Brazil vs. Costa Rica free essay sample

With the growing global concern for the environment, new products, industries, and sustainable practices have emerged across a number of industries. The industry of tourism on an international and domestic scale is no different. Over the past few decades, the global tourism industry has witnessed an immense increase in travel based on environmentally sound practices, devised to be sustainable . Travellers are becoming increasingly interested in natural environments, cultures, and adventures. For this new market segment activities such as wilderness viewing, wildlife observation and hiking/trekking opportunities have become more popular to a wider base of customers within the tourism and travel industry . This new form of tourism, also known as ecotourism, has also become an integral part of a number of country’s environmental and economic practices . According to Rual Goueva in his article Managing the Ecotourism Industry in Latin America:Challenges and Opportunities, ecotourism is a specific kind of tourism that â€Å"fosters, promotes, and acts as a catalyst for environmental protection †. We will write a custom essay sample on Brazil vs. Costa Rica or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is in his view that ecotourism strategies must pay a great deal of attention to the following: (1) economic development, (2) environmental protection, (3) cultural protection, (4) social development and, (5) political development. As a more sustainable form of tourism, ecotourism offers an alternative and highly effective means for developing and developed economies to blend their economies into the global economy and often â€Å"provides incentives to establish sustainable development strategies †. In summary, ecotourism should concentrate on efforts to maximize the benefits of tourism while minimizing the environmental, economic, political, social, and cultural impacts of tourism. Additionally, policies have to be devised to optimize the allocation of resources from ecoturism revenues to preserve and sustain the resource base. It is, however, important to note the lack of a homogeneous definition of eco-tourism activities within the tourism industry and thus difficult to assess its impacts. Under their functional definition, the World Tourism Organization/OMT concluded in 1998 that ecotourism represents about 2 to 4 percent of total global tourism. However, this percentage is estimated to be much larger as the industry has grown almost exponentially in the past few years and the share of ecotourism broadly defined as tourists that travel to observe and enjoy nature has been expanding steadily during the last decade. Another source with a similar functional definition, the International Ecotourism Society (TIES), estimated that ecotourism is expanding by 20% annually, compared with 7% expansion for the tourism industry as a whole. The specific segment of ecotourism generated around USD 154 billion in revenues for the year 2000 . Continuing, TIES also estimates that between 40%-60% of travel around the world is nature-related and that between 20%-40% of tourists are specifically wildlife related tourists . Furthermore, it should be noted that this segment of tourism can have profound affects on a nation’s economy. It has been noted that ecotourism is primarily led by supply side economics rather than demand. In other words, the quality of the ecotourism experience is positively correlated to the level of environmental protection the local ecosystem enjoys. Ecotourism is therefore classified as a normal good or service. Additionally, it is critical that eco-ventures pay specific attention to the level of environmental disturbance and disruption that ecological and social systems can sustain . As it has been noted, any level of interaction and/or intervention with a local ecosystem may have environmental impacts, which must be minimized in order to preserve the nature being enjoyed via ecotourism . As the effects of tourism within natural and/or preserved areas can hinder or help a specific ecosystem, many policy makers around the world are paying much more attention to the regulation of natural areas. Several countries that are trying to find a compromise between economic development and environmental protection are becoming the leaders in Ecotourism. Countries that are rich in natural resources but that are not yet implementing sustainable development strategies are being encouraged to promote activities such as ecotourism . Ecotourism must be approached as a part of a number of initiatives to protect local ecosystems. At the macro level, a nation pursuing ecotourism should include as many federal, state, and local agencies as possible. It has also been noted that ecotourism must be a part of the country overall economic development and growth as well . This paper was intented to examine the economic, environmental and social aspects of two countries currently participating in the industry of ecotourism, Costa Rica and Brazil. However before an analysis can begin, it is necessary to review the formation of ecotourim in each country and examine how, when, and why ecotourism came about. Costa Rica is known as country with rich and robust biodiversity. However, in the past few decades, it has experienced an increase in amount of deforestation within the country . Like a number of developing countries, such as Brazil, Costa Rica has been steadily loosing its lush forests to agricultural uses. Between 1950 and 1990, it was estimated that the country lost about half of its total forest cover due to agricultural development . Furthermore, b the early to mid 1990s, only about 6 percent of the countrys land area (not including parks and nationally recognized protected areas) remained in intact primary forest . However, this rapid decline in forest covering has slowed in recent years with the growth of an internationally renowned national park system; which has preserved over 10 percent of the country’s total primary forests . As of today, Costa Rica has secured land throughout the country for over 25 national parks, reserves, and wildlife refuges for endangered species (as shown in Figure 1. 1, adopted from SOURCE). Along with the government’s formal protection of the land, ecotourism has been said to hinder the rate of deforestation as well. Ecotourism in Costa Rica began in the mid-1980s as a way to stop the deforestation and to generate needed foreign exchange for the economy. Tourism in general in Costa Rica has been one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy. In 1992 tourism earnings totaled $421 million, making it the second largest foreign exchange earner after bananas. Moreover, ecotourism has been rapidly expanding as well accounting for 36 percent of net tourism earnings in 1989. In sum, according to Stacy Small, Production Editor of Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine, Costa Ricas tourism industry has been increasing in size for many years now, and one reason for this upsurge is the appeal of and demand for ecotourism . Costa Rica has been promoting and expanding its ecotourism industry. The Environmental Secretariat and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute have become largely responsible for the development and coordination of ecotourism policies in the country . Due to a high level of governmental involvement and the formation of societal institutions such as The Environmental Secretariat, Costa Rica has become the primary example of country in Latin America with a successful ecotourism industry. Their rich ecosystem, accounting for an outstanding 5% of the world’s biodiversity, offers the country a natural competitive advantage in the industry . Additionally, ecotourism has become the main motivation for tourists within the country. In the early 1980s, an estimated 370,000 tourists traveled to the country of Costa Rica. By 2002, about 1. 1 million tourists arrived in Costa Rica, with the vast majority, 830,000 people, being ecotourists or individuals participating in nature related travel . The ectourism sector of Costa Rica has become quite diverse, from bird watching to volcano climbing and kayaking. To date, Costa Rica has approximately 25% of its territory under governmental protection, 1. million hectares, with 12% of its territory composed of national parks and privately owned reserves . It should also be noted that the private reserves of Costa Rica utilized for ecotourism are the areas that develop and generate the most income. Take for example the Monteverde Biological Preserve, the habitat of the exotic golden toad, has become famous worldwide and is internationally recognized as one of the best areas of ecotourism in Latin America. Over the last two decades, the Monteverde reserve has earned more income than all other national parks combined with its main source of financing coming from admission fees and grants . Rara Avis is another private reserve that has turned to ecotourism. Rara Avis was opened in 1983, and contains 3,000 acres of primary and secondary forest. It borders on the Braulio Cariilo National Park and the Zona Protetora La Selva, a research station. Private banks financed Rara Avis, and it was the first of its kind in the country. Rara Avis has shown that ecotourism can become a profitable way to manage tropical forest resources. However, in more recent years, Costa Rica has witnessed detrimental side effects of overcrowding in its forest reserves as a result of increased ecotourism. Take for instance the increasingly popular Manuel Antonio Park. Heavy interest in this area has led developers to overbuild, which has threatened the diverse monkey population and other wildlife in the park. On the other hand, ecotourism has been a successful strategy for Cost Rica. Due to its consistency in approach, Costa Rica has successfully promoted an environmentally sound ecotourism industry over the past few decades. Additionally, ecotourism has had an inclusive macroeconomic strategy that benefits local communities, generates jobs as well as revenues, and has inspired further research in the areas of ecology and biodiversity. As a whole, Costa Rica offers a panoramic and pristine view of exactly how ecotourism can benefit a soceity, local communities, and the environment. Beginning of ecotourism in Brazil Ecotourism was first introduced in Brazil, on the governamental level, in 1985, when the Brazilian Institute of Tourism (Embratur) started its Ecological Tourism project. The first intention to put things in order was made in 1987 by creating the National Technical Commission, consisting of experts from both the Brazilian Institute for the Enviroment and Renovable Natural Resources (Ibama) and Embratur. The main goal of the commission was to monitor the Ecological Tourism project, as a reaction on ecotourism observed at that time, which was little organized and not at all sustainable. Although, the efforts made by govermnent were not sufficient to end with barriers between theory and practice of ecotourism. The principal problem was the lack of a unified concept of a segment, i. e. no existing criteria, regulation and incentives that would direct firms and investors and the government itself to promote and use effectively the natural assets of a country, and to protect them at the same time. As a consequence, the ecotourism in Brazil used to be an activity without any mark of order and very confused, where the main objective was to generate a profit, totally ignoring its other aspects, like socioeconomic and environmental benefits for the country. The brazilian ecotourism in the late 80s and early 90s was more likely the regular tourism which used the ecologic aspect just to sell better. Environmental experts referred to it as an â€Å"eco-opportunismâ€Å". Creating legal framework for ecotourism In 1994, a workgroup of experts of all ministries involved (Ministry of Environment, Imdustry, Commerce and Tourism) met in Goias Velho, Goias, to create a document â€Å"Directives for National Ecotourism Policyâ€Å". With this document, they set a legal framework for ecotourism in Brazil, which was defined: Ecotourism is a segment of tourism activity which uses, in a sustainable way, natural and cultural assets, incentives their conservation and looks for a creation of an ervironmental consciousness throught the interpretation of an environment and promoting the welfare of communities involved at the same time. This definition and all the other directives were created with favourable to a profitable tourism connected to environmental and cultural peculiarities of Brazil. The effort was made to assure growth of this particular branch of tourism all over Brazil, with the following criteria what ecotourism should do: -Provide better life conditions for communities in the areas of ecotourism. -Promote valuation of the environment -Create wealth and promote employment To make an opportunity to learn about natural and cultural assets in order to promote knowledge of new generations. Another important decision was made at the meeting – the government should start to cooperate with various NGOs and, together, educate prospective employers in the sector of ecotourism. The opinions of NGOs were often accepted by government in the process of building adequate infrastructure to promote sustainable growth of ecotourism in Brazil. Setting the principles Last but not least, the main concerns regarding ecotourism in Brazil were defined and published as a list of actions recommended to promote the sector in the whole country. : 1. Regulation of ecotourism – The necessity of its own legal framework, harmonized with both state and federal laws. 2. Institutional Interaction – Intensification of exchanging information and experience between governamental institutions and private sector. 3. Human Resources Creation – Education and training of personnel to work in an area of ecotourism. 4. Quality control – Creation of tools for observation, evaluation and improvement of ecotourism including both public and private sector. 5. Distribution of information – Creation of a database with the access for all national and various international institutions involved, including indicators monitoring the evolution of ecotourism. 6. Incentives to develop ecotourism – Promotion and stimulation of economic activity in the sector together with infrastructure in order to provide high quality services, especially in priority ecotourism destinations. . Information for tourists – providing the tourists knowledge about the destination they visit to make them respect the local environment. 8. Participation of communities – Make people living in major ecotourism destinations participate in the sector and modify their lifestyle to increase sustainability of the area. With the help of mentioned governamental regulation and cooperation between state instituti ons and many NGOs, the ecotourism grew by 15 % a year until 2000, while the tourism as a whole only grew 3 % anually. There were created ecotourism destinations in all brazilian states and the rigorous control has contributed to a sustainability of the sector and to protection of natural assets of Brazil. Costa Rica – Present part The tourism boom in Costa Rica began in 1987 (Crist Inman, 1997) with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1 million in 1999, to 1. 9 million foreign visitors in 2007, allowing the country to earn US $1. 9 billion in that year (World Tourism Barometer, 2008). By 2002, about 1. 1 million tourists arrived in Costa Rica, with about 830,000 of them being ecotourists (Saenz, 2001). Thus, tourism in Costa Rica has since 1999 been one of Costa Rica’s most important industries exemplified by the fact that it earns more foreign exchange than traditional commodities such as pineapples, banana and coffee combined (Departamento de Estadisticas ICT (2006) (need statistics on that ). In 2001, ecotourism accounted for an annual growth rate of 20-30 percent (Dasenbruck, 2001). Today, being the nation’s principal industry, ecotourism contributes an estimated US $825mn to the economy annually as well as a 19 % increase in the number of tourists visiting in 2005 (â€Å"Ecotourism can be good business! , 2006). Economic impact The Travel Tourism industry in Costa Rica encompasses transport, accommodation, catering, recreation and services for visitors. Below are presented some macroeconomic indicators in relation to the industry. GDP The Travel Tourism industry is expected to contribute directly 5. 3% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2008 (CRC778. 8 bn or US $1,466. 2 mn), rising in nominal terms to CRC2,005. 5 bn or US$2,639. 2 mn (5. 8% of total) by 2018. Additionally, according to WTTC the real growth of TT in Costa Rica is forecasted to see a real rise of 1,2 % (US$ 3,769) in the economy GDP in 2008. Moreover, real GDP growth is expected to grow at an average of 4,7 % per annum over the coming 10 years. Employment The TT economy contribution to employment is expected to rise from 258. 000 jobs in 2008, which represents 13,1 % of total employment, or 1 in every 7. 6 jobs to 359. 000 representing 14,4 % of total employment or 1 in every 6. 9 jobs by 2018 (WTTC, 2008). Visitor exports Export earnings from international and visitors are expected to generate 17,1 % of total exports (US $ 2,270,8 mn) in 2008 growing, in nominal terms, to 16,8 % (US$ 4,369,3 mn) of total exports in 2018 (WTTC, 2008). Investment Travel Tourism Capital Investment is estimated at CRC515. 0 bn, US$969. 5 mn or 15. 1 % of total investment in year 2008. By 2018, this should reach CRC1,225. 1 bn, US$1,612. 2 mn or 15. 6 % of total (WTTC, 2008). Foreign investment has had a major role to play in the development of the Costa Rican ecotourism industry. It was both politically and financially supported by the IMF, The World Bank and USAID. For instance, in 2001 the World Bank approved a US $40 mn loan of which most of it focused on ecotourism (Dasenbruck, 2001). Given that Costa Rica has a solid credit rating with international lenders along with international support from the abovementioned institutions gives the country a degree of financial stability in handling substantial costs in the development of the ecotourism industry. Government Government Travel Tourism operating expenditures in Costa Rica in 2008 are expected to total CRC122. 9 bn (US$231. 3 mn), or 6. 2% of total government spending. In 2018, this spending is forecast to total CRC396. 1 bn (US$521. 3 mn), or a 6. 4% share (WTTC, 2008). I’ll add more here about government institutions and initiatives, laws, regulations†¦. Ecotourism and the environment Behind ecotourism lies the idea of preserving a nations natural resources while profiting from them (Dasenbruck, 2001). Similarly to Brazil, ecotourism is overall considered to be beneficial to the environment compared to conventional forms of tourism e. g. mass tourism, exemplified by Cancun in Mexico with 4,000 room hotel resorts. One of the reasons that ecotourism in Costa Rica enjoys such high importance economically is because there exists a strong environmental lobby based in the â€Å"green industry† (Dasenbruck, 2001. This lobby recognizes the long-term benefits of aintaining an environmentally friendly image and therefore it supports most of the government’s conservation initiatives. Some, however, argue that ecotourism is an oxymoron, since travel at its base is detrimental to the environment. Airplane fossil fuels and the pollution coming from jet airplanes are used as examples of evidence, that international travel and environm ental protection are mutually exclusive by nature (Dasenbruck, 2002). Ecotourism in Brazil Current Growth Brazilian ecotourism began to grow exponentially after the country woke up to its eco-potential during the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Still, ecotourism in Brazil continues to grow at a rapid pace. While the tourism industry overall grows at a rate of 3% annually, ecotourism is up by 15%. Other areas such as the city of Bonito are experiencing bigger growths of 20-30%. (Planeta) Furthermore, it is estimated that by the year 2010, ecotourism could make up as much as 50% of the travel industry according to Dorival Bruni, president of the non-profit Biosphere society. Considering that one of the largest ecotourism destinations in the world is the Amazon, this estimate is considerably probable. It is estimated by the World Tourism Organization that ecotourism may represent 2-4% of the world’s tourism. In 2000, ecotourism accounted for 10% of Brazilian tourism revenues (Bioesfera, 2001). The next three economic markers show Brazil’s travel and tourism industry’s contribution toward total GDP, employment, and exports. GDP The World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC) research findings reported that the Travel Tourism industry is expected to contribute directly 2. 5% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2008 BRL 70. 6 or US$36. 1bn), rising in nominal terms to BRL157. bn or US$53. 2bn(2. 6% of total) by 2018 (WTTC). Employment Brazil’s Travel Tourism Economy employment is estimated at 5,500,000 jobs in 2008, 5. 9% of total employment, or 1 in every 16. 9 jobs. By 2018, this should total 7,634,000 jobs, 6. 6% of total employment, or 1 in every 15. 2 jobs (WTTC). Exports Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 5. 9% of total exports (BRL22. 5 bn or US$11. 5 bn) in 2008, growing (nominal terms) to BRL65. 4 bn or US$22. 1 bn (5. 4% of total) in 2018 (WTTC). Ecotourism and the environment One of the core benefits of ecotourism is the sustainability of the environment thus; ecotourism is an economically productive way to protect Brazil’s natural wonders. Consequently, Brazil’s continued growth of ecotourism is also generating a positive social impact. Local skilled and semi-skilled populations are benefiting the most from this current growth. According to Joao Mireilles Filho, president of the Peabiru Ecotourism Institute and of the Brazilian Ecotourism Institute (IEB), one of the most visited regions in Brazil for ecotourism is the Pantanal region, which is a vast series of wetlands in the upper Paraguay River Basin. The capital of this region, a town called Bonito is the main launching spot for ecotourists. Socially, Bonito accounts for about 2,000 jobs in the sector out of a population of less than 20,000 people. (Planeta) Investments As ecotourism continues to grow, it will provide investment opportunities for private and foreign investors who see the value in this industry. One region of such potential is The Ribeira de Iguape River, one of the most important rivers in the Brazilian southeastern state of Sao Paulo. The Ribeira de Iguape Valley is known for its complex geology and natural riches with a number of limestone caves and important mineral resources. Currently it is still characterized by poverty and underdevelopment however; ecotourism in the region has now a US$ 15 million financing US$ 9 million from the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) and US$ 6 million from the government of Sao Paulo for improvement in infra-structure, training and organization. The Monetary International Fund (MIF) provided a $1. 7 million grant to improve the quality and competitiveness of small to medium sized enterprises in the tourist sector. By the year 2010, more than 5,000 firms are in the tourist sector are expected to pursue certification. It is estimated that ecotourism will receive a considerable amount of this grant. (IDB) In February 2006, the IDB approved a loan of $9 million toward improvements in infrastructure, including highways and productive systems in the Atlantic Forest region of the state of Sao Paolo. This project will benefit six parks which will benefit by retaining their visitors and acquiring financial sustainability while protecting their natural wonders. Opportunities One of the biggest areas of opportunity for Brazil is the Amazon region. This region is home to some 20 million people and is known for the biological diversity of its ecosystem and the great diversity of flora and fauna. It has the potential to become one of the largest ecotourism attractions in the world. As a matter of fact, it is 98 times larger than Costa Rica. Unfortunately in 2000 it only earned US400 million in exports which is less than half of Costa Rica’s total revenues during that time. This equates to a meager . 05% of the world’s ecotourism revenues in 2000. One of the biggest challenges facing this region is the lack of infrastructure such as energy power, communication, and transportation. The government taken some steps to ameliorate the situation by launching PROECOTUR (The Program of Development of Eco-Tourism in the Amazon) with the help of the IDB to develop and improve the infrastructure of selected areas in the region. It includes surveying best practices for ecotourism, financing ecotourism projects, developing tourist infrastructure, and assisting investors with technological and financial aid (SCA). Since deforestation has already affected large areas of the Amazon, Proecotur should bring more visitors to the region as well as sustainable revenue. Another project launched was the Poles project by the tourist and travel agency Embrateur in conjunction with the Ecotourism institute in an effort to establish guidelines for the development of ecotourism poles around the country. Brazil vs. Costa Rica Ecotourism in Brazil is still underdeveloped especially in the Amazon region which has tremendous upward potential in terms of providing a greater source of income on both a local and a national level for the Brazilian economy. In exploring various economic, political, and social factors that influence the ability of these countries to expand their ecotourism market, Costa seems to have the better position. In terms of GDP contribution relative to each country’s national economy, Costa Rica 13. 5% doubles Brazil’s 6. 2% indicating that there is significant room for growth for Brazil due to its tremendous size. Consequently, Costa Rica’s employment as well as exports are also incrementally higher at 13. 1% vs. 5. 9% and 17. 1% and 5. 9% respectively. On the other hand, Brazil has a much higher potential in terms of growth largely due to its untapped Amazon region. In terms of Real Growth, Brazil’s future looks bright. In 2008, Brazil is forecast to see Real Growth of 6. 7% in terms of Direct Industry GDP. Nominally, this represents an increase of US$36bn. With regards to Direct Industry Employment, an increase of 6. 4% is expected which means an additional 2,279,000 jobs will be generated. In contrast, Costa Rica is expected to see a Real Growth of -1. 5% in terms of Direct Industry GDP (in nominal terms US$1,466,000mn) and -3. 9% decrease in Direct Industry Employment. Brazil will be able to handle such growth but will need to have a collaborative effort nationally if they want to sustain their current growth. The government certainly plays an important role in the development of ecotourism in Brazil. They must provide the overall policy environment to permit development to proceed along an orderly path, and should welcome the involvement of other sectors. Furthermore, there is a need to teach policy makers the importance of ecotourism as a viable financial profit sanctuary so that policies reflect social and environmental concerns as well as market realities. Next, effective certification programs should be implemented to ensure adequate information of products and services is given to the public. Educating consumers and raising awareness on the importance to protect the national environment should stimulate demand for socially and environmentally friendly products that ecotourism provides. Lastly, significant improvement of Brazil’s logistic resources such as roads, electric power and infrastructure in the Amazon region will be quintessential for the sustainability of Brazil’s ecotourism industry.

Free Essays on Assimilation

Assimilation In the short stories, â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice walker, â€Å"From Outside in† by Barbara Mellix, and â€Å"Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish† by Andrea R. Fishman all discuss the struggle for assimilation in many different ways. Dee (Wangero) in â€Å"Everyday Use† manifests her struggle for assimilation through the customs and dress of her family as African Americans. Barbara, â€Å"From Outside In,† presented a struggle in her life through two different languages which she had to adjust according to the society she was in. Eli in â€Å"Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish† presents his struggle for assimilation though his families beliefs as an Amish for literacy. Assimilation is the process of taking something new into oneself, as when we learn the values and customs of a new profession or social group. Assimilation is a factor one has to live and learn to adjust to in order to associate with others. Alice Walker shows how the mother gradually rejects the superficial values of her older, successful daughter Dee, in favor of the practical values of her younger, less fortunate daughter Maggie. The mother is described as â€Å"a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man,† and her 2nd grade education. Her uneducated self does not prevent her from having an inherent understanding of her heritage based on her love and respect for those who came before her. She associates this with the two quilts that have a special meaning to her. When she reaches out to touch the quilt it manifests Mama’s connection with her family. Her appreciation of the quilts is based on love for the people who made and used them. When Dee moved away from home to start a new life, she broke the family tradition. When she decided to come back she was looke d as an outsider because Mama be... Free Essays on Assimilation Free Essays on Assimilation Assimilation In the short stories, â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice walker, â€Å"From Outside in† by Barbara Mellix, and â€Å"Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish† by Andrea R. Fishman all discuss the struggle for assimilation in many different ways. Dee (Wangero) in â€Å"Everyday Use† manifests her struggle for assimilation through the customs and dress of her family as African Americans. Barbara, â€Å"From Outside In,† presented a struggle in her life through two different languages which she had to adjust according to the society she was in. Eli in â€Å"Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish† presents his struggle for assimilation though his families beliefs as an Amish for literacy. Assimilation is the process of taking something new into oneself, as when we learn the values and customs of a new profession or social group. Assimilation is a factor one has to live and learn to adjust to in order to associate with others. Alice Walker shows how the mother gradually rejects the superficial values of her older, successful daughter Dee, in favor of the practical values of her younger, less fortunate daughter Maggie. The mother is described as â€Å"a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man,† and her 2nd grade education. Her uneducated self does not prevent her from having an inherent understanding of her heritage based on her love and respect for those who came before her. She associates this with the two quilts that have a special meaning to her. When she reaches out to touch the quilt it manifests Mama’s connection with her family. Her appreciation of the quilts is based on love for the people who made and used them. When Dee moved away from home to start a new life, she broke the family tradition. When she decided to come back she was looke d as an outsider because Mama be...

Models of Object Recognition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Models of Object Recognition - Essay Example This is simply 'object recognition'. When a lion approaches us, we realise through prior knowledge that the animal is known to be ferocious, dangerous and sometimes doesn't hesitate to kill. With this information we are able to make instant decisions as to the next course of action. A meal at a dinner table tells us it is edible and we can approach it. This 'spatial localisation' is the establishing of where objects are in the surrounding space and time, and is also an important aspect for survival. Another factor necessary for survival is 'perceptual constancy'. This is when objects, although the eyes perceive them to be in motion, are kept constant in terms of appearance. Object recognition, spatial localisation and perceptual constancy are the three main characteristics of perception. One theory that aims to explain object recognition and constancy is Marr's theory which concerns itself with visual processing. It is also called the computational approach which involves taking two dimensional images and extracting valuable three-dimensional information from them. This theory requires examining the levels of grey in an image, creating a rough sketch, then a 2.5D sketch and representing the image as a 3D model. Marr's model of object recognition is concerned with drafting out representations of objects with increasing amount of information. The first step in this representation is creating the raw or full primal sketch. Raw primal sketches contain data regarding the light intensity variations of a shape or scene. A full primal sketch makes use of this data to determine how many outlines and objects are contained within the scene. The light intensity changes provided in the raw primal sketch gives the level of grey representation contained within the pixels of the i mage. Computation on the properties shape can begin when it has become coloured i.e. detached from the background. Properties like symmetry, centre of mass, size aspect ratios are likely to offer clues as to the object's identity. The centre of mass or medial axis from the skeleton of the object is crucial to analysing the shape of the object. The use of structural primitives and spatial relationships to represent an object lies in the determination of the medial axis. This would enable us to construct a 3D model of the object. Marr explains that a 2.5D surface sketch helps to represent the visible surface. A computer vision system could reconstruct the surface with this process. Boundary detection is difficult even with advanced edge locators, but can be achieved by surface reconstruction. The other model is Biederman's 'recognition by components' theory views all object and forms as being comprised of basic geometrical forms or 'geons'. Pattern recognition therefore is the simple identifying of these separate components. But objects need not necessarily be comprised of different components for them to be recognisable. Simple line drawings may suffice. The drawings of matchstick men, or outlines of cars or buildings, are still recognisable. Additional information such as size, colour, orientation, surface quality paints the whole picture, but it is the overall shape that is of primary importance (Biederman in Atkinson 2000, pp 164). When a silhouette of a four legged animal is shown, it is fairly easy to identify

Alternative Pain Therapy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8750 words

Alternative Pain Therapy - Research Paper Example Tragedies that could otherwise been avoided have motivated me to do the research and study options of minimizing pain and assess whether they are better compared to the conventional methods being used. I would like to acknowledge my friends and family for their unwavering support throughout the research time. I would also like to thank and acknowledge my course professor and supervisor whose support and guidance really helped me to successfully complete this research paper. Abstract This project was titled alternative chronic pain treatments due to the idea that came up to me as result of the several tragic fatalities linked to analgesics that have occurred. Analgesics have been used to treat pains for quite a long time, but an incident in Afghanistan where a soldier massacred seventeen people due to side effects of the drug raised lots of concern. The literature review will further look at the various researches that have been associated with the side effects of analgesics. Differen t statistical reports and researches are illustrated in the literature review to back up these numerous theories. The motivation for this paper was large due to the fact that when solving a problem, there is always the endeavor to make the situation better than it was. However, this was not the case for the analgesics. As we will see in the literature review, soldiers are tremendously being affected by side effects of analgesics. From this observation, it can be said authoritatively that the study into the alternative pain relief methods is justified. The methodology went ahead and used descriptive statistical technique for its reliability and for the fact that it can be used comprehensively with both qualitative and quantitative statistical techniques. This gave room for the data to be collected through the various ways associated to the two different techniques. The data collection was done through structured questionnaires that were well pre-tested and administered to the target population. The data analysis was performed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), and the data presented using tables and figures. CHAPTER ONE Introduction Pain in human bodies always reflects an injury that requires medical attention and care. The nervous system is triggered to send information and alert the brain of a possible injury within the body. On the other hand, chronic pain is a very persistent and constant pain that never goes, it keeps occurring causing a lot of discomfort and inconvenience to an individual (National Institute of Health, 2013). Body pain causes a lot of discomfort to an individual irrespective of the short period of time they may take. Therefore, constant and repeatedly painful occurrence such as chronic pains should be addressed with the seriousness they deserve. Effective methods of handling the pain and helping the affected people feel relieved and better is indispensable (National Institu

Keystone XL Pipeline Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Keystone XL Pipeline Analysis - Research Paper Example The fourth and final phase of the Keystone Pipeline system is referred to as the Keystone XL Pipeline. This is by far the most ambitious expansion of the existing pipeline system. The Keystone XL Pipeline calls for the installation of over 1000 miles of 36† steel pipe beginning in Hardisty, Canada and ending in Steele City, Nebraska. This additional piping will increase the carrying capacity of the entire Keystone Pipeline system to over one million barrels of crude petroleum products per day. While the first three phases of the Keystone Pipeline have has supporters at all levels of government and in the business sector, the Keystone XL segment has been met with protest and controversy almost from the first moment is was proposed. Many different groups have taken their turn criticizing the pipeline project. The controversy has caused the Obama administration to suspend the permitting process that is necessary for the project to get started. Through regulatory control, the Obama administration has halted planned construction since March of 2013. The depth and breadth of the protests has caused this regulatory action. The first set of protests against the Keystone XL segment centers on environmental concerns. ... The aquifer is massive but relatively shallow. The importance of keeping this aquifer clean and safe from petrochemical pollution cannot be overstated. The primary use for the Ogallala Aquifer is irrigation of crops. The invention of center-pivot irrigation in the 1940’s and broad implementation of the technology in the 1950’s allowed farmers in the Great Plains to dependably raise crops such as corn, soybeans and peanuts that traditionally needed to be grown in more humid climates. This shift in land use forced out less water intensive forms of agriculture such as dry land ranching and created an agricultural economy heavily dependent on irrigation for success. Before the advent of the Keystone pipeline system, the greatest threat to the Ogallala Aquifer was over pumping. Some regions of northern Texas and Oklahoma discontinued or diminished water extraction from the aquifer because the water table was dropping at and increasing rate. Withdraw from the aquifer greatly exceeded the rate of recharge, threatening all agricultural activity in the region. Farmers were forced to adjust their methods of cropping and pasturing. The water table has since bounced back and is at near normal levels because of these changes made in the 1980’s. This example of cooperation between environmentalists and farmers is offered to show that the population of the Great Plains region recognizes that protecting the Ogallala Aquifer is in the best interest of everyone in the entire region. This explains the widespread opposition to the Keystone XL portion of the pipeline. In addition to providing water for irrigation, over 80% of the drinking water for residences is extracted from the aquifer. The Keystone XL phase cuts

Peter Honey And Mumford Learning Styles

Peter Honey And Mumford Learning Styles Learners have developed different learning styles which suites them best to take studies. Each learning styles has its own strength and weaknesses which differ from the others and It is essential for every learner to know about his or her learning styles because this helps to see areas of weaknesses and look for possible solutions to that weakness. Literature overview There are different theories on learning styles which are David Kolb, Peter Honey,Alan Mumford, Anthony Gregorc , Chickering and Gameson.,Carl Jung and Richard M.Felder . Kolbs learning style According to Kolbs original model, Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience, (David A. Kolb, 1984:1). He introduces four learning styles which are Concrete Experience it is when a learner has a new experience compared to previous experience and has to do .Reflective observation these varies between understanding and previous experience. Abstract Conceptualization Reflection gives rise to a new idea or a modification of an existing abstract concept (Kolb, 1984:1) this is when a learner adjusts to new learning styles. Active Experimentation here the learner uses the knowledge acquired in the real world. Kolbs learning styles are therefore divided into four categories which are assimilators convergers, accommodators and diverges. Assimulators are learners that learn best using sound logical information An assimulator greatest strength lie in creating theoretical models Other strengths are understanding what they are working on this gives them a better direction to solve problems. Curious and enjoys problems this give them more knowledge as more questions are answered. Plans well in advance for exams this makes them more ready to tackle problems. Can organize facts and material well .However they have they have some weaknesses which includes the need of too much information before getting down to work, does not like to try new approaches ,not creative and keeps a number of problems to himself. Collects to much information. Convergers uses practical applications there need what is relevant to them .These one are more interested with facts and desire to go straight to the point. Can wor k well alone which makes them less dependent on others. Get things done in time this does not involves them in late submissions. Pays attention to detail .However there have a number of weaknesses which are Lack of imagination .Not very interested in presentation of your work. Believes that there is only one way of doing things. Does not like others ideas. Accommodators are those who want hands on experiences .Divergers are the one that learn best when they are allowed to observe and collect things from a wide range of collection these learners observe and collect. They have the following strengths unhurried that is there are more stable to situation like exams .Listens to others and shares idea this give them more ideas and different points of view. They are good at seeing the big picture. They can see long-term implications of things. They can see new ways of doing things and has creative solutions. They can multi-task .However they have the following weaknesses they forget the im portant details while understanding the big picture .Does not organize work well .Does not like work or revision timetables.Forgets to bring important books. Gregorc Learning Styles There are divided into three categories which are concrete random, concrete sequential, abstract sequential, abstract random. On concrete random according to Gregorc,They use their instincts and intuition when making decisions.(Gregorc)The learner is divergent ,experimental, inventive therefore the learner is much more involved in creating and acting and usefulness and application of learning .They have a lot of questions about what surrounds them .Concrete sequential efficient and well informed and the learner is more practical and active in making things work. According to Gregorc,They notice and recall details easily and remember facts ,specific information ,formulas, and rules with ease,(Gregorc)They do not rely more on others and hardworking and their work is consistent and has facts. Abstract sequential reflects on information and think about it. According to Grgorc,they prefer systematic processes and are thorough in their work,(Gregorc) .Abstract random is imaginative and ref lect on an previous experience, emotional and holistic .According to Grgorc,they prefer are very perceptive students ,(Gregorc)This one visualize and is intuitive when dealing with ideas . Chickering and Gamson From research there are seven learning styles which are visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social and solitary. According to ( Chickering and Gamson, 2012: 1 ) there is visual/spatial which prefer using pictures and spatial understanding That is one uses visual abilities to learn something for example understanding the demand law by seeing cartoons pictures or lecture videos however this is an disadvantage to the blind. For visual there are helpful tips like turning notes to pictures and making mind and concept maps Aural /auditory-musical is when one prefer using sound and music as a learning style One can learn from playing recorded sound tracks and the helpful tips are repeating materials out loud and in your own words .Verbal /linguistic :You prefer using words, both in speech and writing, These one understand more using their ears , logical(mathematical) prefer using logic, reasoning and systems these prefer facts not theories and they should be convergers Social (interpe rsonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people. Solitary (intrapersonal) prefer to work alone and use self-study. They enjoy independency. Richard M.Felder learning styles These learning styles are in seven categories which are active ,reflective ,sensing ,intuitive ,visual ,verbal and sequential learners .Active learners best understand by practising something which is active with it .For example discussion the in group works .They also like the idea of explaining to other learners and application of knowledge. Reflective learners are more independent and they prefer to figure out things alone than in groups. Sensing learners they like to solve problems and dealing with facts that connect to the real world. Intuitive are innovative and can easily get bored with repetitions .Visual learners they learn best using diagrams ,films and pictures. Verbal learners uses sound and audio and get more out of sound .Sequential learners they understand things step by step and easily gets confused well a step is missed or not understood well. Global learners like the big picture and collects large amounts of information without seeing the connections between them an d they get it later. Peter Honey and Mumford learning styles They divided learning styles into four categories which are activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist. Activists like new ideas and experience and they enjoy to act first .They learn best when they work in team work and given challenges and like the idea of leading discussions a lot. They learn less in lectures, thinking on their own and writing. Reflectors like to use different perspectives and learn best by observing for example groups explanations. They learn less when they are leading a discussion .Theorists learn best when they are have clear understanding of a situation and when they are able to ask question to create ideas. Pragmatists they are curious about new things and learn best when give an example to copy .They learn less when there are no recognized benefits and when there are no guidelines Carl Jung learning styles These styles are divided into four learning styles which are extraverts, sensors, thinkers and judgers. He extraverts like to try ideas and thinks on the outer world of the people. Sensors are practical they love details and facts they are also known as intuitors. Thinkers make their choices based on logic and facts. Judgers works with targets. From a research I discovered that I am an accommodator with a number of weaknesses and strengths which I need to adjust. The weaknesses examples are as follows ;does not check work, prioritize well ,neglects subjects that does not interest and not good. My areas of strength like getting involved, working well with people, ask a lot of questions, enthusiastic A diverger is creative and good in seeing the big picture listen to other and share ideas but he or she forgets the important details while understanding the big picture, does not organise w By completing the graph I found that Iam an accommodator and on the positive side an accommodator is totally involved in something of interest for example if he has passion for Maths he or she is mostly likely to spend much of his or her time working out Maths problems, likes to take risk of his or her ideas this means that an accommodator is to much experimental for example writing an exam without being fully prepared. Has a lot of curiosity that as he or she asks a lot of questions and this the accommodator an advantage because as many questions come also means more answers.An accommodator works quickly and he or she is active this benefits a lot in exam time management. Has the capabilities of using senses well that is seeing, feeling and hearing .Which is an advantage if the person does not have any of the disability on senses .However of the other hand an accommodator has the following weaknesses like poor planning of work in advance this is a disadvantage as the accommodator is most likely not to get assignments properly done and does not pre-read before lectures, rarely checks work this leads to many errors in writing essays and assignments, does not understand the question but hurries to write for example answering a question wrongly because of assuming what the question wants this results in loss of marks . An accommodator has a poor time management for example attending lectures late ,forgetting assignments .D oes not prioritise well and easily get distracted with circumstances this diverts all attention to something of a lower priority for example concentrating more on reading books which does not relate to the actual subjects. This accounts for the accommodators failure By recognizing and understanding your own learning styles, you can use techniques better suited to you. This improves the speed and quality of your learning. This can be aided by practicing helpful tips like taking study breaks and physical exercises,

The Act of Sacrifice from Achilles and Gilgamesh Essay -- The Iliad Gr

The Act of Sacrifice from Achilles and Gilgamesh The act of sacrifice is a very important event in literature. Often, it can define and shape a character’s life and personality. The ancient texts discussed in class contain many diverse, yet equally meaningful examples of sacrifice. Even though these acts of sacrifice can occur for different reasons, each one has a similar purpose. The characters that perform such sacrifices are required to give up something they love, cherish or own in order to serve a greater purpose. Achilles from The Iliad must sacrifice his physical possessions to appease his gods. Gilgamesh is unwillingly forced to sacrifice his beloved brother. Cain from The Bible also forfeits material possessions, but he also gives up his own integrity, as well as eternal life in his Heaven. These sacrifices appear to differ in the severity of what is given up, but they are actually alike in the way each is used to accomplish certain goals. Achilles is an excellent example of one who performs sacrifice. In The Iliad, Achilles is a supreme and god-like warrior, but his many character flaws hold him from achieving his full potential. His rampant pride and unharnessed rage overtakes his other good qualities and causes him many hardships. Achilles hopes to reduce these flaws by sacrificing numerous possessions to the gods. He believes, as did most other Greeks of the time, that thee gifts would urge the gods to look favorably upon the givers. Objects, such as cows, pigs, and wine, were cooked in an extremely orderly manner. Any deviations from the proper method of offering the gifts would be seen as a sign of disrespect. Sacrifices are made to obtain or achieve something in the future. In the case of Achilles, his sacrifice was made in hope that the gods would control and possibly eliminate his rage and pride. Achilles’ gifts of animals and drink to the gods were viewed by the Ancient Greek public as normal, hon orable, and religious. Most citizens made some kind of offering to the gods, but the gifts were definitely not as lavish and extravagant as the offerings made by Achilles. Regardless of the sacrifice, the importance was found in how much the gift meant to the giver, and how often the gifts came to the gods. Like Achilles, Gilgamesh also made an extreme sacrifice in order to better himself and those around him. In Gilgamesh, the tit... ...necessary arrogance that stirred unrest in his people. After his sacrifice, he had known the joys of brotherhood, become wiser and humbler, and gained the respect of his people. The complete opposite of Gilgamesh’s case is Cain’s. He begins as a humble, faithful servant of God, and he is given a good job. But he makes inadequate sacrifices and compounds the problem by murdering his brother. At the end, he does not have his job, he has lost his loyal brother by his own hand, and most walk aimlessly across the earth for eternity. As can be seen, sacrifices take on many different shapes and forms. These sacrifices can be alike and different in many aspects, but they all are important in literature. Sacrifice molds the integrity and reputation of those making them, not only to the society in which they live, but also with the higher power that they worship. The sacrifices of Achilles, Gilgamesh, and Cain were all important in their respective cultures and were very influential in how these three will be looked upon throughout history. It is obvious that any sacrifice to be made must be carefully picked over and analyzed before it is enacted. Otherwise, one may wonder forever.

Beginning and Physical development in Infancy

Physical development of infants usually depends on their nutritional, hereditary and environmental factors. In some cases physical or psychological abnormalities after birth or during pregnancy also determines physical development of an infant. For a child to develop fully physically, he or she requires optimum nutritional requirements and healthy environment to grow in.During birth of a child, the infant has no ability to control their body movements and in this case most of the movements noticed are reflexes since their nervous system by this time is partially developed (Promin, 1986).Infants do not recognize objects which are far from them but by 6 months their visual ability develops fully and they can see distance objects. At around the age of four, most of the children have their muscles fully developed and they can sit and support themselves for quite a short time. Therefore, most of the physical development in infants takes place between births up to the age of 6 months where by the infant can be able to notice changes in the environment.Debate of nature versus nurture rotates around biological and environmental factors. The nature of this debate is argumentative because it is understood in the world of science today. Some people view behavioral origin of most infants as issues contributed by the environmental factors which they are brought up in. These are the natural aspect of behavior. Some other scientists argue that behavior portrayed by infants and children are as a result of hereditary factors that they acquire from the genes of their parents.Source of nurture can be understood by studying behavior of the way an infant grows physically in regard to the environment which he or she is being brought up in. Some people argue that physical and motor growth is usually controlled by an automatic natural process (UNEP, 2008). Both of these theories in regard to nurture and nature can be acknowledged through study of child psychology. Various studies and e xperiments have been carried out by psychologists and scientist so that they can establish the main cause of certain behaviors in children as they grow up.According to various studies carried out, early years of child development can be influenced by environmental situation which usually cause personalities, beliefs, attitude sexual preference and other behaviors which occur in children. For example, the environment that a child is brought up basically determines the behavior of that child; those children who are brought up by single parents are quite different in their behavior development from those who are brought up by both parents from when the child is an infant to the time the child reach Adolescent stage.The issue of step parenting also affects the development of a child greatly since there are those behavior that the child exhibits that the parent can not understand since they are hereditary and the step parent is not aware of them.. In most cases when children are brought up by step parents, the environment of the affected children can be altered. This brings about the issue of situational difference which can be traumatic to children’s life and therefore their lives have been hence influenced by upbringing.This has not been overshadowed by hereditary source of behavior since they will bear some behavioral characteristic of their original parents (Lamb et al. 2002). Traumatic child’s event as a, result of their up bringing and the genetic characteristics that they acquire from their parents have raised a lot of concern on sexual orientation of a child. These behaviors in most cases are caused by erratic situational difference which can result to inner conflict between environmental and hereditary factors. The issue of sexual orientation is least influenced by genetic factors since it is not governed by chromosomes or genes.Most of the sexual behaviors that children adopt are determined by their environmental upbringing. Some children ca n also develop varying behaviors even if they are brought up in the same environment. Many psychologists have tried to carry out various studies on relationship between parents and siblings, the way they grow and their behavior. For example, naughtiness in young children who are usually controlled on their naughty behavior by their mothers can be associated by the environmental cause of behavior as a result of poor methods of parenting.According to studies, this can not be true since some children can inherit these behaviors from parents instead of being taken as poor parenting techniques. Parents should be given credit less for a good outcome of behavior of their children or else they should not be blamed since the behavior can be as a result of genetic factor or hereditary factor. Therefore, one cannot determine exactly what has caused that behavior change in child. According to various arguments, children are usually born the same way but due to the environment that they are brou ght up in, they continues to grow according to the demands of nature.Some of the expressions such as temperaments can be associated with genetic factors. In disciplining the child, it is quite necessary for parent to determine which behavior is impacted by the environmental factor and the one which is as a result of upbringing of a child. Therefore nature versus nurture plays quite similar role in determining the behavior of a child during child’s development. Both environmental factors and hereditary factors contribute greatly to the behavior of a child and also physical growth of a child which encompasses even the general health of a child.Environmental raising and intelligence origin are mainly contributed by nurture and nature in formation of behavior by the child. In today’s world, after extensive research and other theories which support child’s development have been evaluated, it is true that nurture and nature contributes to the origin of child’s behavior characteristic. The quality of environment that a child is brought up in determines the survival rate of a child in early days of life. This determines child’s physical and mental growth.Children are always at risk of these environmental factors due to their immature organs, small physical size low metabolic rate, curiosity and behavior. Most of the global diseases are usually attributed by negative environmental factors such as air pollution, dirty water, poor sanitations and other aspect such as vector-transmitted diseases. Due to these aspects, there are a number of abnormalities which can be impacted by environmental factors. Environment influence can play a vital role in physical and mental development of a child.For example, Down syndrome is one of the mental conditions which are impacted to a child at early age due to environmental influence. During early days of a child, environment that a child is brought up in determines his/her future life. Children who ar e suffering from Down syndrome have low motivation of performing tasks. These can be contributed by environmental experiences of a child. This has been investigated by gauging the motivation of an infant to perform various tasks. In most cases, mystery of motivation is usually a intrinsic factor which is usually manifested in behavior of a child as he or she grows up.This shows the difference in mystery behavior of different individuals. All these behaviors are contributed by environmental factors. According to various studies, Down syndrome is reinforced and controlled by environmental factors since they greatly attribute to the behavior of an infant. Many researchers have tried to come up with any environmental factors which cause Down syndrome but they have not established any of them since it is believed that Down syndrome according to physiologist is a genetic disorder but it can rather be contributed by environmental set up.Down syndrome as a result of environmental factor can result to:- Input in material language and the general outcome of studies of language intervention. In studying these factors, one should identify various factors which facilitate language within the natural environment and then evaluate how the environment has manipulated language development of that individual. There are a number of risk factors which influences development of a child. Some of these factors in child’s development can be positively or negatively impacted by various aspects such as environmental factors.Genetic factors in most of the environmental set up are quite dynamic and therefore they keep on changing constantly over time. Genetic factors which children inherit from their parents can be developed or lost depending on the environmental background that they grow in. environmental factors can promote optimum development in infant. Some genetic factors such as temperament, Disease and brightness of infants can be impacted either positively or negatively by environment (Health School Environment, 2005). Temperament or behavior that a child exhibits is usually associated with parent.This should not always be true since environment that a child is brought up in. some behaviors that children exhibits such as abuse, bad eating habits and other petty behaviors can be attributed by the environmental upbringing of child, those children whom he/she relates with or the physical set up and behavior of most individuals in those areas. But some aspects such as temperament which a child can acquire from parent can be developed if the environment that he/she is brought up in is hostile and requires that form of behavior.On the other hand, if the environment that a child grows in is calm, this behavior is not portrayed in child as he/she grows up since he/she has not been able to exercise temperament form of behavior as they grow. Another genetic factor is acquisition of diseases from parent which are known to be hereditary. Depending on the environ mental background that a child is brought up in, the disease can either manifest itself or not. Some diseases such as Down syndrome which is usually hereditary can also be developed or controlled depending on the environmental set up that a child is brought up in.If the environment is friendly and interactive the child’s IQ can develop well and therefore the risk of child manifesting the symptoms of Down syndrome is reduced. In other cases, if the environmental set up is not friendly and the people who are involved in bringing up the child are not interactive, then the IQ of an infant will remain low and therefore the brain of the child will not develop as its required which makes the infant to show the symptoms of down syndrome.Therefore, the environmental setup which a child is brought up in can either help to positively or negatively in develop various hereditary characteristics that a child acquires from the parents. Pregnant women can give birth to physically, emotionall y and intellectually healthy babies depending on the environment and emotional aspect they carry their pregnancy through. When one is pregnant, she should ensure that exercise and healthy eating habits are enhanced so that the outcome of the pregnancy is a healthy baby in all the aspects.Emotional status of pregnant woman accounts a lot of the fitness of the baby in all the aspects of development such as physical, emotional or intellectual aspect. Good parenting begins the time one became pregnant. This is because the baby who is born, his mental, physical and intellectual capacity is determined by the status that the mother was in during the 9 months pregnancy period. Child’s growth can still develop after birth, whereby parents are held responsible for training their children during their development (Christian, 2006).Physical growth is maintained by proper diet and living in environment which is free from infections such as dusty environment which can cause allergic infect ions. Parents should ensure that their children are physically fit by taking necessary care and precautions needed to live a healthy life. Little effort is employed especially when a child is taken care of at early age since the child can be able to emulate the behaviors of the parent and other older siblings. Emotional and intellectual well being of a child can be enhanced in child’s early life by training the child on good behavior.As a good parent, one should initially understand the child well and find out the cause of behavior that the child portrays. To ensure that a child is emotionally fit, review of the behavior of that child is quite necessary since they will portray intellectual capability of a child in carrying out various tasks. Good parents usually discipline their children when they conduct themselves poorly. But before punishing a child parent should try and evaluate the cause of poor behavior whether is as a result of environmental influence or hereditary beh avior from either parent.Incase it is as a result of environmental influenced the child should be punished so that he or she cannot repeat it again. On the other hand, if the behavior is hereditary, child should be counseled accordingly by the parent on the ways to avoid such behavior in future. Therefore good parenting can be enhanced which finally result to raising up a family which is intellectually, physically and emotionally fit and therefore the growth of babies can be healthy. Motor skill development according to dynamic system theory.Parents should be involved in various activities with their children so that they can help them to develop their fine and gross motor skills. These skills can affect the child adversely if they are not developed. These skills help a child to perform well in various tasks such as academic and physical growth. Fine motor skills according to dynamics theory enable a child to manipulate objects and to write (Lamb, 2002). They take activities in such things as painting.This should be enhanced by exchanging brushes, carrying out puzzles which help to control finger movement, play dough, cutting and threading. Some of these activities are aimed at manipulating hands to help in developing their motor activities. Other motor skills such as gross motor skills helps in developing big motor skills, these activities involves activities such as jumping, running, climbing, hopping, skipping and other activities which helps the whole body movement. These activities develop the muscles of the body and legs.These skills only require a lot of coordination and development of balance. When children develop these motor skills, they can be able to carry on with various movement needed for their survival. Therefore, parents need to work with their children during their early ages in developing so that they can understand them as they grow and also to help to develop their skills effectively. Children development, health and their safety should be enhanced by the environmental aspect that they bring up children in.For parents to serve their children well, they must ensure that they work hand in hand with their families and in order to enhance this, they must understand their children before taking any action on them. Good development of the child depend entirely on nurturing the child the best way at early stages before they reach adolescent where they are uncontrollable. Reference: Lamb E. et al. (2002). Development in infancy: An introduction. United State: Lawrence Erlbaum Association. Christian L. , (2006).Understanding Families. Journal of National Association for Education for Young Children, Retrieved from: http://www. journal. naeyc. org/about/permissions. asp Promin M. , (1986), Development, Genetics and Psychology. United State: Lawrence Erlbaum Association. Health School Environment. (2005). Environmental Impact in School Setting. Retrieved from http://www. nasn. org/Default. aspx? tabid=293 UNEP, (2008) Children Environmental Health. Retrieved from; http://www. nyo. unep. org/ceht. htm

Complete List of High School Sports How to Pick

Complete List of High School Sports How to Pick SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Interested in playing a high school sport? You should be! High school sports are a great way to make friends, get involved in your school, and stay active. What sports are offered? I’ll give you the full list of high school sports available in the US, and I’ll explainwhy you should join a team and how to figure out whichsport is right for you. The Complete List of High School Sports Offered in the US These are the sports that fall under the jurisdiction of a State Athletic Association. Each state has itsown Athletic Association that runs the sports leagues and championships for the below sports. NOTE: Not all of these sports are offered in all states.For example, Skiing Snowboarding isn’t offered in Florida. Less obviously, bowling isn’t offered in California and several other states. Additionally, even if asport isoffered in your state, it may not be offered at your school.There might not have been enough interest or funding to create a team.If you hope to play a sport that’s offered in your state, but not at your school, consider starting a team. I’ll discuss this optionmore in-depth below. There may be other sports offered at your high school that are played at a â€Å"club† level (they don’t have a state championship).To find out which sports are offered at your specific high school, check out yourschool's website or email a school administrator or athletic director. Unless otherwise noted, sportshave both boys' and girls' teams or a co-ed team: Badminton Baseball (Boys) Basketball Bowling Cheerleading / Competitive Spirit Squads Cross Country Dance Team Field Hockey Flag Football (Girls) Football (Boys) Golf Gymnastics Hockey Indoor Track Field Lacrosse Skiing Snowboarding Soccer Softball (Girls) Slow Pitch Softball (Girls) Surf Swimming Diving Tennis Track Field Volleyball Water Polo Weightlifting Wrestling When Is Each Sport Played? The season (fall, winter, spring) for each sport varies by state.There are a few sports that are consistent in season from state to state - football, for example, is always played in fall. To check when each sport is played in your state, do a Google Search for your state’s high school athletic association.Simply search â€Å"[State Name] High School Sports† or â€Å"[State Name] High School Athletic Association.†That will bring you to the athletic association website for your state.There should be a tab on the website for sports.Under that tab, you should see a list of all sports and their season. Below isa screenshot fromthe Florida High School Athletic Association website: How to Choose Which Sport(s) to Join There are many ways to choose which team (or teams) to join at your school.First, you should take into consideration the season when each sport is played.Follow the steps above to find out when each sport is played in your state.Most schools don't allow you to play two sports that are in the same season (or that overlap seasons as fall and winter sports sometimes do).Talk to your high school athletic director if you’re interested in playing two sports that are in the same season or may overlap. Next, you should take into consideration which sports you’ve played before and how much you enjoyed them.Did you play a sport inmiddle school or recreationally that you enjoyed?Is that sport offered at your high school?If it is, consider joining that team!You already enjoyed playing it, so you should continue. If the sport isnot currently offered by your school but is offered by your state athletic association, consider starting a school team.Again, follow the steps outlined above to see if the sport is offered by your school athletic association. If you'd rather not start a team, you also might be allowed to join that team at another high school. For example, if you wanted to be on the bowling team, and it wasn't offered at your high school but was at a high school a couple of miles away, you'd likely be allowed to try out for that team. Talk to your athletic director to see if this is an option. If it's not, you should see if there is a localcommunity sports team for that sport. If there is, consider joining that team! If the sport you love isn't offered by your state athletic association (such as Ultimate Frisbee), consider starting a club to play it with friends after school. You won’t have a state championship, but you’ll still have the opportunity to play the sport.As a bonus, starting your own club willalso be a great leadership experience to include on your resume. Before picking a sports team to join,consider how well your experience in a sport matches up with how competitive it is at your school.Have you played the sport before? For how long? How good is that team at your high school? Did they go to the state championship? For example, at my high school, when I attended, our football and lacrosse teams were terrible. They essentially lost almost every game.However, our men’s tennis team went to the state championship.If I was picking a team to join and I’d never played any of the sports before, I’d probably try out for football or lacrosse and NOT tennis, since I’d have a better shot atmaking the football or lacrosse teams.If I had playedtennis competitively throughout middle school, I’d still tryout for the tennis team. It’s good to be aware of how competitive each team is in advance of trying out. To help figure outhow competitive each team is, you should also try to figure out how many people get picked to be on each teamand how many players are returning from the previous season.For example, football teams typically have around 40 players. Tennis teams at high schools typically have five singles players and two doubles teams (often composed of four of the five singles players).Football is probably a less competitive team to join (even a good football team) than a tennis team since there are 40 spots versus five. However, if you're only going to try out for one specific position on the football team (such as quarterback), it may be MORE competitive than tennis since there is only one starting spot for quarterback versus five starting spots for tennis players. If all five tennis players are returning from the previous season, I’d be hesitant to try out because I likely wouldn’t make the team unless I were good enough to beat one or more of the current players. While all of the above should be taken into consideration when picking a sports team, don’t let any of the above stop you.If you’ve always been dying to play on a tennis team but have never played before, still try out! You never know, you might make it! If you're interested in a sport that's very competitive at your school, check to see if you can try out for a JV team (or some schools even have freshman teams in addition to JV andvarsity). You can start there and work your way up to varsity. 4 Great Reasons to Join a Sports Team Sports teams are a great extracurricular activity.I have some of my best high school memories from playing on the tennis team at my high school. Reason 1: It’s a great way to make friends (or make more friends).Sports team often bring together a lot of different people (who may not have been friends otherwise). Joining a sports team willprovide you with a new group of friends, who you might not have met otherwise. Reason 2: It can be a great opportunity for leadership (which colleges love to see on your resume).Sports teams often elect a team captain, which gives that personthe opportunity to be a leader.Typically, team captains don’t have a lot of responsibility; usually, it’s more of an honorary title. If anything, team captains are responsible for boosting team morale. However, becoming team captain will still help boost your college applications becauseit shows schoolsthat you’re well-liked and could potentially be a leader at their school. Reason 3: It helps you stay active and relieve stress.High school is stressful, and playing sports helps relieve stress. Staying active through sportscan make you feel happier and have major health benefits. Reason 4: Depending on how good you are and what your goals are, participating in a sportcan help you get into college.If you rise to become a top player of thesport in your state, you might be recruited to play thatsport incollege, and you might also be offered a scholarship.NOTE: this is rare. This isn't the norm. Don’t count on being recruited to college for your sport.If you’re seriously interested in college athletic recruiting, learn about the process in our other guide. WhatBenefits Should You Not Expect to Get From Joining a Sport? While joining a team has many benefits (as you can see above), you shouldn’t join a team if you’re hoping it’ll be the extracurricular activity that gets you into college.Unless you’re in thetop 1% of players in your sport, it’s unlikely you’ll be recruited to play it for college. Also, admissions officers are not particularly impressed by your participation on a team.My friend, who is a former admissions officer, said it is one of the most common topics for personal statements.Admissions officers hate to read these personal statements because they’ve heard every high school sports story.They’ve read about you and your team overcoming some obstacle and winning. They’ve read about crushing defeats.In your personal statements, admissions officers want to see who you are and what makes you unique. Playing a sport will not make you unique since many students play sports. Don’t play a sport so that you seem â€Å"well-rounded† on your college application.Top schools no longer want well-rounded students.Top schools want students who are an expert in something.If you’re the number 1 ranked tennis player in your state, you’ll be impressive because you’re an expert in tennis.However, if you’re the 150th ranked tennis player in your state, the college likely won’t care.It’d be better for you not to play a sport and to be a state champion mathlete or a state science fair winner or a debate champion.These all prove expertise in a field.To read more about this expert philosophy, read our guide on how to get into Harvard and the Ivy League. If you're not that interested in playing a sport, don't do it! Playing a sport takes a lot of time. If you don't enjoy the sport, it's a huge time-suck from which you aren't getting many benefits.Consider spending your time doing anotheramazing extracurricular activitysuch as one of the activities mentioned below. What’s Next? If you’re interested in playing a sport, you should learn about what makes an amazing extracurricular activity for you college applications. Also, you should learn about how many extracurricular activities you need for college. Interested in learning about other great extracurricular opportunities? Learn more about job shadowing, community service, and volunteer abroad programs. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Corporate Development During the Industrial Revolu Essays

Corporate Development During the Industrial Revolu Essays Corporate Development During the Industrial Revolution The Standard Oil Company founded by John D. Rockefeller and the U.S. Steel Company founded by Andrew Carnegie. The Standard Oil Company and U.S. Steel Company were made successful in different ways due to the actions of their different owners. The companies differed in their labor relations, market control, and structural organization. In the steel industry, Carnegie developed a system known as vertical integration. This means that he cut out the middle man. Carnegie bought his own iron and coal mines because using independent companies cost too much and were inefficient. By doing this he was able to undersell his competetors because they had to pay the competitors they went through to get the raw materials. Unlike Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller integrated his oil business from top to bottom, his distinctive innovation in movement of American industry was horizontal. This meant he followed one product through all its stages. For example, rockrfeller controlled the oil when it was drilled, through the refining stage, and he maintained control over the refining process turning it into gasoline. Although these two powerful men used two different methods of management their businesses were still very successful (Conlin, 425-426). Tycoons like Andrew Carnegie, "the steel king," and John D. Rockefeller, "the oil baron," exercised their genius in devising ways to circument competition. Although, Carnegie inclined to be tough-fisted in business, he was not a monopolist and disliked monopolistic trusts. John D. Rockefeller came to dominate the oil industry. With one upward stride after another he organized the Standard Oil Company, which was the nucleus of the great trust that was formed. Rockefeller showed little mercy. He believed primitive savagery prevailed in the jungle world of business, where only the fittest survived. He persued the policy of "ruin or rule." Rockefeller's oil monopoly did turn out a superior product at a relatively cheap price. Rockefeller belived in ruthless business, Carnegie didn't, yet they both had the most successful companies in their industries. (The American Pageant, pages 515-518) Rockefeller treated his customers in the same manner that Andrew Carnegie treated his workers: cruel and harsh. The Standard Oil Company desperately wanted every possible company to buy their products. Standard Oil used ruthless tactics when Rockefeller threatenedto start his own chain of grocery stores and put local merchants out of business if they did not buy oil from Standard Oil Company. Carnegie dealt with his workers with the same cold lack of diplomacy and consideration. Carnegie would encourage an unfriendly competition between two of his workers and he goaded them into outdoing one another. Some of his employees found working under Carnegie unbearable. These rivalries became so important to the employees that somedidn't talk to each other for years (McCloskkey, page 145). Although both Carnegie and Rockefeller created extermely successsful companies, they both used unscrupulous methods in some aspect of their corporation building to get to the top. The success of the Standard Oil Company and U.S. Steel company was credited to the fact that their owners ran them with great authority. In this very competetive time period, many new businesses were being formed and it took talented businessmen to get ahead and keep the companies running and make the fortunes that were made during this period. Terra Harnish Heather Rodgers Carly Wolfensberger BIBLIOGRAPHY Conlin, Joseph R. History of the U.S.: Our Land, Our Time. pp. 425-426. 1985. Bailey, Thomas A. and David M. Kennedy: The American Pageant. pp. 515-518. 1987. Latham, Earl: John D. Rockefeller; Robber Baron Or Industrial Statesman? (Problems in American Civilization Series). pg. 39. 1949. McCloskey, Robert Green: American Conservatism In The Age Of Enterprise 1865-1910. pg. 145. 1951.

Informed consent. The possible dangers of too much information Research Paper

Informed consent. The possible dangers of too much information conveyed - Research Paper Example rug. Moreover, there is an issue with how much comprehension a participant may have of the risks that are dictated in the informed consent protocol. Not surprisingly, the forms must be readable in order for a patient to truly have considered himself â€Å"informed,† and the most important part of readability is to put the risks into layman’s terms. Studies have suggested that esoteric forms which are more difficult to read than complicated texts results in considerably less informed consent than forms which are not so. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the level of language used in the consent forms and keep the audience in mind. If the person drafting these forms keeps in mind this golden rule, then other studies suggest that informed consent is extremely effective. The possible dangers of too much information conveyed Loftus & Fries (2008) theorize that informed consent may do more harm than good, at least when the risks that are presented to the patient consist of all potential risks that might occur, no matter how remote. They argue that the patient might imagine that he or she is experiencing the symptom because of the power of the mind, in that the mind can play tricks on people, and, if the patient knows that a certain risk is possible, then the patient may conjure this risk even though it is only remotely possible that the patient is actually experiencing the symptom. As proof of this, they point to the power of the placebo (Loftus & Fries, 2008, p. 217). To them, a patient is better off just knowing the general level of risk, ie, the symptoms that are likely to occur, and only provide patients the remote risks if the patient specifically asks for it. Therefore, the informed consent carries risks itself, and they â€Å"only ask that those whose task it is to formulate informed consent rituals pay some attention to the harm that may be caused by the ritual itself† (Loftus & Fries, 2008, p. 217). Loftus & Fries then cited a study that they performed that was unpublished. It involved patients at the Stanford University Medical School who were diagnosed with scleroderma and were treated with a drug cocktail consisting of propranolol and alpha-methyldopa. The patients were informed about the side effects of the drug cocktail, which included dizziness, headaches, upset stomach and tearfulness. Some patients received a standard informed consent form and some received a standard informed consent form plus a special message which explained the placebo effect, in that the patients who received the special message were informed of the phenomenon of experiencing symptoms simply because the symptoms were mentioned. Loftus & Fries found that all patients experienced â€Å"side effects,† even if the patient was given a placebo. They also found that those patients who received the special message experienced fewer side effects than those who did not (Loftus & Fries, 2008, p. 218). Therefore, their point ab out a patient knowing â€Å"too much† was validated. While Loftus & Fries concentrated on the placebo effect as a drawback for informed consent, at least informed consent that lists every possible side-effect, no matter how remote, Audrey et al. (2008) concentrated on the effect informed consent had on patients who want to undergo palliative chemotherapy. The issue that Audrey et al. focuses upon is

Service Management 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Service Management 1 - Essay Example Due to the holistic nature of a project brief, following the brief assures the client of the project meeting his vision. Additionally, as the brief deals with the process as well as the product, adherence by all participants during the construction process prevents deviation of the project in terms of either methodology or specification. Adherence to brief also allows benchmarking for the project, and sets higher standards for all contractors involved. Prestige: The prestige and pride associated with a project has to inculcated by the project management team to motivate all actors to perform at their optimum during the process. A high level of personal pride translates to a better site, with a multi-disciplinary non-adversarial approach to problem solving and work completion. Such an atmosphere reflects positively on the project, and assures the client throughout the project of the competence and motivation of the team on site. Profitability: The objective of profitability of the project is a cornerstone of a successful project, and the client's needs can be met only if at every stage of the project, every possible method to value-engineer the project is used to cut costs and increase profitably for the client. Constant monitoring of these methods and their quantifiable results should be presented to the clients, so as to assure him of the teams' endeavor towards meeting project goals and deliverables. Expectations: At the onset, every client has certain expectation from the project in terms of process and product. These expectations should be crystallized by the project management team during the design and planning stages so as to meet actual possible execution targets. The contractors and consultants should also be made aware of what the client expects from them so that they can streamline project procedures and operations to meet the client's expectations. Quality: The first step towards assurance of quality is an objective assessment of the competence of the contractor and the CDM coordinator. All stakeholders in the project need to decide the specifications of all deliverables in the project and make sure that standards are met. When the client is confident of the quality of his team's work, he is able to perform his duties better and contractors have relatively lower number of problems with payments and external interference during work. Time: All projects are economically and functionally viable only if