Racial Discrimination and Health Problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Racial Discrimination and Health Problems - Essay Example However, how much of this stands true for racism specific stress has also been the subject focus of many studies. Researchers found an association between perceived racism and ambulatory blood pressure in African American college students (Hill et al, 2007). Also at workplace, stressful racism places African Americans in a high probability group for the development of higher blood pressures (Health and Medicine Week, 2004). This clearly shows that racism can hasten the onset of hypertension even in younger age group and possible conclusion that can be drawn is that in an aging population the superimposed ill effects of stress induced by racism may be even greater. Similarly, women with higher stress scores who were subjected to high levels of internalized racism were at a higher risk of developing metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes due to altered hormone secretion (Tull et al, 2005). Studies have also attempted to assess objectively, mental and psychological implication s of racism specific stress (Chakraborty et al, 2009). Further research is required to reach a conclusion linking the association of stress per se resulting from experiencing racial discrimination per

Lymphocyte B Cell In The Immune System Biology Essay

Lymphocyte B Cell In The Immune System Biology Essay B cell is a type of lymphocyte that is the basis for the bodys humoral immune system; it is produced from the stem cell in the bone marrow (Darling, 2010). On its production a self renewing hematopoietic stem cells produces lymphoid and myeloid progenitor. Looking mainly at lymphoid progenitor, it gives rise to B cell progenitor, T cell progenitor and Natural Killer cells (Kuby et al. 2007, p.25). Lymphoid progenitor produces progenitor B cells; it is the earliest identifiable cell thats committed to the development in the B cell linage. The cells moves and rearrange their Ig heavy chain genetic segments to make a functional IgH gene that are expressed as pre B cell receptors. The B cell receptor is a membrane bound antibody molecule. From the pre B cell receptor, some of the cells stays in the bone marrow and some moves into secondary lymphoid organs and there they reproduce, also in the secondary lymphoid organs the cells undergo antigen dependent maturation. On the topic of B cell progenitor, it produces B cell and these B cells further undergo two phases of maturation: an antigen independent phase and an antigen dependent phase (Kempert, 2010). During the development, each B cell is genetically programmed or a process known as gene translocation, to express a unique B cell receptor. The molecules of that B cell receptor are place on its surface where it can react with epitopes of an antigen (Kaiser, 2010) Epitopes are antigenic determinants recognized and bound with B cell receptors and they are located on the surface of the antigen (Austin, 2010). There are known to be two main classes of B cell epitopes, one is Linear or continuous, the surface that are interacted with the antibody are located next to each other sequentially on the protein. The second one is assembled or discontinuous; the components are located on disparate parts of the protein which are brought conformationally close to each other through side chain interactions (ProImmune, 2010). Produced B cells contain two types of B lymphocytes, Plasma cells and memory cells which express CD19, CD20 and CD21 on these cells (Kempert, 2010). Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies. Once produced, B cells mainly stay within the bone marrow and wait until an antigen invades the body. The antigens bind to the B cell and stimulate it to form plasma cells. Plasma cells are known to have characteristic appearing nuclei; cytoplasm that contains dense rough endoplasmic reticulum and which is the site where antibodies are combined and also a distinctive perinuclear Golgi complexes where the antibody molecules are converted to their final forms and ready for secretion (Abbas et al. 2009, p. 22). Memory cells are produced by antigen stimulation of naà ¯ve B cells, they have proteins that are expressed on their surface that distinguish them from B cells and Plasma cells and they can survive in a functionally state for many years after the antigen has been eliminated and also they are known as B cell sub types that are formed after an initial infection (Abbas et al. 2009, p. 22). Function The major function of B cell is the secretion of antibodies. When an antigen has invades the body and has been encountered by the immune system, they bind to B cell and a number of certain B lymphocyte are then stimulated and undergo cell division to produce plasma cell and memory cells which is known as clonal expansion. Clonal expansion is a process that when a naà ¯ve B cell encounter a pathogens antigen. As the antigen floats through the blood system it gets attaches and binds to the naà ¯ve B cells. This trigger clonal expansion and the B cells multiples (Kuby et al. 2007, p.17). The B cell receptors are the ones responsible to bind to the antigens, the bounded antigen is then engulfed into the B cell by the receptor mediated endocytosis. The antigen are digested and broken down into small fragments and displayed on the cell surface thats sitting inside a class II Histocompatibility molecule. With the help of Helper T cells that binds with B cells, the B cells then secretes lymphokines that stimulates the B cells to go through a cell cycle that develops and turn the B cells from being B cell receptors to being a plasma cell that secrete antibodies(Kimball, 2010). The plasma cell each produces a particular antibody thats specifically attached to a specific antigen and these plasma cells are secreted into the blood system. As a specific antibody has attached to a specific antigen, the antibodies produce a humoral response and inactivate the pathogen, and make it easier to removal from the body (Anglin, 2010). Once this process has occurred meaning once the body defense has encountered and destroyed the pathogens antigen, the body remember this pathogens antigen and this remembering process is referred to as Memory cell. Memory cells are produced by stimulated B cells, they are the form of basis for long term immunity and responsible for secondary response. As soon as an infection that was previously destroyed by the humoral immune system returns the memory cells that has remain dormant produce a quick response and the infection is removed as quickly and effectively leaving the patient immune (Martin, 2010).

Scenarios of Stereotypes Essay -- Illustrative Stereotyping Stereotype

Scenarios of Stereotypes Stereotypes can have excessive damage and it can have a very negative effect on the person in view or as a whole group. Stereotyping is not just another form of making fun of people, it also encourages rejection and outcast. Stereotyping is not only cruel and harmful to people, it can also have major effects on how a person behaves and acts towards other people. It also makes who ever is stereotyping look like a fool. It also forms barriers in communication and everyday life. In this essay I’m gonna give senario’s that will give evidence to what I’m trying to say. But first let me give you a short definition of stereotyping. Stereotyping is putting a label on someone or a group who is different in a way that society looks down upon, Like looks, beliefs, an...

Why Hemp Prduction Should Be Legal in the Us

Uses of Hemp and its Potential Contributions to the United States Hemp is a crop that has been used for many things for many years. The fibers are used for things such as clothes, construction materials, paper, carpet, oil, food, cosmetics, food, and many other things. The hemp industry has been around for as long as ten thousand years. There was a piece of hemp fabric found from around eight thousand BC showing its importance to many civilizations throughout the years. Nowadays, hemp is an agricultural commodity in many nations. Canada is known to be one of the largest hemp growers in the world and use it for a large number of industries.Some countries export hemp products all around the world and use it as a vital part of their economy. The United States is among the few countries that does not permit the production of hemp. The value of hemp has gone unrecognized for many years in the U. S. Out of the industrialized countries in the world, the U. S. is the only country to ban the growth of this crop. The legalization of hemp production in The United States would put many farmers back to work as well as create a very ecological and environmentally safe alternative to multiple harmful industries.From when Europeans first came to North America till the Middle of the nineteenth century, hemp was grown all over. Its availability was useful for many families and companies. Hemp was also grown by two of our first presidents because of its versatility and efficient uses. The Declaration of independence was in fact, written on hemp paper. Hemp was actually a required crop in the Colonial times. It became a commodity and was an overall great use of land. The name â€Å"cannabis† comes from a variation of â€Å"canvas† because of hemps use in sails for boats.Before cotton, hemp was very common in forms of fibers which could be used for twine, paper and many other things. Once people came out with cotton gins and other very efficient ways to harvest and ma ke fabric out of cotton, hemp became a less competitive material. Also, imported materials began to take over the hemp industry. Throughout the 1930’s, people realized the euphoric effects of the plant and began to isolate and genetically develop the leaves and flowers to get a plant that produced large amounts of the desired chemical. This plant is known as marijuana.This is when laws began to pass restricting restrictive laws that only allowed the industrial use of cannabis in the form of hemp. During World War Two, the federal government actually paid farmers and encouraged them to continue to grow hemp. Its availability was greatly taken advantage of during the war. Between the war and the late 1950’s, other synthetic fibers for various materials were a competitive industry causing less and less hemp growth in the United States. Also, many efforts were made by the public to illegalize drugs. This contributed to the fade out of hemp use. Mass, 2009) The Controlled S ubstances Act was passed in 1970 making hemp illegal to cultivate without a permit. These permits were very difficult to get through the DEA. From this point on, all hemp products come from other countries or the hemp materials used to make things are also imported. Now days, about half of the states in the nation are pushing to legalize the industrial uses of hemp. They are conducting studies to consider the economic and environmental value of hemp. These states want to be able to grow hemp industrially based on state law.They would like to be able to do so without a permit from the federal government. This would override the Controlled Substance Act unless they redefine hemp as not a controlled substance. Hemp cannot be hidden in fields. It is very tall and grown very close together for maximum stalk. Hemp fibers come from the stalk of the plant therefore leaves and flowers are of no use to hemp growers. Hemp is also harvested before the plant even begins to seed. This differs fro m marijuana in the sense that marijuana growers spread out their crop to maximize leaves and flowers.Marijuana is usually grown for the seed and flower buds solely for the high. Hemp on the other hand is never grown for smoking. The purpose of growing hemp is for the multitude of uses of the stalk fibers. When looking at hemp from an environmental standpoint, it is a very healthy crop for the earth. From planting all the way to using its products, hemp is a very environmentally friendly plant. As it grows, hemp fertilizes the soil through its complex and deep root systems as well as the top soil that comes from the shedding of leaves. The soil, the water and the air are not polluted during the growth of hemp.Pesticides are rarely used giving clean water runoff. This differs from crops like cotton because when cotton is grown, the soil becomes nutrient deficient and the soil becomes less desirable. There have been farmers who claim hemp has steadily been grown in the same locations e very year for nearly one hundred years. Many people are concerned about the use of trees for paper. Hemp would be a great alternative to this issue as well because the amount of pulp a farmer can get from hemp over a season is much more than timber. Trees take many years to grow and hemp is replenished in a matter of months.The process of turning hemp into paper uses much less contamination in the pressing and bleaching processes. Other interesting facts about hemp paper are described in Hemp: The New, Old Fiber Makes a Comeback for Clothes, Fabrics and Home Furnishings. â€Å"Hemp fiber paper resists decomposition and does not yellow with age when an acid-free process is used. The long fibers in hemp allow hemp paper to be recycled more times than wood-based paper. † (Mass, 2009) The rapid growth speed of hemp makes it one of the most efficient crops in the sense of yield per acre. Hemp can produce 250 percent more fiber than cotton and 600 percent more fiber than flax using the same amount of land† (Mass, 2009). In further comparison of hemp and cotton, the fibers that are obtained from hemp stalks and bark, include the very long bast fibers. These types of fibers are stronger and a better insulator. After the harvest, the goal is to make the crop into some sort of textile that can be distributed to other companies for various uses. This process is extensive for any crop however; the processes used in hemp cause significantly less damage to the earth than other materials such as cotton.The process does use a large amount of water that will become more efficient in the future but compared to processes for other textiles, hemp is a better choice ecologically. Going into the uses for hemp, it is not destructive to the environment which shows it is a great alternative to many other materials that share the same uses as hemp. Some of hemp’s uses that are ecologically more efficient than others are; paper products, textiles, molded plastics, bo dy care products, construction, livestock feed and breeding, nutritional supplements, essential oils, medicines, food and many more. Small, 2002) With clothing, hemp is warmer than cotton and breathes better than cotton, leather and other materials widely used for clothing. â€Å"Hemp’s fiber molecule has a shaft-like structure that allows it to: wick moisture off the body and dry quickly; allow the wearer to feel warmer when wet, even in cold conditions; keep the wearer cool, comfortable and fresh, even in very hot and/or humid conditions. † (Mass, 2009) One material made from hemp that is very versatile, is plastics.John Wolodko, an advanced materials program leader gives his word on plastics, â€Å"This is traditionally made from fiberglass†¦ Products made from biocomposites work as well as those made from conventional materials, with the advantages of being lighter and less expensive. The ability of environmentally friendly products to compete with non-renewa ble products like fiberglass makes for a competitive and promising future for the biocomposites industry. † (Edmonton, 2009) Plastic is used in so many things from lawn chairs to automobile body parts to toothbrushes.This new process for plastics would be a fantastic alternative to the previous fiberglass methods. As an antibacterial fabric, hemp clothing is good for people with allergies to some chemicals that are included in the processes of other clothing materials. It also won’t begin to smell bad as fast as other materials. A big positive quality of hemp is that it is completely biodegradable as well as very strong and resistant to the wear and tear of daily life. It is great for people who are outside in nature a lot due to these qualities.Hemp can also be converted into a fuel in the form of pellets or liquid gas. This energy source, according to the U. S. Department of Energy, â€Å"requires the least specialized growing and processing procedures of all hemp pr oducts†. Fuel and energy is a major concern in our country and hemp could contribute significantly to the problems we face. Countries such as Great Britain and Germany had hemp bans like the United States but have lifted those in the last 20 years. Farmers in Europe are subsidized for their hemp output by the EU.Canada allows hemp production for commercial use and it is a large part of their economy. Hemp is a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to a wide variety of the United States industries and the legalization of hemp production on the commercial level would be a great addition to our country on an environmental and economic level.References Bourrie, M. (2003). Hemp: A Short History of the Most Misunderstood Plant and its Uses and Abuses. Firefly Books. Edmonton, A. (2009, October 31). Unconventional Crop – hemp – could sprout new industry. Troy Media. Retrieved October 29, 2010, from Unconventional crop – hemp – could sprout new indu stry Read more: Unconventional crop – hemp – could sprout new industry | Troy Media Corporation http://www. troymedia. com/? p=4791#ixzz14R5QAUP7 Mass, E. (2009, May). Hemp: The New, Old Fiber Makes a Comeback for Clothes, Fabrics and Home Furnishings. Natural Life, 127, 36-38. Retrieved November 1, 2010, from EBSCO database. Small, E. and D. Marcus. 2002. Hemp: A new crop with new uses for North America. p. 284–326. In: J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds. ), Trends in new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.

Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything

Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. After the Chernobyl disaster of April 26th, 1986, it was often said that the nuclear industry no longer had the resilience to survive another major nuclear accident. The industry hoped that the sentiment behind the Chernobyl accident could be eased on the basis that it was the consequence of a flaw in design that was unique to the Soviet Union’s reactors and that they had been operated in such a way that would not have been acceptable in the West.Then, Fukushima changed everything. That, at least, was the popular view adopted in the aftermath of March 11, 2011, by the press, media and across the Internet blogging community. A nuclear accident in such a densely populated and well-developed country would transform the way nuclear energy is perceived, as well as, determine the way it would be used, or not used, in the years to come. This analysis attempts to overview its causes, evaluate its impact, and understand its consequences on future nuclear development. CausesOn October 30th, 2011, the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) was enacted, creating an independent commission whose sole purpose was to investigate the Fukushima accident with the authority to request documentation and evidence required from whomever they saw fit. This independent commission was the first in the history of Japan’s constitutional government. Their main mandate was to investigate the direct and indirect causes of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima nuclear power plant accident that occurred on March 11, 2011 in conjunction with the Great East Japan Earthquake.This event triggered an extremely severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Plant, owned and operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). It was declared Level 7 (â€Å"Severe Accident†) by the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). At the moment the earthquake struck, nuclear reactor u nits 1 to 3 were functioning under normal operating parameters and units 4 to 6 were undergoing periodic inspection. Emergency shutdown occurred right after seismic activity was identified. The seismic tremors damaged the electricity transmission facilities between the TEPCO Shinfukushima Transformer SubstationsNuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 2 and the Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Plant. This resulted in a total loss of off-site electricity. The back-up transmission line that was hooked up to nearby Tohoku Electric Power Company failed to feed reactor 1 due to mismatched sockets. The first of 3 tsunami waves was more than twice the height of the seawall which TEPCO had failed to replace after recommendations had been made by a group of government scientists back in 2009. TEPCO later stated that this recommendation was in the process of review at the time the tsunami hit.The seawater began flooding the building floor breaking walls and scattering debris. As the w ater rose, emergency diesel generators broke down, along with the seawater cooling pumps, electric wiring system and DC power supply for units 1, 2, 3 and 4. This resulted in a complete loss of power. Unit 5 lost all AC power and unit 6 stayed online due to a working air cooled emergency diesel generator. The loss of electricity resulted in the shutdown of monitoring equipment, lighting and communication devices. Decisions had to be made on the spot without the proper tools or manuals, making it difficult to cool down the reactors in an efficient way.The cooling reactors which were dependent on electricity for high-pressure water injection, depressurizing the reactors low pressure water injection cooling, depressurizing the reactor containers, and removal of decay, failed. Lack of access to these key locations due to debris pile up led to the inability of the personnel to react appropriately. In June, 2011, four months after the accident, the country’s Nuclear Emergency Respo nse Headquarters confirmed the complete meltdown of reactors 1, 2, 3, and spent fuel pond of reactor 4.The conclusions held by the NAIIC stated that the direct causes of the accident were all foreseeable prior to March 11, 2011. The plants design was incapable of withstanding an earthquake and tsunami of that magnitude. In addition, operators (TEPCO), regulatory bodies (NISA and NSC) and the government body promoting the nuclear power industry (METI) all failed to ensure basic safety requirements, such as assessing the probability of damage, preparation for containing collateral damage and developing evacuation plans for the public in the case of a serious radiation release. Dr.Kurokawa of the Nuclear Safety Commission reserved his most damning language for his criticism of a culture in Japan that suppresses dissent and outside opinion, which he said might have prompted changes to the country’s lax nuclear controls. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 3 Impacts on Health & Environment The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident resulted in the release of fission products to the environment, including the contamination of air, water, soil, animals, fish, milk and crops. In addition, it generated radiation levels that caused the necessary evacuation of people within a 20 to 30 km range of the facility.A study on the effects of the Fukushima nuclear meltdown on the environment and public safety by Dr. med. Alex Rosen of the University of Dusseldorf came up with a series findings. The atmospheric emissions of more than 30 radioactive isotopes occurred through the explosions in reactors 1 to 3, the spent fuel pond of reactor 4 and the venting of reactors to relieve pressure and enable cool down. The total emission of iodine 131 was estimated to be 20% of the quantity emitted in the Chernobyl accident and 40% to 60% of cesium-137 emissions.Although, these are both naturally occurring elements, both of these radioactive isotopes are found to have dang erous impacts to human health under high doses. A dozen other radioactive substances including strontium-90, xenon-133 and plutonium-139 were spread throughout the region as radioactive fallout following the incident. Geography Radioactive fallout occurred mainly in the Northern Pacific (79%) and about 19% of the fallout contaminated the Honshu island, which includes the densely populated Tokyo metropolitan area. Overall, it was determined hat 1000 km2 were highly contaminated with radioactive isotopes. This led to the evacuation of an estimated 200,000 people in the immediately impacted zone in a radius of 20 km2 to 30 km2. Furthermore, an estimated 70,000 people are said to have stayed within 870 km2 radius of the plant’s highly contaminated land outside of the evacuation zone. These people were exposed to 100 times the natural background radiation expected within a year following the accident. Health Risks The risk of developing cancer and other radiation-induced diseases increased proportionally to the amount of radioactive exposure.According to Dr. Rosen, even the smallest amounts of Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 4 radioactivity can cause tissue damage and genetic mutations. Children have been found to be the demographic class with the highest risk in relation to radioactive exposure due to a greater level of sensitivity. Soil Contamination Following the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl 25 years ago, the Soviet government chose long-term evacuation over extensive decontamination. As a result, the area is non habitable and remains severely contaminated by radioactive fallout.In Japan, large areas of farmland and forests were contaminated following the accident. Lacking land for resettlement and facing public outrage, the Japanese government chose to embark on a decontamination effort of unprecedented scale. Japanese workers, power-sprayed buildings, scraped soil off fields, and removed fallen leaves and undergrowth from the woods ne ar houses, in an attempt to make Fukushima livable again. The Japanese Ministry of Environment estimated that Fukushima would have to dispose of 15 to 31 million cubic meters of contaminated soil and debris by the end of the econtamination process, with costs exceeding one trillion yen. The decontamination efforts were focused mostly on the radionuclides caesium-134 and caesium-137, with half-lives of 2 and 30 years, respectively. Although other radionuclides have been found in Japan, these two pose the greatest long term threat to human health through ingestion and external exposure. Radiocaesium has been found in all of Japan’s prefectures, but most highly concentrated within a 50 kilometer area northwest of the plant, and to a lesser extent throughout eastern and central Fukushima Prefecture.Marine & Groundwater Back flow and deliberate discharge of radioactive wastewater were released from the plant. Approximately 15 to 27 PBq (petabecquerel) of radioactive marine dischar ge resulted in the worst radioactive contamination of the Japanese coast in recorded history. The effect of dilution of the radioactive marine discharge may substantially reduce the impact radioactive fallout, but will inevitably to a greater area being contaminated at a lower concentration. Proceedings from the National Academy of Sciences of the U. S. A. ublished major findings on the detection of Fukushima-derived cesium-134 and cesium-137 throughout waters 30–600 km offshore, with Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 5 the highest radioactivity associated with near-shore eddies and the Kuroshio Current acting as a southern boundary for radioactive transport. Researchers concluded that even though cesium isotopes are elevated 10 to 1000 times over prior levels in waters off Japan, radiation risks due to these radionuclides are below those generally considered harmful to marine animals and human consumers, and even below those from naturally occurring radionucl ides.Food & Vegetation Radioactive contamination was found in fruits and vegetables grown in the affected region. Meat products originating from animals grazing on contaminated soil and destined to human consumption was found to be contaminated. Contamination was also detected in milk and tea, as well as, tap water in the Tokyo metropolitan area (the world’s largest city in terms of population). It has been determined that eating 500g of contaminated vegetables can cause internal exposure of 100 times the normal amount of radioactive food content for adults and more than 200 times for children.Fish and seafood caught in the North Pacific region was contaminated and showed clear accumulation of radioactivity in sea life higher up in the food chain within the months following the accident. Washout and bioaccumulation will continue to cause the radioactive contamination of marine animals for years to come due to the extended half life of certain radioactive elements. Although it is quite clear that this accident has had significant impacts on human health, soil, food, animal and marine life, it is still too early to accurately determine the full extent of the accident’s environmental impacts and the proper approach to remediation.Impacts on Nuclear Energy Development Nuclear power provides global carbon-free dispatchable base load generation and its continued growth is a major component in many forecasts for future greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions. Nuclear energy accounts for 13. 5% of global electricity production as of 2012. This GHG reduction potential is one of the reasons for the much discussed â€Å"renaissance of Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 6 nuclear power†.It has been acknowledged that nuclear power represents a potential source for large quantities of carbon-free electricity production from plants that do not share the intermittency issues of solar and wind energy production. Two potential forces could adversely affect nuclear production projections postFukushima accident. Foremost, the accident may affect safety criteria and procedures for existing and new nuclear generating units. These changes could lead to increased associated costs. Second, the accident may have adverse affects on public opinion and potential political support for nuclear power.Hence, some countries could ultimately move away from nuclear energy on a political basis, making relicensing of new plants more difficult, leading to tighter safety criteria and delays in regulatory decisions. Determining what the long run responses will be globally and how they will affect the economics of nuclear power generation, as well as the politics associated with acceptance of nuclear power in different countries will remain uncertain for years to come. Prior to the Fukushima accident, it appeared that there was growing political acceptance of nuclear energy.In the world’s 3 largest nuclear economies (U. S. , France, J apan), extensions to licensing were in progress and associated operating lines of most existing plants were proceeding without much political opposition. In particular, Unit #1 of the Fukushima Daichii plant had just received a 10 year extension on its operating license months before the incident. As for new construction, major nuclear vendors were heavily promoting the latest generation 3 design as being safer and more economical than previous generations.Construction was beginning on new nuclear units in Finland and France, and commitments were being made to build new units in the U. K. China had also just made a major commitment to increase its production from 1% to 6% by 2020. India was also in the midst of piercing into the nuclear market, with the help of the U. S. , France and Russia. Additional construction was anticipated in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. A number of developing countries were also beginning to show interest in integrating nuclear energy as a part of their e nergy portfolios.These countries included Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Chile, Venezuela and Vietnam amongst others. A number of considerations were driving this interest. Policies to promote low to zero carbon emitting energy sources and the intent of reaching C02 emissions reduction targets by Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 7 2020 and 2050 were having a positive effect on political decision making. In addition, significant improvements in the performance of nuclear plants in were enabling countries such as the U. S. to reach up to 90% capacity factors.Furthermore, the rise in fossil fuels and new generation reactors were promising higher safety ratings and lower construction costs. The reconsideration of Italy, Spain and Sweden on the use of nuclear power use and the growing interest in emerging countries to rapidly respond to increase in demand for electricity were also leading factors. All these reasons led experts into the optimistic belief that the world was on the verge of a new wave of investment in the nuclear energy sector. Since the Fukushima accident, detrimental impacts on expert optimism have been observed.Japan has permanently closed units 1-4 of the Fukushima Daichii plant and the status of units 5-6 remain uncertain. In addition, only 10 out of Japan’s 50 previously operational units are now operating, and there has been significant local opposition to returning them to service. Public support for Japan’s current nuclear power program is under considerable stress. Following the accident, most countries with major nuclear programs have moved quickly to perform short-term safety assessments of existing plants and have opted to launch longer term assessments of regulatory procedures and safety criteria.The situation in Japan remains uncertain. As the third largest nuclear program worldwide, a decision to move away from nuclear energy with Germany would have a definite material effect on f uture development trends. Any tightening of safety requirements resulting from the accident will only make the economic status of nuclear power less attractive. However, it has been observed that the Fukushima accident has had little effect on plans for unit construction in countries where significant nuclear programs were being planned prior to Fukushima.Some countries such as Taiwan, Chile, Israel and Venezuela have decided to not enter or re-enter the nuclear expansion business. On the other hand, current non-nuclear countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Abu Dhabi have recommitted to start building nuclear power plants. As for China, it is believed that its willingness to sacrifice on economics to meet energy security and environmental goals is still present. The setback is that China can not fail to meet safety requirements and this may constrain the rate at which its nuclear program can proceed. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. The Fukushima Daich ii nuclear accident will contribute to a reduction in future trends on the expansion of nuclear energy, but at this time these effects appear to be quite modest at the global level. For countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Japan, the effects are significant, but for most other countries, changes have not been currently made in their support for nuclear power. Due to significant loss of trust in reactor safety, the International Atomic Energy Agency reduced, in Juin 2011, the 2030 projection on the worldwide contribution of nuclear power by about 10%.Nuclear power has been the source of fear and excitement for decades, and what the Fukushima Daichii nuclear accident caused, first and foremost, was irreparable damage to the local communities of Japan and their surrounding environment. It is now clear that the international community may have dodged the bullet once again, however it seems as though they might not be getting a second chance. The potential for clean energy producti on with nuclear energy is undeniable, perhaps advancements in technology such as the development of Generation IV reactors will put nuclear energy back on the forefront of global energy production.Whether or not potential energy output outweighs the risks associated with future accidents differs based on personal perspective. The Gen IV International Forum will evaluate lessons learnt and integrate them in the design and safety criteria of the reactors under development, which are expected to be ready by mid-century. Inherent reactor safety features will become far more important as a result of the Fukushima accident. Furthermore, modular and smaller reactors, due to their lower in-core energy density, will probably gain in popularity.As we move forward, a dedicated and permanent effort is needed to regain trust by open, transparent and honest dialogue with the public on the risks and benefits of nuclear energy. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 9 References Lincoln L. Davies. â€Å"Beyond Fukushima: Disasters, Nuclear Energy, and Energy Law. † Brigham Young University Law Review. (2011): 1937-1990. The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission. â€Å"The National Diet of Japan. † (2012): 1-15. Dr. med. Alex Rosen. â€Å"Effects of the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns on environment and health. † (2012): 1-18. Paul L. Joskow & John E. Parsons. The Future of Nuclear Power After Fukushima†. MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research. (2012): 1-30. Roland Schenkel. â€Å"Nuclear Energy Acceptance and Potential Role to Meet Future Energy Demand. Which Technical/Scientific Achievements Are Needed? †. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements. (2012): 356-364. Winifred Bird. â€Å"As Fukushima Cleanup Begins, Long-term Impacts are Weighed†. Yale Environment 360. (2012): 1. Karl K. Turekian et al. â€Å" Fukushima-derived radionuclides in the ocean and biota off Japan†. PNAS. (2012): 1-5. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 10

Aquaculture Business Essays

Aquaculture Business Essays Aquaculture Business Essay Aquaculture Business Essay The main problem in the Organization aspect was having too many personnel which cause overlapping in functions. If these problems still continues, the time will come where the project will not be able to meet its target income, production and market demand. The cited problems were really major ones. Without water supply system, the project will not be able to continue because It Is about fishes where the most and basic need of the fish Is water. Although there Is water, If It was full of Impurities due to delay In drainage of water, the project will still fall. First of all, the health and needs of the fishes should be well-addressed to have a bountiful harvest in the future. The health of the fishes also signifies increase in the sales because consumers want products that are fresh, big and at the same time cheap. If they see that the fishes were relatively small, dry and ugly, the sales will surely go down even though it is cheap, The alternative formulation of the study is the improvement of the water supply yester and prevarication through Joint venture. However, these two should be both achieved to ensure the success of the project. If one of these two were not achieved, for example, there was no private sector willing to have a Joint venture on the project, the financial problems will still be present and Improvement of water supply system will not be done. The mall purpose of the Joint venture Is to have a permanent source of money for the different activities to still exist. Meanwhile, if the problems in the water supply still exist, the target demand, production and income of the LAD ill not be met. The delay in the drainage of the water in the pond as well as the impurities accumulated by the water causes low performance of the fishes and even their growth were affected. So, to meet the objectives and goals of the case study, the INTACT and LAD must work hard to make their alternative formulations come true. The recommendation of the author is good but there still remain the question whether a private sector will be willing to have a Joint venture to a project that still has no brand unlike other businesses. We all know that private sectors are profit- oriented people and as long as they do not see the profit that they want, even If the project has the potential to succeed In the future, they will not agree to a Joint venture. The recommendation of the alternately use of the six pumps will be truly helpful. In this way, if one gets broken during the process, there will be a spare one to De used. Water supply Is really very Important In ten success AT ten project. I nee alternately use of the pumps also decrease the larger problems in financial especially f all of them gets broken down at the same time. The maintenance of each pump will also be done regularly. In an aquaculture project, the main important things to consider are the water supply system, feed production and water drainage system. Fishes are living organisms that also need clean and healthy environment to function well. So, before starting a business like aquaculture, make sure that the proper requirements will be met and always be ready for problems to arise, especially in financial problems.

The Big Bang Essays - Physical Cosmology, Astronomy, Physics

The Big Bang Essays - Physical Cosmology, Astronomy, Physics The Big Bang It is always a mystery about how the universe began, whether if and when it will end. Astronomers construct hypotheses called cosmological models that try to find the answer. There are two types of models: Big Bang and Steady State. However, through many observational evidences, the Big Bang theory can best explain the creation of the universe. The Big Bang model postulates that about 15 to 20 billion years ago, the universe violently exploded into being, in an event called the Big Bang. Before the Big Bang, all of the matter and radiation of our present universe were packed together in the primeval fireballan extremely hot dense state from which the universe rapidly expanded.1 The Big Bang was the start of time and space. The matter and radiation of that early stage rapidly expanded and cooled. Several million years later, it condensed into galaxies. The universe has continued to expand, and the galaxies have continued moving away from each other ever since. Today the universe is st ill expanding, as astronomers have observed. The Steady State model says that the universe does not evolve or change in time. There was no beginning in the past, nor will there be change in the future. This model assumes the perfect cosmological principle. This principle says that the universe is the same everywhere on the large scale, at all times.2 It maintains the same average density of matter forever. There are observational evidences found that can prove the Big Bang model is more reasonable than the Steady State model. First, the redshifts of distant galaxies. Redshift is a Doppler effect which states that if a galaxy is moving away, the spectral line of that galaxy observed will have a shift to the red end. The faster the galaxy moves, the more shift it has. If the galaxy is moving closer, the spectral line will show a blue shift. If the galaxy is not moving, there is no shift at all. However, as astronomers observed, the more distance a galaxy is located from Earth, the mor e redshift it shows on the spectrum. This means the further a galaxy is, the faster it moves. Therefore, the universe is expanding, and the Big Bang model seems more reasonable than the Steady State model. The second observational evidence is the radiation produced by the Big Bang. The Big Bang model predicts that the universe should still be filled with a small remnant of radiation left over from the original violent explosion of the primeval fireball in the past. The primeval fireball would have sent strong shortwave radiation in all directions into space. In time, that radiation would spread out, cool, and fill the expanding universe uniformly. By now it would strike Earth as microwave radiation. In 1965 physicists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson detected microwave radiation coming equally from all directions in the sky, day and night, all year.3 And so it appears that astronomers have detected the fireball radiation that was produced by the Big Bang. This casts serious doubt on t he Steady State model. The Steady State could not explain the existence of this radiation, so the model cannot best explain the beginning of the universe. Since the Big Bang model is the better model, the existence and the future of the universe can also be explained. Around 15 to 20 billion years ago, time began. The points that were to become the universe exploded in the primeval fireball called the Big Bang. The exact nature of this explosion may never be known. However, recent theoretical breakthroughs, based on the principles of quantum theory, have suggested that space, and the matter within it, masks an infinitesimal realm of utter chaos, where events happen randomly, in a state called quantum weirdness.4 Before the universe began, this chaos was all there was. At some time, a portion of this randomness happened to form a bubble, with a temperature in excess of 10 to the power of 34 degrees Kelvin. Being that hot, naturally it expanded. For an extremely brief and short period , billionths of billionths of a second, it inflated. At the end of the period of inflation, the universe may have a diameter of a few

Understanding English Pronunciation

Understanding English Pronunciation In order to improve your English pronunciation, it is important to understand a number of terms and concepts. This article introduces the most important components from smallest- a unit of sound- to largest- sentence level stress and intonation. A short explanation is given for each concept with links to more resources to improve, as well as teach, English pronunciation skills. Phoneme A phoneme is a unit of sound. Phonemes are expressed as phonetic symbols in the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). Some letters have one phoneme, others have two, such as the diphthong long a (eh - ee). Sometimes a phoneme may be a combination of two letters such as ch  in  church, or dge in judge.   Letter There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet. Some letters are pronounced differently depending on which letters they are with. For example, c can be pronounced like a hard /k/ or as an /s/ in the verb cite. Letters are made up of consonants and vowels. Consonants can be voiced or voiceless depending on the sound (or phoneme). The difference between voiced and voiceless is explained below. Consonants Consonants are the sounds that interrupt vowel sounds. Consonants are combined with vowels to form a syllable. They include: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, z Consonants can be voiced or voiceless. Vowels Vowels are open sounds caused with the vibration of vocal sounds  but without obstruction. Consonants interrupt vowels to form syllables. They include: a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y NOTE:  y is a vowel when it sounds as /i/ such as in the word city. Y is a consonant when it sounds as /j/ such as in the word year.   All vowels are voiced as they are produced using the vocal chords. Voiced   A voiced consonant is a consonant that is produced with the help of the vocal chords. A good way to tell if a consonant is voiced is to touch your fingers to your throat. If the consonant is voiced, you will feel a vibration. b, d, g, j, l, m, n, r, v, w Voiceless A voiceless consonant is a consonant that is produced without the help of the vocal chords. Place your fingers on your throat when speaking a voiceless consonant and you will only feel a rush of air through your throat. c, f, h, k, q, s, t, x Minimal  Pairs Minimal  pairs are pairs of words that differ in only one sound. For example: ship and sheep differ in only in the vowel sound. Minimal pairs are used to practice slight differences in sound. Syllable A syllable is formed by a consonant sound combining with a vowel sound. Words can have one or more syllables. To test how many syllables a word has, put your hand under your chin and speak the word. Each time your jaw moves indicates another syllable. Syllable Stress Syllable stress refers to the syllable that receives the main stress in each word. Some two-syllable words are stressed on the first syllable: table, answer - other two syllable words are stressed on the second syllable: begin, return. There are a number of different word syllable stress patterns in English. Word Stress Word stress refers to which words are stressed in a sentence. Generally speaking, stress content words and glide over function words (explained below). Content Words Content words are words that convey meaning and include nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and negatives. Content words are the focus of a sentence. Glide over function words to stress these content words to provide the rhythm of English. Function Words Function words are required for the grammar, but they provide little or no content. They include helping verbs, pronouns, prepositions, articles, etc.   Stress-Timed Language When speaking about English we say that the language is stress-timed. In other words, the rhythm of English is created by word stress, rather than syllable stress as in syllabic languages. Word Groups Word groups are groups of words that are commonly grouped together and before or after which we pause. Word groups are often indicated by commas such as in complex or compound sentences. Rising Intonation Rising intonation occurs when the voice goes up in pitch. For example, we use rising intonation at the end of yes/no questions. We also use rising intonation with lists, separating each item with a short rise in the voice, before a final, falling intonation for the last item in a list. For example in the sentence: I enjoy playing hockey, golf, tennis, and football.   Hockey, golf, and tennis would rise in intonation, while  football would fall.   Falling Intonation Falling intonation is used with information sentences and, in general, at the end of statements. Reductions Reductions refers to the common practice of combing a number of words into a short unit. This generally occurs with function words. A few common reduction examples are: gonna - going to and wanna - want to Contractions Contractions are used when shortening the helping verb. In this way, two words such as is not become one isnt with only one vowel.

Venture Capital Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Venture Capital - Research Paper Example As per the survey conducted by the Ernst &Young in the year 2008, there were 56 percent of exits of venture capital companies out of which 12 percent of the companies belonged to the pharmaceutical and health care sector (Ernst &Young). Healthcare companies like Novartis Venture capital division and Johnson and Johnson Development venture capital divisions earned meager amount of profits during recession. The pharmaceutical companies also make further investments in life science companies across biotech, medical devices and diagnostics. The main motive of the venture capital divisions of pharmaceutical companies is to provide startup capital to other medical companies which have a better prospect in the future. For example the Novartis venture capital division provides venture capital fund only to those companies which adhere to their corporate development plans. South Korea is an emerging market for venture capital investments in the pharmaceutical companies hence medical companies like Novartis and Johnson and Johnson have taken initiatives of providing investment to medical and life science companies who are at an early stage (Novartis Venture Funds, â€Å"Our Funds†). Venture capital funding to Pharmaceutical Industry in United Kingdom (UK) UK is considered as the second largest venture capital market in Europe. There are three types of venture capital funds being offered in UK. 1) Seed fund – This fund is offered to a novice business investor. 2) Start Up fund – This fund is offered to a company in its nascent stage 3) later stage Fund – This fund is provided to a business company who is in the maturity stage. The pharmaceutical companies in UK invest in Venture capital funds primarily because the returns of the fund are very good and it is one of the most easily available funds in UK. Some of the venture capital companies in UK provide venture capital funds exclusively to the pharmaceutical and health sector of UK. The names of these companies are as follows: 3i This company invests exclusively in the healthcare sector and provides start up funds for novice pharmaceutical companies. Abingworth It is a long established venture capital company which invests in biomedical companies. Advent Venture Partners LLP The company was established in the year 1981; it has managed to invest ?500 million in the year 2011. It invests in Life Science companies. Alta Partners The company has been funding over 130 life science companies of UK since 1996. ARCH Venture Partners The company invests in medical companies which are at an early stage and have the potential to grow into successful enterprises. The company invests primarily in companies co-founded with leading scientists and entrepreneurs, concentrating on bringing innovations in life sciences, physical sciences, and information technology. Atlas Venture Ltd Atlas Venture invests in those life science companies which are in their early stages of growth. Burrill & Co mpany This is a merchant bank in UK focusing exclusively in companies dealing with biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, devices, human healthcare and related medical technologies, nutraceuticals and wellness, agricultural biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology. The company

Intercultural communication in the film Hotel Rwanda Essay

Intercultural communication in the film Hotel Rwanda - Essay Example The film stages the relationship between the protagonist of the movie, Paul, the manager of the local hotel and Colonel Oliver, the peace keeper of the United Nations. The character of the colonel is portrayed as the character that had to bear the shame of the failure of the international agency to intervene peace in the locality of Rwanda. Paul is portrayed as a personal with exceptional leadership quality thathas the ability to make significant decisions at crucial times. Paul is found to deliver a speech in the movie at a time where the conflict has reached its height. In the speech he urges the victims to seek for help from any source they have to save their extinction. He also continues with the speech and let the refugees know that his hotel can no longer provide shelter to them. Throughout the scene in which Paul delivers his speech he depicts a strong body language and the voice of tone suggests the concern he has for the victims. His posture reflected the confidence which he wanted to spread among the people over there. Paul exhibits partial open and closed form of communication throughout his speech delivery. Paul’s performance was quite symbolic in the scenes where he shivers during driving over dead bodies in the city. The movie successfully depicts the relationship which was there in the period of crisis between the Rwandans and the white Americans. In the movie Paul was portrayed as a character that had strong qualities of interpersonal communication.

Economic Theories of Adam Smith Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic Theories of Adam Smith - Research Paper Example Economic Theories of Adam Smith This report will discuss different economic theories by Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopher. Adam Smith is the founder of a free-market capitalism. He is also the father of modern classical economics and a proponent of laissez faire economic policies. His arguments against mercantilism made him the father of modern economics. The Scottish philosopher spent many years teaching and publishing some of his lectures in the â€Å"Theory of Moral Sentiments† in 1759. The material gained ground and laid the foundation for the publication of â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† in 1776 which cemented Smith’s place in history. However, many critics note that in his time Smith did not ‘invent’ the ideas he wrote about. He only popularized the ideas that became known as classical economy. Using his work other economists solidified the theories of classical economy which became dominant during the time of great depression or the global economic crisis. The report will als o compare the current economic system with Smith’s and conclude whether he would agree with current policies of today if he was alive. Production Theory From the economists’ point of view, production simply means the creation of goods and services which consumers will buy. Companies are the units of production, and they convert input into output through a transformation process (Kurz & Salvadori, 1995). The theory of production then consists of how a company chooses and combines various inputs to produce an output at a given level in the most efficient manner. The assumption is that decision making is done with the view of maximizing profits. Production is all about creation of wealth which in turn adds to the society’s welfare. Resources are limited and must be efficiently utilized to create the maximum possible welfare. There are different inputs or resources of the society used in the production process. These inputs or resources are the factors of production . Adam Smith identified three factors of production which are land, labor and capital. In the economics the definition of land refers to all the natural resources which are used in production. The land notion includes farming and building land, forests, rivers, lakes, and mineral deposits. Therefore, land does not mean a piece of earth. Labor attributes to both mental and physical efforts used in the production of goods and services. Labor is distinct in that it is the services of labor that are bought and sold. Labor is also unique because it is the reason why economic activity takes place. The supply of labor is measured by the number of hours of work which is offered at a given wage rate over a given period of time (Kurz & Salvadori, 1995). Capital is a man-made input and can be classified as working or circulating capital referring to stocks of raw materials, partly finished goods, and finished goods held by producers. Alternatively, it can be classified as fixed capital which c onsists of all the equipment used in production. The aspect of specialization is important in the production process. It refers to the concentration of activity in those lines of production where the company or an individual has some natural or acquired advantage. Adam Smith drew attention to the importance of the labor division in his book â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†. He was fundamentally concerned with the division of labor of a particular industry

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Ethics - Essay Example Since infant walkers have hit the market, parents ran out and purchased the product. In 1992 30,000 injuries were related to the product and eventually the product was banned in 1994. Upon being banned makers were aware that the market for the product was out there because of the freedom it allowed infants and the way parents responded according to sales. What this meant for manufactures was that the product still had potential to make a nice amount of profit. Just because a product is banned in the United States does not mean that the product could not be sold in other countries. Most manufactures that see a potential market that will allow for large profit will pursue targeting the market. This happens every day and requires that certain individuals make either ethical or unethical business decisions. The infant walker case has many ethical and unethical business decisions behind exporting the product. An agent assigned to the case could be making ethical business decisions by expo rting the product if the agent was unaware of the ban in the United States. The company however would be making the unethical decisions by purposely hiring someone new or someone unaware of the previous injuries resulting from the product. An agent would be acting unethically if they were aware of the previous injuries and how the product has become banned.

US and the world in the 21st century. (SOFTPOWER, IMMIGRATION, ISIS) Essay

US and the world in the 21st century. (SOFTPOWER, IMMIGRATION, ISIS) - Essay Example However, the person without receiving a proper legal clearance or certification move to other nation in order to become citizen of the nation is classified as illegal or undocumented immigrant. Advancement in communication as well as transportation has enhanced the aspect of globalization, which allows people to migrate to different places with minimal amount of barriers1. Furthermore, it has been noticed that international immigration will create both positive as well as negative impact over the origin community as well as destination community, as in one aspect immigration lead to facilitate the transfer of skills and workforce that allow enhancing the growth of the community. Thus, in this regard, immigration is reflected as the process of migration of the people from one place to another across the international or state boarder. Moreover, migration is not the resent phenomena or trend it has been the part of human history since the beginning. Rather since the creation of the reg ions, people are migrating from one continent to other, from nation to nation or internally. In the 21st century the major causes of immigration has been however been catalyst by the economic progression of a nation. The economic progression of any nation attracts immigrant from other underdeveloped countries2. In the general prospect, immigration has both positive as well as negative impact because the process significantly influences the economy at large. In this context, it has been affirmed that process of immigration is likely to influence the domestic labor market, which can affect the wage rate as well as reduce the employment rate among the domestic workers. Apparently, on the other hand, the aspect of immigration is also associated with other factors that are likely to offset the potential negative aspects of economy. In this context, it has been revealed that if the immigrants are significantly more skilled over the

The role of public relations in the shaping of news Essay

The role of public relations in the shaping of news - Essay Example Since the past century, when journalism became an established and highly respected practice, journalists have helped to shape news and public opinion. While journalism involves creative writing and plagiarism is abhorred, a few journalists and media houses have taken up an unhealthy practice called Churnalism. This is a form of journalism in which press releases given out by the Public Relations agencies and news agencies are copy/ pasted to create content for print and online media, without verifying the news or investigating the issues. This has given rise to the internet bound writer whose main source for news and creative ideas is the Internet. Field and investigating journalism that once made erring national leaders and business barons wait with dread for the morning paper is now nonexistent. Taking its place is the ubiquitous PR release that forms the main news source. Overall, crime stories see the highest Churnalism with PR release sent by police departments. PR releases by b usinesses and NGOs find some more publishers among journalists. (Davies, 2009). The dangers of this churnalism are manifold. There is a strong indication that the PR agency, that releases the news releases are tendentious and in favour of the entity, that pays the agency. For such agencies, truth and facts are secondary and they tend to pile calumnies, distort news, and twist facts until the resulting story meets their prescribed line of thought. Such reports create more trouble when ill-advised journalists, media and newspapers pick up.

US and the world in the 21st century. (SOFTPOWER, IMMIGRATION, ISIS) Essay

US and the world in the 21st century. (SOFTPOWER, IMMIGRATION, ISIS) - Essay Example However, the person without receiving a proper legal clearance or certification move to other nation in order to become citizen of the nation is classified as illegal or undocumented immigrant. Advancement in communication as well as transportation has enhanced the aspect of globalization, which allows people to migrate to different places with minimal amount of barriers1. Furthermore, it has been noticed that international immigration will create both positive as well as negative impact over the origin community as well as destination community, as in one aspect immigration lead to facilitate the transfer of skills and workforce that allow enhancing the growth of the community. Thus, in this regard, immigration is reflected as the process of migration of the people from one place to another across the international or state boarder. Moreover, migration is not the resent phenomena or trend it has been the part of human history since the beginning. Rather since the creation of the reg ions, people are migrating from one continent to other, from nation to nation or internally. In the 21st century the major causes of immigration has been however been catalyst by the economic progression of a nation. The economic progression of any nation attracts immigrant from other underdeveloped countries2. In the general prospect, immigration has both positive as well as negative impact because the process significantly influences the economy at large. In this context, it has been affirmed that process of immigration is likely to influence the domestic labor market, which can affect the wage rate as well as reduce the employment rate among the domestic workers. Apparently, on the other hand, the aspect of immigration is also associated with other factors that are likely to offset the potential negative aspects of economy. In this context, it has been revealed that if the immigrants are significantly more skilled over the

Critically evaluate the theories that attempt to explain why women Essay

Critically evaluate the theories that attempt to explain why women continue to suffer disadvantage in the employment relationship - Essay Example The majority of women are employed in low skilled jobs, and the manner of their dealings with employers is not subject to protections presented by competitive forces within the labour market. Majority of women at the work place are exposed to unfair dealings and outcomes with companies (Colgan & Ledwith 2002, p. 172). Their bargaining power is unequal compared to the firm due to lack of protection. This system works unfairly to women even as nonmarket mechanisms try to provide some form of protection to them. Since early 1800 there have always been legislations meant to protect female workers. This includes prohibition from working in certain occupations, hours of work and compulsory maternity leave. Consequently, firms responded by either substituting female labour or lowering their wages to cater for the costs. Critics observe that protective policies stand in the way of women in their bid to compete with men for high paying jobs (Brown et al 2009, p.151). The paper addresses a range of theories which have been put forward to explain the position women occupy in employment. These theories including radical feminism, Marxist feminism and liberal feminism share some things in common. Apart from postmodernists, labour market segmentation and human capital model the proponents assume human behaviour is determined biologically. On the contrary knowledge from social sciences asser ts that as much as people shape society, the society too shapes people. This is to say that the mainstream feminist theories consider women in employment relations in terms of sex as opposed to gender. This theory puts much emphasis on the need for human agency as opposed to social structure, in suggesting improvement and explaining women’s position. According to the theory it is vital that both individuals and legislation are subjected to change. However, the behavioural change among people is given much emphasis. The equality between man and women is

Impact of Cane Toad Introduction Into Australian Habitat

Impact of Cane Toad Introduction Into Australian Habitat Biology Issue Report: The impact of the introduction of Cane toads into the Australian habitat. Cane toads (Rhinella Marina) were introduced to north-eastern Australia in 1935 in an attempt to control the sugar cane pests damaging the crops of farmers. Cane toads are large toads native to Central and South America. They are voracious predators, eating a diet consisting mainly of arthropods. The main habitat of cane toads was originally thought to be humid, tropical conditions, however it is now thought that they are able to tolerate a much broader range of environments and climates. This has enabled them to quickly thrive in north-eastern Australia. The numbers of cane toads in Australia have increased rapidly since their introduction into the environment and many people are concerned about the threat that they may pose to the native wildlife of Australia. The aim of this report is to examine the nature of the threat to the native wildlife and to explore whether their numbers can be reduced. The spread of cane toads The increasing numbers of cane toads in Australia has led to concern in both the scientific community and amongst the general public about the threat that they pose to Australian ecosystems. The spread of cane toads in north-eastern Australia has occurred at an unprecedented rate however it is difficult to accurately determine the true extent of the species’ dispersal due to the inherent margin of error that exists when attempting to conduct a species census (Shine 2010). In 2010 Jane Elith and her colleagues used the case of the cane toads to explore whether there is an accurate method by which the future distribution of invasive species can be determined, taking into account the shifting range of many invasive species (Elith, et al. 2010). They concluded that an ecophysiological model is the most accurate way to predict the future extent of the spread of an invasive species such as cane toads (Elith et al.2010). This model considers both the species’ characteristics a nd the environment into which it is expanding when determining their possible future spread. This highlights one difficulty with the current suggestions regarding the rate at which cane toads are spreading in Australia. It has been estimated by some researchers that cane toads are spreading at a rate of 5-6km a year in northern Australia; however it can be argued that these suggestions do not take into account the changing climates into which the toads are spreading. Whilst some habitats, such as tropical climates are particularly suited to the cane toads, others, for example dry habitats, are more challenging environments for cane toads. Therefore their spread into different habitats may be more uneven than predicted. Implications of the spread of cane toads Environmental Implications The diet of cane toads consists predominately of invertebrate species, particularly ants, termites and beetles. This has led some to question whether the introduction of cane toads into the Australian habitat may have a damaging effect on the populations of such invertebrates. In 2006 M.J Greenlees and his colleagues carried out experiments to explore the effect that the presence of cane toads in small enclosures had upon native invertebrates (Greenlees et al. 2006). In their experiment they introduced large and small cane toads and the equivalent biomass of native frogs to different controlled enclosures and used pitfall traps to measure the number of invertebrates found in the enclosure after the introduction of both cane toads and native frogs. The results of their experiment suggested that the numbers of invertebrates in the enclosures of both the cane toads and the native frogs decreased by a similar amount, and they concluded that the cane toads had a similar effect to native f rogs on the numbers of invertebrates. This result is displayed in Figure 1.3 which shows that the richness and abundance of invertebrates in both the cane toad’s enclosures and the Cyclorana and Litoria native frogs’ enclosures was of a similar level (Greenlees et al. 2006). This experiment provides some evidence that the perceived threat of cane toads to the Australian native species may not be as great as previously feared. The most serious threat posed by cane toads to the native species of Australia can be argued to come from the possibility of lethal toxic ingestion of cane toad poison by predators. Cane toads are poisonous, to varying degrees, throughout their lifecycle and bufonid poisons are particularly dangerous to some of Australia’s native animals. Previous to the introduction of the cane toad, many native Australian species had no evolutionary exposure to bufonid poisons, and therefore no immunity to them. Many of Australia’s native predators prey on anurans and have not yet learned to distinguish between native frogs and cane toads. When mouthed or ingested the toads secrete a toxin from their shoulder glands which can prove lethal to many predators. There have been many anecdotal reports in Australia about the deaths of predators such as freshwater crocodiles, northern quolls, goannas and northern death adders, due to the ingestion of cane toad poison. These anecdotal reports are hard to quantify however and cannot be used to provide reliable evidence for the effects of cane toads on large predators. The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is a marsupial carnivore, native to Australia, and found predominately in western and northern Australia. The northern quoll is a predatory species that is particularly threatened by the invasion of cane toads into their habitat. Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 the northern quoll is listed as an endangered species and this is the result of the local population extinctions that have occurred as a result of the lethal toxic ingestion of cane toads by this species. Radio tracking of quolls in various studies has shown that the presence of even a few cane toads in the habitat of quolls can decrease the population of quolls in these areas. Without intervention the spread of cane toads could result in the extinction of one of Australia’s smallest mammalian predators. Social Implications Cane toads are disliked by many people because of the perceived threat that they pose to the native wildlife of Australia. This threat has been featured in numerous news reports such as the article in Figure 1.4 and has led to growing concern amongst the general public about the threat that cane toads may pose to humans. In order for cane toad venom to have an effect on humans it needs to be absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose or eyes. Cane toad venom is a bufotoxin which contains cardiac glycosides. Cardiac glycosides are compounds which contain the sugar glycoside which has an effect on the force of the cardiac muscle’s contraction (Cohen et al. 2003). When absorbed into the human body the toxin can also cause gastrointestinal problems. Cane toad poisoning has led to the death of some people and because of this many Australians feel threatened by the spread of cane toads into their community. This dislike of cane toads has made community toad-culling eve nts popular amongst the general public. The Australian government has also introduced leaflets aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of cane toads and how to protect families against them (Department of Environment and Conservation, n.d). Can the spread of cane toads be halted? The Australian government has concluded that any attempts to cull cane toads on a large scale would be unfeasible and that there is no prospect for national eradication of cane toads in Australia (Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2011). The Australian government has turned its focus away from preventing the spread of cane toads, and towards the protection of endangered species such as the northern quoll. One program, called the Territory Wildlife Park introduced a captive breeding and research program in 2006 to prevent the species’ extinction (Territory Wildlife Park, n.d). The program has also introduced a project to train their captive quolls to avoid cane toads (O’Donnell et al. 2010). After training the quolls to avoid cane toads through aversion therapy, the ‘toad-smart’ quolls and some ‘toad-naà ¯ve’ quolls were released into the wild wearing radio collars. The survival rates of both types of quoll can be seen in figure 1.6. This table shows that the male and female toad-smart quolls had a much greater mean survival time in the wild, it also suggests that females are less likely to be poisoned by toad ingestion. Male quolls appear to attempt to ingest the toads more fr equently with 7 toad related deaths accumulatively in the males, and the toad-naà ¯ve male quolls had the biggest proportion of toad-related deaths at 5 deaths. Figure 1.7 shows that the toad-smart quolls had a greater daily survival percentage than the toad-naà ¯ve quolls and this provides evidence to support the argument that it is better to invest time and money in projects that aim to help native wildlife live alongside cane toads than to try to eradicate the toads completely. The most recent research on methods that could be used to halt the spread of cane toads has focussed on whether there is a way to prevent the toads reaching specific areas during arid seasons. In 2015 Mike Letnic and his colleagues identified ‘invasion hubs’, areas that cane toads initially colonise and then use as a base from which to expand their population (Letnic et al. 2015). They hypothesised that if the access of cane toads to areas like this was restricted, then they would be unable to establish a successful population in previously unpopulated areas. To test their hypothesis the researchers maintained toad-proof fences around dams where toads had previously been eradicated. They then measured the numbers of dead toads around the fences in both dry and wet seasons and observed the numbers of live toads in the area. The results of their study were encouraging and suggested that toads are attracted to these ‘invasion hubs’ and when their access to thes e is denied their mortality rate rises and population numbers decrease (Letnic et al. 2015). This study is particularly important because it highlights a method that could be used to prevent the invasion of cane toads in areas of particular ecological interest. Review of sources The first source I will review is the paper ‘Effects of an invasive anuran [the cane toad (Bufo marinus)] on the invertebrate fauna of a tropical Australian floodplain’ by M.J. Greenlees et al (2006). This research aims to provide quantitative data exploring the effect that invading cane toads are having upon the native invertebrates of Australia. The authors highlight the fact that the effect of cane toads upon the native ecosystems is poorly understood due to a lack of experimental data. In the light of this they conducted a simple experimental trial that produced data that could be analysed to provide an indication of the ecological effects of this invasive species. The researchers used simple methods such as controlled enclosures and pitfall traps to conduct their experiment. Whilst it can be argued that the controlled enclosures used in this experiment will not accurately reflect the true ecology of natural habitats, the researchers acknowledge this in their paper a nd suggest that their experiment be viewed as the first step towards more detailed research. I found this experiment to be thorough in their control of variables and in their analysis of the results. I believe that because the researchers are from the University of Sydney, a well-respected institution, their experiment can be viewed as trustworthy and their results credible. The second source I will review is the website http://www.canetoadsinoz.com/invasion.html (Cane toads in Oz, 2011). This website was created by Richard Shine and his ‘TEAM BUFO’. Shine is a Professor of Biology at Sydney University and is one of the key scientific figures in the field of cane toad research. The website created by Shine and his team examines all aspects of cane toads and their threat to Australia’s native wildlife. Whilst the website is undoubtedly more informal than a scientific paper, it can still be used as a comprehensive tool with which to gain more information about cane toads. It can be argued that websites such as this are more effective at engaging the public and informing them of environmental issues because, in comparison to scientific papers, the easily accessible website is more likely to be read and used as a source of information by the public. Conclusion The spread of cane toads in Australia is an issue that has concerned many people. The scientific research surrounding this issue is particularly interesting because it gives an insight into how the true reality of a threat from an invasive species may be very different from the original perceived threat. Cane toad poison has undoubtedly had a lethal effect on native predators, causing some to become endangered. However not all species appear to have populations detrimentally effected by the presence of the toads. This shows the extent to which natural selection and adaptation allows organisms to cope with environmental threats. Populations may decrease, but they also increase if natural selection allows a species to recover. The spread of cane toads in Australia is now too great to prevent and so scientists are experimenting with methods that allow Australian ecosystems and native species to be conserved and protected alongside the presence of cane toads. These early studies are beginning to provide positive results that suggest that whilst the spread of cane toads may be lethal to some species, a focus on conservation may limit the danger and help to preserve the unique species living in the Australian ecosystem. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cane Toads in Oz, 2011. Available from: http://www.canetoadsinoz.com/invasion.html. [26 February 2015] Cohen, R.A., Gowda, R.M., Khan, A. ‘Toad venom poisoning: resemblance to digoxin toxicity and therapeutic implications’, Heart, 89:4 (2003): e:14 Department of Environment and Conservation, Protecting children and pets from cane toads, Government of Australia. Available from: http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/pw/vp/toad/cane_toads_protect.pdf. [26 February 2015] Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2011. Threat abatement plan for the biological effects, including lethal toxic ingestion, caused by cane toads, Government of Australia. Available from: http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/2dab3eb9-8b44-45e5-b249-651096ce31f4/files/tap-cane-toads.pdf. [26 February 2015] Elith, J., Kearney, M. and Phillips, S., ‘The art of modelling range-shifting species.’, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 1(2010): 330–342. Greenlees, M. J., Brown, G. P., Webb, J. K., Phillips, B. L. and Shine, R. ‘Effects of an invasive anuran [the cane toad (Bufo marinus)] on the invertebrate fauna of a tropical Australian floodplain.’, Animal Conservation, 9 (2006): 431–438 Letnic, M., Webb, J. K., Jessop, T. S., Dempster, T. (2015), ‘Restricting access to invasion hubs enables sustained control of an invasive vertebrate’. Journal of Applied Ecology. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12390 O’Donnell, S., Webb, J.K., Shine, R. ‘Conditioned taste aversion enhances the survival of an endangered predator imperilled by a toxic invader’, Journal of Applied Ecology, 47 (2010): 558-565 Shine, R. ‘The Ecological Impact of Invasive Cane Toads (Bufo Marinus) in Australia’, The Quarterly Review of Biology,85:3, (2010): 253-291 Territory Wildlife Park. Available from: http://www.territorywildlifepark.com.au/about/quoll.shtml. [26 February 2015] Word Count: 2402

china intentions :: essays research papers

Osama bin Laden has done Communist China a favor. Because the minds of President Bush and congressional leaders are so concentrated on the war on terrorism, they have all but ignored Beijing's aggressive military buildup. A strong possibility exists that by focusing so closely on Iraq, a focus that is understandable considering how unsettled the situation is, the United States could miss developments that could affect its standing in the rest of the world. Among the many uncertainties of the Asian security environment, none is more compelling than that surrounding the modernization program of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. For some observers, the combination of economic growth and force improvement signals Beijing's intention to establish regional supremacy. Others acknowledge that the PLA can spoil the United States' interests; however, Beijing's interest in regional stability, and the growing conventional capabilities of other regional powers, they tend to discount a PLA military threat. Chinese secrecy compounds the difficulty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China's armed forces may not be a direct threat to the United States, but are good enough to cause plenty of trouble in their region and will be better in the future. China is one of the few nations to increase its defense spending in the post cold-war world, and is engaged in a major effort to upgrade its weapons capability for a possible quick strike on Taiwan. Taiwan would face an enormous challenge in repelling a determined Chinese attack. The island is too close to the mainland and too inferior in forces to hold out indefinitely. Its technological advantages would enable it to prolong the struggle, but not defeat China. If the United States were to get involved, it would face a nuclear-armed adversary capable of striking its American shores. That is not likely to happen, but it has to be kept in mind. China has greater military power today than it did a decade ago. If Beijing were willing to pay the price, the PLA could wreak great damage. In assessing China's future threat potential, it is essential to consider the economic, political, and strategic constraints on PLA modernization. Such considerations suggest that the PLA is years away from achieving the capability to project military force in a sustained manner. China’s likely future strategic intentions can be difficult to predict and there are many theories put forth by many different experts. Defense budgets can be a useful, even a critical, indicator of national defense priorities, policies, strategies, and capabilities.

The Myth of Equality :: Racial Relations, Politics

In his article, â€Å"The Myth of Equality† written in August 2010 in his official blog, Patrick Buchanan, an American conservative political commentator, suggests that equality will never be achievable here in America when it comes to personal skills and abilities (par. 8). He points out the inequality that is evident in the American professional sports where only those who are considered â€Å"good† are thriving (par. 6-7). Buchanan reveals that the standardize test that is given to students proves that there is a disparity in education among racial groups (par. 16). He infers that here in America, because we vary in our capabilities to perform at something, inequalities among racial groups are almost the standard and it is demonstrated in several institutions. One organization where inequality among racial groups is established is in the American professional sports system; where only those who demonstrate excellence in the sport flourish. Buchanan interprets statistics reported by columnist Walter Williams to conclude that black male athletes dominate majority of the popular sports such as the NFL and the NBA (par. 5). Furthermore, Buchanan reveals that no one complains when Hispanics and Asians who make up a good percentage of the population are not visible nor pursued after in this organization (par. 2). The enactment of standardizes testing given to students to measure their academic abilities and supposedly will close achievement gap only prove that the battle to the end achievement gap between racial groups is a failure. Buchanon elucidate statistics of the results from the national test under the â€Å"No Child Left Behind† program to infer that there is a huge gap between white students and black students (par. 19). On the same note, New Yorks state test scores reveals a large imbalance in academics between different racial groups (par. 16) For Buchanon, here in America, the notion of equality among racial group will never be attained. This is because we as an individual, whether it is academic or athletic, are all different in a great deal of way. We respond to situation differently. There is always some sort of competition that is constantly occurring and it is certainly true that only those who exhibit excellence will be superior over the rest of the population. Although Patrick Buchanan’s essay proves the notion that equality among races when it comes to academic is in fact a myth, he failed to illustrate other influences that drive America in to racial inequality.

What is K-12? Essay

According to the K to 12 Deped Primer (2011), â€Å"K-12 means â€Å"Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education.† Kindergarten points to the 5-year old child who undertakes the standardized curriculum for preschoolers. Elementary education refers to 6 years of primary school (Grades 1-6) while secondary education means four years of junior high school (Grades 7-10 or HS Year 1-4). In addition to this, two years are now allotted for senior high school (Grades 11-12 or HS Year 5-6). see more:k-12 advantages and disadvantages What is the rationale for this program? There is an urgent need to enhance the quality of basic education in our country as seen in the education outcomes of Filipino students and the comparative disadvantage of the Philippines with regard to other countries. The following data would support this explanation: At present, the Philippines is the only country in Asia and among the three remaining countries in the world that uses a 10-year basic education cycle. According to a presentation made by the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO-INNOTECH) on Additional Years in Philippine Basic Education (2010), the comparative data on duration of Basic and Pre-University Education in Asia shows that the Philippines allots 10 years not just for the basic education cycle but also for the pre-university education while all the other countries have either 11 or 12 years in their basic education cycle. Achievement scores highlight our students’ poor performance in national examinations. The National Achievement Test (NAT) results for grade 6 in SY 2009-2010 showed only a 69.21% passing rate while the NAT results for high school is at a low 46.38%. Moreover, international tests results in 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science study (TIMSS) show that the Philippines ranked 34th out of 38 countries in HS Math and 43rd out of 46 countries in HS II Science. Moreover, the Philippines ranked the lowest in 2008 even with only the science high schools joining the Advanced Mathematics category. The present curriculum is described as congested. This means that students do not get enough time to perform tasks because the curriculum is designed to be taught in a span of 12 years and not 10 years. The more obvious result of this is the fact that most high school students graduate without the readiness to take upon higher education  or employment. These students are not equipped with the basic skills or competencies needed at work. Furthermore, the short duration of our basic education program puts Filipinos who are interested to either work or study abroad at a disadvantage. This is because other countries see our 10-year program as incomplete, which then, causes Filipino graduates to not be considered as professionals abroad. Given all these supporting facts, there is indeed a need to improve the quality of basic education by enhancing it and by expanding the basic education cycle. What is the vision of this program? Records will show that as early as 1925, there were already efforts to improve the basic education curriculum and recommendations have been put forward since then. Thus, this idea of adding years to the present curriculum is not new. The K-12 Curriculum envisions â€Å"holistically developed learners with 21st century skills† (Deped Primer, 2011). At the core of this basic education program is â€Å"the complete human development of every graduate† (DepEd discussion paper, p.6). This further means that every student would have an understanding of the world around him and a passion for life-long learning while addressing every student’s basic learning needs: â€Å"learning to learn, the acquisition of numeracy, literacy, and scientific and technological knowledge as applied to daily life† (p.6). In addition to this, every graduate is envisioned to have respect for human rights and would aim to become â€Å"Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makabansa, Maka-kalikasanâ⠂¬  (p.6) The K-12 vision aims to have relevance in the socio-economic realm, as well. This means that the students would understand their role as productive members of the country. Such vision can only be possible through an enhanced curriculum. What are the benefits of this program? Prof. Calingasan explains that â€Å"while parents may look at this as extended expense i.e., paying tuition for another 2 years in high school, this would offset itself since the competencies one would learn from the additional years are the same ones which the first two years of general education in college teach.† The DepEd primer (2011) specifies the benefits to individuals and families: 1. A decongested academic workload, giving students more time to master competencies and for co-curricular activities and community involvement, thus, allowing for a more holistic development; 2. Graduates will possess competencies and skills relevant to the job market and they will be prepared for higher education; 3. K-12 is affordable; 4. The potential annual earnings of a K-12 graduate will be higher compared to the earnings of a 10-year high school graduate; 5. Graduates will be recognized abroad. The benefits of K-12 curriculum for the society and the economy are: 1. It will contribute to economic growth. Studies show that improvements in the quality of education increases GDP growth. According to the DepEd (2010), studies in the country have reflected that an additional year of school increases the earnings by 7.5% and that improvements in the quality of education will enable the GDP grow by 2-2.2%. 2. It will facilitate the recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries 3. A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socio-economic development.

AT&T “Don’t text while driving” Essay

This deadly Combination is brought to a heart wrenching point in the YouTube video called â€Å"Don’t text while driving† is also a campaign started by AT&T in 2010 â€Å"It can wait†. Everyday people are killed in car accidents. Motor vehicles are responsible for the lives of many innocent drivers and passengers on the road. A common reason responsible for these accidents involve texting while driving. Texting and driving projects horrific accidents whose consequences can be fatal and life changing. AT&T supports drivers to not text and drive on the road through their â€Å"Don’t text while driving† advertisements. In one of the short stories, a young man suffers from brain damage as a consequence to the text message â€Å"Where r† he was sending while operating a motor vehicle. Another one of AT&T’s short stories personifies a sister of a texting and driving victim. AT&T’s video sets a sympathetic mood, uses trustworthy spokespersons and uses style in textual information to appeal to the audience while convincing viewers to not text and drive. AT&T’s â€Å"Don’t text while driving† video establishes a relatable mood highlighted by the setting of the stories. Opening this powerful video is Missouri State Officer Grant Hendrix, he was the first responder on the scene of Mariah West’s fatal accident. He describes her physical disfigurement from her car violently colliding with a freeway barrier. Getting choked up Officer Hendrix then says, â€Å"it’s funny the first thing I noticed about her was her shoes lying in the roadway in a large pool blood I noticed her shoes and I thought this is a young girl, that’s the first thing I thought when I saw this girl and at that point is why I noticed her cap and gown was still in her car and that she was going to graduate the next day this was just a really ho rrific seen all because of a senseless text message† (0:54) Seeing a veteran officer get emotional, even admitting he sees these sorts of things often makes a powerful statement. Near the end of the video he making a poignant statement saying, â€Å"She paid the ultimate  price for her life I’ve had to do this more than once she was not the only victim that I have dealt with and it never gets any easier and it won’t get any easier was it worth it losing your life over that text message†(7:18) In the â€Å"Yeah† story with the sister of a victim, the setting is in the comfort of a home. Audiences can relate to the setting because almost everyone has or strives to have a place to call home. Ashley, the sister of a texting a driving victim, can no longer be at comfort in her own home without her sister. Knowing she sent the text message that caused the death of her sister is something she finds difficult overlook. In contrast, the â€Å"Where r† commercial ends with a young man in a rehabilitation center. He sits in the middle of the clinic holding a sign of the text that changed his life. Surrounding him is a wheel chair, exercise balls, and building blocks meant for children. The setting portrays his new life learning how to function in order to have a normal life again. In both cases, the setting appeals to pathos but in contrasting ways. The audience can relate to both situations by having a place to call home and what the consequences of texting a driving would be if one’s life was changed forever. The relaxed familiarity of a home can quickly change the mood of an audience after a traumatic experience. Additionally, a rehabilitation clinic is not an ideal place for a person to want to spend the rest of his or her life. Pathos is seen in these advertisements by connecting to the audience’s emotions. The setting evokes feelings of sympathy with the audience to create a relatable mood. Not only does the setting persuade audiences to not text and drive, the speakers presented in the commercials are credible and trustworthy. AT&T has respectfully not hired actors to speak about the hazards of texting and driving in their commercials. Instead they use real people who have personal knowledge and experience of the effects of texting a driving. AT&T effectively uses ethos by getting the audience to identify with the spokesperson. They are normal citizens whose lives were completely changed because of a text message. The sister in the â€Å"Yeah† story Ashley, tells of her sister saying how funny she was and how her sister was always texting her. One could tell they had a strong relationship before it was destroyed by the fatal car accident. Likewise, by just listening to the man with brain damage talk, the audience sympathizes with him. As he struggles to put on a  shirt, we see the physical effects the accident has taken on him. This video also strongly appeals to pathos because it makes the audience pity the speakers. An emotional connection is made by the audience and the speakers in these advertisements. With that said, AT&T addresses the problem of texting and driving through ethos and pathos presented by the commercial’s speakers. Along with identifying with the speakers, AT&T’s â€Å"Don’t text while driving† video portrays a unique style to convince the audience to not text and drive. For example, after the speaker tells his or her story, a blank white screen appears with the individual text message in bold, black letters. The bland screen with opposite colors proposes a straightforward persuasion technique that forces the audience to focus on the screen and the message being presented. These simple approaches appeal to pathos because each holds a strong message that stimulates the audiences’ emotions. At the end of the video, AT&T provides source information from Virginia Tech Institute dated from the year 2009. â€Å"Studies show that you are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident when texting and driving†. (8:21) All of the textual information presented in the advertisement depicts pathos. AT&T constructs a reasonable argument of not texting and driving through the style demonstrated throughout the video. Indeed, texting and driving is a rising problem in society. Many lives are taken or even changed forever because of this selfless act. More people need to be informed of the consequences of texting and driving, and AT&T did just that. AT&T’s â€Å"Don’t text while driving† video convinces viewers to not text and drive through their many persuasive techniques. The commercials not only stimulate the audiences’ perspective, they effectively use visual stimuli to present and desist drivers from texting and driving. In light of the speakers’ credibility, ethos is present in the video as well. The settings, moods, speakers, and style all contribute to the persuasion of an audience in this video. AT&T not only sells cell phones, the company took it upon themselves to present a problem caused by cell phones. AT&T has the ability to engage an audience while promoting a cause and advertising their cell phone company in their â€Å"Don’t text while driving† video. On a personal note I have found myself guilty of doing this from time to time, I am ashamed to admit it but it’s true. I don’t believe anyone should be texting while driving, but how do I argue against something I am guilty of myself?  Do I use the old adage â€Å"do as I say, not as I do†? That seems very hypocritical, but after watching this video I have to say stop and think before picking up that phone while driving. It moved me the most seeing the sister Ashley wrought with guilt over her sister’s death. This was the most powerful for me, having lost someone I too felt guilty over losing it stamped AT&T’s message right in my heart. Lisa Walsh