-THC, which is only one of many therapeutically beneficial cannabinoids found in the natural marijuana plant. † An advocate for the medical use of marijuana named Rudolph J. Gerber cited a number of independent studies that coincide with the therapeutic uses of marijuana in symptoms affiliated with AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Tourette’s syndrome and even anxiety.In Mr. Gerber’s citing he found that marijuana’s health benefits were greater opposed to those found in Marinol like â€Å"the onset of relief from the capsule which takes an hour or more, as with the effects of smoking marijuana are only within minutes. † Marinol which is oral form of marijuana and contains delt-9-THC which is metabolized through the liver and neutralizes more than 90 percent of the chemical, while smoked marijuana contains the direct ingredient of delta-9-THC providing the ingredient direct delivery to the bloodstream. Lastly, â€Å"an oral dose of Marinol lasts up to six unpredictable hours, with variable effects, while smoked marijuana lasts a more manageable and predictable hour or two. Conclusion: Overall the benefits of patient using medical marijuana personally out way the recourse of prescription drugs and all of its side effects. Consider this if you know someone personally who is battling a critically illness and regular pres cribed Medications do not suffice, and the patient has to deal with the adverse side effects of the prescribed medications would medical marijuana be an alternative to consider?Would you advocate for the use of medical marijuana to help provide relief to a loved one from crippling side effects of prescribed medication? If so, I urge you today to consider the medical benefits of medical marijuana. Consider how medical marijuana can alleviate pain, and stop vomiting, and relieve nausea by creating relief to a patient who is battling a life altering disease. Just consider the option of medical marijuana! References: http://medicalmarijuana. procon. org/view. resource. php? resourceID Retrieved from www. procons. org Gerber, Rudolph J. Beneficial Effects of Marijuana as a Medical Prescription. † Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004. Rpt. in Marijuana. Ed. Joseph Tardiff. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Contemporary Issues Companion. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. Retrieved from http://ic. galegroup. com. proxy. cecybrary. com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/Viewpoints Grinspoon, Lester. â€Å"Medical Marijuana Is an Effective Medicine. † Medicine. Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"Marijuana

Homeless Women in America Essay

Imagine not having all the luxuries that embellish one’s life. All the things that make someone happy can be a mere memory in an instant. It is a reality that many women are becoming homeless at an alarming rate. Many for the reason that one parent works and the other stay home. The husband comes home with no money to provide nor give to his children because he rather spend it on beer or on drugs and not even have a thought that he has a family waiting for him at home. What is a woman to do with no money, no home, and no job. She has never had to work in her life, which has no job experience, Due to the fact she has always been dependent on her husband. Prostitute? This is what homeless women end up doing to support and feed their children. â€Å"There’s been a study about the prostitution of homeless women. 75 percent of women in escort prostitution had attempted suicide, 62 percent reported having been raped in prostitution and 73 percent reported having experience physical assault in prostitution†(Kay 2). Historically, homeless women become homeless due to their husband using drugs or being under the influence. However, today the reasons are more because of their economic issues. The fact, that there is not funding for women shelters or job training women and their families are forced to live in their cars or on the streets. The lack of government funding is forcing women out of their homes and having to find shelters for their children and themselves. How could it be possible that state and local government are revoking or reducing the monthly financial aid to women with families? Homeless women are exchanging their bodies for money to support their family.

What is a Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What is a Language - Essay Example The author has tried to explain various principles and concepts of a language, while considering the involvement of a speaker of the language, within the scope of such discussions. As the author identifies five responses to ’what is a language’, the essay makes reference to a text book, named â€Å"Chomskyan Linguistics†, written by Smith and Wilson in 1979, in which the two renowned linguists connect the language with rules that make the grammar of any language. They have further opined that, for example, in the English language, different speakers possess different levels of grammar and, thus, English would have not one but many grammars, as the same will be different for various individual speakers. Responding to the question ’what is a language’, the author has considered five answers. They include ‘NATURALISM’, meaning language is a natural kind; PLATONISM, which treats language as an abstract object; NOMINALISM, meaning that any s et of objects would define the name of a language; SOCIOLOGISM, which places the language in the category of social facts and DUALISM, which agrees to the language being a social fact, while disagreeing with the argument that the particular social fact could also be the linguistic fact. While discussing all answers, with arguments for and against five positions, the author has staked its claim to last option, saying that linguistic facts cannot be, necessarily, social facts also, thus, negating SOCIOLOGISM. Author further states that the option of NATURALISM is partially compatible with the last answer, DUALISM. (Pateman) Languages as natural kinds The author has dismissed the claim that languages belong to natural kinds, by saying that other natural facts in this world cannot be counted in the same group, although all of them may belong to natural kinds only. The fact is exemplified by different natural products like tigers and lemons, both of which are from nature, but are entirel y different. Further, diversifying on the discussion, the author has stressed that definition of language has the relation to the environment that surrounds the speaker. Pateman has given an example of Creoles, who find no use of their native language in the new environment; like the ‘plantation workers’. Languages as abstract objects The author has referred to the theory put forward by Chomsky, which treats linguistics as a science, like neurology and psychology. Further, there are references to arguments put forward by Katz, which treat languages and sentences as mathematical abstract objects, while employing ‘general scientific methodology’ to support this claim. Pateman has countered Katz’s argument by relating the properties of sentences and language with grammar, in abstraction, which can be viewed as mathematical grammarian abstract objects, while having no reality. (Pateman) Languages as names Many sociolinguists have related languages with t he spoken dialects and social facts of the speakers. Accordingly, the author of this article refers to Smith and Wilson, informing in their text book that dialect and language correspond to each other, when the speakers having similar grammar, for any language, are grouped together. However, Pateman counters this argument by saying that there is no relation of language with an individual, as its name is taken from the dialect, which speakers can formulate for construction of a language. Languages as social and linguistic facts The author describes about relationship between the groups of a social class and the language spoken by them. For example, members of a church belong to the same social group and may speak the same dialect or language. Hence, the idea of

112 paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

112 - Term Paper Example Through research, the paper reveals every bit of each influential factor and ranks them in accordance to their ability to influence and shape consumer behavior. In its defense, the paper takes into consideration material presentation in class, debates on consumer behavior, and independent but logical reasoning. Subjective and objective aspects revolving around influential factors like the mind map subjects, acted like a guide in formulating logical reasoning on the subject matter. The research findings revealed that all the mentioned situational factors had an influence on consumer behavior either directly or indirectly. However, the degree of influence depended upon environmental, judgmental, prior information on the product, and tastes and preferences. The research ranks the situational factors basing on personal experience and may not necessary follow the same order in other circumstances or with other individuals. According to research findings published in the International Journal of Business and Behavioral Sciences, consumer behavior is the incorporation of emotional, mental, and physical human capabilities in marketing (Jeddi et al., 2013). Through the combined synergy, behavior can be traced in product selection, purchase, use and disposal of products and services. For the synergy to bear fruits, it requires active involvement of cultural, situational, social, personal, and psychological factors. The paper discusses the mentioned factors and ranks them in accordance to their degree of influence on consumer purchasing behavior. The essay provides a vivid description on how hierarchy of influential factors plays a critical role in customers when purchasing products. To establish the connection between these factors, it is important to relate them and see how ne affects the other, and find out if they are dependent on each other. Through such an understanding, it can be easy for organizations to link human emotions and actions o their business

Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Community - Essay Example Attendance is described as good as the school district has partnered with a truancy solution company and as such has launched a campaign to encourage students to attend school regularly. As a result, school attendance has improved by 10%. The latest report reflects that daily attendance is at just over 94%. District Setting Administration For administrative purposes the school district is divided into four categories: elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and special schools. There are 68 elementary schools, 18 middle schools, 15 high schools and 8 special schools. Each school is run by a principal who reports to the Superintendent for the district. The superintendent is assisted by a deputy superintendent for administration, a deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction and a deputy superintendent for business and financial services. The superintendent and the various deputy superintendents coordinate all aspects of the administration of the school with the princ ipals. Student Data Enrolment for the 2010-2011 academic year is 94, 702. The district accepts students from the age of 4 for pre-kindergarten. Once students are registered at an elementary school, registration is no longer necessary. Students come from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds. However, 67% of the student body is Hispanic. District Mission The school district’s mission is to provide an exemplary education with above average educators and an intensive extracurricular program. In addition the school district’s mission is to foster an environment that is family oriented. In other words, the school district encourages close community between the staff, teachers, administrators, the study body and the families. The school district readily admits that its wants to be the best place in the state for families. Thus its mission is to foster a connection between the schools and parents, business and members of the community generally. This is because the school dis trict takes the position that while the child’s education is significant for society’s future, the family provides the key to learning. As such, parents are not only obligated to be actively involved in the education of the child, but also have an inalienable right to be involved. The school district prides itself on its advanced technology, innovative facilities and highly qualified staff. These factors have made the school district appealing to both staff and families in terms of recruiting students and educators. The school district has a strategic plan which targets the enhancement of its students’ academic and social achievement. It also endeavors to provide a climate for learning that is safe. This is accomplished by emphasizing the recruitment and retention of exemplary staff, keeping up with modern technology and fostering communications with the external public and fortifying partnerships with the business community. Mission/Philosophy Public Relations The school district’s school/community relations mission is guided by the philosophy that the community is a stakeholder in its schools. As such, two-way lines of communication must be open so that the school district operates transparently and the community is therefore fully informed of all issues impacting the operation and success of the school. An informed community is in a more effective position to participate in the school distr

Response to liberalism and racial justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response to liberalism and racial justice - Essay Example The interpretation of the same by different philosophers also indicates the varying definitions that are adopted by the liberals at their convenience. I believe that liberalism should be simply defined in terms of equality that is able to empower people cutting across race, culture, color or nationality. Thus, true liberalism must eliminate race and promote cultural diversity to mark the freedom of people, located at different geographical region. Knowledge and education therefore become must become intrinsic to the ideology and encourage it on a global basis. The supremacy of White is a disillusion that is promoted as a legacy of past when Whites were able to buy slaves and exploit them for their own selfish needs. In the current times of rapid globalization, the diminishing geographical boundaries have resulted in new order based on mutual dependency. Thus, liberalism needs to be associated with racial justice based on equality and freedom to make choices that do not offend others or infringe their

Importance of Recruitment and Selection of Salespeople Essay

Importance of Recruitment and Selection of Salespeople - Essay Example This exchange process – sales transaction – makes organizations focused on their clients and making sure the end users are satisfied. However, the sales process itself is what establishes the connection between an organization and a customer. Salespeople, as those who run and manage and sales process, are, in some sense, a chain that connects the business with its external environment and, what is more important, generates sales and, therefore, profits for the company. For this reason recruitment and selection of salespeople is one of the very important aspects of organizational behaviour since effectiveness of recruitment and selection of sales representatives is a basis for future success and effectiveness of the overall sales process of the company. Furthermore, as Darmon outlines (1993, 17), selection of salespeople has a great influence on the performance and profits of the organization. Sales are a direct source of company’s profit. Therefore, since salespe ople determine company’s sales, financial performance and profits, it can be said that salespeople are, actually, the tool that enables a commercial organization to fulfil its major goal of making profit. In addition, Slater and Olson (2000) point out that not only business performance, but the whole business strategy of an organization, is greatly impacted by sales force management (Slater and Olson 2000, 813). Therefore, effective recruitment and selection of salespeople has a direct influence on competitiveness of the business and, if implemented effectively, become a competitive advantage of an organization. Selecting Right People As it has been determined above, salespeople have a direct impact on financial performance, profits, and business strategy of an organization. So, if a salesperson fails in one’s efforts to sell the company’s product effectively, the company itself may fail as well. For that reason hiring right people for the sales positions is cru cial and vital for business success and effectiveness. Correctly chosen employees add value to the employing organization and, according to some estimates, increase sales and productivity to between 6 to 20 percent (Cooper, Robertson, and Tinline 2003, 6). A correct match between the job and an employee benefits the company in terms of reduced absenteeism and employee turnover because of higher employee satisfaction rates, as well as employee’s commitment and loyalty towards the organization. Furthermore, a right choice of a salesperson has a great impact on the company’s overall sales performance. as Armstron et al. (2009, 444) outline, the best salespeople usually make up the top 30 percent of the company’s salesforce, and bring up to 60 percent of the overall sales Armstron et al (2009, 444). This idea is supported by Johnson, Hair and Boles (1989), who believe that â€Å"hiring the right individual for a sales position remains one of the most crucial aspect s of a sales manager’s job† (Johnson, Hair, and Boles 1989, 53). The authors believe that a successful salesperson should have the following characteristics: enthusiasm, good organizational skills, persuasiveness, sales experience, ambition, ability to follow instructions, and sociability. However, while it is possible to identify these qualities when selecting and recruiting candidates, it might be more difficult to identify and recognize the qualities that might lead to a failure. Nevertheless, the very first task of a hiring manager is to identify the key characteristics of an ideal candidate for the position. Clear and precise specifications identified at the start of the selection and recruitment process will minimize the chance for a mistake at the stage of making a hiring decision (Roberts 1997, 4). The role a new employee is

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

History - Essay Example Not only children but one Rural Supervisor of School has also informed the First Lady regarding the poor condition of the clothes of the students. The children who wrote to Mrs. Roosevelt as a last resort to their chilled penury came from different states of USA and most are minor. A gender bias among the letter senders can be easily seen considering the fact that most of the letter senders were female. However, boys or girls all of them were under severe economic pressure. The social and economic condition of the letter senders can not be judged easily as it seems from the letters that they are educated human being but financial pressure has turned them almost into beggar. In broad terms they comes from an educated social background but financially eroded through the Great depression. Where they have no way but to loss their self esteem and surrender to someone whom they consider as the supreme authority. Some of them were bereft of any suitable dress or coat so that they could atte nd the school and carry on their studies. in one of the letters to Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss L.H. wrote, â€Å"I have to stay out of school because I have no books or clothes to ware.† (Dear Mrs. ... pocket money how meagre it might be to send these letters to the President’s wife, either for school dress or for Easter clothes; in any case it does not seem that these letters manage to invoke any positive respond from the First Lady. In one of the requests for clothes, Miss M.I. wrote â€Å"How honored I would feel to be wearing your clothes.† (Dear Mrs. Roosevelt) Apart from clothes, many children begged for money as well. The need for such money was diversifies, starting from need for medication and a visit to a doctor to be ailed from a grave disease to make ones way to Hollywood where she can act and earn some money. As mentioned earlier clothes kept an important issue regarding carrying on education, similarly direct begging of money was often connected to carrying on studies. However paying of pending bills was another issue for what financial help for the first lady was sought for. Asking for a bicycle might sound weird in this dire situation; however example of such thing does exist through the letters to the First lady. The purpose behind such an application was profoundly for going to school which are in most cases far from home. Often the concerned students got tired after a tedious job at their household and that also compelled them to make a claim for bicycle to the first lady. Ironically even at this point some people had managed to write for some luxury item at least considering the situation at that time to the First lady. Christmas presents, dolls, football shoes and radios are the most common luxury items that get revealed from the letters. The striking matter is that the way First Lady or her secretary had answered those letters or better be called pleas. None of the letters received a positive reply and always got answered by the secretary of

You have been put in charge of a dental team providing dental care to Essay

You have been put in charge of a dental team providing dental care to a large (100 bed) nursing home facility. Discuss the likely dental health needs of the res - Essay Example at dental care does not reach the elderly, particularly if they are residing in health-care institutions or nursing homes, where the care-takers may not give due importance to dental care.(Fiske J). This has resulted in more demand on dental care by such institutionalized elders. Several studies conducted in this direction, reveal that more than 65% of such patients require oral hygiene medication and treatment. (Mersel & others, 2000). Such patients are reported to be having prominent bone loss, with deep pockets around remaining teeth, while 85% are reported to have attachment loss, ranging from 4 to 6 mm. (Friel) The profile of people staying in a nursing home would vary drastically, ranging from those who can maintain themselves, physically and mentally; to those who are completely dependant on care-takers. The general consensus is that elderly people living in a nursing home suffer more from periodontal diseases, as compared to those living in their homes. There is lesser evidence of institutionalized elders seeing a dentist, as studies suggest that such percentage is significantly lower, when compared to national average. Various problems that such patients confront include poor oral care, older dentures, while many have old or damaged prostheses. In addition, according to such studies, presence of significant denture plaque was recorded, while 1 in 6 patients suffered from denture related stomatitis. Accordingly, the need was felt for concentrated prosthetic treatment for patients staying in a care home in Wolverhampton, particularly for those elders who had loose fitted or lost dentures .(Awath-Behar, 1990) While inadequate dental care may not be fatal, the affect of same results in such elderly patients being uncomfortable while eating food, with others. In addition, the quality of life depends on the number of healthy teeth, as indicators for same include the ability to choose one’s food and socialize, without any feeling of pain. The loss of teeth

Oral Reading Essay Example for Free

Oral Reading Essay Reading is a complex activity. It sends our brains into a frenzy of electrical impulses that zig and zag through matter in ways we still do not totally understand. It organizes sights and sounds in designs that ultimately connect us to the broad vistas of lifes many landscapes. Reading gives us the opportunity to appreciate those landscapes in all their variety. It is remarkable that, whatever approach, method, or ideology is used to teach reading, most students become proficient at it. For many students, successful reading is assimilated into their experience quickly and with seeming smoothness. For perhaps as many as 20% of students however, reading is not an automatic skill. Patterns of understanding have to be systematically instilled so that the reading has the opportunity to crack the alphabetic code. More and more, what we have learned is that connecting these alphabetic symbols to specific sounds in order to create meaningful words. There is considerable longitudinal research to support that we should employ literacy skills every time we read. Without this connection between the basic unit of sound and the alphabetic symbol, reading does not occur for any of us. Accurate identification of children who experience delays in attaining critical early literacy skills is needed to prevent reading problems. Studies have demonstrated that reading problems become increasingly more resistant to intervention and treatment after the 3rd grade. This study will focus on early core literacy skills. These needed core skills for young children are phonological awareness (ability to identify and manipulate sounds), alphabet knowledge (awareness of individual letters and letter names), and grapheme–phoneme correspondence (ability to identify correspondence between letters and sounds). Children’s abilities across these four core skills serve as important predictors of subsequent reading achievement. A screening instrument that does not comprehensively examine all core skills may be ineffective for identifying children who display limitations in a particular area of early literacy. However, failing to identify young children exhibiting delays in early literacy acquisition or lacking core literacy skills is a risky venture and this is a challenge that we will face in this study. Historical Background Name: Alyza Zofia Z. RenonAge: 5 Sex: FemaleDate of birth: March 10, 2006 Identification: Alyza is a normal, outgoing 5 year-old kindergarten girl. Since her mother is a pre-elementary teacher, she teaches her everything when they are at home. She enjoys dancing and playing games. She loves to listen about science-related topics whenever possible. She is talkative and loves to answer questions. She can only read alphabet and one or two syllable words with pictures. Affective Factors Alyzass motivational level apparently varies with the topic. According to her mother, if the topic is interesting to her like books with colorful pictures, she is highly motivated. However, if the topic does not appeal to her, she keeps silent or finds something to play with. Physical Factors Alyza has a very good eyesight, in terms of auditory acuity, Alyza showed no indications of difficulties. Alyza didnt show any other physical limitation; she appears to be physically healthy. This means, there are no obvious health-related reasons for her reading difficulties. Objectives: This research will aim to determine or identify student who is at risk or not at risk for reading problems. This study will also seek to answer the following questions: 1. How do the 3 literacy skills affect the reading of the child? 2. How does the students background affect her reading ability? 3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the child in reading? Significance of the study The researchers hope that the study will be beneficial to the following: To the student, who will learn and improve her reading skills. Likewise, to the teachers of kindergarten, for they will focus more on the three literacy skills. Furthermore, to the researchers, to understand the factors that affect the poor reading ability of the child. Lastly, to the school administration, this study will provide basis to improve their curriculum and to focus more on literacy skills in pre-elementary department. Scope and Delimitation of the study This study will be conducted to determine the literacy skills of a kindergarten child. It will deal on how the child identify and manipulate sounds, her awareness of letter names and ability to identify correspondence between letters and sounds. It will discuss the certain measures, steps and ways on how to develop the literacy skills of the child in reading but it does not deal on the ways on how to pronounce the words correctly nor steps on how to syllabicate the words properly. The respondent of the study will be limited to kindergarten student only. Research Paradigm Chapter 2 Review of related literature Local According to Unicef Philippines, there are only 63% of the children who enroll in school complete primary school, this means that the quality of education remains poor in many areas of the country. A childs literacy skills are important to their success in school and work. Children who learn to read from an early age are generally more successful in academic areas. (Unicef Philippines) There were a research in 2008 conducted by by Bananal, a faculty member of arts and letters in U. S. T on how to measure the reading ability of grades 1 and 2 students. She stated that there were 3 levels in reading: Independent reading level pupil can read with ease without the help or guidance of a teacher. The student can also read with rhythm, with a conversational tone and can interpret punctuation correctly. Instructional reading level pupil can profit from instruction. Frustrated reading level pupils show symptoms or behavior of withdrawing from reading situation and commit multiple type of error in informal reading. Reading levels of children Grade 1 Frustrated reader 64. 41% Instructional reader 20. 17% Independent reader 15. 42% Grade 2 Frustrated reader 49. 98% Instructional reader 31. 40% Independent reader 19. 07% The result showed that there many students who encountered difficulties in oral reading. This means that children did not master the three literacy skills when they were in the primary level. The use of accurate, valid, reliable screening tools several times throughout the early years can help in the identification of those in need of monitoring further intervention or remediation. Information obtained from early reading screenings is likely to lead to positive changes in childrens reading trajectories because prevention strategies and interventions provided have a better chances of success when started sooner rather than later (Bananal, 2008). Foreign The negative effects of reading problems are well documented (Harris Sipay, 1990). There is evidence that reading disability is associated with social, economic, and psychological problems. There is little evidence, however, that efforts to correct reading problems through remedial reading programs or through special education placement have been very successful (Allington McGill-Franzen, 1989; Hiebert Taylor, 1994; Johnston Allington, 1991; Karweit, Slavain, Wasik, 1992-93; Kennedy, Birman, Demaline, 1986; Rowan Guthrie, 1989). Instead, there is evidence to suggest that children who encounter difficulty in learning to read fall further and further behind their achieving peers (Stanovich, 1986). Traditional approaches to dealing with reading problems, such as tracking and grade retention, do not help; indeed, they often appear to be detrimental to eventual student achievement (Shepard Smith, 1989; McGill-Franzen Allington, 1993). In contrast, a growing body of evidence suggests that reading problems are preventable for the vast majority of students who encounter difficulty in learning to read, if these students receive extra support in the form of an early intervention program (Goldenberg, 1994; Hiebert Taylor, 1994; Reynolds, 1991). In this paper, the term early intervention refers to early school intervention programs that are designed to prevent problems in literacy from developing rather than trying to correct a problem after it is established. For the most part, such programs have been used in first and second grades. Several of these programs have proven very effective when compared to conventional compensatory reading programs. For example, Hiebert, Colt, Catto, and Gury (1992) report that while 77 percent of the students in their early intervention project were reading at a primer level at the end of first grade, only 18 percent of a comparison group who participated in a traditional Title I program achieved that level of reading proficiency. While almost half (47 percent) of the students in the conventional Title I program remained nonreaders at the end of first grade, only 7 percent of the early intervention students were nonreaders. Thus, a growing body of evidence suggests that almost all reading problems are preventable. A review of the research literature indicates that there are at least five early reading intervention programs that have documented effectiveness. This paper will only very briefly describe the individual programs and then will concentrate on the factors that seem characteristic of all or at least most of these successful intervention programs. Two of the five programs, Success for All (Madden, Slavin, Karweit, Dolan, Wasik, 1991; Slavin, Madden, Karweit, Livermon, Dolan, 1990; Slavin, Madden, Karweit, Dolan, Wasik, 1992), and the Winston-Salem Project (Cunningham, Hall, Defee, 1991; Hall, Prevatte, Cunningham, 1993), involve comprehensive reorganization of the entire classroom routine; all students in the grades in which the program is implemented are affected. In the Winston-Salem Project all first and second grade reading/language arts instruction was reorganized around four major, thirty-minute blocks of activities: teacher-directed group reading activities, word learning activities, writing, and self-selected reading. In addition, in the school that served a very high proportion of at-risk students, an additional 45-minute block of time for very small-group instruction was included. During this small-group instruction time, students had additional opportunities to practice reading, writing, and word learning activities. Though it has now been implemented in more than 85 schools, Success for All was first implemented in schools in major metropolitan areas that served, almost exclusively, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds who had few experiences with literacy. Major features of this schoolwide program included heterogeneous grouping for most of the day, cross-grade grouping according to reading level for 90 minutes of smaller group (15 to 20 students) reading instruction, and one-to-one tutoring for those students  who needed extra support. The Boulder Program (Hiebert, Colt, Catto, Gury, 1992) and Reading Recovery (Clay, 1985; Clay, 1993; Clay, 1993a; Pinnell, 1989; Pinnell, Fried, Eustice, 1990) are add-on, pull-out programs; they are added to whatever approach to language arts instruction is being used in a school. The Reading Recovery Program, which originated in New Zealand, has been widely implemented in the United States and in several other countries as well. It is exclusively a first grade, one-to-one tutoring program. Reading Recovery is also recognized for the extensiveness of its teacher training program, which is conducted over the course of a year with fully certified teachers. The Boulder Program operated exclusively with the resources of a Title I program. The program worked originally with a pupil-teacher ratio of six students for each teacher. Through the use of carefully trained, supervised paraprofessionals who worked closely with certified, trained teachers, the ratio was reduced to three students for each teacher. Instruction was daily for twenty minutes. The Early Intervention in Reading Program (EIR) (Taylor, Frye, Short, Shearer, 1992; Taylor, Strait, Medo, 1994) takes yet another approach. Regular first and second grade classroom teachers work for an extra twenty minutes with the five or six students who are encountering the greatest amount of difficulty in learning to read. Provision is also made for these students to practice their reading for an additional five or ten minutes each day by reading individually or in pairs to the teacher, a teachers aide, a volunteer, etc. All five programs clearly acknowledge that the small-group or individual early intervention instruction that students receive is an addition to, not a substitute for, the instruction they receive as part of the regular classroom program. In the case of two of the programs (Success for All and the Winston-Salem Project), regular classroom reading instruction has been redesigned to ensure that appropriate instructional routines and materials are used. However, even when early intervention instruction is added to an effective existing reading program, there is also the anticipation that the sound practices that are part of the early intervention program will become infused into regular classroom instruction if they are not already part of it. For example, Reading Recovery teachers almost always spend part of their day as regular classroom teachers, reading consultants, language arts coordinators, etc. ; through these roles they attempt to introduce  instructional principles and practices that are part of Reading Recovery into the ongoing regular classroom. All of the programs reflect a model of reading as an active, meaningful, constructive process. Before-reading activities are used to build or activate relevant background knowledge, concepts, and vocabulary. Students are taught to monitor their reading to ensure that what they are reading makes sense. They are taught strategies for correcting word recognition errors that detract from meaning, and they are given opportunities for reacting and responding to selections they have read. The texts they are asked to read are read for enjoyment and for information. Other activities are developed within a framework of reading for meaning. Because reading for meaning is the constant point of reference and because students in these programs need substantial help in building word identification skills, the amount of time spent in discussing selections and in teacher questioning about the selection is kept to a minimum.

Increased Competition in the Field of Robotics Essay Example for Free

Increased Competition in the Field of Robotics Essay If desired, calibrate the virtual process to reflect physical conditions and download optimized robot programs. By simulating your process you can always be sure to have the right combination of robot, gun and fixtures. After all, in virtual reality, bumping in to car parts and fixtures does not really matter. Arc Geometric simulation enables accurate arc weld robot programs with optimized gun angle against the seam. Also, it is easy to evaluate guns with different swan neck angles for best reachability. Spot When working on-line it is not an easy thing to program a spot welding robot to weld perpendicular to a surface. With the aid of geometric simulation systems, this is ensured, with improved quality and a durable weld as a result. Evaluating and designing spot weld guns is effectively done in a virtual environment. Laser Laser technology has made many processes more efficient. Robotized laser applications really deserves state of the art manufacturing simulation technology as a companion. Truly these technologies is for the future. Painting When programming a paint robot on-line, there are often difficulties associated with where and how to store robot positions in order to get the best result. Off-line programming reduces many of these difficulties. Features such as paint thickness simulation and the fact that you actually see where you are aiming truly help. Consumption of paint, products, and above all time needed for on-line touch up dramatically decreases. Handling and assembly Simulation can also be used in robotized handling and assembly operations. The product can be checked in fixtures and grippers and together with other products. Kinematics can be added to products. During simulation of handling processes reachability can be checked and collisions can be detected and provided. Simulation can also be used to optimize the layout by checking the placement of fixtures, racks and other equipment. Simulation of human operations Not only robot operations can be simulated, also human operations are possible to simulate. Simulation of human operations is important in an ergonomic point of view. Reachability and accessibility can be analyzed in an early stage of the project, before any physical verification is possible. Different sizes of the human model can be used to point out if changes in layout, process equipment or product are necessary. By using simulation, difficult and/or impossible operations can be eliminated. The purpose of these analyses is to prevent harmful operations. The result of the simulations can also be used in an educational purpose. 4. Robots in place of Human in Food Industry. Robots to solve end-of-line issues in food industry. They face a number of challenges in their end-of-line packaging operations. In a manual process, they must deal with ergonomic issues, labor availability, and the uncertainty of increasing costs associated with recent and potential future legislation. In an automated process, accommodating rapid-fire package changes driven by sustainability initiatives and shelf impact, as well understanding and improving key performance measures such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), are key. And in any process, food safety is an overriding concern on the minds of processors, as the consequences of foodborne illness and/or massive product recalls have affected a wide range of food categories. . Current Robotic Trends in Packaging Industrial robots have emerged as a valuable end-of-line tool to help address these challenges for food manufacturers, as the performance and user-friendliness of the technology has increased while costs have decreased. Growth in vision-assisted robotic applications is especially notable, as vision enables a robot to emulate the flexibility of human hand-eye coordination and perform a number of in-process product inspections for quality assurance. A number of statistics point to increased adoption of robotics in the industry: The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) Statistics Department, which provides information on world-wide trends in robotics, reports optimistically about robotics industry growth in the coming years. According to the Robotics and Automation Society, whose goal is to †advance innovation, education, and fundamental and applied research in Robotics and Automation, † (1) says that †Nearly every major user industry increased its purchases in the opening quarter of 2010. Especially strong gains were seen in robot sales to the semiconductor/electronics/photonics industries as well as food consumer goods. † In addition, â€Å"Material handling remains the largest application area for new robot orders, accounting for some 60% of the units sold. Many food companies and packaging machinery manufacturers have successfully applied robots in a wide variety of processes in the dairy, meat, baking, confection, frozen, snack, beverage, and even produce industries.

Analysing The Market Of Milk Economics Essay

Analysing The Market Of Milk Economics Essay 1. a.) Highlights of scientific studies in an advertising campaign that find drinking milk can help reduce weight gain. The campaign will positively affect both the price and the quantity demanded, as a result more consumers will demand for large quantities of milk. High demand will cause a shortage of milk supply, therefore the quantity supplied will be insufficient, and this will result in the increase of the market prices for milk (Doherty, 2007). b.) presence of a mad cow disease epidemic. In this case, the consumers will refrain from milk consumption causing a decrease in the quantity demanded. This will result to surplus milk being produced and consequently lead to a fall in the price of milk. c.) A decrease in the price of milk. A decrease in the price of milk implies that the consumers will have high purchasing power; they will probably buy more of the milk. As it is explained in (Mankiw, 1998). Due to the low prices of milk the producers will be discouraged due to the accompanied expenses of production; as a result there will be a decrease in the quantity supplied. d.) The government decides to implement a price ceiling on milk. Government interventions always have a very significant effect on supply of any commodity. If the Government sets the price of a commodity to a value which is below the market-clearing level, then the quantity that the producers are willing to supply will be less as compared to the quantity that consumers will be willing to purchase. Consequently, the extent of the excess demand that is implied by this kind of response will directly depend on relative elasticitys that exist with respect to the demand and supply. In case both the supply and the demand variables are elastic, then the price ceiling will create a shortage that is larger than when both are inelastic. Other factors such as the willingness of the consumers to more milk and the farmers ability to change the sizes of their herds and to produce less will also determine these elasticitys and influence the governments regulation pattern and hence magnitude of excess demand (Arnold, 2007). As Rosen, (2005). Explains, the governments price will result in the situations of excess demand where some producers will be unable to incur the expenses that are associated the production. In case the government price ceiling impacts negatively to consumers of milk, then those whose demands cannot be met will possibly attempt to purchase the substitutes, therefore increasing the demand for the milk substitutes, a phenomena leads to the rise in the prices of the substitutes. 2. The advantages and disadvantages to price controls Advantages The incentive to minimizing of the cost re-emerges due to the regulatory link that is created between the costs and the ceiling prices. The connection between the profits and rate base is broken. The Price ceilings on the monopoly products can help in the prevention of the predatory pricing on the competitive services. This is necessary when the regulated and the competitive products are placed in different baskets for the purposes of formulation. Disadvantages The farmer is usually the residual claimant of the surplus below the cap; therefore it has the incentive of minimizing costs. This has an implication that it also has the incentive of lowering the service quality, for any decrease in the quality it is equivalent to an increase in the price. The incentive that is associated with the predatory pricing persists in case both the competitive and the regulated services are subjected to a similar X-factor and specifically if the firm exhibits the joint costs. The Implementation of the price caps especially in the context of the informational asymmetries is complicated. Price-cap regulation has no obligation to the publication rates of return, and therefore they have greater discretion, which also entails a greater potential in capturing of the regulatory process of the government. In case when there is lack specific obligation to serving all customers of the monopolized products, then the regulation process may lack the incentive to serve the categories of the customers with the highest costs or those who are less willing to pay. (Colander, 2008). 3. Milk in this case has elastic type of elasticity. This is due to the responsiveness of the consumers to the changes in the prices of milk, which has direct impact on the supply and demand of milk. According to (Harris, 1958) elasticity of supply measures the magnitude of the responsiveness of the quantity that is supplied in relation to the changes in price, since the percentage change in the quantity supplied is induced by a small change in the price. Since the supply is usually increasing with the prices, then the price elasticity of the supply is usually positive. Other elasticitys are calculated for the non-price determinants of supply. For instance, a percentage change in the amount of goods supplied that is caused by a one percent increment in the price of related goods is an input elasticity of supply if the related goods are the inputs in the production process. The significant determinants of elasticity include: The availability of substitutes; Substitutes play the role of replacement thereby reducing the demand for the main product there by making the consumer to be non-responsive to the change of the prices. The percentage of ones budget that is spend on the product; The higher the percentage of the budget that is spend on the product, the more responsive the consumer is and vice versa. Reaction time: The price elasticity supply coefficient is largely determined by how quickly producers can react to the price changes by increasing or decreasing the rate of production and the supply of goods to the market. The Complexity of Production process: Elasticity depends mainly on the complexity that is associated with the production process. Milk production process is relatively simple. This is because the labor is largely unskilled and the production facilities are very cheap. There are no special structures that are needed. Therefore, the price elasticity supply for milk is elastic. Contrary to this, the price elasticity supply for other production process facilities such as the types of milking machine is relatively inelastic. Machine milking of the cows is a simple process which requires very specialized equipments, some partly skilled laborers, and very large suppliers network to reduce storage costs (Carley, 1968) Consumers response time: The more the time that a consumer takes to respond to the price changes the more elastic the supply is. For example, a milk consumer cannot immediately respond to the increase in the prices of dairy cow feeds as compared to the price of milk. Excess capacity: A milk producer who has excess capacity in the production units can quickly respond to the changes in the price of his market with the assumptions that the variable factors are readily available which is advantageous. The Inventories: A milk producer with a constant supply of milk or who has the available storage capacity can quickly respond to the price changes. 4. The total revenue decreases with the increase in the price of milk; this is attributed to the elasticity of the dairy industrys products. The consumers of dairy products, specifically milk in this case are very responsive to the changes in milk prices. Increase in the price of milk means that there will be a shift on the demand curve to the right; this is because the consumers will tend to reduce the rate of milk consumption to curb on the costs. This will cause a decrease on the total revenues due to the low demand for milk. (Tucker, 2008)

Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther Kings I Have A Dream Speech

In a period of time where few were willing to listen, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood proudly, gathered and held the attention of over 200,000 people. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech was very effective and motivational for African Americans in 1963. Many factors affected Kings’ speech in a very positive manner; the great emotion behind the words, delivering the speech on the steps of the memorial of the President who defeated slavery. And not only was this message beautifully written for the hope of African Americans, but the underlying message for white people, revolution and peace. To stimulate emotion from both parties of his listeners, King used a selection of rhetorical devices such as allusions to historical documents, metaphors, similes, anaphoras and others. Martin Luther King’s use of allusions to historical documents helps his message of equality hit home for his audience. Most of the allusions were geared more towards the white people that it was towards the blacks because it provided printed evidence from past documents that were written by white males. His first, â€Å"Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation† is an allusion to Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address. His first reference to the Declaration of Independence: â€Å"This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable rights’ of ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’.† Another quote King uses from the Declaration of Independence is not quite as publicized, King incidentally slips in, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.† King also mak es a few allusions to the Bible; â€Å"... ... would be treated as equals and walk hand-in-hand with every one of every color. Martin Luther King, Jr. implies that his dream is none other than the dream of the Founding Fathers which he makes reference to several times during his speech. And ending with another powerful anaphora, â€Å"let freedom ring† King look joyfully towards the day where â€Å"all God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentile, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing† because he knows this is movement is greater than just for those of color. By expressing his emotions on the subject of racism, Kings persuasive speech influenced and impacted America, for the better in the early 1960’s. With his many uses of different rhetorical devices such as allusions, metaphors and smiles, and anaphoras Kings speech truly changed the minds of hundreds of thousands of people. Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech In a period of time where few were willing to listen, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood proudly, gathered and held the attention of over 200,000 people. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech was very effective and motivational for African Americans in 1963. Many factors affected Kings’ speech in a very positive manner; the great emotion behind the words, delivering the speech on the steps of the memorial of the President who defeated slavery. And not only was this message beautifully written for the hope of African Americans, but the underlying message for white people, revolution and peace. To stimulate emotion from both parties of his listeners, King used a selection of rhetorical devices such as allusions to historical documents, metaphors, similes, anaphoras and others. Martin Luther King’s use of allusions to historical documents helps his message of equality hit home for his audience. Most of the allusions were geared more towards the white people that it was towards the blacks because it provided printed evidence from past documents that were written by white males. His first, â€Å"Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation† is an allusion to Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address. His first reference to the Declaration of Independence: â€Å"This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable rights’ of ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’.† Another quote King uses from the Declaration of Independence is not quite as publicized, King incidentally slips in, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.† King also mak es a few allusions to the Bible; â€Å"... ... would be treated as equals and walk hand-in-hand with every one of every color. Martin Luther King, Jr. implies that his dream is none other than the dream of the Founding Fathers which he makes reference to several times during his speech. And ending with another powerful anaphora, â€Å"let freedom ring† King look joyfully towards the day where â€Å"all God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentile, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing† because he knows this is movement is greater than just for those of color. By expressing his emotions on the subject of racism, Kings persuasive speech influenced and impacted America, for the better in the early 1960’s. With his many uses of different rhetorical devices such as allusions, metaphors and smiles, and anaphoras Kings speech truly changed the minds of hundreds of thousands of people.

The Struggle of Equality for Blacks in the 21st Century Essay -- essay

The Struggle of Equality for Blacks in the 21st Century On December 29, 2004, Richard Blakey was applying for a job interview at the very prestigious Public Relations firm, Ketchum, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He was the only black man applying for the job. Little did he know that he had no chance of getting the job no matter how qualified he was for the position because he was a black man and his counterparts were white. He went into the interview and gave it everything that he had. The executive director told him that his skills were extraordinary and he was very impressed. Richard left Ketchum with a smile on his face knowing that he made an impression and will be getting a call in about a week. Three weeks passed and Richard finally received a phone call from the Ketchum organization, and the same executive director that gave him the interview told him that he had not received the job. When Richard asked him why, the executive director stated that he was too dark for the public relations firm, and that the job was given to a white man . Richard hung up the phone and began to cry. Have you ever encountered racism? If your answer is no, you’re either very lucky or very naive. Chances are, you have. Perhaps you’ve never seen someone being denied a job because of the color of their skin, but chances are, you remember the Rodney King beating and the O.J. Simpson trial, or you’ve heard someone comment that black men are better basketball players than their white teammates or that they are more likely to be on welfare than white people are. If so, then you’ve encountered racism. According to The Random House College Dictionary, Racism, or Racialism, is defined as â€Å"the theory or idea that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and certain traits of personality, intellect, or culture and, combined with it, the notion that some races are inherently superior to others.† It is found in many forms, and it has profoundly shaped our history as Americans. Most often in our culture, when racism is mentioned, it refers to the relationship between white people, which make up the majority, and black people, which compose a sizable minority It seems to me, that after all the years of struggling for equality blacks should no longer have to fight for what they want in America, but that is not true. Blacks are still fighting for things that are given to white... ...Moving Beyond Racial Preferences.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3/4/05,volume 51, issue26, pb13, 2p. Okazawa-Ray.Margo, Journal of Health. Economic, Social, and Racial Justice: The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Survival of the African American Family. Social Policy, 1997, volume 9. Issue 1,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  p15, 7p. The Libertarian Party Press Release. Blacks are the biggest victims of racist government   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  policies, say libertarians. 1994-2003.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.p.org/press/archive.php?function=view&record=724 Torpay, John. Journal of Human Rights. Paying for the Past? The Movement for African   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans. June 2004, volume3, issue 2, p171, 17p. Wilson. In Prejudice and Racism, The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Underclass, and Public Policy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. From â€Å"Racism: It Is Always There† by Elizabeth Martinez Smith. From Prejudice and Racism, 2nd ed., 1997, by James M. Jones. www.cnn.com/arhive/2000/us/09/2/us.racism.ap/ www.capmag.om/article.asp? ID=2286 www.vernonjohns.org/rosemary1246/repubs.html it will be me.

performing arts Essay -- essays research papers fc

What is Performance Art? How does it differ from Theater? The term "Performance Art" started in the United States in the 60's. It was originally used to describe any live artistic event, which included poets, filmmakers, musicians, dancers, etc. Even though the descriptive word came about in the 1960's, there were earlier precedents for performance art. The live performances of the Dadaist meshed poetry and visual arts. The German Bauhaus, founded in 1919, included theater workshops that explored the relationship between space, sound and light. Direct influence also came about later in the 50's on through the 60's with the Beatniks and the happenings that took place in the Lower East Village in NYC. Earlier movements such as the Italian Futurists were also very involved in paving the way for what was to come in the 70’s. By 1970 the term, performance art was used globally and specifically defined as live art, not theater. Even though theater and performance art often times share the same stage, in practice they are very different. Performance art is not a form of representational art, rather a moment of acquiring multiple characters and creating a fusion between one and the next, but never allowing the true self to ever fully disappear. A performer of performance art is usually oneself either telling a story, a feeling, an opinion, whether it be through video, movement, music, television, poetry, sculpture, spoken dialogue or any mix of these. An actor usually is personifying someone else under very specific conditions. Performance art leaves more leeway for improvisational efforts to factor whether it is text based or strictly movement. The script is a security paper reassuring a certain aspect of structure, but does not hold an absolute strict compromise. No two performances are ever really al ike. A script for an actor is a bible; it tells how and when an action will happen. All cues, lines and characterization get memorized and obsessively rehearsed so that every time performed an almost identical performance is released. Rehearsals for performance artists are much more conceptual and often times will include researching, gathering props and costumes and having discussions with collaborators in their rehearsal time. Maybe this is so due to the little or no technical training that a ... ... culture and identity. It allows the artist to be an insider and outsider at the same time, crossing the border of points of view at all times. It functions on different levels of society’s social structure, sometimes right on par with current events and other times defying all common everyday needs and resistance. Performance art fluctuates between boundaries of all art. Its conceptual territory lies within the contradiction, the ambiguity and the extreme, making it difficult to define borders. Performance art is a means of art that cannot be bought or sold. It is a chance where all art forms converge in many different mixes, whether it be music, video, painting, poetry, movement, etc. In a postmodern society where all genres loose their limits and are hard to define, performance art has become an absolutely hybrid art form. Bibliography 1. Fusco, Coco. â€Å"English is Broken Here†. New York: The New Press, 1995. 2. Goldberg, Roselee. â€Å"Performance Art, From Futurism to the Present†. Singapore: C.S. Graphics, 2001. 3. Acconci, Vito, â€Å"Public Space in a Private Time†, url: www.kuntmuseum.ch. 4. www.lipmagazine.com performing arts Essay -- essays research papers fc What is Performance Art? How does it differ from Theater? The term "Performance Art" started in the United States in the 60's. It was originally used to describe any live artistic event, which included poets, filmmakers, musicians, dancers, etc. Even though the descriptive word came about in the 1960's, there were earlier precedents for performance art. The live performances of the Dadaist meshed poetry and visual arts. The German Bauhaus, founded in 1919, included theater workshops that explored the relationship between space, sound and light. Direct influence also came about later in the 50's on through the 60's with the Beatniks and the happenings that took place in the Lower East Village in NYC. Earlier movements such as the Italian Futurists were also very involved in paving the way for what was to come in the 70’s. By 1970 the term, performance art was used globally and specifically defined as live art, not theater. Even though theater and performance art often times share the same stage, in practice they are very different. Performance art is not a form of representational art, rather a moment of acquiring multiple characters and creating a fusion between one and the next, but never allowing the true self to ever fully disappear. A performer of performance art is usually oneself either telling a story, a feeling, an opinion, whether it be through video, movement, music, television, poetry, sculpture, spoken dialogue or any mix of these. An actor usually is personifying someone else under very specific conditions. Performance art leaves more leeway for improvisational efforts to factor whether it is text based or strictly movement. The script is a security paper reassuring a certain aspect of structure, but does not hold an absolute strict compromise. No two performances are ever really al ike. A script for an actor is a bible; it tells how and when an action will happen. All cues, lines and characterization get memorized and obsessively rehearsed so that every time performed an almost identical performance is released. Rehearsals for performance artists are much more conceptual and often times will include researching, gathering props and costumes and having discussions with collaborators in their rehearsal time. Maybe this is so due to the little or no technical training that a ... ... culture and identity. It allows the artist to be an insider and outsider at the same time, crossing the border of points of view at all times. It functions on different levels of society’s social structure, sometimes right on par with current events and other times defying all common everyday needs and resistance. Performance art fluctuates between boundaries of all art. Its conceptual territory lies within the contradiction, the ambiguity and the extreme, making it difficult to define borders. Performance art is a means of art that cannot be bought or sold. It is a chance where all art forms converge in many different mixes, whether it be music, video, painting, poetry, movement, etc. In a postmodern society where all genres loose their limits and are hard to define, performance art has become an absolutely hybrid art form. Bibliography 1. Fusco, Coco. â€Å"English is Broken Here†. New York: The New Press, 1995. 2. Goldberg, Roselee. â€Å"Performance Art, From Futurism to the Present†. Singapore: C.S. Graphics, 2001. 3. Acconci, Vito, â€Å"Public Space in a Private Time†, url: www.kuntmuseum.ch. 4. www.lipmagazine.com

Public administration evolution Essay

Public administration refers to the rules and processes followed by the government when using public resources. Efficient management of resources, transparency, accountability and good policies ensure that the relationship between the government and the public is based on mutual respect. Significant reforms in the U. S have been achieved in the public administration by the government to achieve the above goals. Public administration should ensure that good ethics are achieved in the financial administration and other offices. Public administration has been said to move from theories competition of interest groups and the electoral, of games, of winners and losers and is taking its focus towards theories of cooperation, institutional building and maintenance, networking and governance. It is moving to deal with daunting problems connected with state disarticulation. This has been termed as repositioned public administration. The government was earlier concerned with issues of maintaining a culture of ‘winning’ on its part but it has taken a great shift into largely incorporating other needs-ranging from the issues of administration to formulation of rules and regulation. Formulation of various Acts to cater for various needs has been successful though with failure in the U. S public administration history. This is in an attempt to improve in terms of public care, business regulation and governance improvements. The Northern Ordinance of 1787 shaped orientation of America to local public administration. This legislation made it possible for direct local democracy and an overarching umbrella of local administrative responsibilities and obligations for essential services like justice, health care, schools, roads and law enforcement under direct local control. Local administration took over all activities except defense, during the nineteenth century. National government didn’t play key role in administration of the locals and the state government left rural administration and policy making to the local administrators. In the nineteenth century, the policy decisions flowed from local levels to top level, the rural communities communicated between or amongst them if there were close proximity and common problem, and policy making was not significantly by the village. Government added and expanded its supervisory and regulative role to rural areas during the first half of the twentieth century, as the rurals were being integrated into the national economy. The needs of the more developed and populous urbanized political centers have been closed to those of the rurals by the leadership amongst the federal and state governments in collaboration with the rural governments over time. The latter part of the twentieth century saw increased government mission and scope particularly growth of the local and state government, and the intergovernmental mandates and demands on local units of government. Eventually, there was the formation of the policies for the federal and state governments and they imposed their demands and priorities in a standard manner with little consideration of these policies in an environment of low population density. A gap between the rural and urban administrating units resulted from the growth of control over the local administrative discretions by the federal and state government. Local governments were falling sort if interest to implement services primarily designed for the urbanized areas and were lacking the personnel and resources to implement them effectively. In the twentieth century, the local administration had little capacity to influence the administration by other governments and the urbanized centers which were the decision and policy controllers. Rural residents often withdrew from governance and rural areas were an issue for federal and state governments to cater for (Audirac, 1997). There was latter devolution of the authority. Provision of services, construction and maintenance The Interstate Commerce Act was passed by the U. S Congress in 1887 to prevent discrimination in the charge rates in rail roads. They charged lesser for competitive long haul than for monopolistic short haul due to competition for traffic in some places. Merchants, communities, farmers and regions who were the pricing practices turned to politics for redress and protesting made several states regulate railroads. Reformers and railroads disliked the ideas in the some of the provisions of this act which also received opposition from California and Northeast. The act established the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Supreme Court denied the commission power to set rates and prevent the abuse in charges for the short and long haul latter in 1897, but again the Congress amended the ICA through the Hepburn act of 1906 empowering the on the setting of maximum freight charges and extend its authority over oil pipelines and express companies. Further powers were given via various acts like the Transportation Act (1920), Transportation Act (1940) and The Motor Carrier Act (1935) after World War 1 and after the World War 2, due to arising competition difficulties from motor and water carriers, further amendments by the Congress were made but failed. By 1970s and 1980s critics declared the Act a failure. Staggers Rail Act of 1980 made competition of railroads with tracks possible and The Motor Carrier Act of the same year deregulated trucking business. In December 1995 the Interstate Commerce Act became dead letter due to carrying out of a proposal by the Office of Management and Budget with the cutting of budget in Washington (Paul, S. Boyer ‘Interstate Commerce Act’ The Oxford Companion to United States History). Cash payments The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) was amended by the U.  S Congress and declared illegal every contract, combination (in form of trust or otherwise) or conspiracy in restraint of interstate and foreign trade and imposed a fine. It gave power to federal government to institute proceeding against trusts. The Supreme Court ruling prevented federal authorities to use the act for some years. President Theodore politically championed against this and Taft employed it in 1911 against Standard Oil Trust and the American Tobacco. Other acts were formed latter to supplement it or replace it (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition). Employment and Regulation The Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) gave chance to the system of permanent federal employment based on merit as opposed to the earlier which was based on political party affiliation. A competitive examination by a civil service commission would be used to select government employees. Before then only 10 % were covered by the law but latter on the scope was moved to include more than 90 % of federal employees (Britanicca Concise Encyclopedia). The government has since been involved in the improvement not only of workers employment terms but also their pay.

Piezoelectricity as a Future Energy Source

Power Sector Reforms Issues And Challenges A Report On Piezoelectricity As a future energy source Submitted by: Nikhil Gupta (5th Sem) Mechanical Engg. Dept. , JEC,Jabalpur Abstract The Future Smart House is going to have a large number of sensors and microelectronic devices located throughout the house. These devices will need a clean, reliable source of energy that won’t need constant maintenance. The goal of this report is to get awareness about the piezoelectric energy sources to provide power to certain applications in the house. Initially the researchers were planning to create an energy scavenging floor that used piezoelectric transducers to harvest wasted energy in the foot strike of a human being. In consideration of the high cost and minimal power output of these piezo-sources, it seems more feasible to create small, localized energy sources rather than one large unified system. This idea has lead to several potential applications. The first is to combine a piezoelectric power source with sensors such that there would be no need to ever change the batteries in these sensors. The next application is to use piezoelectric cable throughout the floors of the house as a means of tracking. The final application is to combine piezoelectrics with a device to eliminate vibrations in household appliances. Introduction So generally Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting is based upon the piezoelectric effect. The essence of the piezoelectric effect works as follows: by applying a mechanical stress to a crystal, one can generate a voltage or potential energy difference, and thus a current. Also by applying a current to a piezoelectric one can stress or strain the material. The mechanical stress can be supplied by any source. But with so many people walking around from place to place, why not harness that kinetic energy to power stuff, right? Technical Overview Piezoelectric materials exhibit the unique property known as the piezoelectric effect. When these materials are subjected to a compressive or tensile stress, an electric field is generated across the material, creating a voltage gradient and a subsequent current flow. This effect stems from the asymmetric nature of their unit cell when a stress is applied. As seen in Figure 1, the unit cell contains a small positively charges particle in the center. When a stress is applied this particle becomes shifted in one direction which creates a charge distribution, and subsequent electric field. These materials come in several different forms. The most common is crystals, but they are also found as plastics and ceramics. [pic][pic] Fig. 1: Lead Zirconate Titanate unit cell Existing Technologies There are several companies and research institutes throughout the world who are focusing on finding useful applications for piezoelectric energy sources. Several years ago a project was done at MIT entitled, â€Å"Energy Scavenging with Shoe-Mounted Piezoelectrics. † In this project the researchers lined the bottom of a shoe with piezoelectric transducers and saw what kind of power they got out of it. They eventually attached an RF-transmitter to the shoe that was powered by the piezoelectrics. The two materials they used were polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Their initial results were that the PVDF material produced 1. 3 mW per foot strike and the PZT produced around 8. 4 mW. They went back and tried numerous other approaches but they were confined to working with the limitation of a shoe. In this report they hinted at the fact that much great power output could be achieved if they were not confined to working with a shoe. Another company that is looking into using piezoelectric sources to power networks of wireless sensors is MicroStrain Inc. This company setup an experiment where piezoelectric transducers were attached to the support beams in a structure. As the structure was constantly under strain, the voltage created by the piezoelectrics was stored up in a capacitor. Once the capacitor voltage reached a certain level, the power was than transferred to a transmitter which sent a wireless signal to some receiver. It was reported that the cycle time was about 20 to 80 seconds to store up a charge of 9. 5 V on the capacitor given the size of the piezoelectric was 17 cm2. A German based company called EnOcean already has a commercially available product. The slogan for this company is â€Å"no batteries and no wires. † They create products that use piezoelectric transducers to power RF transmitters. One particular product is a light switch that requires no wiring at all. Behind the actual switch is a piezoelectric transducer. When the light switch is flipped, this motion is used by the transducer to power the RF transmitter, which signals the receiver on the actual light to turn on. This would be an interesting technology to demonstrate in the house because it enables you to have light switches on places you never could before such as on a window or outside in the middle of the yard. Two other companies, Ferro Solutions Inc. and Continuum Control Corp. make small ambient energy harvesting sources. Ferro Solutions makes a product called the Energy Harvester. This little device about the size of two AA batteries contains an electromagnetic generator inside. There are two magnets and in between them is a coil of wire. When vibrations cause the coil of wire to move around in the magnetic field, current is generated in the wire. This small energy source could be used in place of batt eries or as a means to recharge batteries. The device supplies about 1 to 10 mW of power and the company is looking to license this echnology to wireless sensor companies. Continuum Control Corp. makes two different products called the PiezoFlex and the iPower Generator. The PiezoFlex is a new type of piezoelectric material that is both flexible and robust. At the same time it also cheaper to manufacture than most other piezoelectric materials. The second product, the iPower Generator contains a piezoelectric transducer that converts mechanical input into electrical output. This product was used was used as a backup energy source in an Antarctic Expedition several years ago. The device has a crank and as you turn it, the mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. At the MIT Media Lab, researchers in the Responsive Environments Group created a piezoelectric floor called the â€Å"Magic Carpet. † This floor contained a grid of piezoelectric cables spaced 4† apart. The goal of this project was to create a floor that could track the movements of the person walking across it. This technology was then combined with lights and sound such that depending on where you walked a different sound would play. Today you can find examples of the magic carpet in some of the museums at MIT. A similar project was done at Georgia Tech. At Georgia Tech they built a â€Å"Smart Floor† that used piezoelectrics as sensing devices to monitor and predict when people were walking across it. They could predict with about 90% accuracy what person was walking across the floor just given the way the piezoelectrics reacted to their foot strike. Application to Residential There are several ways to incorporate piezoelectric technology into a residential setting. The first would be to use small piezoelectric sources in the place of batteries. These piezoelectric sources could be used to power sensors throughout the house so that the batteries would never need to be changed. Another application was proposed by MIT researchers. Their idea was to use piezoelectric materials to cancel out vibrations in certain household appliances. They envisioned a device that could autonomously adapt the amount of dampening based on the magnitude of the vibrations. They proposed that first the device be built with a battery power source and eventually switch to an energy source that converted the vibrations into energy using either piezo or electromagnetic generators. Their second idea was the opposite of the first: rather than cancel the vibrations, you would enhance them. This idea originated from the fact that subwoofers only go down to about 20 Hz, yet the electrical signal coming from the actual media contains frequencies below 20 Hz. These signals are too low for us to hear, but they can be converted into vibrations. For example when there is an explosion in a movie, there are frequencies below 20 Hz, but the subwoofer can’t make a sound with that long of a wavelength. If you were to install proof mass actuators into the floor of the media room, whenever there was a signal below 20 Hz, these actuators would respond accordingly and literally shake the room.. The next set of applications would involve piezoelectric cable. Piezoelectric cable behaves much the same way as flat piezoelectric transducers only the cable is much cheaper. The cable resembles the standard coaxial cable that plugs into the TV, but the piezo cable has a layer of piezoelectric polymer wrapped into it. This cable could be used to create a grid across the floor that could generate power from people walking across it, or the more viable purpose would be for tracking. These cables come with varying degrees of sensitivity. The cable could be used to track both the location and the orientation of a person in the house. Based on the way they walk, the floor might also be able to identify who the person is. Design The major obstacle in designing your own piezoelectric circuit is finding a way to maximize the power output. The major components involved in this circuit would be an AC/DC rectifier, a filter capacitor, and a DC-DC converter. The AC/DC rectifier converts the AC signal from the piezo-source into DC current. The filter capacitor smoothes electrical flow and the DC-DC converter is what allows the battery to store the energy. Most of the power conversion comes into play in the DC-DC converter. Fig. 2: Adaptive Energy Harvesting Circuit Recently in a paper published in Power Electronics entitled â€Å"Adaptive Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Circuit for Wireless Remote Power Supply,† esearchers found a way to increase power output by roughly 400% compared to when a converter is not used. They used an adaptive control technique in the converter that adjusts itself to find the optimal power transfer options for every moment. Last year, MIT created a setup to demonstrate the power output you could achieve using the vibrations in a plane wing. They didn’t use piezoelectrics, but rathe r electromagnetic generators. Regardless, the circuit for capturing and storing the energy would still be the same. He still has the circuit and is willing to let us use it in designing a piezoelectric energy source. Simulation Results From the study of a project report undertaken in MIT a circuit was modeled. The circuit used a piezoelectric transducer as the voltage source which than fed into an op amp. The purpose of the circuit was to provide a voltage gain of 100. The simulation results proved that the op amp did in fact multiply the voltage from the piezo-transducer by a factor of 100. Unfortunately, in the program they could not find an actual piezo-transducer so they had to model it with an ideal voltage source with an estimated equivalent Thevenin resistance. They considered this project a success on the grounds that it proved that piezo-transducers can in fact act as voltage sources. It also showed that the voltage provided by the transducer can be multiplied by several orders of magnitude using certain circuits. This circuit essentially failed to answer the real question of what kind of maximum power one can get out of the piezo-transducer. A final word on piezoelectricity as a future energy source In the near future, the lights at your favorite coffee shop or the stereo system at your local bar could very well be powered by foot traffic. If we want to maintain a certain lifestyle in an increasingly competitive, resource strapped world, we need to think outside the box when it comes to energy production. There are a million sources of clean, environmentally conscious power all around us, we just have to explore and utilize these sources in the most efficient manner possible. Ambient energy capture will no doubt play a large part in the future of renewable energy, and there's no time like the present to work on developing new, innovative means of electricity generation. I feel confident in saying that the world of tomorrow looks pretty bright, both literally and figuratively.

Book Report Writing Template Essay

The following book report format template is appropriate for students at the pre-college level who are required to write a report about a book they have read. For the type of book summaries applicable to college and university level (undergraduate and post-graduate), as well as for business and professional situations, you can check out the following book summary sample. 1. Introductory Paragraph The first sentence should state for which instructor and class the book-report is being written. The second sentence should state the title of the book and the author’s name. The third sentence should tell how many pages the book has and the name of the publisher. The fourth sentence can state basic bibliographic information about the book. Bibliographic information means not only the author and title but also what company published the book, what year it was published in and any other relevant information such as the edition and if the book has been translated, simplified or abridged. (see copyright page and the back of the title page. ) The next sentence should state the reason(s) you decided to read this book. Why did you choose this particular book? Typical reasons might be: You like the author. You like this type of book (i. e. mystery, western, adventure or romance, etc. ). Someone recommended the book to you. It was on a required reading list. You liked the cover. These reasons do not have to be complex. Most people choose the books they read because they like the author or somebody recommended it to them. If you chose the book because you like the author, then state why you like that author. An optional sentence can be used if the cover (back cover) of the book gives you any additional information then add a sentence with that information. Was the book a best seller? Are there X million copies in print? Did it win any major awards? 2. Main Character(s) Paragraph The first sentence of this paragraph should state who the main character or characters of the book are, and why they are important. Refer to this person or these persons as the Main Character or Main Characters. You will need at least a complex sentence for this, and probably more than one sentence. 3. Other Characters Paragraph You should compose at least one sentence for each of the other prominent or important characters in the book. State the name of each of the other important characters, and the key role that each one plays in the book Most books have five or six prominent characters besides the main character, so simply listing each one and stating their role in the book will give you a good sized paragraph. 4. Plot Summary Paragraph This is perhaps the hardest paragraph to write in five sentences or so. If you have to write a bit more don’t worry. Here are the main points to cover: State the type of book (Mystery, Western, etc. ). What place or country was the book set in? What time period was the book set in? (19th century, the present, ancient Rome, the 23rd century). Other physical locations which are important, like: ships, airplanes, houses, or buildings. Other notable attributes of the book. (Was it violent, scary, fast paced, etc. ). What is the main character trying to do? What is the outcome of the book? etc. Make sure you cover all of the major parts of the plot. You might have to go back through the book, chapter by chapter, and make a few notes. 5. Personal Impressions and Conclusion Paragraph Simply talk about what you liked or did not like about the book. Use this paragraph as your conclusion. It should summarize your overall impressions of the book and bring the report to a close. Start with a sentence that states that you are now writing a conclusion. (For example: â€Å"My final thoughts on ‘A Fine Balance’ are that it is a fascinating book but I am not entirely sure if I completely understood the thematic message of the book. † Restate your reasons why you liked and/or disliked the book using different words. Write two sentences that talk about the books good points and weak points. Write a sentence or two about what you learned from the book. Close with a sentence that states whether you would recommend the book to others. Don’t be afraid to give your own honest impressions of the book. After all, if you’ve read the book thoroughly, you are entitled to your own interpretation of it. Typically, your book report should not exceed two double-spaced pages, and it should be somewhere between 600 and 800 words in length. Research Assistance This site, which claims to be the best single research source online, maintains an inventory of more than 25,000 research reports on thousands of subjects; many of which are book summaries. Most are available for immediate download. If your subject isn’t already in their archives, they will do custom research and writing for you. You can download existing papers and/or order custom research papers 24 Hours a Day!