Multivariate Statistical Analysis Natural And Physical...

Multivariate Statistical Analysis Statistical methodology designed to obtain information from data sets that include simultaneous measurements on many variables is called multivariate statistical analysis (1). Multivariate statistics helps to study how the variables are related to one another, and also how they work in combination to differentiate between the cases on which the observations are made. Several research disciplines such as biology, medicine, environmental Science, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Education, Archaeology, Anthropology have broad applications of Multivariate statistical analysis (2). Numerous interesting research questions about natural and physical processes are so complex that they require multivariate†¦show more content†¦The usual regression method does not work when we are given a binary response variable. In these situations we should think about using the logistic regression (4). Considering the following model estimated regression equation (equation 1) It is called as simple Logistic regression, because there is only one predictor and also the exponential function is never â€Å"0† or negative. There are some other models available for dichotomous and non-dichotomous categorical outcomes. Probit regression: A model used for binary outcomes, but instead of the logit specification, the probit uses the cumulative distribution function for a standard normal distribution. Multinomial Logistic Regression: A model used for outcomes that are nominal, e.g., blood type (A, B, AB, O). Ordinal Logistic Regression: A model used for outcomes that are ordinal, e.g., Likert scale questionnaire (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor). Simple logistic regression application involves one dichotomous variable and one independent variable. Multiple logistic regression application involves when there is a single dichotomous outcome and more than one independent variables (4) (5). Applications in Bio-Medical Research: Logistic regression is one of the widely used tool in fields such as bio-medical research, medical, epidemiology, social sciences, engineering, ecology, psychology and marketing. For instance logistic regression can be used to

Ignorance Is Not A Bliss - 1765 Words

Ignorance Is Not a Bliss In his excerpt â€Å"Idiot Nation,† from his 2001 book Stupid White Men and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation, Michael Moore argues that the American education system has failed to properly educate its students and has instead produced a standardized citizenry incapable of developing its own opinions and beliefs. As a political activist, the author is angered by how ignorant the country has become and continues to be, and tries to prove to his audience the need for an improved, better structured education system. He intends to change his young audience’s perspective on education by using a witty, sarcastic tone, by using personal anecdotes, and by providing evidential data that further support his case. Moore challenges and belittles authority, in order to motivate his audience and show them that they can become activists for their own education, that they have a voice to be heard. Moore fears for the future of the nation because he, himself, has gone through the system and understands the flaws within. During his early schooling, he was given the opportunity to skip first grade, but his mom pleaded that he would â€Å"always be the youngest and littlest kid through [his] schools years,† (126) so she prevented him from advancing to second grade. Since then, Moore has had the notion that schools are not nurturing the students’ minds, instead they force kids to â€Å"submerge any personal expression† (136). He grew up in an environment that suppressedShow MoreRelatedIgnorance is not Bliss Essay928 Words   |  4 Pagesof weight than children living in the hovels of Gaza, Palestine. After all, with very few sources of information, how can the American population understand anything, much less why a multitude of things make other cultures angry? Unfortunately, ignorance is where isolationism rests. Our foreign policy shows quite clearly that non-intervention is out. Not when non-intervention would cost us easy access to foreign resources, specifically foreign oil. The middle east has been dominated by war forRead MoreOedipus Rex - Bliss in Ignorance860 Words   |  4 Pageshimself would have saved Oedipus and his children/siblings much agony. However, in the typical Greek tragedy, we must see his fall from grace through, which is indeed what happens. In the bliss of ignorance, much pain and difficulty is averted. For what worries does the ignorant man have? In the case of Oedipus, ignorance would have suited him fine. The Socratic quote the unexamined life is not worth living certainly doesn t hold true in the case of Oedipus Rex. While it may hold importance and a substantialRead MoreIgnorance Is Bliss In Animal Farm1008 Words   |  5 Pages Chloe Tibbs Mrs.Weiss Honors English 9 9 August, 2017 Ignorance is Bliss During the course of mankind society has been subject to an endless line of good and bad leaders. In society it’s typically ruler to ruled, and often the ruled are mistreated and tricked by the ruler. Animal Farm is a prime example of the ruler to ruled stereotype. Leaders are someone society looks to for guidance, when the storm is too rough to bare on their own. Followers are devotee’s to a person, cause orRead MoreThe, Ignorance Is Bliss, By Albert Einstein And Steven Hawking1205 Words   |  5 PagesThere is a famous saying that goes, â€Å"Ignorance is bliss;† when superficially examining this saying, one might conclude that some things are better left unknown. After analyzing the maxim, one might be provoked to ask if an omniscient mind is superior. After all, it is geniuses such as Albert Einstein and Steven Hawking who acclaim their fame from their brilliance. Although the perception of knowledge varies, when earned, knowledge engenders an en lightenment and purity of mind; however, as evincedRead MoreIgnorance Is Not Bliss. Fox News Blared From The Television767 Words   |  4 PagesIgnorance is Not Bliss Fox news blared from the television as I walked into my grandparents’ house for Thanksgiving. Titles from the broadcast included: â€Å" HYPOCRITICAL THREAT? Obama takes heat over warning states can t legally refuse Syrian refugees.† â€Å"Names of key Paris attackers were known to Belgian mayor in 2014† â€Å"ISIS parks its cash in Bitcoin, experts say.† â€Å"Russia deploys missiles in Syria after Turkey shoots down bomber.† These are a few of the headlines that assaulted me as I greetedRead More Ignorance Is Bliss in Flannery OConnors Good Country People1067 Words   |  5 PagesFlannery OConnors Good Country People has a steady demonstration of irony, much of it based on the title of the story. Ignorance is also a major issue in the work, both Ms. Freeman and Ms. Hopewell exhibit this clearly. However ironically, Hulga exhibits this with her knowledge. She takes pride in her own intellect and in her knowledge of existentialism. Hulgas exi stentialist ideas come crashing down because of her naà ¯vetà © and lack of dependence on others. Hulga believes she is self sustainedRead MoreIgnorance, Ignorance And Ignorance1136 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to Mark Lilla’s â€Å"Ignorance and Bliss†, â€Å"The source of the proverb Ignorance is Bliss is a poem by the 18th century English poet Thomas Gray, who wrote in passing: â€Å"Where ignorance is bliss/ Tis folly to be wise† (Lilla). At the time the proverb was referring to the Enlightenment and Christianity’s glorification of blind faith, and its renunciation of both scientific reason and philosophical inquiry; however, today, it can be interpreted as whether or not man has the ability to maintainRead MoreTheme Of Ignorance In The House Of The Scorpion804 Words   |  4 Pagessincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity., says Martin Luther King Jr. Truer words have never been spoken, for when ignorance is bliss, there is a steep price t o pay. In The House of the Scorpion, Nancy Farmer creates a character named Matteo Alacrà ¡n, and for the first half of the book, he is ignorance personified. When Matt learns the truth about his identity, his bubble of bliss is shattered, but perhaps it was for his own good. The great poet Thomas Gray writes, Where ignorance is bliss, / TisRead More A Comparison of Ignorance in The Tempest and Sonnet 93 Essay936 Words   |  4 PagesIgnorance in The Tempest and Sonnet 93      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ignorance has been said to be bliss.   To equate appearance with reality is a facet of ignorance, and leads to a part of the bliss.   Many of Shakespeares characters find the bliss of ignorance and revel in it, and some end up coming to terms with their gullibility.   Some few are unwilling to abandon their ignorance even when they can see real truth.   All are experiencing different stages of the human cycle.   Coming into the world, we are equippedRead MoreThe Matrix, By The Wachowski Brothers1454 Words   |  6 PagesIn the film, â€Å"The Matrix,† written by the Wachowski Brothers we see the great effects of being ignorant to the truth as all sense of reality is inexistent. In connection with Plato’s philosophies, the questions of blissful ignorance and what really makes reality are aspects of our lives that we ponder in search for truth and what is real. We know that what is clear and true to us is our individual sense of reality that co mes from the knowing of tr uth, our perceptions and beliefs in our minds. Though

Economic Development in Zimbabwe Essay Example For Students

Economic Development in Zimbabwe Essay Economic Development in ZimbabweThe country of Zimbabwe is one of the most economically developed on the Africancontinent . A fairly young political entity, Zimbabwe has only enjoyedrecognized autonomy since 1980, the year in which the United Kingdom repealedits imperialistic claims to the African nation . Despite its youth the countryhas achieved a level of economic development uncharacteristic of sub-SaharanAfrican nations. Second only to South Africa in economic development, Zimbabweseconomic system is one indicative of a transitional country, a country makingthe transition from dependency underdevelopment to self-reliantindustrialization. The purpose of this essay is to make a cursory but adequateexamination of Zimbabwean socio-economic and political system, as means toanalyzing the countries economic development. The ultimate purpose of this studyis to provide a model of the structure necessary to achieve economic developmentwhere none previously existed. Zimbabwe is an appropri ate model because thedynamics of underdevelopment to development in this country are readily apparent. This model can be useful in understanding underdevelopment in other so calledthird-world countries and in determining what is necessary for these countriesto make the transition to industrialization. GeographyZimbabwe is a landlocked country in the southern, sub-Saharan area of theAfrican continent bordered by South Africa to the South, Botswana to the West,Mozambique to the East and Zambia to the North. With an area of 391,090 km2Zimbabwe is only slightly larger than the state of Colorado. Harare isZimbabwes capital and largest city with a population of 1,100,000. Containingvast amounts of rare mineralogical resources and possessing a favorable growingclimate Zimbabwes economy is drawn almost equally between the mining ofminerals ($2.2 billion) and the production of staples and cash crops ($2.1billion) . PeopleZimbabweans are comprised of two primary ethnic groups, the Shona, comprising74% of the population and the Ndebele comprising 20%. Other ethnic black groupsand Asians make up 4% of the population while whites make up just over 1% of thepopulation. Zimbabwe has a population of 10.35 million people with a populationdensity of 24 persons per km2. 1992 census figures estimate Zimbabwes growth at3.0% with 90% of this growth rate within the Shona group. This 3.0% growth isquite rapid given its relation to the countries declining annual growth rate of-15% . HistoryZimbabwes history dates back to the 9th century A.D., the believed period inwhich many great buildings were built, buildings clearly indicative of an earlyand great civilization. Of the many sites the most impressive is the Great StoneHouse or Great Zimbabwe the source of the countries name. Despite the impressivenature of the Great Zimbabwe and the other building sites, it is believed thatthe civilization that created them did not survive to see the new millennium . Some 900 years after the construction of the Great Zimbabwe many other sightswere built as Zimbabwe became the object of British colonialism in 1888. It wasin this year that John Cecil Rhodes obtained mineral rights for the Britishthrone and began the process of bringing Zimbabwe home to Great Britain. Pleasedwith his accomplishment the throne honored Rhodes by lending his name to thearea, now calling it Rhodesia. Headed by Rhodes the British South Africa Company(BSA) was chartered in 1889 with the responsibility of colonizing the areas ofNorthern and Southern Rhodesia and bringing back to the Kingdom the vastmineralogical resources Rhodesia had to offer . Although a colony, throughout the existence of its charter Rhodesia enjoyedself-governing and perceived autonomy. The United Kingdom reserved the right tointervene in the policies of Rhodesia at any prompting, but this right wasrarely employed leaving Rhodesias autonomy all but assumed. The perceivedautonomy the nation enjoyed allowed for the emergence of factions interested indeveloping Rhodesias mineralogical and agricultural potential for the purposeof stimulating domestic growth only. Although growth would benefit the countryas a whole, it would benefit whites specifically by design. An apartheid-typeland apportionment act passed in 1934 allotted key resource rich areas to whitesonly. The perceived autonomy and racists nature of Rhodesia would have greatimplications late in the countries political future. .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 , .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .postImageUrl , .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 , .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:hover , .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:visited , .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:active { border:0!important; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:active , .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1 .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udedba7656dbcd384df8ca1a59dfa53e1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Ancient Mid-East History EssayPoliticsBy 1960 Rhodesia was a country of two factions: the ruling white minority whowanted complete independence from the United Kingdom and the indigenous Africanmajority who wanted greater control of their country and an end to institutionalracism. On November 11, 1965 in a step to hasten along political change whiteprogressives announced the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) therebydeclaring their independence from Great Britain . The British government was nothostile to the UDI but did insist that the Rhodesian government demonstrate itsintention to move toward free and democratic majority rule. Considering themajority of Rhode sia was African the ruling whites were diametrically opposed toany such form of majority rule government and refused to meet Great Britainsconditions of independence. On December 16, 1966 Rhodesia made history by being the first country subject toUnited Nations economic sanctions, suffering a complete embargo on key exportsand imports . With a dilapidating economy and African discontent with the whiteruling minority Rhodesia fell into a period of economic and political turmoilbreeding uncertainty and general political instability. In 1974 Rhodesias two primary black nationalists parties combined to form afront against Rhodesias governing policy. Robert Mugabes Zimbabwe AfricanNational Union (ZANU) and Joshua Nkomos Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU)united together to form a Patriotic Front against the segregationist regime ofPrime Minister Ian Smith . In 1976, under great political, economic, and socialpressure Smith ceded to foreign and domestic demands and agreed to majority rulein principle. Through diplomatic channels and under British auspices Rhodesiamade the transition to majority rule and on December 21, 1979 political reformswere unofficially agreed upon. As a condition of this agreement Rhodesia wasgranted independence from the Commonwealth, and all U.N. sanctions were liftedwith a decree that Rhodesia was to be internationally recognized as a politicalstate . In late February, 1980 free democratic election were held in Rhodesia for thefirst time with Mugabes ZANU(PF) achieving an absolute majority. Upon thevictory of his party Mugabe was asked to form the first government of thecountry of Zimbabwe. On April 18, 1980 the British Government formally grantedindependence to the former Rhodesia and four months later Zimbabwe wasindoctrinated as a member of the United Nations . Zimbabwes political system exists to this day as democratic and majoritarianall implemented through a parliamentary system. Robert Mugabe remains asPresident and utilizes a foreign policy of non-alignment. Despite this Zimbabweis a member of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and performs primarytrade with its neighboring African state South Africa. It is the period from1980 to the present that is most fundamental in understanding Zimbabweseconomic system because it is in this period that Zimbabwes economic structurebest reveals itself. EconomicsZimbabwes economic structure is one of great potential. In the years prior toits independence Zimbabwe put great emphasis in developing its mining industryand as a result it is one of the most developed in Africa. The mining of suchminerals as copper, nickel, gold, and metallurgical-grade ferrochromite isresponsible for nearly half the countries $4.9 billion Gross Domestic Product(GDP) . The other half of Zimbabwes GDP is generated primarily in theagricultural sector with the majority of this produced at subsistence levels bymost of the population. Zimbabwe clearly has the potential to generate agriculture beyond thesubsistence level and thereby eliminate any degree of shortage. In any eventsubsistence would be sufficient to eliminate shortage if not for recentdevastating droughts. Zimbabwes mineral export industry is key to the nations developmental success. Although small, the countries mining industry is modernized and strategicallydeveloped toward exports. Many paved roads link mines and other industriestogether that complement mining such as heavy machinery. Also, the areas withinthe vicinity of the mines are highly developed and urbanized to ensure anadequate and able workforce. Finally, Zimbabwe participates in non-aligned tradefor non-strategic products such as textiles. This greatly reduces the countrieschance of becoming dependent on a trade partner. .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 , .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .postImageUrl , .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 , .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:hover , .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:visited , .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:active { border:0!important; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:active , .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30 .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc50f20c8da129f09ae7e3038c7095e30:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Overview of My Life EssayConclusionIn many ways Zimbabwe is a model for third-world economic development. Althoughnot yet fully developed Zimbabwe clearly has the potential to be a full fledgeddeveloped nation. Beyond its vast resources Zimbabwe is structured in a way topromote development. This fact in and of itself distinguishes Zimbabwe from mostother Lesser Developed Countries (LDC). Zimbabwes economic structure is one inwhich they are essentially self-sufficient and trade only for profit or forconsumer goods. Also they perform trade with many partners with no singlepartner comprising garnering more than 15% of import or export goods. Bystructuring the Zimbabwes econom ic system in a way that keeps its partnersdiversified and its imports non-strategic, Mugabe has successfully led hisnation to the path of development. The barriers left to full development arequite minimal compared to the ones already dominated, The structure ofZimbabwes economic system is truly a model of economic development.

Sonnet 130 free essay sample

Sonnet 130 is about imperfection vs. perfection, personal preference on beauty, love and stereotyping. These ideas are developed throughout the poems quatrains and couplet through techniques. The technique that stood out for me and represented all of the ideas Sonnet 130 is about is imagery, whether it be negative or positive, Shakespeare uses the technique well in conjunction with other techniques to make his point stronger. These ideas are introduced in the first quatrain â€Å"My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun,† this simile sets up the seemingly negative comparison extended through the text. And also involves positive imagery. Shakespeare compares his mistress eyes that are nothing like the natural image of the sun. This idea of natural imagery is used throughout the poem as it was seen as conventional beauty in the Elizabethan times. The ideas in the simile are developed further through the metaphor in line two where more positive imagery is used comparing Shakespeare’s mistress with a stereotypical perfect woman. We will write a custom essay sample on Sonnet 130 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This Stereotypical comparison is carried on through the metaphors in lines 3 and 4. Where negative imagery about his mistress is introduced. †¦black wires grow on her head† We really get the impression that Shakespeare is not in love with his mistress and that he is longing for the perfect looking woman. Quatrain 2 begins with a personal pronoun, which brings in a more personal approach. Quatrain 2 is filled with negative imagery, the one that stands out for me as the most seemingly hurtful towards his mistress still being compared to ‘perfection’ is â€Å"†¦the breath that from my mistress reeks† This line especially gives you the impression that Shakespeare does not love his mistress. The Volta at the start of quatrain 3, line 9, turns the poem around to begin Shakespeare’s true feelings towards his mistress. â€Å"I love to hear her speak† This changes the way we think Shakespeare see’s his mistress and begins to express the true meaning of all the negative imagery in the first 2 quatrains. Lines 11 and 12 give’s us a contrast between a goddess and a ‘real’ woman. I think Shakespeare is trying to portray the fact that a goddess, or perfect woman is unobtainable. This is confirmed in line 13, which is the start of the concluding rhyming couplet. And yet by heaven I think my love as rare, †this quote shows that no matter what, Shakespeare loves his mistress even if she is not perfect she does not need to be in his eyes. The rhyming couplet concludes with Shakespeare’s true feelings about his mistress and leaves us feeling more understanding about what Shakespeare was trying to portray. Which was that love is fou nd not in stereotypical perfection, but deep love for someone inside, which I think resonates to todays stereotype on what we think is ‘perfection’ of a woman.

Cutting Grass Essays - Grasslands, Gardening Tools, Lawn Care

Cutting Grass Cutting Grass Grass I cut you every weak I slanted pattern not childish nor week I cut you last Friday and this Tuesday two To often too soon It's not sensible I am told to let him worry about the sense As long as I can knock some into you I say under my breath Back to cutting your quarter-inch growth For a reason I don't know A long break as I go to a softball game ? ? Back to cutting your small growth One-third a lawn left Slowing unending madness One-fifth a lawn left ? DONE Now I lay on your soft quilted pattern Rest is coming soon Poetry and Poets

Goodfellas essays

Goodfella's essays What aspects of mise en scene, sound, editing and cinematography has Scorsese used to develop our understanding of character in the sequence from Goodfellas. (Scorsese 1990). What do they communicate to you? This scene which I have examined portrays the gangster Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta in the film Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese in 1990. The film follows the life of a group of gangsters from Brooklyn, New York. It was based on a true story. In the sequence it shows the character of Henry Hill in part of one day of his life. He wakes up at 6:55 am and snorts some cocaine, I think he is doing this to wake himself up for the busy day because he relies on the drugs that much. He then stashes some guns in his car that he has bought to match some silencers for the same guns that Jimmy had bought. Whilst doing this he notices a police helicopter above him. Scorsese has used a point-of-view shot to make it appear as if the spectator is looking through the characters eyes and he also uses a high angle shot looking down on Henry to show he is intimidated by the appearance of this helicopter. Also zooming in and out on the helicopter seems to construct he relationship between Henry's activities and the law. This introduction to the scene shows that the addiction to drugs are taking over Henrys lifestyle and the way he acts, he doesnt behave this way in any other part of the film until he becomes hooked on drugs and other illegal acts. He is obviously paranoid about the helicopter because he constantly stares out of the window of his car to see if its still there. He takes the guns to Jimmys house but unfortunately the silencers do not fit the guns, this angers Jimmy who then tells Henry to keep away from the drugs. What Henry is wearing is n instant indicator of the way he currently lives his lifestyle. You can tell that the cocaine has affected Henrys appearance...

Drugs In The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Drugs In The World - Essay Example To this end, opium planting first began in eastern Mediterranean and spread systematically to India via trade routes and eventually arriving at China by the eighth century A.D (Chouvy, 2010). On the other hand, cocaine, which is a derivative drug of the cocoa plants traces it genealogy back to the Andes region where it was cultivated by the Incas populace. Evidently, cocaine was first derived from coca in 1860 and it powerful stimulant effects became evident. To this end, the drug creates an instantaneous sense of euphoria by igniting the brain’s regulatory transmitters (Marcy, 2010). Presently, both opium and cocaine have become a global drug menace that was catalyzed through colonization and wars. During the British occupation of India in 1750, they specifically took control of Bihar and Bengal which were key opium growing districts. To this end, the British shipping company took control over the opium trade from Calcutta to China. Evidently, by 1767, the opium exports to Ch ina by the British reached a record two thousand chests per year. In addition, the British India Company created a monopoly over the opium trade and restricted the Indian poppy growers from selling the commodity to competing trading companies. In Turkey, the British Levant Company bought more than half of the opium originating from Smyrna Turkey. Furthermore, they diverted all importations strictly to the United States and Europe. During the First and Second Opium War which was precipitated by efforts to suppress opium trade by the Chinese commissioner, the British sent warships to China’s coast. To this end, the Chinese lost the war to Britain and eventually opium importation was legalized. This further proliferated the supply of opium. On the other hand, cocaine spread and proliferation began during the Spanish colonial era when it was slowly becoming entrenched as a global commodity. Furthermore, the success of Europe’s commercial revolution was also hinged on cocai ne since it assisted in lubricating the major silver mining industry of colonial Spain. Evidently, the colonial Spanish slave masters came to discover that the coca stimulant made the laborers to work harder, eat less and work for longer hours. To this end, the cocoa leaves were used as a major stimulant towards coercing the Indian worker at the Potosi mines. When cocaine alkaloid derivative was discovered, the Spanish colonial masters began an intensive cultivation of coca for cocaine cultivation. The leaves were thus traded and also transplanting of the Andean coca specimens in Asia, Australia and Africa. During World War 1 and 2 eras, importation of coca leaves and manufacturing of cocaine increased significantly. Evidently, between 1918 and 1921, Japan recorded an all time import of coca of 455,000 kg. Evidently, the trade of cocaine has been largely fuelled by notorious violence in countries such as Peru and Colombia since the late 1970’s. In the United States during Wor ld War 2, coca trades that were used in the manufacture of cocaine increased to the range of 300-400,000 lb. These were largely imports from Peru. The U. S cocaine networks during the World War 2 period exhibited features such as monopolies of cocaine processing that were assisted by the state, while leading intensive global campaigns that were against the illegal production of coca and

Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch - Case Study Example This distillery is famed for its single malt scotch whiskey. Rather than marketing a blended scotch whiskey, Bowmore prides itself in marketing the best aged and single brandy whiskies. Their brand Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch is wildly famous not only in the united kingdom but also in other parts of the world like Japan and china. The success of this brand can be attributed to the marketing strategies that had been adopted by the marketers of this distillery. One of them is creating a brand that is unique in quality. This means that the scotch is priced highly and this sets it apart from other run-of-the-mill scotches. The marketers have long realised that sophisticated consumers are looking for the expensive scotch and not necessarily the best scotch. As such, when a brand is able to combine expensive and good, it is bound to succeed. This is what Bowmore Distillery has done; they have produced a very expensive and a very good scotch whiskey. This report is a culmination of a market research that was carried on Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch. It was commissioned by Bowmore Distilleries and conducted by this research outsourcing company. The major aim was to analyse the domestic and international markets of this brand. The aim of this research was to determine how these trends in the domestic and international markets may affect sales of the product. ... 1) definition of the problem of the study 2) methodology for the research 3) presentation of the findings of the research a). an analysis of the domestic market b). an analysis of the international market c). competitor analysis at both international and domestic markets d). impacts of the domestic and international market dynamics on sales of the product e). Bowmore use of different market research methods to enter the African market Problem of the Study It has come to the realisation of the marketing department in Bowmore that the domestic sales have dropped below those of the international market. In fact, when the sales accrued from the international market increase at a high rate, those of the domestic market seem to decrease at a very low rate or stagnate at times. The executives of the distillery needed to know where this discrepancy was stemming from. Another impetus for this research was the fact that the marketing department wanted to launch the product into the African market. Kenya, a country in the eastern part of the continent, has been chosen as the entry point into the region. The executives needed to know the different types of marketing research that they can use to make inroads into this market. Methodology of the Research There are various methods that the researcher used to collect information for this study. Liang (2003) opines that the success of any market research lies on the methods that were used to execute it. If the research design was poor, this will be reflected in the findings of the research and vise versa. The accuracy of the research is of paramount importance given that the policy makers rely on the findings and recommendations to make their decisions. As such, if they are presented with a

Expending the exhaustion doctrine to publicity in Dior v Evora (1997) Essay

Expending the exhaustion doctrine to publicity in Dior v Evora (1997) ECR I-6013 was a crucial mistake, as it inevitably damages the essential function of the trade mark. Discuss - Essay Example and logos does not only enable business owners to protect their investments on a specific and distinct brand name but also gives the marketed goods under a trademark an identity which is distinguish from other similar products and services3. It also gives them the legal right to sue anyone who uses the trademark in an illegal manner.4 Once a trademark is completely registered, a person or a company will automatically have a legal protection against those people who would copy or imitate their product signs and symbols.5 In other words, a fraud may occur in case another individual or business entity is uses any signs or symbols that have already been registered under the trademark law.6 In general, the IP protection law has been established in order to ensure that every creative individual who were able to invent a distinctive idea, design, or a product will continuously get credit for their effort and achievements. Trademarks which falls under the category of IPRs, is being represented with a symbol  ® or â„ ¢ after a company name, logo, pictures, a slogan, or a combination of these.7 In general, a trademark serves the purpose of protecting signs and symbols that are being identified with a specific goods and services that belongs to an individual, a business organization or even the government.8 In the process of having legal protection, business owners could retain an exclusive right over the use of a registered mark. Likewise, it also provides them the authority to allow other people to use the registered mark in exchange of a monetary payment or purely by consent. Unlike the intellectual property right law which is believed to promote monopolistic competition within the domestic and international markets9, competition law promotes free trade and healthy competition among the local and international businesses10. Since competition law which includes the concept of parallel import is very much focused on eliminating and reducing the cases of monopolistic

Demand and Supply in Microeconomics

Demand and Supply in Microeconomics Introduction Economics is a study of how to use limited resource to satisfy unlimited people wants. Demand and supply is the two main concept of the modern economic. Demand is what people want and supply is how many goods available for people want. In free market the price of good is determined by the numbers of consumers and how many products available for them. As the result of that, when consumers understand the law of demand and supply they will have ability to decide when they can buy a product with low price and the suppliers can set the right price of this product and decide how many product they will make. In this case study we will evaluate the theory of demand and supply. We also give an example of demand and supply in food market in Hanoi in storm season. Theory Demand and supply might be one of the basic concepts of economics. It is the core of market economy. Demand is the price or quantity of a product or service desired by consumers. The demand relationship refers to the relationship between the price and quantity demanded, which are the price and quantity people willing to pay for. Supply is the amount of products a market produces. The supply relationship represents the relation between the price and quantity supplied, which are the price and quantity suppliers willing to produce. Therefore, price is the main concern for demand and supply to consider increased or deducted, and so demand and supply vary according to the price. According to the law of demand and supply, the higher of a products price the more suppliers will produce and the less people will buy. Because of that, the market price is changes. ( Investopedia news and articles, copyright 2010 ) In such a case, the quantity supplied is greater than the quantity demanded and there is a surplus of the good on the market. From the graph we see that if the unit price is $3 (assuming relative pricing in dollars), the quantities supplied and demanded would be: Quantity Supplied = 42 units Quantity Demanded = 26 units Therefore there would be a surplus of 42 26 = 16 units. The sellers then would lower their price in order to sell the surplus. Suppose the sellers lowered their prices below the equilibrium point. In this case, the quantity demanded would increase beyond what was supplied, and there would be a shortage. If the price is held at $2, the quantity supplied then would be: Quantity Supplied = 28 units Quantity Demanded = 38 units Therefore, there would be a shortage of 38 28 = 10 units. The sellers then would increase their prices to make more profit. The equilibrium point must be the point at which quantity supplied and quantity demanded are in balance, which is where the supply and demand curves cross. From the graph above, one sees that this is at a price of approximately $2.40 and a quantity of 34 units. (NetMBA.com) In general, if the price of a product is at low level, more people want to buy it and the demand will increase. As the result, there will be a shortage. The supplier now will be willing to produce more because people still want to use that product. So the supply increases. It will keep increasing to a point where customers demand and the quantity of that product is equal. Thus, there is a tendency toward an equilibrium point where quantity demanded equals quantity supplied. On the other hand, if the price of a product is at high level, less and less people want to buy it and so the demand decreases. In the end, there will be a surplus. The supplier now will drop down the price in order to attract more customers. This price keeps going down until they sell all out of the surplus. So, the price is moving backward to an equilibrium point where price demanded equals price supplied. So, how a firm know when to produce more or less? As in THE TIMES 100 article states that An important aspect of marketing is knowing what the demand is for your products. All companies engage in marketing activities to find out what the demand for their different products will be. For example, Coca-Cola will want to investigate market trends in the carbonated drinks sector, while a bank will want to find out about the demand for financial services. Armed with this information they are able to make appropriate pricing decisions based on what other suppliers are doing, as well as on the demand from consumers in the market. Some main factors causing the change in demand: Economic factors: When a country economy is good and people have more money in their pockets. They likely want to consume more and thus the demand will increase Social factors: As the social trend changes, people might have less time for taking care of their houses. Therefore, they will need to buy more washing machines and hire employees to do all the cleaning and cooking services. So, there will be more opportunity for firms making washing machine and higher demand for cleaning service. The quantity and the price of competitive goods: the higher the price of a competitive good, the higher will be the demand for this good as customers change from competitive goods. An example for this is that, if the price of i-phone mobile phone goes up, the demand of other smart phones will increase. Some main factors causing the change in supply: Wants: it is simply the demand for a particular product. As the demand rises, the supplies will rise also. The number of suppliers: If new companies join the market, usually the supply increases Natural and unpredictable events: If earthquakes, floods and fire occur, the output likely to drop. Wars, which affect the supply of imported raw materials, the breakdown of machinery, may happen anytime. (John Sloman (1998), and The Times 100, Copyright  © the Times Newspapers) Demand and Supply in Macroeconomics and Microeconomics: Macroeconomics is the study of the whole economic activities which include inflation, recession and unemploymentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Therefore, it concerns with the total demand and total supply. If the total demand is high compared to the total supply, inflation and balance of trade deficits will occur Inflation: is the increase of the price level in the whole economy. If there is a rise in demand, suppliers likely react by setting up high prices. After all, if the demand is still high, they can sell as good as before and make a lot of profits. Inflation will happen when all suppliers just keep their prices at high level. The balance of trade deficits happens when import is greater than export. When the aggregate demand rises, people will have a tendency to buy more foreign goods, more imported cars, wines, electronic equipments will be consumed. If the inflation is also high, the domestic goods are even harder to compare with foreign goods. As the result, our goods cannot be consumed not only by our country but also foreign countries. If the total demand is low compared to the total supply, unemployment and recession will occur Recession: is the economic situation when business activities are declined. As the result, fewer and fewer people are willing to spend money. Thus, firms will have a lot of surplus goods. They likely to buy less from the manufacturers, which will decrease the production in return. Unemployment will happen if manufacturers do not need to produce anymore. Microeconomics is the study about the individual parts of economy, individual firms. It studies about the demand and supply of specific products and services such as cars, clothes, food, electricians. We cannot make as many goods as want because the lack of resources. There are some choices must be made in our society: What should be produced? We dont have enough resources to produce as many goods as we want. Therefore, we have to decide how many cars, how many buildings, how many hospitalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ should be produced? How should things be produced? If there is more than one way to produce thing, we have to decide which is the best. Who will use our products? This is the problem of income. We have to decide what the wage of particular job such as: doctor, engineer, farmerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Because if they have more money, they likely to consume more (John Sloman, 1998) Case study In October of 2008, Ha Noi was flooded by heavy rains. Because the drains did not work effectively as it was supposed to be. People in Ha Noi had a terrible experience because of the scarcity of the food. Learning from that experience, people in Ha Noi today usually store food when a storm is announced coming. As the matter of fact, in the evening of July 17th in 2010, the news forecasted that a storm might be coming. However, in the next day, the weather turned normally again. Because of the worry about the scarcity of food, people in Ha Noi already rushed to the super market and bought as many foods as they can. The change of demand and supply made a lot of supermarket out of stock, also the price of the food was doubled the supposed price. At some supermarket, people had to struggle, pushed each other just to fill up their fridge. As a result, they had to eat frozen food for months while low price fresh food is selling everywhere. At this point, the market had to suffer the decrease of food demand because people already had food in their fridge. In this case, when a demand surprisingly increase the quantity supply cannot afford to satisfy all the needs instead of that is the increasing of the price. When the demand drops down, the quantity supply stays the same but the price has to fall to attract more customers. Conclusion Nowadays, the real world economy is too complex that even in some cases the law of demand and supply cannot be applied. The market today is changing ceaselessly; many individual speculations are getting even more and more uncertainly. Therefore, people shouldnt rush in deciding to buy anything. In my opinion, stock and real estate markets are really risky for those who only follow the market tendency meaning to say the majority of people and dont have enough knowledge of how the economy works. Furthermore, the government should be flexible with the policy to keep the market price at a suitable level so that both customers and suppliers can adapt with, and also avoid inflation and unemployment.

IBM Selling Plan :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

IBM Selling Plan Executive Summary We have selected IBM as a prospective buyer for Nidec’s spindle motors. For the past several months, Nidec has been the sole supplier of cooling fans for the production of IBM’s servers. Using this strong relationship as a base, we will present three main reasons for IBM to use Nidec as a supplier for spindle motors as well. First, Nidec is able to charge a lower price than competitors. This feature is possible because Nidec’s 70% spindle motor market share allows the company to achieve economies of scale. Second, Nidec is committed to pursuing a double-win philosophy with its customers. IBM can count on Nidec to provide the best solution to its many design and production problems. Nidec will work with IBM and IBM’s suppliers to facilitate the design and production of new products. Finally, Nidec places primary focus on the quality of its products from design to delivery. With one of the lowest DPPM’s in the industry, Nidec has demonstrated its ability and dedication to maintaining a high level of consistency and reliability. We are scheduled to give a presentation to a commodity manager and commodity engineer from IBM’s hard disk drive department on February 22, 2000. This presentation will be persuasive in nature. It has one primary objective: closing the sale! By â€Å"closing the sale,† we mean securing a two-year agreement with IBM to purchase spindle motors exclusively from Nidec. If this objective cannot be met, we are confident that we will at least be able to secure a visit to Nidec’s site in San Jose. A plant visit would surely convince IBM that Nidec offers the best solution. Customer Background Customer Profile IBM is the world’s leading information technology company. From its beginning in 1890, the company has had a history of providing innovative solutions to complex problems. One of the more recent of IBM’s innovations is its server technology. IBM is widely known for producing high quality and powerful servers for a variety of businesses, including retail, manufacturing, finance, distribution, health, legal, transportation, insurance and education (www.ibm.com/servers/). IBM produces dozens of different types of servers comprising five separate categories: AS/400, Netfinity, NUMA-Q, RS/6000, and S/390. These servers are sold in more than 120 countries and can run on over 49 different languages (www.ibm.com/servers). They are adaptable to multiple platforms, and are compatible with thousands of software programs. During the past several years, IBM has spent billions of dollars incorporating the most advanced technological capabilities into its servers.

Some Companies Prohibit Their Employees from Facebook or Twitter

Social websites have been developing rapidly and become an important part of most people’s lives. They help people enlarge a huge web of relationships, stay connected with others from all over the world, and relax hours to hours at a minimal cost. However, some companies prohibit their employees from accessing social websites for a couple of reasons. First of all, prohibiting social websites at work facilitates companies to protect from the danger of information leakage. Some users of social websites such as Face-book or Twitter usually send links to their friends to share interesting news or funny video clips. Being aware of this, hackers start to make friends with the employees using Face-book or twitter, and then send them links, which probably contain viruses or spywares. If they succeed, those hackers will be able steal all of the secret information and new business strategies of the company. It is obvious that employers do not want their company’s secret plans lost, so the banning of social websites at work is an essential measure. The next reason for banning social websites at work is to maintain company’s image. Some companies, such as service companies, have a huge number of customers transacting every day. Read also Twitter Case Study If the customers accidentally see the employee’s screens being full of his personal pictures or commenting boxes of Face-book, they are likely to think that this company is a poor-quality company which is not strict or does not know how to train their staff. They do not rely on this company anymore; therefore, this company probably loses its prestige. The image is one of the most important standards determining the company’s success; thus, prohibiting social websites is very necessary. Productivity is also a good reason for prohibiting social websites at work. Doing two things at the same time, chatting and working, makes employees be pretty much distracted. Decreasing productivity is inevitable. For example, an accountant is working on some figures, but sometimes she stops to access Face-book to chat with her friends or upload her pictures. How can she be sure of the accuracy of the figures, which requires a high level of concentration while she is busy thinking about the appearance of a new friend, such as a hot guy, or about the comments on her photos? As a result, not only her work falls behind but also the company progress is delayed. Therefore, companies prohibit social websites at work. In brief, social websites have become a popular tendency in the world day by day. However, many companies prohibit their employees from logging into Face-book or twitter because they want to prevent the risk of information leakage, to save time for work, and to obtain the best labor productivity. This is a very important and necessary policy; therefore, it probably be applied at many companies soon. If you are a Face-book or twitter addict, and on the way looking for a job, you had better think twice before accessing a social website.

An Amnesty Program

An Amnesty Program Introduction The number of immigrants into the United States of America has been increasing over the years. It is estimated that around 1.2 million people immigrate into America each year (Jacoby 509). Due to the proximity of Mexico to the United States, Mexicans form the largest group of immigrants in America.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An Amnesty Program specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, due to the policies that have been implemented to regulate immigration, not everybody is able to access the visa that will enable them to settle in the U.S. Consequently, many people have resulted to illegal immigration through the sea and some through the porous borders especially the Mexican border. It is important to note that immigrants exert a lot of pressure not only on the national budget, but also on various social amenities. In the quest to deal with the problem of illegal immigration, many proposals have been forwarded including an amnesty program. Nevertheless, the effects of an amnesty program have not been fully addressed. Advantages of an Amnesty Program To begin with, an amnesty program will help in avoiding the movement of experts from America to other countries. Since most of the young people have been educated in the United States of America, it will be prudent to let them use the skills they have gained to build our economy. Educating people consumes national resources and sending these people away will be tantamount to wastage of resources (Rosenblum, Clare, William and Ruth 33). On the same note, sending all the illegal immigrants out of America is practically impossible because some of the people who have been deported have declared that they will try to come back (Passel, D’Vera and Ana par 2). Therefore, an amnesty program will give people an opportunity of securing jobs and thus reducing crime rates. Similarly, immigrants dominate the hard and dirty labor where Nat ive Americans are unwilling to work in. An amnesty program will enable this sector to continue having the crucial labor that is required. Moreover, America needs people who will take up the dirty manual jobs that natives are unwilling to accept. On the same note, immigrants are ready to get assimilated and an amnesty program will be very crucial in achieving this. It is important to note that this will help in reducing the ethnic tension in society (Douthat and Jenny 54). In addition, immigrants come with the aim of working. They know that their income directly depends on their hard work (Jacoby 511). Unfortunately, they find it hard to get jobs especially if they are illegal. Amnesty program will enhance their chances of getting better paying jobs thus increasing their contribution to the economy.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Disadvantages The numbers of immigrants especially from Mexico have reduced in the recent years partly due to the difficult economical conditions in America as well as increased deportations (Passel, D’Vera and Ana par 2). However, an amnesty program will send a message that the situation may change in the future thus encouraging immigration. As a result, amnesty will actually be against the government aim of reducing immigration. The program that offered amnesty to some illegal immigrants in 1986 is a good example (Rosenblum, Clare, William and Ruth 33). Moreover, amnesty will give powers to immigrants who will then dominate entrepreneurship. It should be noted that the number of immigrants in each sector of the economy is drastically increasing (Jacoby 510). Sooner or later, immigrants will be giving natives unfavorable competition. Personal Position It is important to note that illegal immigration cannot be dealt with by implementing an amnesty program. The problem of low incomes and lack of unemployment will e xist even after amnesty. In this regard, claiming that an amnesty program will in any way reduce criminal activities perpetrated by illegal immigrants is a lie. There are other ways through which the problem of illegal immigration can be dealt with including enhancing border security. Amnesty will just give illegal immigrants hopes that even if they suffer for long, one day the government will give them citizenship. Let us face the reality; amnesty will not solve the problem of illegal immigration. Therefore, amnesty should not even be a question of discussion. It should just be abolished from possible solutions of illegal immigration. Conclusion It is in every human being’s mind to advance economically. People everywhere in the world are always waiting for the slightest opportunity to better their lives. It is important to note that given the difference in economic capability of various countries, people will always be willing to move to developed countries where they believ e opportunities of advancement are many. Given the fact that America has highly developed infrastructure, enhanced education system as well as quality health care, many people are fighting for visas to enable them settle there. Much as illegal immigration is a problem in America, rushing to come up with a solution might not be the right way to go about it. The idea of an amnesty program should be well investigated before any step is taken. Douthat, Ross and Jenny Woodson. â€Å"The Border.† The Atlantic Monthly 297.1 (2006): 54-55. Print.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An Amnesty Program specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Jacoby, Tamar. â€Å"The New Immigrants and the Issue of Assimilation.† The aims of argument: Text and reader. Eds. Timothy Crusius, and Carolyn Channell. New York: McGraw-Hill Educational, 2010. 509-514. Print. Passel, Jeffrey, D’Vera Cohn and Ana Gonzalez-Barrera. â€Å"Net Migration from Mexico Falls to Zero and Perhaps Less. Pew Research Hispanic Center, 2012. Web. https://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/23/net-migration-from-mexico-falls-to-zero-and-perhaps-less/. RosenBlum, Marc R., Clare Ribando Seelke, William A. Kandel and Ruth Ellen Wasem. Mexican Migration to the United States: Policy and Trends. Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2012. Web. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42560.pdf.

Geodetic Datum - WGS 84 - NAD 83 - GPS

Geodetic Datum - WGS 84 - NAD 83 - GPS A geodetic datum is a tool used to define the shape and size of the earth, as well as the reference point for the various coordinate systems used in mapping the earth. Throughout time, hundreds of different datums have been used - each one changing with the earth views of the times. True geodetic datums, however, are only those which appeared after the 1700s. Prior to that, the earths ellipsoidal shape was not always taken into consideration, as many still believed it was flat. Since most datums today are used for measuring and showing large portions of the earth, an ellipsoidal model is essential. The Vertical and Horizontal Datums Today, there are hundreds of different datums in use; but, they are all either horizontal or vertical in their orientation. The horizontal datum is the one that is used in measuring a specific position on the earths surface in coordinate systems such as latitude and longitude. Because of the different local datums (i.e. those having different reference points), the same position can have many different geographic coordinates so it is important to know which datum the reference is in. The vertical datum measures the elevations of specific points on the earth. This data is gathered via tides with sea level measurements, geodetic surveying with different ellipsoid models used with the horizontal datum, and gravity, measured with the geoid. The data is then depicted on maps as some height above sea level. For reference, the geoid is a mathematical model of the earth measured with gravity that corresponds with the mean ocean surface level on the earth- such as if the water were extended over the land. Because the surface is highly irregular, however, there are different local geoids that are used to get the most accurate mathematical model possible for use in measuring vertical distances. Commonly Used Datums As previously mentioned, there are many datums in use around the world today. Some of the most commonly used datums are those of the World Geodetic System, the North American Datums, those of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, and the European Datum; however, this is by no means an exhaustive list. Within the World Geodetic System (WGS), there are several different datums that have been in use throughout the years. These are WGS 84, 72, 70, and 60. The WGS 84 is currently the one in use for this system and is valid until 2010. In addition, it is one of the most widely used datums around the world. In the 1980s, the United States Department of Defense used the Geodetic Reference System, 1980 (GRS 80) and Doppler satellite images to create a new, more accurate world geodetic system. This became what is known today as WGS 84. In terms of reference, WGS 84 uses what is called the zero meridian but because of the new measurements, it shifted 100 meters (0.062 miles) from the previously used Prime Meridian. Similar to WGS 84 is the North American Datum 1983 (NAD 83). This is the official horizontal datum for use in the North and Central American geodetic networks. Like WGS 84, it is based on the GRS 80 ellipsoid so the two have very similar measurements. NAD 83 was also developed using satellite and remote sensing imagery and is the default datum on most GPS units today. Prior to NAD 83 was NAD 27, a horizontal datum constructed in 1927 based on the Clarke 1866 ellipsoid. Though NAD 27 was in use for many years and still appears on the  United States topographic maps, it was based on a series of approximations with the geodetic center being based at Meades Ranch, Kansas. This point was chosen because it is near the geographic center of the contiguous United States. Also similar to WGS 84 is the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain 1936 (OSGB36) as the latitude and longitude positions of points are the same in both datums. However, it is based on the Airy 1830 ellipsoid as it shows Great Britain, its primary user, the most accurately. The European Datum 1950 (ED50) is the datum used for showing much of Western Europe and was developed after World War II when a reliable system of mapping borders was needed. It was based on the International Ellipsoid but changed when GRS80 and WGS84 were put into use. Today ED50s latitude and longitude lines are similar to WGS84 but the lines do become farther apart on ED50 when moving toward Eastern Europe. When working with these or other map datums, it is important to always be aware of which datum a particular map is referenced in because often there are large differences in terms of distance between place to place on each different datum. This datum shift can then cause problems in terms of navigation and/or in trying to locate a specific place or object as a user of the wrong datum can sometimes be hundreds of meters from their desired position. Whichever datum is used, however, they represent a powerful geographic tool but are most important in cartography, geology, navigation, surveying, and sometimes even astronomy. In fact, geodesy (the study of measurement and Earth representation) has become its own subject within the field of earth sciences.

Hip-Hop as an Integral Part of African- American Culture Essay

Hip-Hop as an Integral Part of African- American Culture - Essay Example There is a wide range of African-American music for instance gospel, jazz, blues, soul and hip-hop. However, hip-hop is the most important music genre that has greatly influenced the culture and identity of the African American people. To the African American people, hip-hop is encompasses more than music to include other components such as language, clothing and way of life. African Americans use hip-hop to express black culture and identity in society. To the African American community, hip-hop is part of the black identity and culture.Hip-Hop originated in the African-American community in the late 1970s as a form of music as well as an artistic culture in New York City. The late 1970’s was an important time in the history of the African American people as it marked a period when both the black middle and working classes were struggling to move out of poverty. Hip-Hop originated from other traditional forms of African American music such as jazz, soul and gospel. It was cre ated by African Americans like Herc who was working and had the ability to create a form of music and culture that expressed and shaped the culture of black people in New York City in the 1970s. However, since the development of hip-hop culture the society associated hip-hop with negative messages from the American urban streets such as drugs, violence and crime. Hip-hops representation in the media and the society is contrary to the original purpose that was to offer black people a forum to express personal feelings in an artistic and rhythmic manner (Reese par. 5).The different elements of hip-hop culture provide avenues and creative outlets through which African American people can practice and express the black culture. Most people use hip-hop to express their political and emotional feelings to the rest of the world.  

Medication Errors V.S Bar Coding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Medication Errors V.S Bar Coding - Essay Example In an analysis of 334 medication errors from II acute care wards, 39 % of the problems were judged to occur during physician ordering, 12% during transcription and verification, 11% during pharmacy dispensing and 38% during nursing administration (Patterson 2002). The intravenous (IV) administration of drug is a complex process and errors frequently occur. For example, in a recent study on 10 wards in the two UK hospitals it was found that errors occurred in almost half the IV drug preparations and administrations, 1% of which were severe and 58% moderate. The main findings of the study are as follows: An error rate of 73% occurred when giving bolus doses (172 errors in 235 observed administrations). An error rate of 14% occurred when preparing drugs that required multiple steps (50 errors in 345 observed multiple step preparations). An ethnographic study was conducted to investigate IV drug errors in two UK hospitals. This research method offers the advantage that the context can be explored at the time of the error and many of the conditions, which contribute to errors, as outlined by human error theory, can be identified in this context. A purposive sampling strategy was used to collect data in different hospital settings. A trained and experienced observer accompanied nurses during IV drug rounds on 10 wards in two hospitals (one University teaching hospital and one non-teaching hospital) in the UK. Information came from observation and talking informally to staff. Human error theory was used to analyze the causes of IV error. Both hospitals operated a typical ward pharmacy service in which doctors wrote prescriptions on formatted inpatient drug charts and nurses used the charts to determine the doses to be given and to record the administration of drugs. IV medication in general was prepared and administere d on the wards by nursing staff, with the exception of cytotoxic medication, which was prepared centrally by the pharmacy department. This disguised, observation method has been shown to be valid for identification of medication errors. Each case of IV medications error was analyzed to identity the main active failure and the factors contributing to this error. Medication was omitted because of failures in communication in 14 errors (16%). This occurred when patients were transferred between wards and information on drug administration was not communicated. Communication problems between doctors and nurses included ambiguous hand written prescriptions. These cases also indicated failures in adequately using and checking patient's drug charts. High workload and distractions when carrying out several tasks at the same time were observed in 13 errors ( Taxis 2003)) A prospective audit was carried out by Cousins D.H (2005) by direct

Motivation and Happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Motivation and Happiness - Essay Example This is illustrated in the motive of peer approval which becomes a motive to the individual to the extent that it satisfies his need of belonging and social recognition. There are common implications in the terminology of motivation whether we speak of it as motive, drive, need, impulse, wish, want id or valence. There is the implied existence of a force, of some degree of intensity that activates and arouses behavior. The object or goal of this force defines its direction. Motives may either be physiological or psychological. Physiological motives drive the individual to meet his body needs for food, water, and sleep. A kindergarten child may not be attentive in the class because he is malnourished or he did not eat breakfast. A college student cannot concentrate on the class discussions for he was sleepless the night before. Psychological needs, those that are not basically physiological are more numerous and have more variations depending on the theory that one subscribes to. It is generally accepted that psychological need cannot be separated from physiological needs. The two are interdependent. Each affects the other. Maslow's theory is consistent with the basic objectives of the teaching-learning process in particular and of the educational system in general, that is, to develop the potentials of the learners. The theory states that self-actualization cannot be achieved unless the lower levels of needs are satisfied. Thus, the learners' biological needs must be met. The student must feel that he belongs to the group. He must have self-esteem before he can self-actualize. An atmosphere conducive to the meeting of these needs is important. No fast rules can be stated here. But suffice to say that the teacher's awareness of his pupils' need cannot be overemphasized. His ingenuity to create situations facilitative of self-actualization is thereby challenged. Of course, there are hindrances to this such as big classes that make it difficult for the teacher to recognize individual differences and heavy teaching loads that may take away the teacher from the learners. When man wants to attain happiness and freedom, man has to satisfy his needs and motivation transpires giving the person enough reason to reach for his goals. With the Brave New World, freedom is being discussed in relation to social stratification and social order. Motives, wants and needs and also drives often spoken of interrelatedly may be broken into classifications as physiological and psychological motives. The physiological motives are also referred to as biological, organic, primary or basic. A large part of man's activity is devoted to the maintenance of bodily needs - the need for food, water, air, excretion, sleep, activtity, shelter and sexual needs. These comprise the first stage in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Man is attracted towards states which are pleasant and draws away from stimulations which are unpleasant. Man naturally looks for relationships that are warm and affectionate. During infancy, this need is very often satisfied by loving parents who provide the warm emotional security that will etermine to a large extent, later personal adjustments in life. In Huxley's work, "All members of society are conditioned with the values that the World State idealizes. Children are trained to

Michael’s Reflective Paper Essay Example for Free

Michael’s Reflective Paper Essay * Who am I? What life experiences made me who I am today? Was it my family, my social environment where I went to school, the groups, or organizations that I belonged to, or was it certain life events that shaped me? * This paper is my attempt to show that my family and social environment, my life experiences from childhood to present influenced me to be the person that I am today and who I will be in the future. As I reflect upon my life, at the age of forty-nine, I have come to the conclusion that my family and social environment when growing up, surviving cancer in my twenties, and getting married in my thirties are the main social influences and life events that have shaped who I am today and who I want to become in the future. Every one of these experiences has given me something: learning to be independent from family attitudes; dealing with the state of uncertainty, which comes with the disease; responsibility of marriage; and the importance to find the field of expertise for effective work. All these insights can be described as building effective relationships with people and developing self-understanding on different levels. * To understand my family life, and why I feel that their negative attitudes to me shaped me to be a better person, I first have to give you some background on my family and me. The background of my family clarifies how important for me was to be independent from this alienating environment. My mother died when I was only a year old and my father raised my older brother Kevin and me by himself until he met my stepmother. My father remarried and had my two stepbrothers William and Robert. My father was a strict disciplinarian, racist, drank a lot, and worked as a machinist at a refinery plant. My stepmother was a homemaker as my father did not approve of her working and felt that she needed to be at home taking care of the children. My stepmother came from an orphanage, had polio in her left hand. She was also an alcoholic, meaning that she was nasty when drunk; in addition, she was a chain smoker. Kevin was the oldest son one and a half years older than me (and my father’s favorite one), I was the middle child, William was five years younger than me and was diagnosed at an early age as having severe attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD); Robert was the youngest. Witt and Mossler (2010) quote the longitudinal research study which has shown that the attitudes of parents towards children rather than the practices of raising children shape our personality in adulthood (Ch. 1, p. 11). It is evident that lack of my father’s attention has influenced me a lot, stimulating me to attract my parents’ attention, for better or for worse. The authors also stress on the importance of the environment of growing up, both social and physical (Witt Mossler, 2010, Ch. 1, p. 13). We lived in a relatively low middle class white community in Beaumont, Texas next door to my father’s brother and his family. The area where we lived in was close to the outskirts of Beaumont and was nestled back in the woods, so the woods were our playground. This could create the feeling of abandonment, but it was also empowering somehow, as I learned by these circumstances to rely on myself. Palkovitz, Marks, Appleby, and Holmes (2002) treat the relationship between parents and children as a complex unit consisting of father factors, co parental factors, mother factors, child factors, and contextual factors (p. 8). It is evident that in my family, there was disintegration in a sense on all levels. It was interesting to discover that, according to the study by Palkovitz, Marks, Appleby, and Holmes (2002), my father’s attitude was shaped by his experience in romantic relationships and then projected upon children (p. 8). I had to develop independence from this painful emotional context. My relationship with my father caused me to be non-racist, disciplined, and extroverted, as my father was a strict disciplinarian, controlling, and racist man. He gave all his attention to my older brother and ignored me unless I did something that angered him. His treatment of me caused me to crave his attention and to seek to please him until I reached my teenage years and decided that I did not want to be like my father. I rebelled against his control upon me. He tried to control what I did after school, how I wore my hair, how I thought, and what I wanted to be when I graduated high school. I was deeply afraid of him when I was a child, and only when I became a young adult did I see that what he was doing to me was wrong. I started standing up for myself. I started seeking attention outside my family and I got a job after school so that I started earning my own money. That allowed me to purchase my own clothes, get my haircut how I wanted, and purchase my first car that gave me the freedom to escape from my dysfunctional family on a daily basis. My first car and earning my own money gave me the ability to distance myself from my family. However, later circumstances of my life taught me that people can also be supporting and self-reliance is not enough. When I was in my early twenties working and going to college, I developed Hodgkin’s disease that has also changed my personality. Hodgkin’s is a form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. Like other forms of cancer, it is believed to cause the feelings of uncertainty, lack of control, anxiety, isolation, discomfort, and – last but not least – re-definition of goals and roles (Halldorsdottir Hamrin, 1996, p. 34). On one hand, one feels that he has to re-define his place in the society; on another hand, people care about those with the disease more and help more (at least they are supposed to do so). I experienced how it was not to have the control upon my life, but also how it was to be cared for by others. Anyway, when one is ill and so evidently dependent upon the society, the natural question comes: â€Å"Did I do anything wrong? And what was it? † Often cancer is associated with suppressed anger and a desire to please other (or at least attract attention) (Broderick, 1996, p. 14), and this really could be my case. I must admit that this understanding came along with serious heart problems. Still, illness did not prevent me from shouldering responsibility in work and family life, as well as from the joys of both. I met my wife during my thirties when I was changing my careers from being a technician to a salesperson. Interestingly, psychologists nowadays view professional development of an individual as an ongoing process (not limited to certain age group), the first stage of which is exploration (Smart Peterson, 1997, p. 59). So, I was engaged in a kind of â€Å"double exploration†, searching for new ways in professional life as well as personal, consciously or not. In addition, like a career, marriage is a serious responsibility that implies both joyful outcomes and stress together with work on oneself. This personal responsibility has changed me a lot, teaching how to meet the needs of another person with whom I have been living day by day for a long time. I find the recommendations given by Witt and Mossler (2010, Ch. 3, p. 37) helpful, though challenging sometimes. People are happy in marriage when they support each other materially and emotionally, not forgetting to be positive, share feelings, thank each other, express affection, and do certain tasks together. In prolonged perspective, my family life and work taught me how to be productive and understanding in relationships with people and how to maintain stability in the changing world around and in the situations when inner conflicts arise. That is why in my future, I want to pass on the knowledge that my occupation as a sales manager has given to me. Perhaps I will start organizing some training sessions. This may also help to deepen my competence in the field of sales and on the level of personal communication, as people may share their valuable experience with me on the trainings. As I reflect upon my life now, from quite a distance, I have concluded that several events were the strongest in making me the person I am at present. They were my family and social environment in childhood, surviving cancer in my twenties, and getting married in my thirties. My family life stimulated me to earn living independently, cancer survival was essential in understanding my own potential and the ability to help of the people around, and marriage has given me the notion of responsibility. The dark years and events turn out to be ambivalent in the sense that they have given me certain experience and understanding of myself. Those main social influences and life events that I described in this paper have shaped my present personality and my thoughts about the future.

Whos Afraid of Edward Albee? :: Biography Biographies Essays

Who's Afraid of Edward Albee?      Ã‚   Edward Albee was considered the chief playwright of the Theater of the Absurd when his first successful one-act experimental plays emerged.   The Zoo Story, The Death of Bessie Smith, The Sandbox, and Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung were all released during Albee's thirties between 1959 and 1968 (Artists   1-2).   Edward Albee was born in the nation's capitol on March 12, 1928, and his career has brought him three Pulitzer Prizes over four decades, the first for A Delicate Balance in 1966 and the most recent in 1994 for Three Tall Women.   While Albee's original works established him as a leading voice in America's Theater of the Absurd, his more mature plays were representative of traditional playwrights like Eugene O'Neill and August Strindberg.      Unlike many successful writers, the childhood of Albee was not one of deprivation.   On the contrary,   Albee was adopted at the age of two weeks by a millionaire family.   From that point on he knew a life of wealth and privilege.   He resided with his family in Westchester, New York.   His childhood experience was quite remote from that of many writers who knew squalor and deprivation.   As one magazine article said regarding his childhood years, "It was a time of servants, tutors, riding lessons, winters in Miami, summers sailing on the Sound:   there was a Rolls Royce to bring him, smuggled in lap robes, to matinees in the city; an inexhaustible wardrobe housed in a closet as big as a room.   Albee has never made any explicit comments about the happiness of his childhood.   His father was believed, however, to be dominated by his wife, who was considerably younger than her husband and an avid athlete" (Biography   1).   His grandfather was one of the major f igures in the development of the razzmatazz of American show-business and the owner of a famous chain of vaudeville theaters.   Albee was named after him and this lineage gave him a great deal of exposure to plays and theater people at a young age.   Albee was not very adept at schoolwork though he showed promise as a writer from a young age.   He dropped out of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, after a year and a half to pursue a writing career full time in New York.   However, while at Trinity, Albee did gain theater experience by playing a variety of characters in plays produced by the college drama department.

Question and Iago

Iago continually uses rhetorical strategies to manipulate others. He uses many devices to put false accusations into Othello’s head. In lines 330-447 in act 3 scene 3, Iago uses rhetorical questions, imagery, and sarcasm to make Othello believe that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona. To make Othello question Desdemona’s love for him Iago uses rhetorical questions. When Othello says â€Å"†¦than answer my waked wrath! † Iago comes back with â€Å"Is’t come to this my lord. † Later he goes as far as to say â€Å"Are you a man? Have you a soul or sense? This puts the idea of Desdemona having an affair with Cassio in his head, this also serves to make Othello question much of what he held true. Othello believed that Iago was an honest man. Iago acts very sympathetically towards Othello and in doing this he creates the illusion that he knows what he is talking about. This leads Othello to sense that Iago knows more than what he is sharing. Iago’s questioning ways lead Othello into thinking the worse about Desdemona and Cassio, Iago gains exactly what he wanted, manipulation. Iago continually uses rhetorical strategies to manipulate others. He uses many devices to put false accusations into Othello’s head. In lines 330-447 in act 3 scene 3, Iago uses rhetorical questions, imagery, and sarcasm to make Othello believe that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona. To make Othello question Desdemona’s love for him Iago uses rhetorical questions. When Othello says â€Å"†¦than answer my waked wrath! † Iago comes back with â€Å"Is’t come to this my lord. † Later he goes as far as to say â€Å"Are you a man? Have you a soul or sense? This puts the idea of Desdemona having an affair with Cassio in his head, this also serves to make Othello question much of what he held true. Othello believed that Iago was an honest man. Iago acts very sympathetically towards Othello and in doing this he creates the illusion that he knows what he is talking about. This leads Othello to sense that Iago knows more than what he is sharing. Iago’s questioning ways lead Othello into thinking the worse about Desdemona and Cassio, Iago gains exactly what he wanted, manipulation. Secondly, Iago’s use of imagery creates such a lucid picture that makes it hard to believe that it is anything but true. Iago tells of how he slept with Cassio and how Cassio, kept talking about Desdemona in his dreams. Through out the play of Othello Iago used many techniques to get what he wanted and one way or another he some how all most always got what he wanted. His techniques were that of an everyday sneaky, conniving bad guy, who always got people to trust him, except the person that was closest to him. But the main overall techniques he used were; 1)He gained the trust of people. Which was the number one technique, and from gaining their trust he could branch off form that and then he could manipulate the people he was playing into thinking that he was on their side even when he might be on the opposite side. Another thing that he could do to people was to, from gaining their trust and making then think that he was on their side he could manipulate them and make them turn on each other. The other technique that he used which didn't nearly play a role as large as the first technique but was important was he was always very careful, in being discovered and by covering his tracks. He knew how to take care of things in precarious situation. There was in my own personal opinion one more technique, and that was that he knew how to use all his options and could use his wits and cunningness. Iago's number one technique was his ability to make people trust him. He had just about everyone spun in Iago's web. Rodrigo, Othello, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and etc. And he got every one of them to trust him, although he still hadn't got Emilia into his web fully. She still had suspicions about him. He could gain the trust of people as if it was nothing to him. He always when talking to that certain person said that he was on their side, making a false trust that the person believed, and therefore trusted him. Now most of the people he did this to it worked on. Such as Cassio calling him â€Å"Honest Iago† and when Cassio got in that fight with Rodrigo, he believed that Iago was the only good, honest man on his side, even†¦

Music and Critical Thinking Questions

Review Questions 1. What are the basic elements of music? 2. What is pitch? 3. What is syncopation? What types of music use syncopation? 4. What are three examples of forms of music? Describe each form. 5. What is form in music? Critical Thinking Questions 1. Music has sometimes been referred to as a ? universal language.? Why has this description been applied to music? Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Why? 2. Why is musical notation important?What benefits do musicians and others receive from being able to write down and note aspects of a musical piece? 3. In the first part of the unit, we discussed how music is everywhere in society. What are some of the ways that we use music? How do you use music in your own life? 4. Music can help influence the mood or feeling in a place by the way in which it is played. What is a specific example of this that you have experienced? Discuss the experience (what was the song? how was it played? how did the mood/feeling change? . For example, you might discuss an experience at a concert, religious service, or another place where music played a part in creating the mood. 1. Tone, pitch, tempo, rhythm. 2. The quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone. 3. A placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't normally occur. 4. AB form, or binary form, which is two different melodies. ABA, or ternary, which a chorus, then a verse, then back to the chorus.And ABACADA, or rondo form, which is one repeating melody with many different ones. 5. Form refers to the overall structure or plan of a piece of music. 1. Because you don't have to read a specific language to read music, just like math. I agree with it because it's true. 2. It is important, just as writing down stories. Writing it down gives future generations the ability to read it and analyze. 3. We use it as entertainment. That is how I use it. 4. In restaurants they play upbeat musi c to keep peolpe in good moods. Music and Critical Thinking Questions Review Questions 1. What are the basic elements of music? 2. What is pitch? 3. What is syncopation? What types of music use syncopation? 4. What are three examples of forms of music? Describe each form. 5. What is form in music? Critical Thinking Questions 1. Music has sometimes been referred to as a ? universal language.? Why has this description been applied to music? Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Why? 2. Why is musical notation important?What benefits do musicians and others receive from being able to write down and note aspects of a musical piece? 3. In the first part of the unit, we discussed how music is everywhere in society. What are some of the ways that we use music? How do you use music in your own life? 4. Music can help influence the mood or feeling in a place by the way in which it is played. What is a specific example of this that you have experienced? Discuss the experience (what was the song? how was it played? how did the mood/feeling change? . For example, you might discuss an experience at a concert, religious service, or another place where music played a part in creating the mood. 1. Tone, pitch, tempo, rhythm. 2. The quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone. 3. A placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't normally occur. 4. AB form, or binary form, which is two different melodies. ABA, or ternary, which a chorus, then a verse, then back to the chorus.And ABACADA, or rondo form, which is one repeating melody with many different ones. 5. Form refers to the overall structure or plan of a piece of music. 1. Because you don't have to read a specific language to read music, just like math. I agree with it because it's true. 2. It is important, just as writing down stories. Writing it down gives future generations the ability to read it and analyze. 3. We use it as entertainment. That is how I use it. 4. In restaurants they play upbeat musi c to keep peolpe in good moods.

Aspergers, a High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Aspergers, a High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Aspergers Syndrome exists at the highest end of the autism spectrum. Children with Aspergers have excellent language and often good academic behavior which may mask the very real difficulties they have in academic situations. Often they are not diagnosed, or diagnosed late in their academic career, because their difficulties in social situations havent stopped them from succeeding academically. Their lack of good social skills and understanding of social interaction eventually inhibit their ability to function in upper elementary and middle school settings, where their academic skills often outshine their social challenges. They are frequently found in inclusive settings because of their ability to function well in academic settings, but challenge the general education teachers who teach them. Areas of High Interest and High Ability The movie Rain Man familiarized the American public with the notion of the idiot savant. Although a fairly infrequent occurrance, savantism may appear in children with autism or with Aspergers Syndrome. The hyper-focus or perseveration on specific top is typical of students diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Children may exhibit exceptional ability in language or math, and may have areas of extraordinary ability. I had one student who could tell you what day of the week your birthday might be in 5 or 10 years without referring to a calendar. Students may also have extraordinary knowledge about a specific topic, such as dinosaurs or vintage movies. This hyperfocus or perseveration may actually be the result of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which is not uncommon in children with Aspergers disorder. Physicians often can use appropriate medication to help manage the obsessive behavior and help students re-focus on a broader range of information and interests. Social Deficits One of truly human skills that children on the spectrum seem to lack is joint attention, the ability to join with other humans in attending to what they find important. Another deficit is in the area of theory of mind, the innate ability that most human organisms have to project their own emotional and intellectual processes onto other human beings. Early in development, typically developing children respond to their mothers faces and early on learn to respond to their parents moods. Children on the Autism Spectrum do not. Children with Aspergers syndrome often long to develop relationships, especially with peers. Since most children with Aspergers Syndrome are boys, they are especially interested in how to relate to the opposite sex. Many children with disabilities have weak social skills. They all benefit from social skill training, but none as much as children on the autism spectrum. They lack emotional literacy, and need explicit instruction in how to recognize and manage different emotional states. Tantrums are frequent in young children with Aspergers Syndrome, because they do not know how express their frustration nor how to negotiate with parents, siblings or peers. Use your words is often the mantra with students with Aspergers Syndrome, and often the challenge is teach them the skills they need to express their wants and needs. Executive Function Deficits Children with Aspergers Syndrome often have weak Executive Function. Executive function is the cognitive ability to visualize and plan ahead. It includes the short term ability to understand the steps needed to complete a task. Long term it involves the ability to anticipate the many steps that may be required to graduate from high school, to complete a degree, even to follow through on a science fair project. Because these children are often very bright, they may be able over-compensate in elementary or middle school for their lack of ability to visualize, anticipate and prepare for future eventualities. Children with extraordinary potential may end up as the 30 year old still in his or her own bedroom because they have not been able to prioritize and then master each of the steps necessary to get to a final goal. Gross and Fine Motor Skills Students with Aspergers Syndrome often have poor balance and poor gross motor skills. This can become exaggerated as they grow older because they often prefer watching television or using the computer to athletic activities. The preference may come from poor over all coordination rather than a learned preference. These same students may also have poor fine motor skills and may dislike using pencils and scissors. They may be very hard to motivate to writ. Unless students with Aspergers are really motivated to learn to write long hand, they should not be forced to learn to write in cursive. Keyboarding on a computer may also be a better investment of time than stressing handwriting. Academic Deficits Students with Aspergers syndromes often have areas of great strength and areas of academic weakness. Some students have strong academic deficits across the board, from language to math, and are often diagnosed late because their obvious intelligence and academic performance, challenged by deficits in social skills and executive function, struggle to perform in academic settings. English/Language Arts: Often students with strong language may struggle to develop the skills that they need to do well in English and Language Arts. Often they have strong vocabularies, especially when they have strong interests that they have read about. Some students with Aspergers gain strong vocabularies because they script, or repeat entire movies they have heard. Children with Aspergers with strong language skills often exhibit good reading skills, but not always are good readers. Once students reach fourth grade, they are expected to answer higher level thinking questions, such as questions that ask students to synthesize or analyze what they have read (as in Blooms Taxonomy.) They may be able to answer questions at the lowest level, Remember, but not questions that ask them to analyze (What made that a good idea?) or synthesis (If you were Hugo, where would you look?) Because of executive function and short term memory challenges, students with Aspergers syndrome often face challenges with writing. They may have difficulty remembering how to spell, they may forget writing conventions such as punctuation and capitalization, and they may face fine motor challenges that make them reluctant to write. Math: Children with strong language or reading skills may have poor math skills, or vice versa. Some children are savants when it comes to math, memorizing math facts quickly and seeing relationships between numbers and solving problems. Other children may have poor short and long term memory and may struggle with learning math facts. In all or any case, teachers need to learn to recognize students strengths and needs, using strengths to identify ways to approach deficits and build their over all functional and academic skills.