Discussion Forum #7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Forum #7 - Essay Example The first changes yield the most warming but subsequently produce lesser warming. Coupling the increased carbon dioxide emissions and the lesser and lesser warming resulting from more and more carbon dioxide emissions, it would be reasonable to consider the future warming projections as a straight line (Michaels, 2009). Therefore, once climate warming by humans starts, it occurs at a constant rate. Indeed, BBC (2013) reports on data from balloon radiosondes and satellite that support this finding. According to these records, since 1998, there has been no discernible warming. Michaels further argues that the observed rates of warming are below the average of climate models and that the assumptions by pro-global warming activists could not be true. Climate models postulate a greater increase in the degree of warming with a rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases than experienced at the surface (Michaels, 2010). Supportive evidence from BBC (2013) indicates that these models have not been able to model all the involved processes even after many years of development. Water vapor distribution, influence of clouds and plants’ response to changes in water supply are among some of these models not captured. Thus, the models are unreliable. Michaels (2009) also observes that contrary to expectations, the carbon dioxide greenhouse warming effect at Antarctic has exhibited just a slight temperature increase since the measurements in the 1950s and 1960s. In fact, the International Geophysical Year observed that the Antarctic temperatures exhibited a warming trend from 1957 to mid-1960s, with subsequent studies thereafter indicating cooling or no change. This erroneous data has been supported by BBC (2013) and Pittock (2009) who observe that the atmosphere does not behave as predicted by the models. The predictions of computer models

Mary Kay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mary Kay - Assignment Example One direct selling technique that was employed by Mary Kay was over-the-counter selling. After two financial years, direct sales from the two skin care products led to a 120% increase in the company’s revenue (Davies & Dewhirst, 2005). With respect to Mary Kay’s direct selling strategy, over-the-counter sales persons had to employ excellent interpersonal communication skills in enticing potential consumers to make purchases. Among the necessary requirements for Mary Kay’s direct sales persons included confidence, assertiveness, and persuasiveness (Davies & Dewhirst, 2005). In essence, most sales persons were skilled in expressing friendly demeanors and possessed in-depth knowledge on the products as a means of improving their art of persuasion. Admittedly, the 120% increase in Mar Kay’s revenue was attributable to the advantages of direct selling over other marketing strategies. Among the benefits of direct selling include enhanced customer satisfaction resulting from personalized product deliveries, and minimum marketing risks associated with positioning of products. Contrarily, direct selling strategies like those employed by Mary Kay possess certain setbacks which may include poor quality leads and inability to enhance repeat sales (Palade, 2011). Beauty Control TM is a results-oriented beauty product that allows consumers to get a clear skin within a minimum of only seven days. In essence, Beauty Control TM can be described as a new generation product that acts as a foundation for clear skin. As a new product in the market, the best marketing strategy to employ would be promotional marketing. Basically, promotional marketing entails the use of attractive sales techniques in enticing potential consumers, and influencing them to make purchases. Currently, there are multiple competitors within the beauty products market whose brand reputations are the main source of their competitive advantages in

The Welfare Principle in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Welfare Principle in the UK - Essay Example In which, the rights, powers, duties, responsibilities and authority of the parents are provided concerning their children. In addition to that, it enables the court to hear and make decisions about the welfare of the child. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 changed the law pertaining to the parental responsibility.2 For children born on or after 1 December 2003 [England and Wales], 4 May 2006 [Scotland] and15 April 2002 [Northern Ireland], both biological parents remain owners of the parental responsibility if they are registered on the birth certificate of the child [whether or not the parents are married]. Contact Order definition According to section 8(1) of the Children Act, a contact order means an order requiring the person with whom a child lives or is to live, to allow the child to visit or stay with the person named in the order, or for that person and the child otherwise to have contact with each other.3 However, in case of clash between the interests of the parents and t he interests of children, the interests of the child will be preferred as was stated by the Court of Appeal in Re P (Contact: Supervision) [1996] 2FLR 314 at p.328. What are the interests of a child that the court is going to protect? For example, the child does not have only physical needs and educational needs, but also requires emotional support in order to grow naturally and complete the cycle of mental and physical growth. If parents are only able to satisfy the physical and education needs, but not the emotional one, it would not be easy for the court to serve and protect the interests of the child due to a clash between the different interests. Even in this case, if the court grants the contact order, the court compromises on the emotional needs of the child. On the other hand, if the court does not entertain the contact order request from the parents, the court again fails to properly serve the interests of the child. In order to ascertain the interests of the parents and th e interests of the child, the court needs to consider the contact order factors that assist whether contact order should be made or not. They include: Above all, the court has to consider what they believe to be in the best interests of child and the welfare of the child remains the main priority. In this regard, the feelings and wishes of the child as far as can be ascertained and they must be considered in the light of the child’s mental level and understanding: There is no specific age bracket provided to ascertain the mental level of a child. If the child faces a very specific mental disorder and the doctors remain unsuccessful to highlight the impact of the mental disorder on the child’s main mind function, under that situation, the age consideration may become irrelevant. Even the court decision to issue a contact order will not be able to serve the main objective of the child welfare. The court is required to take into account the child’s emotional, physi cal and educational needs as well: For example, if parents want to nurture their child and they are financially in a position to fulfil the physical and educational needs of the child, but they are unable to satisfy the emotional needs of the child. There are no particular emotional needs mentioned in the Children Act 1989 that must be satisfied before granting a contact order. In addition, there are different types of emotions and

Reassuring aspects in the three stories Essay Example for Free

Reassuring aspects in the three stories Essay The aim of this essay is to explore the three texts (The Stolen Bacillus, Hop Frog, and The Adventure of the Speckled Band) and to consider which aspects of the three stories affect us, how they influence us, and why they cause concern or console, either disturbing or reassuring us. It is concluded that there are many disturbing and reassuring aspects in the stories dependant on the perspective one may adopt. The word disturbing means to agitate the mind, causing distress, worry, or anxiety. The word reassuring means to restore confidence and relieve anxiety. These two definitions will help me with my investigation by giving me a guideline to work with. To get an understanding as to why different writers may have written the way that they did, I will consider the background information of the period the author was writing in and any aspects which would affect his subject material and style of writing. H. G. Wells was writing at the end of the nineteenth century at a time where there was a rapid social and industrial change, and he had a personal interest in social justice, science and politics. This is reflected in his writing as there is the bacteriologist (relating to science) and the anarchist (pertaining to social justice and politics). These issues in his work would disturb a reader of Wells time because subjects such as the social and industrial changes would be on the readers minds, and therefore cause anxiety if he were to write about them in a negative way. Edgar Allan Poe was expelled from university for drunkenness and debt, and later court martialled from the army for drunkenness again. Poes association with alcohol in real life is reflected in his story which has many references to alcohol within it. These references would disturb readers because Poe would be able to write a distressing truth about the affects of alcohol, because he himself had experienced it, and he wrote at a time when the truth was censored from the public. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote at a time when the British had an empire in India, this is referred to in his story as Dr. Roylott went out to do a medical degree in Calcutta, and also served a prison sentence there. This would provide a factor in the story with which readers may be able to associate with, and would either disturb or reassure them depending on the way theyd previously felt about the empire in India, and how it is depicted in Doyles writing. The settings and surroundings of a story can be used to great consequence when enhancing the effect of a disturbing or reassuring aspect of a tale. Arthur Conan Doyle uses his description of Stoke Moran intelligently in order to increase the disturbing nature of the whole plot of the story. The author uses very gothic features in the Speckled Band. For example, there is reference to the middle ages as Dr. Roylott comes from one of the oldest Saxon families in England which is an illustration of one gothic feature. Another gothic trait is Stoke Morans gloomy setting, the writer depicts: from amid the branches there jutted out the gray gables and high roof tree of a very old mansion. A further gothic characteristic expressed in Doyles writing is the ventilator in Helens room. Secret passages and hidden doors are another common attribute of a gothic story, and the additional detail that the ventilator is mysteriously placed in an impractical position (what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another room, when, for the same trouble, he might have communicated with the outside air! ) gives it another gothic edge as mysteries were a very frequent mark of a gothic tale. In addition to Stoke Morans gothic nature, the fact that the whole place is isolated and has a gloomy history further emphasizes any disturbing aspects introduced by the author. Arthur Conan Doyles descriptions of Stoke Moran are a great example of a dramatic structure used to augment the effectiveness of the disturbing aspects of the storyline when they emerge. This is because Doyle firstly communicates with us subliminally about the disturbing aspects of his tale via his setting descriptions, therefore giving himself some foundations on which to build up a more effective impact on his reader when he wants to disturb them.

Impairment is a physical fact, but disability is a social construction

Impairment is a physical fact, but disability is a social construction Intro This essay will discuss disability as a socially constructed concept, as viewed from a historical viewpoint the first as a physical fact and the second as socially constructed condition. The manner by which this will done is to investigate disability from an historical viewpoint and the socially constructed viewpoint, this will concluded in an evaluation. Oliver (1996) defines impairment as lacking part of or all of a limb, or having a defective limb, organ or mechanism of the body. And disability as the disadvantage of activity (Oliver 1996:22). Barnes (1991) suggests that disability is a recently modern term used to describe a system in which society discriminates by enforcing social restrictions on people with impairments. It would be almost impossible to go back in time and identify when exactly society began to discriminate against people with impairments. Although it has been suggested that societys view of impairment and disability came about as a result of peoples psychological fear of the unknown. As the perception of what is normal is transmitted by accepted values and beliefs through learning and culture from other people in society. (Douglas, 1966) Historians have found evidence from ancient times that suggests different societies generated their own ideological thoughts through out history, about people who suffered impairment. In Israel a 46,000 year old skeleton of a man was found, which showed he was born with an impairment that would have required the support from his society through out his life. This individual had severe impairment and yet his survival was the result of respect from his society (Rudgley, 2000) however not all societies had the same ideological responses to impairment. An excavated burial site (c.100, 000BC) in Turkey demonstrated how an individual with a hunched back was dumped on a rubbish tip, instead of being buried the traditional way as society viewed him as an outcast. (Rudgley, 2000) giving an early example of someone with a physical impairment being isolated from society. It was during the industrialization of 19th century that an extreme policy of exclusion was envisioned by segregating people with impairments from society by placing them in institutions. The term institution is used to describe a number of social organisations that range from hospitals, asylums, workhouses and prisons that use organized long term provision in a residential setting with the emphasis being on care treatment or custody (Jones and Fowles, 1984) Institutions were first established to deal with the problem of mental defectives these were people with learning disabilities and mental illness. As previously Individuals who had severe impairments were taken into small medieval hospitals where the sick or bedridden were kept. The philosophy of these hospitals was religious based, seeking to care than to cure. (Skull, 1984) However this philosophy changed as the institutions were built with the belief that people with learning disabilities could be educated and trained and then let back in to society once rehabilitated. (Race,1995) As prior to industrialisation people with learning disabilities had managed to cope in society by doing simple manual work, as literacy and numeracy were only prerequisites of the higher classes. Until industrialization brought a faster work pace and created a new bourgeoisie based on a persons position in society and their individual attributes, (Hobsbawm 1962) resulting in the social exclusion of people with learning disabilities. (Skull 1979) Therefore capitalism was a way of controlling and giving discipline to individuals who could not obey the rules of new working practices. Therefore to enforce greater control there was a increase in institutions and asylums (Skull, 1979) there was an increasing fear that people with learning disabilities were contributing to the degeneration of society, therefore the regimes within the institutions were in place to contain people than reform them. The reason for people with learning disabilities being segregated from people in society was through the negative image given by labelling that resulted in stigmatisation. As in the first half of the century people classed as learning disabled were labelled idiot (very severe) imbecile (severe) feebleminded (less severe) other derogatory labels used were moron and moral defective. Even at the present time people with learning disabilities are still being stigmatised through labelling, that resulted from the past. As the term mental handicap to classify people with learning disabilities gives the illusion of mental illness, and the term handicap gives an image of a person with a cap in their hand begging and depending on the charity of others. The terms idiot and imbecile are labels still used to describe people in language used today. Indeed it was not the view that people with learning disabilities were a financial burden to society that was seen as a threat, but the way that they b red and spread the ills of society that caused concern for people. As it was believed that people who referred to as feebleminded were the cause of many problems in society such as prostitution, alcoholism and crime. It was this negative image of labelling learning disabilities that would lead the way for the science of eugenics. (Borsay, 2005) It is Francis Galton (1883) who is recognized as being the founding father of eugenics, which was defined as a science of improving inborn human qualities through selective breeding. (Galton, 1883) this meant only the most desirable people in society were allowed to procreate. This idea was to prove popular with social thinkers and politicians of the time and attracted approval from many people in society. Policies were made as a result and one such policy was that sterilizing or segregating people with learning difficulties was much lower than, the higher cost that society would accrue in supporting generations of defectives in the future. (Larson,1995) showing how easy it was for social policy makers to be persuaded into making policies based on welfare costs with little regard on how it would effect people with learning disabilities . (Porter 2000) Even the nazi doctors under Hitlers command committed genocide by measuring disabled peoples lives in term of economic importance. (Burleigh 1994) Medical professionals took part in the operation of the Nazi eugenic programmes (Lifton, 1986) that lead to people with impairments being sterilized against their wishes and resulted in the death of 2000,000 to 275,000 the majority of which had learning disabilities. (burleig 1994) Pfeifler (2000) argues that even at present, the classifications of the medical model in disability still occupy the eugenic agenda (Priestly) As ground breaking advances in science and medicine gave medical professions the power to dictate in the lives of people with impairments. With Genetic screening being seen as favorable in choice and cost effective, as the cost of genetic screening and abortion is cheaper to perform than the long term cost of supporting people with defective impairments. (Vintzileos et al, 1998) The medical model has been highly influential on setting the parameters for how people with impairments were treated by society. As Chernovsky (1997) states that research carried out into intelligence was one way in which psychologists helped maintain the status quo in society, by creating social inequality. This can be seen in the intelligence tests that were used to decide whether an individual was incapable of living in society. These tests made little attempt at assessing an individuals capabilities, by getting the individual to distinguish the difference between a fly and butterfly or how many feathers were on a chicken or how many miles it was to America (National Council for Civil Liberties, 1951; Potts and Fido, 1991) this test made sure that the doctor could certify the individual as being incapable and institutionalise them for not being able to answer. In the second half of the century a transformation came about that changed how society viewed a person with learning disabilities. During the 1950s the effects of war and polio epidemics highlighted the inequalities faced by people with disabilities, this led to the development and campaigning of human and rights movements as well as policies to combat these inequalities, including the European Convention of Human Rights 1950. Sociological studies were carried out and gave evidence to show that people with learning disabilities who had been lock away in institutions away from society, did have intellectual and social capabilities necessary to live in the community and that institution life was blocking this ability. (Race,1995) Tizard and OConnor (1952) discovered from their research that people with learning disabilities living in institutions who had been previously labelled as being unemployable did have the essential skills required to complete a job in a work environment. Clarke and Clarke (1959) found evidence that the environment had an effect on a persons performance, and the poor conditions inside institutions had a bad effect on the people living within them. Goffman coined the term total institutions to describe where people are cut off from the offside world and from family and friends. Procedures involve calling people inmates and humiliating them by removing their personal identity and by using a system of punishments and rewards. As well showing that people behave in accordance to label assigned to them, if people are labelled deviant, they will become deviant, and this in turn reinforces the beliefs up held by society about people with learning disabilities. The studies showed the damaging effects that institutions had on the development of the individual and in the 1960s a number of academic reports were published that detailed findings of research carried out into the conditions of institutions. The most renowned of these was the Report of the Committee of Enquiry into Ely Hospital (Howe Report, 1969). The report described the impoverished and neglected living conditions, as well as lack of privacy that people with learning disabilities suffered from under the custodial regime carried out by staff. Due to public opinion the above reports resulted in a change in the law, the new Mental Health Act (1959) changed the certified term mental deficiency to mental subnormality this meant that most people with learning disabilities who were not being detained for a legitimate reason were free to leave and could return to the community. (Clarke 1983) The introduction of White Paper Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped in 1971 led to a 50% reduction in hospital places by 1991 and led to the provision of local authority-based residential and day care. It also called for an end to custodial methods of care in hospitals and recommended the re-training of hospital staff. In 1979, The Jay Report re-emphasised the need for local authority-led care and, importantly, a service philosophy based on the principles of normalisation. In the 1980s, this was redefined as social role valorisation to include reference to strategies used in the creation, support and defence of valued social roles for people at risk of devaluation (Wolfensberger, 1998). In the UK, the principles of normalisation adopted were those interpreted by OBrien and Tyne (1981) as the five service accomplishments. These have become the developmental goals which organisations then and now strive towards A new philosophy was constructed that emphasised care in the community this change resulted in the closure of all the old asylums. Community care was designed to bring about positive changes, these were governmental values aimed at allowing people with learning disabilities to live on their own, in their neighbourhood with services to support them. The government hoped to develop community based services made up of day centres, supported accommodation, support workers, training and employment, these services were to help people with learning disabilities be included into society. The development of care in the community was result of reforms introduced by the Conservative government

A Language Barrier Essay example -- Personal Narrative

A Language Barrier From my experience, bilingual education was a disadvantage during my childhood. At the age of twelve, I was introduced into a bilingual classroom for the first time. The crowded classroom was a combination of seventh and eighth grade Spanish-speaking students, who ranged from the ages of twelve to fifteen. The idea of bilingual education was to help students who weren’t fluent in the English language. The main focus of bilingual education was to teach English and, at the same time, teach a very basic knowledge of the core curriculum subjects: Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. Unfortunately, bilingual education had academic, psychological, and social disadvantages for me. A disadvantage is something that makes a situation worse or that makes somebody less effective. This is exactly what happened to me when I was part of bilingual education. Instead of learning challenging material, I was presented with material I already had learned when I was younger. English was never spoken in the classroom. Instead, different Spanish accents were heard: Colombian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, among others. I was labeled a â€Å"bilingual kid.† As a result, I couldn’t be part of the â€Å"regular kids’† groups. Therefore, I had to reinforce my family language and traditions instead of assimilating into the American culture. All these situations were disadvantages that played against the development of my education. The academic disadvantage was a delay in learning the English language. The crowded classroom had thirty to thirty-five students who came from a variety of Latin American nations. As a result, I used to speak Spanish with them. I didn’t want to make mistakes using incorrect words. Also... ...ents, and my English problem. I didn’t even have control of my own identity at that point. In the bilingual classroom my education depended upon the teachers and the system. I couldn’t express my viewpoints to faculty members like I do now in college. For instance, in college when I need help in a certain class, I can just go and talk to the professor or even to my counselor. Unfortunately, in grammar school, I didn’t know how to talk about the situation. As a result, in college I have been determined to change my study habits and take back control of my identity because I see how a student cannot survive with inefficient study habits. I realize now that, as a child, I was disadvantaged in many ways. Today, I have to be prepared to do extra to make up for a poor educational background by spending more time studying, focusing on school, and controlling my life.

The U.s School System :: essays research papers

When one is a student, it is ever so simple to criticize the way that schools are conducted. The ideas of students towards their schools may be somewhat misguided by their varied emotions and attitudes for their school. However I believe that my thought out reforms for the American school system, are not only objective, but valid.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For many students, going to school is more than just part of the daily routine. A lot of students see their role in school as a stepping stone not only to their future life, but to their future success. Some people in the school however do not even feel the slightest bit of pressure to do well in school. These people are satisfied with mediocrity. Possibly even worse, some are careless towards not only their on education, but neglectful towards the schooling of others. I think that such students who are not only disruptive, but destructive, should not be dealt with such a severity, that they will either realize the error of their ways or that they do not belong in a public school. Through my few years in high school, I have noticed some students who are always breaking rules. And for some of these students, they are so regularly in trouble that the standards for their behavior is lessened , being permitted to break small rules because the standard for their behavi or is lessened. This is a excellent example, why I believe in not only stern punishment, but set disciplinary action. A student should not be allowed the chance to break rules simply because that is just the way they are. Their bad habits will never be corrected, when they are not expected to act properly   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I haven't really had a great relationship with teachers, in the sense that I felt that they were able to give me good one on one assistance if needed. This however is not the fault of the teacher. Cities have a problem of expanding without planning. Oviedo for example, is possibly going to be a prominent city in the state of Florida. Even now, we are starting to see a major boom in not only population but development. I am not sure however, that I can say that the city is correctly planning for this development, if at all. Roads will need to be widened. Irrigation, and sanitation will need to be carefully managed.