The Great Depression Essays - U.S. Route 66, Dust Bowl, Great Plains

The Great Depression Essays - U.S. Route 66, Dust Bowl, Great Plains The Great Depression Though most Americans are aware of the Great Depression of 1929, which may well be "the most serious problem facing our free enterprise economic system", few know of the many Americans who lost their homes, life savings and jobs. This paper briefly states the causes of the depression and summarizes the vast problems Americans faced during the eleven years of its span. This paper primarily focuses on what life was like for farmers during the time of the Depression, as portrayed in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, and tells what the government did to end the Depression. In the 1920's, after World War 1, danger signals were apparent that a great Depression was coming. A major cause of the Depression was that the pay of workers did not increase at all. Because of this, they couldn't afford manufactured goods. While the factories were still manufacturing goods, Americans weren't able to afford them and the factories made no money (Drewry and O'connor 559). Another major cause related to farmers. Farmers weren't doing to well because they were producing more crops and farm products than could be sold at high prices. Therefore, they made a very small profit. This insufficient profit wouldn't allow the farmers to purchase new machinery and because of this they couldn't produce goods quick enough (Drewry and O'connor 559). A new plan was created called the installment plan. This plan was established because many Americans didn't have enough money to buy goods and services that were needed or wanted. The installment plan stated that people could buy products on credit and make monthly payments. The one major problem with this idea was that people soon found out that they couldn't afford to make the monthly payment(Drewry and O'connor 559). In 1929 the stock market crashed. Many Americans purchased stocks because they were certain of the economy. People started selling their stocks at a fast pace; over sixteen million stocks were sold! Numerous stock prices dropped to fraction of their value. Banks lost money from the stock market and from Americans who couldn't pay back loans. Many factories lost money and went out of business because of this great tragedy (Drewry and O'connor By the 1930's, thirteen million workers lost their jobs which is 25 percent of all workers. The blacks and unskilled workers were always the first to be fired. Farmers had no money and weren't capable of paying their mortgages. Americans traveled throughout the country looking for a place to work to support themselves and their family (Drewry and O'connor 560-561). John Steinbeck, born in 1902, grew up during the Depression near the fertile Salinas Valley and wrote many books of fiction based on his background and experiences during that time and area of the country. One of his great works would be the Grapes of Wrath In this book, Steinbeck describes the farmers plight during the Great Depression and drought. When the rains failed to come, the grass began to disappear. As the farmers watched their plants turn brown and the dirt slowly turn to dust they began to fear what was to come. In the water-cut gullies the earth dusted down in dry little streams. As the sharp sun struck day after day, the leaves of the young corn became less stiff and erect; then it was June and the sun shone more fiercely. The brown lines on the corn leaves widened and moved in on the central ribs. The weeds frayed and edged back toward their roots. The air was thin and the sky more pale; and every day the earth paled. (qtd. Steinbeck 2-3). The farmers worst fears were realized when their corn and other crops began to die. The dust became so bad they had to cover their mouths with handkerchiefs so they could breath (Steinbeck 3- When the drought hit the Great Plains and the soil turned to dust, many farmers moved to California because they could no longer farm their land(Drewry and O'Connor 561). The drought began to affect other parts of the country. In 1930, Virginia's belt of fertile land dried up. Ponds, streams, and springs all dried up and the great Mississippi River water level

Analysis of the novel, A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Analysis of the novel, 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' A Good Man Is Hard to Find, first published in 1953, is among the most famous stories by Georgia writer Flannery OConnor. OConnor was a staunch Catholic, and like most of her stories, A Good Man Is Hard to Find wrestles with questions of good and evil and the possibility of divine grace. Plot A grandmother is traveling with her family (her son Bailey, his wife, and their three children) from Atlanta to Florida for a vacation. The grandmother, who would prefer to go to East Tennessee, informs the family that a violent criminal known as The Misfit is loose in Florida, but they do not change their plans. The grandmother secretly brings her cat in the car. They stop for lunch at Red Sammys Famous Barbecue, and the grandmother and Red Sammy commiserate that the world is changing and a good man is hard to find. After lunch, the family begins driving again and the grandmother realizes they are near an old plantation she once visited. Wanting to see it again, she tells the children that the house has a secret panel and they clamor to go. Bailey reluctantly agrees. As they drive down a rough dirt road, the grandmother suddenly realizes that the house she is remembering is in Tennessee, not Georgia. Shocked and embarrassed by the realization, she accidentally kicks over her belongings, releasing the cat, which jumps onto Baileys head and causes an accident. A car slowly approaches them, and The Misfit and two young men get out. The grandmother recognizes him and says so. The two young men take Bailey and his son into the woods, and shots are heard. Then they take the mother, the daughter, and the baby into the woods. More shots are heard. Throughout, the grandmother pleads for her life, telling The Misfit she knows hes a good man and entreating him to pray. He engages her in a discussion about goodness, Jesus, and crime and punishment. She touches his shoulder, saying, Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children! but The Misfit recoils and shoots her. Defining Goodness The grandmothers definition of what it means to be good is symbolized by her very proper and coordinated traveling outfit. OConnor writes: In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady. The grandmother is clearly concerned with appearances above all else. In this hypothetical accident, she worries not about her death or the deaths of her family members, but about strangers opinions of her. She also demonstrates no concern for the state of her soul at the time of her imagined death, but we think thats because shes operating under the assumption that her soul is already as pristine as her navy blue straw sailor hat with a bunch of white violets on the brim. She continues to cling to superficial definitions of goodness as she pleads with The Misfit. She entreats him not to shoot a lady, as if not murdering someone is just a question of etiquette. And she reassures him that she can tell hes not a bit common, as if lineage is somehow correlated with morality. Even The Misfit himself knows enough to recognize that he aint a good man, even if he aint the worst in the world neither. After the accident, the grandmothers beliefs begin to fall apart just like her hat, still pinned to her head but the broken front brim standing up at a jaunty angle and the violet spray hanging off the side. In this scene, her superficial values are revealed as ridiculous and flimsy. OConnor tells us that as Bailey is led into the woods, the grandmother: reached up to adjust her hat brim as if she were going to the woods with him, but it came off in her hand. She stood staring at it, and after a second, she let it fall on the ground. The things she has thought were important are failing her, falling uselessly around her, and she now has to scramble to find something to replace them. A Moment of Grace? What she finds is the idea of prayer, but its almost as if shes forgotten (or never knew) how to pray. OConnor writes: Finally, she found herself saying, Jesus, Jesus, meaning, Jesus will help you, but the way she was saying it, it sounded as if she might be cursing. All her life, she has imagined that she is a good person, but like a curse, her definition of goodness crosses the line into evil because it is based on superficial, worldly values. The Misfit may openly reject Jesus, saying, Im doing all right by myself, but his frustration with his own lack of faith (It aint right I wasnt there) suggests that hes given Jesus a lot more thought than the grandmother has. When faced with death, the grandmother mostly lies, flatters, and begs. But at the very end, she reaches out to touch The Misfit and utters those rather cryptic lines, Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children! Critics disagree on the meaning of those lines, but they could possibly indicate that the grandmother finally recognizes the connectedness among human beings. She may finally understand what The Misfit already knows- that there is no such thing as a good man, but that there is good in all of us and also evil in all of us, including in her. This may be the grandmothers moment of grace- her chance at divine redemption. OConnor tells us that her head cleared for an instant, suggesting that we should read this moment as the truest moment in the story. The Misfits reaction also suggests that the grandmother may have hit upon divine truth. As someone who openly rejects Jesus, he recoils from her words and her touch. Finally, even though her physical body is twisted and bloody, the grandmother dies with her face smiling up at the cloudless sky as if something good has happened or as if she has understood something important. A Gun to Her Head At the beginning of the story, The Misfit starts out as an abstraction for the grandmother. She doesnt really believe theyll encounter him; shes just using the newspaper accounts to try to get her way. She also doesnt really believe that theyll get into an accident or that shell die; she just wants to think of herself as the kind of person whom other people would instantly recognize as a lady, no matter what. It is only when the grandmother comes face to face with death that she begins to change her values. (OConnors larger point here, as it is in most of her stories, is that most people treat their inevitable deaths as an abstraction that will never really happen and, therefore,  dont give enough consideration to the afterlife.) Possibly the most famous line in all of OConnors work is The Misfits observation, She would have been a good woman [†¦] if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life. On the one hand, this is an indictment of the grandmother, who always thought of herself as a good person. But on the other hand, it serves as final confirmation that she was, for that one brief epiphany at the end, good.

Libraries around the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Libraries around the world - Essay Example One can see this in the Reading Room of the Richelieu site, which does not have any walls at all. Other design elements such as the choice of furniture, decoration, lighting, etc. have to complement this principle. This is true across all library designs. Modern libraries, like those found in the United States, would integrate glass wall panels in keeping with the emphasis on space. The only difference is the attempt of library designers to integrate the cultural elements that represent the community where a library is situated. In some countries like the United Kingdom, library design and evolution is closely tide with the education tradition. Nonetheless, designing it is not unlike the way churches are built. The design and structure of church buildings reflect the values, beliefs and spiritual within a community it is built for. This is the same with libraries. In addition, as library holds some philosophical and cultural symbolisms, they assert their own informational, ideological and even nationalistic

Car Air bag Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Car Air bag - Assignment Example Often dubbed as the life savers. They have done so over period of time. In the land transport, air bag invention came about in form of a reaction to an accident. When on a routine day a veteran industrial engineer met with an accident and he decided to find the solution to it and make the road driving more secure. Prior to this, fighter jets had used similar form of material in World War 2(Toedt, Koza et al, 2005). In pursuit of his safety concerns, he came up with the idea of air bags for the passengers’ safety in case of any accident. This was year 1953 when the concept was introduced (Hutchinson, p136, 2009). Although the commercial usage and implementation was couple of years away but this was the foundation step towards the ever dependable part of almost all vehicles in years to come. Over period of time various changes have taken place in form of improvements in the structure, working and performance of the air bags. The modern air bags are more effective and reliable. I n pursuit of safety for drivers and passengers, various measures were taken into consideration and the possibility of air bag was also given a thought. After its implementation, over years of research has shown that the air bags reduce the chances of serious mishap, damage to critical body parts and subsequent death by nearly 30 percent (Congress, 1997). Working The positioning of air bags have taken different places, at one time they were part of the side doors, with time improvement in its designs have also taken place and nowadays they are hidden inside the front body and appear only in times of severe jolt suffered by the car in cases of accidents. The bag pops up between the passenger and the steering of the car. It brings about the inertia in to control and either nullifies or minimizes the movement of the driver in order to reduce the impact to almost minimum and at the same time providing a soft punch to the passenger. Components The air bag consists of number of components, namely the bag itself which is constituent of nylon; it is accompanied by the most important part, the sensor or the trigger. The sensor creates a trigger like effect and it is based on the principle of determining the stress exerted and then it pushes the bag outside to bring it ahead of the steering. Source: (Ozzie, 2012) The triggering effect is created by the chemical components like potassium nitrate and others which inject energy in to the punch bag and subject to the external pressure, bursts right into the face. It also contains nitrogen gas that is sufficiently powerful enough to create an impact when needed. The response time needed by air bags need to be highly accurate and they must respond within milliseconds. Triggering can be either electrical or mechanical in nature. The modern bags are mostly electrical in nature that are equipped and established through electric circuitry. The circuit breaking results in explosion of the air bag. While the mechanical trigger rely on the inertia and minimizing of movement and impact. In the mechanical case, the bag does not rely on the circuitry. The mechanical form of triggering is equally efficient to the electrical triggering. The good thing about its architectural design is the presence of diagnosis kit. Which self checks the performance and proper functioning of the bag and its components. Different types of Airbags The air bags come fitted in different forms. Some are placed inside the

Communication Essay Example for Free

Communication Essay Communication is an important part of human interactions; in fact, its peculiarity in humans contributes largely to our differences from animals and other primates. It is the soul of human existence, the pillar of progress and brain field of every civilization. Successful relationships are initiated and sustained at the altar of effective communication skills. The crux of every culture is communication It has various forms; this is what has further equipped us with the ability of explore nature to discover treasures and develop our ever-changing world. These forms include verbal communication, communication by signals, symbols, and styles. Of these forms, oral communication is commonest and crucial; it informs the use of languages and symbols. There are three purposes of oral communication message: to inform, to persuade and to entertain. Information is power; it is the impetus that has drawn progresses in the world and it has contributed also to the evils of wars and leadership mishaps. Oral communication message is useful to bring a data or information to bear for others to become aware of it. It increases awareness and knowledge base. The second purpose is to persuade: this is also important in every human interaction. Motivation is a key weapon in business which great entrepreneurs posses and transfer to their workers/employees. It is a driving force that can best be put into use by spoken words. A vivid understanding of the human nature and life proves that persuasion is crucial to our survival, and more importantly for every business enterprise. The last purpose is simply to entertain. The three are synchronous, as an oral communication message can inform, positive, negative or neutral. It can also be persuasive. While the latter may be serious, oral messages can be used for relaxation. Scenario: an entrepreneur discovers the possibility the enlarging the coast of the business by solving an identified business problem. He informs his research managers and market analysts to undertake a survey of the market status to confirm the possibility. Report is produced and other employees are informed of the new development. The Chief executive officer calls a meeting and informs management and staff. He motivates them to the new challenge and how every one is important to achieve the expansion. Even while he presents the report and motivates the workers, he also cracks jokes, a form of entertainment.

Industrial Revolution as a Time of Change Essay -- Industrial Revoluti

Industrial Revolution as a Time of Change The Industrial Revolution was a time of drastic change that transformed hand tools and hand made items to machine manufactured and produced goods. Inventions brought on the most drastic changes during the Industrial Revolution. Machines made life much easier while decreasing prices of goods and generally improving life. (mhirotsu.htm). Before the 1750's, life was primitive but simple, which is vastly different from the complex culture that arose from the Industrial Revolution. Before the first Industrial Revolution, England's economy was based upon its cottage industry. The workers would purchase raw materials from merchants, take them back to their cottages, and at home is where the goods were produced. This was usually owned and managed by one or few people. This industry was efficient, but due to the fact that productivity was low, it make the prices high. The longer the it took to create the product, the higher the cost. Goods were expensive, and in turn only wealthy people could afford them. (mhirotsu.htm). The Industrial Revolution was based mainly upon the Cotton Industry , for most of the inventions created during that period were mainly for making and producing cotton. "In the year 1773, there was a high demand for cotton cloth, but the production was low" (mhirtostu.htm). This problem needed to be solved. The solution came from John Kay, a British weaver, who invented and fashioned the flying shuttle, which cut weaving time in half. John Kay was also a pioneer, and his new invention paved the way for many more inventors. At first, workers did not accept the machines, and in numerous cases many inventions were destroyed, but the inevitable was unst... ... brought on many new adjustments in peoples lives. The factory system was a reliable way to lower prices on goods, but the quality of the worker's lives declined. Women and children were required to work long, hard hours, and as a result, many people became sick and developed diseases. With time, the workers became aware of their potential rights, many got together to form Labor Unions. Different groups gave rights to workers and gave them the power to strike. "As more and more laws were enforced regarding the working schedule, working conditions improved and the factory system began to blossom" (change.html). Throughout the Industrial Revolution, many new inventions and machines were created and many advances were made. The revolution was a massive turning point in history, and from then on, tremendous progress evolved creating the society we live in today.

Postpartum Hemorrhage Essay

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a significantly life-threatening complication that can occur after both vaginal and caesarean births (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Simpson and Creehan (2008) define PPH as the amount of blood loss after vaginal birth, usually more than 500mL, or after a caesarean birth, normally more than 1000mL. However, the definition is arbitrary, attributed to the fact that loss of blood during birth is intuitive and widely inaccurate (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). In line with this, studies have suggested that health care providers consistently underestimate actual blood loss, thus, an objective definition of PPH would be any amount of bleeding that exposes a mother in hemodynamic jeopardy (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Currently, PPH is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, and it is estimated that, over 150, 000 women, die of the complication annually (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Causes of Postpartum Hemorrhage Excessive bleeding can occur at any time between the separation of the placenta and its expulsion or removal, and in tandem to this, there are different facets that cause PPH (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). PPH can amount from uterine atony, failure of the uterus to contract and retract after birth (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Uterine atony is the most common cause of PPH, accounting for 70% of cases (Sheiner, 2011), and it is usually delineated by a marked hypotonia of the uterus (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). In addition, uterine atony is likely to occur when the uterus is over distended, depicted through polyhydramnios, multiple gestations, and macrosomia (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Other factors that induce uterine atony encompass; traumatic birth, halogenated anaesthesia, lengthened labour, induction or augmentation of labour, intraamniotic infection, tocolytics, and multiparity (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Sheiner (2011) also affirms that trauma is a significant cause of PPH, and it is typically associated with vaginal or birth canal lacerations and uterine rupture. Vaginal delivery can amount to varying asperity of vaginal, perineum-region between the genital organs and anus-, and cervix lacerations (Sheiner, 2011). Similarly, lacerations secondary to birth trauma may occur more frequently with operative vaginal birth, through the aid of forceps or vacuum (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). The lesions can lead to a concealed retroperitoneal or suprafascial hematomas, which inevitably leads to significant but unnoticed blood loss (Sheiner, 2011). On the other hand, uterine rapture is also a form of birth trauma that can effectively amount to life-threatening PPH, as well, it is a rare obstetrical complication, with incidence of approximately 0. 6 -0. 7 % in cases of a trial of vaginal birth after caesarean section (Sheiner, 2011). Uterine rupture can become symptomatic during the postpartum period manifesting as abdominal tenderness and maternal hemodynamic collapse (Sheiner, 2011). Another cause of PPH is retained placenta, which is primarily associated with a mean duration of the third stage of labour (8-9 minutes), and Sheiner (2011) attests that longer intervals of the third stage of labour, poses as a great risk of PPH, with double the rate after ten minutes. Further, retained placental parts interpose and interfere with uterine contractions and may either cause early or late PPH (Sheiner, 2011). In conjunction to this, coagulation disorder is also a cause of PPH. It is a rare disorder that accounts only for one percent of cases (Sheiner, 2011). Other causes of PPH include; episiotomy, uterine inversion and hematomas of the vulva, which are also associated with muscle tones, tissues, stress and thrombosis (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Clinical Presentation and Risk Factors PPH may be divided into two presentations; early PPH, which normally occurs before 24 hours, and late PPH, which usually takes place between 24 hours and six weeks (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Moreover, symptoms of PPH vary according to the quantity and the rate of blood loss, as well as the general condition of the mother (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). The sign and symptoms of PPH include; the apparent excessive bleeding, hematocrit-reduction of the number of red blood cells, reduced blood pressure, development of symptoms of shock and anaemia, and severe pain and swelling of tissues and muscles of the vagina, vulva, pelvic and perineum (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Besides, Ricci & Kyle (2009) avow that there are different factors that place a mother at risk for PPH, and they comprise; prolonged first, second or third stage of labour, previous history of PPH, foetal macrosomia, uterine infection, arrest of descent and multiple gestation. Other risk factors may include; mediolateral episiotomy, coagulation abnormalities, maternal hypertension, maternal exhaustion, malnutrition or anaemia, preeclampsia, precipitous birth, polyhydramnios and previous placenta previa (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Diagnosis and Assessment The principal mode of diagnosis is a differential diagnosis, and it includes a plethora of facets; bleeding from implantation site, which may be due to uterine atony, with predisposing factors such as infections, and retained placenta or abnormal placentation (Sheiner, 2011). Coagulation disorders and trauma are also essential facets considered during diagnosis (Sheiner, 2011). Conventionally, there are different methods used for the estimation of blood loss during diagnosis, and they are majorly classified as clinical and quantitative methods (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Clinical method remains the primary means to diagnose the magnitude of bleeding and to direct interventional therapy in obstetric practice (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). On the other hand, quantitative diagnosis entails visual assessment, which is relatively, cheap, straightforward and a standard method of observation used for measurement of blood loss (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). However, the method has a lot of inaccuracy and variation from one care-giver to another, and this is usually corrected through correlations of results obtained with clinical signs (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). In light with this, assessment is also remarkably essential, and medical history available in the prenatal record can be assessed for previous bleeding disorders in order to assist the nurse in identification of risk factors for obstetrical precursors to hemorrhage (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Further, assessment of the woman who is bleeding begins with careful evaluation of the quantity and colour of blood loss (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Bright red vaginal bleeding suggests active bleeding, and dark brown blood may indicate past blood loss (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Moreover, character of the uterine activity, presence of abdominal pain, stability of maternal signs, and foetal status, also constitute the critical processes of evaluation (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Treatment and Management Simpson and Creehan (2008) attest that the key goals of treatment and management of PPH embraces the need for stopping hemorrhage, correction of hypovolemia and homeostasis, identification of risk factors, and eventually treatment of hemorrhage and the underlying causes. Recognition of PPH requires immediate action that combines diagnostic measures with established maternal resuscitation efforts (Sheiner, 2011). Effective and successful treatment also necessitates an interdisciplinary team approach that is indispensible for life saving (Sheiner, 2011). Therapeutic management is one of the central treatment methods used in offering remedy to PPH (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). It involves and focuses on the underlying causes of the hemorrhage (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). In cases where uterine atony is the causative factor, the first step of treatment of PPH involves the evaluation of the uterus to determine if it is firmly contracted (Simpson & Creehan, 2008), thereafter, there is the incorporate uterine massage, and the use of uterotonic drugs such as oxytocin, ergot alkaloids and prostaglandins (Sheiner, 2011; Simpson & Creehan, 2008). When retained placental fragments are the cause, the fragments are separated and removed manually, and then a uterine stimulant is given to promote the uterus to expel fragments (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Similarly, antibiotics are always administered to prevent infections and lacerations are sutured or repaired to prevent excessive bleeding (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). In addition, there is the use of desmopressin drug, a synthetic form of vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) in reducing PPH (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). The drug stimulates the release of the stored factor VIII and von Willebrand factor from the lining of the blood vessels, which in turn increases platelet adhesiveness and shortens bleeding time (Ricci & Kyle, 2009). Other forms of medical management involve uterine packing, ligation of blood vessels-uterine, ovarian, and hypogastric arteries-, arterial embolization and bimanual compression (Simpson & Creehan, 2008). Conclusion Concisely, postpartum hemorrhage describes a mother or a woman who is experiencing or is on the verge of experiencing acute blood loss. As stated, the condition is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide attributed to its detrimental complication. Nevertheless, with the introduction of the various diagnoses, assessment, treatment and management methods, the condition can be corrected and loss of lives prevented. It is also advisable that individuals should be conversant with this condition, and visits to the clinics should be more frequent for pregnant women, so as to arrest and prevent such complications. ?

Does violence on televison lead to violence in real life? Essay

The debate on television violence has been on going for many years now and has produced a wide and varied set of views and research results. Many well established psychologists have attempted, through various types of experiments and observations, to either support or negate a link between violence on television and the violent episodes in â€Å"real† life. These sets of data have thrown up some interesting views and personal conclusions regarding the subject of television violence, and we will show the varying views and conclusions that some of these psychologists have reached; and by using a respected and well known system we will try to show the views of a small section of our community. Previous research into the link between violence and television Over the years numerous psychologists have produced thousands of experiments and or research to support or negate the link between violence and television. In 1987 a psychologist named Cumberbatch produced data on the actual amounts of violence found to be in British television programmes. He concluded that 30% of the programmes contained some form of violence, with an overall frequency of 1. 14 violent acts per programme and 1. 68 violent acts per hour. Each act of violence lasted an average 25 seconds leading to violence occupying just over 1% of total television airtime. His research showed that in 26% of violent acts death occurred, but in 61% no injuries were shown and the victim was portrayed as being in pain or stunned. In 83% of cases, no blood was shown as a result of a violent act, and considerable blood and gore occurred in only 0. 2% of cases. Cumberbatch also revealed that most perpetrators of violent acts were more likely to be portrayed as â€Å"baddies† rather than â€Å"goodies†, and violence occurred twice as frequently in law breaking than in law-upholding contexts. His research, although neither for or against violence on television, gives us an idea of the amount of violence on television we are exposed to. Howitt and Cumberbatch in 1974 analysed 300 studies of television violence and it’s direct effect on children’s behaviour, they played down the link between television violence and the children’s behaviour. A further study into the relationships between the media and violence carried out by Eron 1987and Phillips 1986 found a different conclusion. They concluded that a positive correlation between the amount of aggression viewed at 8 and later aggression at 30 could be seen. George Gerbner (1989) researched television and its influences on human behaviour and said: † Television influences human behaviour because there are â€Å"routes† or mechanisms whereby the content of television can have an effect on what we do, and how we act. Thus, part of televisions influence comes about because of how we learn (by observation and imitation), because of how we respond to certain kinds of story material (arousal/desensitisation), and because of the structure of our inhibitions and the way television provides the kind of stimulation necessary to release them (disinhibition). I called these behavioural mechanisms, because for the most part the influence was shown on some activity† (p128 The Psychology of Television) Aletha Huston (university of Kansas 1989) studied the effects of television violence on children’s behaviour and stated: † Children who watch violent television programmes, even ‘just funny’ cartoons, were more likely to hit out at their playmates, argue, disobey class rules, leave tasks unfinished, and were less willing to wait for things than those who watched the non violent programmes. â€Å"(p 142 The Psychology of Television) We can see from the varying studies, different results and opinions of these psychologists just how hard it can be to support or negate a link between violence on television and in real life. How the questionnaires were prepared in class In a classroom environment we produced a questionnaire on peoples opinions relating to the link between television violence and real life. The class split into small groups of three or four and discussed possible questions to add to the questionnaire, trying to have a balance of pro television and anti television questions. The individual group questions were discussed and eight questions picked to make up the actual questionnaire, these questions consisted of four pro television and four anti television, the questions were set out so an anti television was followed by a pro television question. The obvious reason for the split into pro and anti television is to try and produce a questionnaire that will give the people taking part a non-biased set of alternate answers.

Stellers Sea Cow - Facts and Figures

Stellers Sea Cow - Facts and Figures Name: Stellers Sea Cow; also known as Hydrodamalis Habitat: Shores of the northern Pacific Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-200 years ago) Size and Weight: About 25-30 feet long and 8-10 tons Diet: Seaweed Distinguishing Characteristics: Enormous size; small, flexible head About Stellers Sea Cow Although its much less well known than the Dodo Bird or the Giant Moa, Stellers Sea Cow (genus name Hydrodamalis) shared the unfortunate fate of these famous birds. Widespread across the northern Pacific Ocean for hundreds of thousands of years, by the mid-18th century this giant, 10-ton ancestor of modern dugongs and manatees was restricted to the obscure Commander Islands. There, in 1741, a population of a thousand or so survivors was studied by the early naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who remarked on this megafauna mammals tame disposition, undersized head perched on an oversized body, and exclusive diet of kelp (a type of seaweed). You can probably guess what happened next. As soon as word of Stellers Sea Cow got out, various sailors, hunters and traders made it a point to stop over at the Commander Islands and bag themselves a few of these gentle beasts, which were valued for their fur, their meat, and most of all their whale-like oil, which could be used to fuel lamps. Within three decades, Stellers Sea Cow had breathed its last; fortunately, though, Steller himself bequeathed his studies of live specimens on future generations of paleontologists. (Its important to realize that Stellers Sea Cow had been on the decline for tens of thousands of years before Europeans arrived on the scene; according to one theory, early human settlers of the Pacific Basin overhunted sea otters, thus allowing the unchecked proliferation of sea urchins, which feasted on the same kelp as Hydrodamalis!) By the way, it may yet be possible for scientists to resurrect Stellers Sea Cow by harvesting scraps of its fossil DNA, under a controversial research program known as de-extinction.

When to Form a Plural with an Apostrophe

When to Form a Plural with an Apostrophe When to Form a Plural with an Apostrophe When to Form a Plural with an Apostrophe By Maeve Maddox This reader wants to know why we write 1980s and not 1980s. I understood that making text entities with non-letter characters into a plural form, you separate the s from the term with an apostrophe 1900s, Jones, Smiths, or Bang!s. Â  So, why no apostrophe with 1980s? A lot of writers share this readers understanding that non-letter characters are pluralized by adding apostrophe s. Alas. Alas, indeed. That pesky apostrophe raises a lot of blood pressure for writers of English. If I had my druthers, wed phase out altogether the use the apostrophe to form the possessive of nouns. What meaning would be lost if we wrote my mothers birthday, the cats tail or the cats tails? Teachers and editors could save their red ink for dealing with the apostrophe and plurals. NOTE: Ive received so many protests regarding these facetious remarks that I hereby withdraw them. We do need the apostrophe to form the possessive. Mea culpa, dear readers. I cant really answer the readers question. What I can do is lay out what the Chicago Manual of Style says about when to use an apostrophe and when not to. And it has a lot to say. Here are only some of the rules this style guide offers. Dont use an apostrophe to pluralize a proper name or other capitalized noun: Many Pakistanis have immigrated to the U.S. (not Pakistanis) Ill be occupied for the next three Thursdays. (not Thursdays) The Jeffersons live here. (not the Jeffersons) NOTE: The CMS suggests that if you want to pluralize an awkward name like Waters or Rogers, you may want to reword the sentence to avoid writing the Waterses or Rogerses. (or Maddoxes?) Dont use an apostrophe to pluralize a title: I have three Madame Bovarys and five Animal Farms. (Type the title in italics and the s in Roman face. When forming the plural of words and hyphenated phrases that arent nouns but are used as nouns sometimes you do and sometimes you dont: I want no ifs or buts. Here are the dos and donts of blogging. Ive written 25 thank-yous. BUT Im tired of all his maybes. DO NOT use an apostrophe to form the plural of capital letters used as words, abbreviations that contain no interior periods, and numerals used as nouns: the three Rs. the 1990s lengthy URLs NOTE: For the abbreviations p. (page), n. (note), and MS (manuscript), the plurals are pp., nn., and MSS And for you scientific types, special rules apply for the plural of SI symbols: No periods are used after any of the SI symbols for units, and the same symbols are used for both the singular and the plural. Most symbols are lowercased; exceptions are those that stand for units derived from proper names (A for ampere, etc.) and those that must be distinguished from similar lowercased forms. All units are lowercased in their spelled-out form except for degree Celsius (Â °C). For those of you who, like me, hadnt heard of SI symbols, youll find a list here. DO use the apostrophe to form the plural of an abbreviation that combines upper and lowercase letters or has interior periods: The department graduated five M.A.s and two Ph.D.s this year. NOTE: If you leave out the periods, you can write MAs but youd still have to write PhDs. DO use the apostrophe to form the plural of lowercase letters: Mind your ps and qs. DO NOT use the apostrophe to form the plural of capital letters: What the CMS actually says is Capital letters do not normally require an apostrophe in the plural. One could write a sentence like this without confusing a reader: You need to improve the formation of your Ts and Zs. But one might be tempted to reach for the apostrophes with a sentence like this: You need to improve the formation of your Ss, Is, and Us. And finallyDRUM ROLLour readers question about using an apostrophe with non-letter characters: DO NOT use an apostrophe to form the plural of a number: The 1920s were noted for excess. I bowled two 300s and two 238s. Source: Chicago Manual of Style, paragraphs 7.9, 7.12, 7,14, 7.15, 7.16, 7.65, 9.59. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterThe Writing ProcessUses of the Past Participle

Event Risk Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Event Risk Research Paper - Essay Example This multinational event can help to determine not only basic risk management needs for events, but also provides insight into the specialized problems and risks that come with sporting events that are held at a multinational level. Defining risk management for different events is one that is essential for the success of any event. The first aspect of this is known as quantitative risk management, which is understood by how much risk is at a specific event, as well as how different organizations should respond to this. Measuring the amount of risk through political and sociological concepts can provide a broader understanding of the preparation that needs to take place as well as how one can respond to this. Models that are known to assist with the risk management are able to create thresholds, which defines how much an organization needs to prepare without moving over the needed components of the models. The mixture of security measures that are taken are then able to create a better understanding of what is needed with the event to create an elimination of potential risks (McNeil et al, 7, 2005). To effectively reach the quantitative analysis of an event is the need to understand the various factors that create risk. For instance, if the event includes a multinational component, then this will need to be a part of the risk management process. By doing this, there will be the ability to create a strategic model that will affect the way that the event is approached. The risks will then define the event through the organizing committee, stakeholders of an event and the individuals that are participating in the event either as athletes or as audience members. Creating best practices that are a part of an event and making sure that safety, security and avoidance are a part of the risk management can help to create a different response from those that are

Cultural dversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural dversity - Essay Example One of the demographic changes in United States organization is the increase in immigration. The United States has a higher incidence of immigration than any other country in the world. For example, in 2002 alone, over a million people moved into the U.S from. Of these, the biggest percentage came from Mexico with China closely following. It is important for any organization to understand the effects of immigration. Immigration has the ability of changing a countrys demographic composition, thus affecting the culture. For any organization such as The American Red Cross, immigration serves to increase the amount supply of labor especially for less-skilled occupations. With the increased labor supply, the organization wages and salary policy is affected. The company would therefore, offer lower wages for employees in low-paying less-skilled occupations. Because of the job competition brought about by the immigrants, it is not a surprise to see the less educated workers having a negativ e view of the immigrants hence conflicts in the organization (Mankiw, 1998). Increase in the birthrate would also affect the organization in various ways. Currently, the US is experiencing a low birth rate across all races or ethnic groups. In recent decades, especially from 1990, the birth rate has registered a decline. For example, the birth rate for a Latina woman dropped from 3.0 in 1990 to 2.4 in 2010 (Lerman and Schmidt,1999, p.2). The other racial groups show similar results over the period. A future increase in birth rates will lead to an increase in population growth. A proportionate increase in the supply of the labor force accompanies such rapid population growth. This implies that the rate of job creation should match the rate of labor supply in United States. However, the rate of labor supply outstrips that of job creation. This shows that the quantity of individuals looking