A Tragedy Averted

On the 2nd of November, year 2006, an almost-tragic event happened in the roads of Kalipayan, here in Tacloban City. I was in the 6th grade at the time and it was All Souls’ Day. My relatives and I went to the cemetery to visit the grave of my late grandfather, who passed away in June of the same year. We arrived there in the late afternoon. After offering prayers for the eternal repose of my grandfather, as well as exchanging stories with my cousins and aunts, my mom decided it was time to go home. It was already getting late, the time indicating it was almost midnight. We waited for several minutes for a jeepney to come and when we were able to get one†¦ The vehicle was moving at moderate speed and everything was going well. My mom was busy conversing with my aunt about important matters when the jeepney came to a halt, letting a passenger off near the bend on the road. All of a sudden; a man, out of nowhere, snatched my mom’s bag and immediately jumped off the vehicle. It seemed like time was stopped and everyone was left in a trance. Not wasting any more precious time, I jumped off the vehicle and chased the snatcher – who was carrying a small knife – until I came to a dead end. I got a little frightened for the path where the snatcher ran off to was narrow and looked like a ledge and one small step would have led me drenched in the water. I ran back to the main road and finding relief in the presence of light posts, I jogged to a walk and tried to catch my breath. Going back to the jeepney where my mom, sister and aunt were waiting – all the while anxious about my sudden departure – I found men and bystanders gathering around my mom’s bag. Turns out, the snatcher dropped the bag and only stole my mom’s mobile phone and didn’t touch the other paraphernalia in the bag. Thankfully, my mom was pretty clever in keeping our passports and other essential things in a plain-looking plastic bag. The snatcher probably thought it was just trash and decided to discard it. We went back to the jeepney and arrived safely in our house. My sister was in a state of shock while my mom was truly grateful for the essentials that were left unharmed. I was mainly disappointed that I wasn’t able to catch the criminal but nevertheless thankful that I was given enough courage by God to chase the snatcher and got out of that situation without facing any threat or danger.

Hydrolic Fracking Research Paper Essay

Hydraulic fracturing is a process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas. Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled and sometimes spilled on the surface. The natural gas industry defends hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, as safe and efficient. Thomas J. Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, a pro-industry non-profit organization, claims fracking has been â€Å"a widely deployed as safe extraction technique,† dating back to 1949. What he doesn’t say is that until recently energy companies had used low-pressure methods to extract natural gas from fields closer to the surface than the current high-pressure technology that extracts more gas, but uses significantly more water, chemicals, and elements. The industry claims well drilling in the Marcellus Shale will bring several hundred thousand jobs, and has minimal health and environmental risk. President Barack Obama in his January 2012 State of the Union, said he believes the development of natural gas as an energy source to replace fossil fuels could generate 600,000 jobs. However, research studies by many economists and others debunk the idea of significant job creation. Barry Russell, president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, says â€Å"no evidence directly connects injection of fracking fluid into shale with aquifer contamination.† Fracking â€Å"has never been found to contaminate a water well,† says Christine Cronkright, communications director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Research studies and numerous incidents of water contamination prove otherwise. In late 2010, equipment failure may have led to toxic levels of chemicals in the well water of at least a dozen families in Co noquenessing Township in Bradford County. Township officials and Rex Energy, although acknowledging that two of the drilling wells had problems with the casings, claimed there were pollutants in the drinking water before Rex moved into the area. John Fair disagrees. â€Å"Everybody had good water a year ago,† Fair told environmental writer and activist Iris Marie Bloom in February 2012. Bloom says residents told her the color of water changed to red, orange, and gray after Rex began drilling. Among the chemicals detected in the well water, in addition to methane gas, were ammonia, arsenic, chloromethane, iron, manganese, t-butyl alcohol, and toluene. While not acknowledging that its actions could have caused the pollution, Rex did provide fresh water to the residents, but then stopped doing so on Feb. 29, 2012, after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said the well water was safe. The residents absolutely disagreed and staged protests against Rex; environmental activists and other residents trucked in portable water jugs to help the affected families. The Marcellus Outreach Butler blog (MOB) declared that residents’ â€Å"lives have been severely disrupted and their health has been severely impacted. To just ‘close the book’ on investigations into their troubles when so many indicators point to the accountability of the gas industry for the disruption of their lives is unbelievable . In April 2011, near Towanda, Pa., seven families were evacuated after about 10,000 gallons of wastewater contaminated an agricultural field and a stream that flows into the Susquehanna River, the result of an equipment failure, according to the Bradford County Emergency Management Agency.The following month, DEP fined Chesapeake Energy $900,000, the largest amount in the state’s history, for allowing methane gas to pollute the drinking water of 16 families in Bradford County during the previous year. The DEP noted there may have been toxic methane emissions from as many as six wells in five towns. The DEP also fined Chesapeake $188,000 for a fire at a well in Washington County that injured three workers. In January 2012, an equipment failure at a drill site in Susquehanna County led to a spill of several thousand gallons of fluid for almost a half-hour, causing potential pollution, according to the DEP. In its citation to Carizzo Oil and Gas, the DEP strongly recommended that the company cease drilling at all 67 wells â€Å"until the cause of this problem and a solution are identified.† In December 2011, the federal Environmental Protection Agency concluded that fracking operations could be responsible for groundwater pollution.â€Å"Today’s methods make gas drilling a filthy business. You know it’s bad when nearby residents can light the water coming out of their tap on fire,† says Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation. Whatâ €™s causing the fire is the methane from the drilling operations. A ProPublica investigation in 2009 revealed methane contamination was widespread in drinking water in areas around fracking operations in Colorado, Texas, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania. The presence of methane in drinking water in Dimock, Pa., had become the focal point for Josh Fox’s investigative documentary, Gasland, which received an Academy Award nomination in 2011 for Outstanding Documentary; Fox also received an Emmy for non-fiction directing. Fox’s interest in fracking intensified when a natural gas company offered $100,000 for mineral rights on property his family owned in Milanville, in the extreme northeast part of Pennsylvania, about 60 miles east of Dimock. Research by a team of scientists from Duke University revealed â€Å"methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems that is associated with shale-gas extraction.† The data and conclusions, published in the May 2011 issue of the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, note d that not only did most drinking wells near drilling sites have methane, but those closest to the drilling wells, about a half-mile, had an average of 17 times the methane of those of other wells. â€Å"Some of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing—or liberated by it—are carcinogens,† Dr. Sandra Steingraber told members of the Environmental Conservation and Health committee of the New York State Assembly. Dr. Steingraber, a biologist and distinguished scholar in residence at Ithaca College, pointed out that some of the chemicals â€Å"are neurological poisons with suspected links to learning deficits in children,† while others â€Å"are asthma triggers. Some, especially the radioactive ones, are known to bioaccumulate in milk. Others are reproductive toxicants that can contribute to pregnancy loss.† An investigation by New York Times reporter Ian Urbina, based upon thousands of unreported EPA documents and a confidential study by the natural gas industry, concluded, â€Å"Radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways.† Urbina learned that wastewater from fracking operations was about 100 tim es more toxic than federal drinking water standards; 15 wells had readings about 1,000 times higher than standards. Research by Dr. Ronald Bishop, a biochemist at SUNY/Oneonta, suggests that fracking to extract methane gas â€Å"is highly likely to degrade air, surface water and ground-water quality, to harm humans, and to negatively impact aquatic and forest ecosystems.† He notes that â€Å"potential exposure effects for humans will include poisoning of susceptible tissues, endocrine disruption syndromes, and elevated risk for certain cancers.† Every well, says Dr. Bishop, â€Å"will generate a sediment discharge of approximately eight tons per year into local waterways, further threatening federally endangered mollusks and other aquatic organisms.† In addition to the environmental pollution by the fracking process, Dr. Bishop believes â€Å"intensive use of diesel-fuel equipment will degrade air quality [that could affect] humans, livestock, and crops.† Equally important are questions about the impact of as many as 200 diesel-fueled trucks each day bringing water to t he site and then removing the waste water. In addition to the normal diesel emissions of trucks, there are also problems of leaks of the contaminated water. â€Å"We need to know how diesel fuel got into our water supply,† says Diane Siegmund, a clinical psychologist from Towanda, Pa. â€Å"It wasn’t there before the companies drilled wells; it’s here now,† she says. Siegmund is also concerned about contaminated dust and mud. â€Å"There is no oversight on these,† she says, â€Å"but those trucks are muddy when they leave the well sites, and dust may have impact miles from the well sites.† Research â€Å"strongly implicates exposure to gas drilling operations in serious health effects on humans, companion animals, livestock, horses, and wildlife,† according to Dr. Michelle Bamberger, a veterinarian, and Dr. Robert E. Oswald, a biochemist and professor of molecular medicine at Cornell University. Their study, published in New Solutions, an academic journal in environmental health, documents evidence of milk contamination, breeding problems, and cow mortality in areas near fracking operation s as higher than in areas where no fracking occurred. Drs. Bamberger and Oswald noted that some of the symptoms present in humans from what may be polluted water from fracking operations include rashes, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and severe irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. For animals, the symptoms often led to reproductive problems and death. Significant impact upon wildlife is also noted in a 900-page Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) conducted by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation. According to the EIS, â€Å"In addition to loss of habitat, other potential direct impacts on wildlife from drilling in the Marcellus Shale include increased mortality . . . altered microclimates, and increased traffic, noise, lighting, and well flares.† The impact, according to the report, â€Å"may include a loss of genetic diversity, species isolation, population declines . . . increased predation, and an increase of invasive species.† The report concludes that because of fracking, there is â€Å"little to no place in the study areas where wildlife would not be impacted, [leading to] serious cascading ecological consequences.† The impact of course affects the quality of milk and meat production as animals drink and graze near areas that have been taken over by the natural gas industry. The response by the industry and its political allies to the scientific studies of the health and environmental effects of fracking â€Å"has approached the issue in a manner similar to the tobacco industry that for many years rejected the link between smoking and cancer,† say Drs. Bamberger and Oswald. Not only do they call for â€Å"full disclosure and testing of air, water, soil, animals, and humans,† but point out that with lax oversight, â€Å"the gas drilling boom . . . will remain an uncontrolled health experiment on an enormous scale.† Bibliography of Works Cited: http://www.marcellusoutreachbutler.org/ http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/03/19/the-perils-of-fracking/ www.coalitiontoprotectnewyork.org http://psehealthyenergy.net/data/Bamberger_Oswald_NS22_in_press.pdf http://www.scribd.com/doc/97449702/100-Fracking-Victims http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/us/04natgas.html?pagewanted=all http://steingraber.com/ http://frack.mixplex.com/content/scientific-study-links-flammable-drinking-water-fracking http://www.hydraulicfracturing.com/Pages/information.aspx http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracture/ http://geology.com/articles/hydraulic-fracturing/

Food Is More Than What We Eat Essay

The food we consume everyday has more to it than a source of fuel and part of our human essentials. Though we may not realise, food plays a part of many people’s culture, religion and even employment, where food plays a significant role in their everyday lives. Today, food serves a fairly major role in our society. Due to globalisation and other global factors, there has now been a mix and harmonious diversity in cultures around the world and food is one of the main evidence of that. This can just be seen by walking to your local stores where there are at least two or more food stores/ restaurants from different cultures. This is particularly evident in Australia, as immigrants from across the globe bring with them to Australia their cultures, beliefs and lifestyles to their new homes- with food being one of them. Many of these different cultures are now welcomed, accepted and shared, which provides employment for many people. This is not only evident in the Western continents, but many other Asian countries, where you would see many restaurants, snacks stores and street stores. Food is also used to distinguish the ‘classes of certain groups and/or areas. For example, in the city where there are more higher classed people, majority of the restaurants and cuisines tend to be a lot more expensive than those in the outer suburban areas. The functions of food in cultures vary between cultures, but majority of the time plays a significant role. There are different beliefs and morals, religious and food rules/ etiquettes that are associated with food of different cultures. An example of a food belief/moral would be in China noodles represent longevity, therefore it should not to be broken off or bitten off but put all into your mouth to chew to swallow. Food has not only been applied in beliefs and morals, but also religion. This can be seen in the Buddhism, where vegetarian dietary is preferred for serious believers. Sometimes food etiquette is incorporated into the religious side of food. For example in China it is considered extremely rude and impolite to stick your chopsticks upright in your rice as it is how it appears in funerals and is disrespectful to the elderly. The use of food in traditions and celebrations is another way to show how food has a deeper meaning that being sustenance. Traditions vary between cultures, but even families and individuals. Everyone has their own ‘style’ that they live with and pass on to their family who if they decide to continue the tradition passes on to future generations. Some of these traditions in terms of culture can be having rice has your main staple for most Asian cultures, while in Australia they have many different staples ranging from bread to grain foods. Food is also a big role player in celebrations. Many cultures have special foods that are only eaten or mostly eaten on certain days or events. For example in China on Chinese New Year, moon cakes are eaten, while in Australia, citizens have BBQs on Australia Day and eat ANZAC biscuits on ANZAC day. Food has also been a reason for unity of people. People like to eat whether it is at home or in restaurants in groups, where they not only enjoy the food together but can also start up conversations. For some families during dinner time may be the only time where they sit together and talk about their day. On a larger scale, food and global factors has allowed people of different backgrounds and cultures to accept and understand each other’s cultures. As previously mentioned, where we can now have food that are not from your culture. Because of food being eaten by many cultures, there are modifications to some foods so that more people can eat them. For example, there are now many vegetarian foods such as vegetarian pies and noodles for people with vegetarian diets.

Proposal and Bibliography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proposal and Bibliography - Assignment Example Examples of these conditions are Stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Heart disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease among others (UK Stem Cell Foundation). The two basic types of stem cells are Adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. They are typically found in the fetus, early embryo, placenta, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood (National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia 1-2). Problem Statement Stem cell research is a major development in the health industry although there are many ethical issues that it faces currently. Aim The aim of this proposal is to analyze the Ethics and Law of Stem Cell Research, especially in the methods how human tissue is donated because some of the methods used undermine human ethical standards (National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia). ... yze these issues" () Situational Analysis There is an increasing demand by researchers seeking eggs from young women to be used for embryonic cloning procedures. This harvesting involves administration of drugs that have not been approved for that purpose (Dianne Beeson 1-3). These drugs could pose serious harm to the women that participate in this exercise both long term and short term effects. The widespread practice exposes women to risks that are ethically unacceptable and have to be addressed. Another interesting issue to note is that the egg harvesting takes place in a research climate marked by conflict of interests. This kind of experiments has prompted the research I intend to carry out on stem cell research. The kinds of practices used in stem cell research have prompted the concern of human rights activists all over the world in pursuit of this research, how it adversely affects the stakeholders in it. The risk at which these researchers put the women through must be weigh ed against potential benefits. Method This will be a qualitative research design that will utilize both primary and ancillary data. The resultant data will be carried out through a desk research and library session. From the desk research, there will be a thorough analysis of online information such as online journals, medical websites, and online eBooks. Further research will be carried out through a library session where peer reviewed journal articles, periodicals, and books will be used to gather data on the issue at hand, ethical issues with stem cell research. All the information found will be noted down and taken to a central place to await analysis. Filing will be necessary to avoid loss of data or damage. The next step will be to collect primary data. In collecting primary data, the

Gross Domestic Product of United Kingdom Assignment

Gross Domestic Product of United Kingdom - Assignment Example It is computed as the difference between exports and imports. In order to stimulate the economy policy makers employ either fiscal or monetary policies to affect macroeconomic variables. For instance, a decrease in interest rate can boost investment and increase the level of GDP. The current situation of UK is a very common trend in every major economy. After skyrocketing mounts in output levels, growth to start to taper off and enter a showdown. The role of policy makers during this stage cannot be overstated. In order to stimulate the economy, macroeconomic variables are regulated. However, as economics is a social science and policy makers are constrained in analyzing the effects of policies in ceteris paribus, it becomes important that they fully asses the economic repercussions of their implementations. This paper will look at the economic performance of the United Kingdom by looking at the recent historical value of GDP. The first part will discuss the behavior of GDP from 1990-2005 and determine the trends underlying this behavior. This report will also try to explain the growth or reduction in GDP by looking at the individual components of GDP. Then, it will discuss the fiscal and monetary policy of UK as well as suggest recommendation to further enhance the performance of the economy. Figure 1 shows the GDP of United Kingdom from ... GDP in constant prices is used following the rationale that it is a more accurate indicator of the real performance of the country. As opposed to measuring GDP in current prices, it relates a realistic situation as it is tied around a base year. The growth rates of GDP in the aforementioned years are also shown in order to describe the behavior of GDP. During 2005, UK reports a 1131.21 billion in GDP, rising by 1.9 percent from the 2004 level and 37 percent relative to the 1990 level. On the average, the economy is expanding at a relatively slow pace of 2.48 percent annually. Sustained growth in GDP is evidenced by the upward trend in the value of output produced. Looking at the growth rates plotted in the other axis, we can see the volatile behavior of GDP with no single trend or pattern. Expansions of output are often followed by troughs which indicate slower growths. In general, we can see positive growth rates with the exception of 1991, when GDP posted a contraction of 1.49 percent. We should also note that since 1993, UK recorded more than 2 percent growth but slowed down in 2005 as it was only able to increase by 1.9 percent. The paper will then conclude with its findings to alleviate the gap in potential and actual output levels. Figure 1 Source: International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook Database, 2005 Actual and Potential GDP Figure 2 shows the output gap in percent of potential GDP for UK from 1990-2005. At the start of 1990, we can see that the GDP of UK is relatively much higher than its potential GDP evidenced by the positive ratio. In fact, the ratio reached 1.5 which means that UK is producing 50 percent more than its potential GDP. However, this positive ratio had taken a different course in the following year

Black Poverty in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Black Poverty in America - Essay Example However, there are hurdles that even collapse the foundation of charity in the name of racism and such is the case of black poverty in America. There is a rising need in the society of America to understand the gravity of the issue with black poverty. Unfortunately, America is a country where racism still persists from within and even if laws of equality are endorsed, it would be difficult for the Negroes to take complete benefit out of these laws.1 Black poverty is the cause of the declining rate of employment among the Negroes since they are given the worst and the lowest paid jobs available. It is considered a social shortcoming of Americans to consider a Negro an alien on their land, which they have never done with other races. Negroes are employed in the lowest wage jobs and thus they are considered poor. The problem does not end with this issue; because of rejection from highly paid jobs, their families go into slump. This happens because of the approach of the management which formulates the methodologies and criteria of employing individuals.2 It seems justified then, that the blacks end up being miserable and complacent in destructive acts which makes the majority of them end up in jail. Another reason of black poverty which calls for attention mostly through the channel of immigration is the growing rate of diseases detected in the immigrants coming from Sudan and Somalia. In the 1980s, almost 11,000 immigrants, both Sudanese and Somalis were infected with schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis combined, and the cure and settlement collectively cost them beyond their resources.3 Hence, it is recorded that there is a huge gap in the maintenance of poor people colored or otherwise. There is obviously a loophole in the issue of poverty in the USA. One might argue as to how the rate of poverty is high in America when it is considered a super power and projects itself as human right activist. The problem lies with the public conception of the nation as portr ayed by mass media and other ways of creating biases. It is claimed a well-known scholar of political science how media is responsible for arousing public misinterpretation regarding the issue of poverty. Newsmagazines and various means of communication convey a wrong message across people and eventually across the globe4. Upon a survey done regarding the poverty rates in America, the public responded by saying that majority of the poor people are colored. In contrast to this, Americans are of the opinion that America is a â€Å"land of opportunity† so everyone who struggles for it, gains the fruit of success5. It was concluded that majority of the American stereotype poverty with African Americas being the most deprived in all regards. Harrington, however, rightfully points out that despite all the calls for equality in the USA, there is always a clash of whites with blacks. A black is always marginalized for who he is and is always discriminated on the basis of his backgrou nd which labels him to be poor by class.6 He is looked down upon because of his color and background but the white majorities make huge claims against their will for the protection of colored people in their society. Upon being asked why no Negro is seen in a highly paid company, the white owners usually refuse to any prejudice against color. They rather blame the sub-ordinates who they claim would not be comfortable if blacks are also working in the same office or they put the blame on the higher officials for carving the policies as per

X-ray crystallography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

X-ray crystallography - Research Paper Example With this diffraction, it I easy to derive the three-dimensional outline or image projection of the density of electrons as profiled in the crystal. The crystal creates a platform for developing a pattern for mean positions of the atoms in the crystal. One can also manage to determine the chemical bonds of the structure, say carbon in diamond crystals and the varying disorders of some of the crystalline structures. Carbon is common in crystal formation. X-ray crystallography has been applied in many scientific fields due to the presence of crystals of many chemical compounds and elements. A pure crystalline structure is that of table salt, scientifically known as sodium chloride and represented by the chemical formula NaCl. Crystalline structures that have been studied by X-ray crystallography are many. Some of them are calcium fluoride (CaF2), calcite (CaCO3) and pyrite (FeS2). Others are spinel (MgAl2O4) and brucite (MgO4) among others. The inclusion of X-rays in studying crystalline structures enabled further understanding of these compounds in a manner that had never been used before and allowed for formation of more complex compounds through chemical reactions caused by interaction of crystalline structures. X-ray crystallography can be used to identify and locate unusual electronic properties of a material by studying their electron positions and mobility. It is also a tool for noting elastic properties of a material considering the chemical interactions that occur within the crystal and the associated processes. With these properties, X-ray crystallography is used in the design and manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Their application involves combining elements and modifying their crystalline structures to ensure that they bond as required (Clegg, 1988). Other than X-ray crystallography, there are other methods associated with determining atomic structures (Rhodes, 2006). However, they all rely on the principle of diffraction. These

Healthcare Reform (I Oppose It) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthcare Reform (I Oppose It) - Essay Example With increase in the cost of life, it is apparent that paying for medical cover is to some extend seen as a luxury especially by middle class people. The budget on how to spend the earnings has been difficult characterized by large budgets and loans that act as a burden to many people. Besides, it is only logical that one cannot pay for medical cover and forfeit their meals. Groszkruger (2011) argued that the government should put in place mechanisms that allow its citizens to be flexible in the way they carry on with their lives. For instance, instead of the government introducing a healthcare program and then impose some policies that compels people to part with money, it would have been better if the government came up with proposals that would help people that are unable to pay for the plan to get the funds. For instance, a section of the national budget should be set aside to pay for those people that are unable to pay. In a different dimension, the law to tax people if they fail to pay for the plan can be argued to be oppressive because it is the right for people to get free medical help from the government. In fact, according to Wolfe (2012) the government should not bring in the issue of taxing social amenities that are considered fundamental to its people. Instead, there should be funds obtained through other means in taking care of healthcare of the Americans. The plan and other social policies should be outlined in such a way that the Americans can only contribute small amounts to aid the running of the institutions put in place. In regard to solving the issue of lack of money to pay for the coverage, the Obamacare proposes that one can obtain financial help to pay for the coverage. Although one would be made to believe that this is a solution, it is only seen as so on the basis of paying for the coverage. In fact, this could be argued to mean digging a hole to obtain soil

Innovation at Marks & Spencer Food Store Assignment

Innovation at Marks & Spencer Food Store - Assignment Example The company possesses 360 franchised stores, wholly owned and partly owned stores in 42 territories across Middle East, Europe and Asia. At Marks and Spencer, customers shop through stores, phone as well as online. (Reuters, n.d.) According to the predictions of IGD, the size of the value of the online food and grocery stores will get doubled in 2014. It has been forecasted that the annual growth rate of grocery stores will get three times faster than the wider grocery market. With the penetration of internet and rising familiarity with broadband, the value of retail websites and online services will get enhanced. The online world is now increasingly influencing the decisions of shoppers. (IGD, 2009) Types of Innovation Innovation generally lies in the eyes of beholder. What may be innovative for one person cannot be innovative for other. There are many different types of innovations which company opts. The basic structure of innovation revolves around one of the following or all of the following. It includes: Product Under this category, organization usually changes the products or services they offer to their customers. Any modification, alteration, variants etc. come under the head of innovation in product category. Process Under this head, companies usually changes the way they create or deliver their products. This includes value addition. Positioning For positioning innovation, companies changes the context in which the specified products has to be communicated or framed. Paradigm Shift Paradigm shift refers to changing the mental modes of customers by providing other innovative ways of using the products. Paradigm shift usually shifts the perception of customers towards a certain product. (Innovation, 2005) Marks Spencer Food Store Apps Several applications have been developed for smartphone these days. Some of them have become so successful and useful that users consider them as an integral part of their lives. Great deals of applications have been deve loped for facilitating shopping at grocery stores. According to a recent research, Americans spend millions of dollars each day in grocery shopping. Due to such huge market of grocery shoppers, the type of application which needs to be designed must be the one which can facilitate shoppers in shopping for groceries. The type of innovation which has been selected comes under the head of â€Å"Process†. Innovation in Apps for Marks and Spencer Food Store Apps, which are to be designed for Marks and Spencer Food Store possess some innovative features which would help the shoppers in making it convenient to shop for groceries. The innovative features of apps include: By using this App, one can save money at grocery store; humans spend a great amount of money in the products related to food. This often affects the budget. Spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on food items raises the concern of budget. Without having a shopping lists, one can be prone to buying on impulse whic h leads to buying unnecessary stuff as well. By this app, shoppers can prepare a list of items along with their prices and can select accordingly. Buying local food; this feature will help in buying fruits and vegetables from local farmers which will not only reduce cost but will also be good for health. (Gamm, 2010) Coupons offered; by using this app, customers would need not to clip coupons from newspapers. Instead, a feature of this app would help in providing coupons available on some

The Dangerous Danger That Dangers the Danger Essay Example for Free

The Dangerous Danger That Dangers the Danger Essay PURPOSE The purpose of this experiment is to determine if the elasticity of bubble gum affects the diameter of a bubble blown with the gum. HYPOTHESIS If the elasticity of the bubble gum is higher, then the diameter of the bubble blown will be significantly larger because the bubble will be able to stretch farther, therefore giving it a larger diameter. The independent variable is the elasticity of the gum. The dependent variable is the diameter of the bubble blown. The constants are the stopwatch used, environment tested in, and temperature outside. There was no control group. MATERIALS  · 3 tape measurers  · 1 piece of Bubble Yum Original gum  · 1 piece of Wrigley’s Extra bubble gum  · 1 piece of Orbit Spearmint gum  · 1 piece of Mentos Tropical Mix gum  · 1 piece of Trident Tropical Twist gum  · 8 strands of Big League Chew gum  · 4-6 test subjects to chew gum  · 6 data sheets  · 1 pen PROCEDURE Part 1: 1. Gather materials. 2. Take one piece of Orbit Spearmint gum. 3. Chew the gum for approximately three minutes (the exact time does not matter). 4. Take the chewed gum and begin to blow a bubble. 5. Use the tape measurer to measure the diameter of the bubble when the bubble is at its largest. 6. Record the diameter of the bubble blown onto data sheet. 7. Repeat steps 4-6 two more times. 8. Proceed to Part 2. 9.Repeat steps 2-8 for all the types of gum. Part 2: 1. Remove gum from mouth. 2. Place the wrapper on the ends of the gum and slowly pull it apart. 3. Measure the length of the gum while continuing to pull it apart until the gum breaks or sags to the ground. 4. Record the length the bubble gum stretched before breaking. 5. Analyze and draw conclusions. WRITTEN RESULTS AND ANALYSIS The data collected from this experiment shows that overall Big League Chew produced the largest bubble, and Bubble Yum had the largest elasticity. Orbit Spearmint and Trident Tropical Twist produced the two smallest average bubble diameters; also, both had the smallest elasticity. The remaining brands fell into the middle of the categories; Wrigley’s Extra had a bubble diameter average of 8 millimeters and an average elasticity of 3500 millimeters, and Mentos Tropical Mix had a bubble average of 5.7 millimeters and an average elasticity of 1200 millimeters. Bubble Yum Original had an average diameter of 72 millimeters and an average elasticity of 4000 millimeters, and Big League Chew had an average bubble diameter of 100 millimeters and an average elasticity of 1500 millimeters. Lastly, Orbit Spearmint had an average bubble diameter of 24 millimeters and an average elasticity of 800 mm, and Trident Tropical Mix had an average bubble diameter of 20 millimeters with an average e lasticity of 1050 millimeters. The largest bubbles with the greatest elasticity had significantly larger servings of gum than all of the other brands. The small bubble sizes and poor elasticity could be because of the small size. CONCLUSION The purpose of this experiment was to determine if the elasticity of bubble gum affects the size of its bubble. The hypothesis for the experiment was if the gum has a high elasticity, then it will blow a larger bubble because it would be able to stretch out more. The hypothesis was supported because the results of the experiment showed that the bubble gum with higher elasticity generally had higher bubble sizes. The bubble gum types that stretched the most and also had the largest diameters were Bubble Yum Original and Big League Chew. The bubble gums with the least elasticity and the smallest diameters were Orbit Spearmint and Trident Tropical Twist. The scientific explanation for the results is that the higher amounts of elasticity in the gum allowed it to expand and stretch more, giving it a larger diameter. Attempts to limit errors in this experiment included using three trials, testing with the same person per type of gum, using the same measuring devices, and the testing enviro nment. Some possible sources of error were the fact that there were different people chewing the gum, the measuring was not always always accurate, there was a time constraint forcing the experiment to be rushed, and the gum bubble sizes were dependent on the person chewing it. From this experiment, it is suggested that the elasticity of bubble gum does affect the bubble size. In future experiments, more types of gum could be used to get a better sense of the results. In the real world, this information can be applied so that people don’t chew gum with high elasticity in schools. If someone is chewing gum of high elasticity, it would make bigger bubbles, make a louder sound, disrupt the classroom, and be a big problem academically for the students.

The Tourist Gaze by John Urry | Summary and Analysis

The Tourist Gaze by John Urry | Summary and Analysis Critically consider the argument that Urry’s concept of the ‘tourist gaze’ places too much emphasis on the visual. Urry’s ‘tourist gaze’ remains one of the most influential concepts in tourism research. The ideas developed by Urry are still widely quoted and relevant today but a major criticism of his work is that too much emphasis is placed on the visual aspects of being a tourist rather than the whole experience. This essay will investigate this claim before concluding whether or not this is the case. In order to do this, this essay will be broken into several parts. The first section will look at what the ‘tourist gaze’ actually is. It is important to have a definition of this term before proceeding with the rest of the assignment. The second part of this essay will draw on wider academic research to test whether or not Urry’s ideas do place too much emphasis on the visual. The final part of this essay will bring together all the arguments to form some sort of conclusion. In order to fully understand the ‘tourist gaze’ it would be useful to have a clear understanding of what a tourist is and what tourism as an activity is. Turner et al. (2005) define a tourist as, â€Å"someone who has travelled to another place for a brief sojourn, an experience that necessarily entails a distinct period of transition and discontinuity from the everyday world† (p. 11). Urry (2002) describes the act of tourism as, â€Å"a leisure activity which presupposes its opposite, namely regulated and organised work. It is one manifestation of how work and leisure are organised as separate and regulated spheres of social practice in ‘modern’ societies† (p. 2). The environments that these tourists visit are subject to what Urry (1990) has described as the ‘tourist gaze’. Urry states that tourists are, â€Å"directed to features of the landscape that, which separate them off from everyday experience. Such aspects are viewed bec ause they are taken to be in some sense out of the ordinary†. The tourist and the viewpoints are manipulated, â€Å"so that the gaze falls upon what the gazer expects to see† (Turner et al, 2005: 11). Most of the time this gaze is from a static location but if it is mobile then it is directed from an insulated environment such as from a train window or a sign-posted route. The tourist only sees what they are supposed to see. Urry (1990) states, â€Å"the typical tourist experience is†¦to see named scenes through a frame, such as the hotel window, the car windscreen or the window of the coach† (p. 100). In a sense, real life is suspended or hidden away in these places so that the tourist can gaze upon what upon they expect to see. For example, in the Lake District in England, houses can only be built to very exacting specifications with traditional methods and materials. This helps to preserve the traditional look of the area. This expectation has been built up by promotional material such as brochures and adverts on the television. Goss (1993) argues that tourism marketing provide tourists with representational images of the places they are about to visit and this helps form an imaginary construction for the tourist. Culler (1981) argues that tourists read the landscape for anything that represents these pre-established notions. In The Tourist Gaze, Urry (1990) states that when we go away and become tourists, â€Å"we look at the environment†¦we gaze at what we encounter†¦and the gaze is socially constructed† (p. 1). Perkins and Thorns (2001) state that there is no single uniform gaze, rather it is, â€Å"varied temporally and across social groups and that the concept of the gaze encapsulates tourists’ experiences and is an interpretation of the things they seek and do when on holiday† (p. 187). Perkins and Thorns (2001) go on to argue that, â€Å"the gaze is a concept which comprises a way of looking at the world which simultaneously forms what is seen and the way of seeing† (p 187). There have been numerous criticisms leveled at Urry’s concept of the ‘tourist gaze’. Perhaps the most common one and of most interest to this essay is that the gaze doesn’t fully capture the tourist experience. Perkins and Thorns (2001) argue that there needs to be more of a focus on the concept of the tourist performance because in places like New Zealand, tourists are more about ‘doing’ rather than simply ‘seeing’ or ‘gazing’ and, â€Å"thus about putting their bodies into tourism in a way that is not reflected in much of the analysis arising from a focus upon the tourist gaze† (p. 199). This criticism highlights an important change in the tourism industry. This is the search for authentic experiences and the search for experiences that invigorates all the senses. Thrift (1999) suggests that tourists want ‘contact’ with their surroundings. This contact goes beyond the visual realms as suggested by Urry. As Franklin and Crang (2001) point out that tourists, â€Å"are seeking to be doing something in the places they visit rather than being endlessly spectatorially passive† (p. 13). Franklin and Chang go on to suggest that tourists have become bored by the gaze. MacCannell (1989) states that, â€Å"touristic consciousness is motivated by its desire for authentic experiences, and the tourist may believe that he is moving in this direction, but often it is very difficult to know for sure if the experience is in fact authentic. It is always possible that what is taken to be entry into a back region is really entry into a front region that has been totally set up in advance for touristic visitation† (p. 101). Urry fails to notice the distinction between authentic experiences and inauthentic ones. MacCannell (2001) believes there is a second gaze, one that is in a way suspicious of the totally visual elements of the tourist gaze. The second gaze is where the tourist is aware that, â€Å"something is being concealed from it†¦the second gaze knows that seeing is not believing. Some things will remain hidden from it†¦The second gaze turns back onto the gazing subject an ethical responsibility for the construction of its own existen ce† (p. 36). MacCannell (2001) finds the concept of the tourist gaze as defined by Urry too narrow a concept and argues that it is, â€Å"a blueprint for the transformation of the global system of attractions into an enormous set of mirrors to serve the narcissistic needs of dull egos† (p. 26). Nicholson-Lord (2002) is in partial agreement although he also takes issue with the concept of the second gaze as well. He argues that, â€Å"tourism is a powerful cultural solvent; it takes customs and beliefs that are locally rooted and distinctive, puts them into the global blending machine and turns them into liquefied gunk to which a mass market has been primed to respond† (p. 24). Although MacCannell is arguing for the need for a wider experience than Urry suggests, they have both been criticized by those who suggest that they focus too exclusively on the tourist experience and the subjectivity of the tourist. Little mention is given to the subjectivity of the host. In a world where affluent tourists are able to seek out experiences and gaze upon sights in worlds that are just becoming open to them, little mention is given to how this affects the host cultures. Bianchi (2001) states that, â€Å"in a world of hyper-mobile capital, instant communications and the mass movement of peoples, international tourism encapsulates the contradictory forces at play in today’s world. These are mobility and freedom for the wealthy few, and immobility and impoverishment for the disenfranchised many† (p. 16). This imbalance is completely ignored in the work of Urry. It would be fair to argue that this is because he places too much emphasis on the visual for the t ourist and not enough on looking at the wider impact of tourism on the hosts. As we move into an age of more ethically aware tourism, this becomes more of an important concept. Of course, Urry would argue that there is no single gaze and that this movement to more ethical tourism is just simply a different gaze for a different type of tourist but the fact that he ignores the impact of tourism on the host cultures is evidence that his preoccupations are elsewhere. The tourist gaze as a concept is a helpful one when studying tourism. It helps us to understand how tourism has evolved and changed over the past few decades. It also helps us to understand how we as tourists act as players within a larger system that has been created to match our expectations of what we want to see on when we go on holiday with the supposed reality of what is actually there. It helps us to understand all the visual sign-posts that are created to help match up these two worlds, the reality and what we expect to see. However, this concept does have some limitations. Although it tries to be all encapsulating, trying to explain all our visual experiences by saying that people from different classes seek different things and gaze on different things when they go on holiday, it is still too narrow. It fails to really encapsulate the entire essence of tourism which is the experiences that you have that can’t be explained away as simply visual. This essay has touched on the notion of performance and contact. This is what tourism is all about. It is about the experiences that you have that come from the smells and sounds and the activities you partake in in the place you are visiting. Of course the sights play a huge part in this but they are not the whole experience. Another place that Urry’s concept falls flat is his failure to look at tourism from the point of view of the host culture. In this day and age where we are becoming more ethically aware in everything that we consume, including our tourism, this is quite a big failure of the concept. It’s preoccupation on the consumers and how they are being manipulated with no mention of how these consumers impact on the cultures that they visit. Urry’s concept is still useful but it is getting less and less relevant in today’s market. Bibliography and References Chin, C.B.N. 2008, Cruising in the Global Economy: Profits, Pleasure and Work at Sea, London: Ashgate. Franklin, A. and Chang, M. 2001, The trouble with tourism and travel theory?, Tourist Studies, 1(1), 5-22. Goss, J. 1993, Placing the Market and Marketing the Place: Tourist Advertising of the Hawaiian Islands, 1972-1992, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 11, 663-688. MacCannell, D. 1992, Empty Meeting Grounds: The Tourist Papers, London: Routledge. McGuigan, J. 2004, Rethinking Cultural Policy, London: McGraw-Hill International Perkins, H.C. and Thorns, D.C. 2001, Gazing or Performing?: Reflections on Urry’s Tourist Gaze in the Context of Contemporary Experience in the Antipodes, International Sociology, 16(2), 185-204. Thrift, N. (1999) ‘Still Life in Present Time:The Object of Nature’, conference paper  presented to Sociality/Materialism – The Status of the Object in Social Science,  Brunel University, UK 9–11 September 1999. Turner et al. 2005, The Tourist Gaze: Towards Contextualised Virtual Environments, Kluwer. Urry, J. 1990, The Tourist Gaze, London: Sage. Urry, J. 1992, The Tourist Gaze â€Å"Revisited†, American Behavioral Scientist, 36, 172-186.

Elie and Marion Wiesel Night | Book

Elie and Marion Wiesel Night | Book Night The title suggests a clear setting of the nighttime and in a symbolic way the setting is during a time as dark and long as the night. Elie Wiesel lived through a time in world history that is so sinister many people refuse to believe it could have even happened. The Holocaust, World War II, Nazi Germany invasion of Eastern Europe countries, all are the setting and background story for Elie Wiesel firsthand account of surviving it all written in his book Night. Starting in Sighet, Transylvania â€Å"a small village that didn’t even make the maps† (Birthplace) Elie, his family, and many other Jews felt safe. They were far from the action in 1941 living their normal lives. The years passed and the Nazi threat grew closer their daily routines were changed, they were forced to move, to wear a star, and finally to be transported in 1944 to Auschwitz a German concentration camp, the largest of the death camps. (Auschwitz-Birkenau) Arriving at Birkenau men and women were separated as soon as they exited the train. In the moment so many families and loved ones were looking at each other for the last time, and none had the foresight to even know it. The same was true for Elie, â€Å"I didn’t know that this was the moment or the place where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever.† (Wiesel p.29) In the night (around midnight) Elie and his family were in Birkenau in the year 1944 and for two family members this was also their final resting place. It stands out to me how human nature is portrayed in the experience in this book. Even as they were separated from families, beaten, yelled at, seemingly marched to their death in the crematoria, told to strip, shaved, marched around camp, made to stand in the elements, and all the while smelling the stink of burning human flesh, they were still able to share joy when finding friends in the same place as you, in holding a family members hand because at least you weren’t alone, and having a moral boost after some sleep. (Wiesel 33-42) This holds true for the rest of the book, people always keeping the faith, holding on to some dream, and living for the family they know are still alive. All these things gave them the will to go on and the will to survive because it had to get better, didn’t it? But for the ones who did survive to the liberation by the allied troops I don’t think life will ever be a continuous sunny day, because the night always comes and with it th e memories and nightmares that will never be forgotten. But thankfully it will never be forgotten because the people who perished under these circumstances of the Holocaust should never be forgotten. In Birkenau Elie and his father were made to work in the warehouse and there the author begins to note has life in a concentration camp had changed him. After his father was beaten his anger was directed not at the Kapo who beat him but at his father who should not have provoked the Kapo. (Wiesel p. 54) This is where I began to see the separation of Elie and his father and imaged how it must have been for many others during this time in concentration and work camps. The human body can separate from the heart and emotion and learn to only survive and sometimes survival means only taking care of you. Take the story told on page 63 where a pipel was beating his own father because he did not make his bed properly and then demanded he stop crying or he would stop bringing his food. (Wiesel) In the winter of 1945 as the allied troops drew closer, the camp was told of evacuation and the decision had to be made to go as told or stay behind in the infirmaries where there was a possibility of being finished in the furnaces. At this point Elie was more worried about not being separated from his father and they chose to be evacuated with the others. Foresight would have saved them his father’s death had they have know those in the infirmary were liberated by the Russians two days later. (Wiesel p 82) â€Å"SS units evacuate Auschwitz in January. Elie and his father are transferred to  Buchenwald  concentration camp, near Weimar Germany. Soviet troops liberate Auschwitz on January 27.† (Elie Wiesel Timeline and World Events: 1928–1951) The evacuation proves to be the wrong choice for Elie’s father but it struck me how during the march it was his father’s existence that kept him going and in the snowy night his father was the one encouragin g his son who wanted to quit. This was also the time that Elie prayed the prayer to never do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son had done. â€Å"He had thought by this separation† from his father he could â€Å"free himself of a burden that could diminish his own chance for survival.† (Wiesel p. 86-91) This goes back to the idea of survival being a journey that one feels like they have to do alone, so others won’t bring them down or get in their way. It is so heart breaking that the encouragement the group needed to continue came from the very people that were making them march in the cold in the first place. So strange that they were wishing and praying for the barbed wire of Gleiwitz to appear, to be hoping and pining for another concentration camp where death seemed imminent. (Wiesel p. 92) On the move again from Geliwitz they were put in train cars again this time different people entirely entered the cars. They had different views on life and what it meant to live. They also had different appearances, now so skinny more could fit into the cars. (Wiesel p. 97) â€Å"Our brains a whirlwind of decaying memories. Our minds numb with indifference†¦The night was growing longer, never ending.† (Wiesel p. 98) The author could be speaking of the literal night as they road to their new location but I feel that he was talking about the night that they will all live in for the rest of their lives. They will never be able to remove those memories from their minds and after experience something so horrific the night must seem never ending. The story of the workers throwing bread on to the train car shows another parallel in the story of the fight the human body has for survival above anything else and it takes over the heart and emotions numbing them. When the old man g ets bread for he and his son and his son is the very one that is beating him to death to take the bread from his father, the son is beyond human in that moment and does not even recognize his own father calling out for him to stop. (Wiesel p. 101) When they finally reach their destination, Buchenwald, Elie’s father has given up. The will to live is the key to survive in any aspect of life. When a person is diagnosed with cancer, when you are lost in the wilderness, when any struggle arises you must keep the will to live. This was proven in the book when people lost their will to live after learning of loved ones who did not make it; they gave up and died soon after. â€Å"I knew that I was no longer arguing with him but with Death itself, with Death that he had already chosen.† (Wiesel p. 105) As his father’s health worsens Elie starts to realize that he is too is acting the way he prayed he would not. He tried to help his father but was given the advice â€Å"In this place, there is no such thing as a father, brother, friend. Each of us lives and dies alone.† (Wiesel p. 110) When his father did pass in the night no one was aware of it happening and Elie was changed forever. He felt freedom and hung er. Nothing else mattered after his father died but food. This was his body taking over his mind and emotions and driving everything in his being toward survival and to survive you just need food. (Wiesel p. 112-113) When the Front came closer and closer to Buchenwald Elie thought only of food. When the American tanks arrived and liberated the remaining men they only thought of provisions. â€Å"No thought of revenge, or of parents. Only of bread. And even when we were no longer hungry, not one of us thought of revenge.† (Wiesel p. 115) I hope that the survivor’s still do not think of revenge but instead of preserving and continuing the memory of all those that were lost during the Holocaust and World War II. The families not only lost people they cared for but the world suffered a great loss in losing so many lives and stories and possibilities. I am glad that Elie Wiesel had the strength to write this book and I hope that there is truth in the saying that time heals all pain. Maybe with time he and others have healed enough to see the light at dawn and not focus completely on the night. Works Cited Auschwitz-Birkenau.Auschwitz-Birkenau. PaÅ„stwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau W OņºwiÄâ„ ¢cimiu, 1999. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. Birthplace.Birthplace. G. Seila M. Acree, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. http://enloehs.wcpss.net/projects/west42002/wiesel3/birthplace.html> . â€Å"Elie Wiesel Timeline and World Events: 1928–1951.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 20 June 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007200>. Wiesel, Elie, and Marion Wiesel.Night. New York, NY: Hill and Wang, a Division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006. Print.

How To Do A Essay -- essays research papers

Do you know how to write an essay? Writing an essay could be easy or hard. Some students cannot do it well and that is why they hate it. You can find the writing as something interesting and important for your own future. If you do not know how to write an essay, there are several steps that you can follow. There are three basic steps to write an essay; discovering a topic, supporting the thesis, and editing the essay. Through these steps, you can write an effective and clear essay.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, you need to get some information and materials to discover a thesis and a topic sentence. For example, you can use prewriting, which can be freewriting, making a list, and questions. The freewriting technique is to help you write sentences or phrases without worrying about spelling or grammar mistakes. Freewriting is a good way to overcome mental blocks about writing. You can also learn the habit of thinking how to start writing a rough draft. Another helpful technique is making a list, also known as brainstorming. You start writing ideas and details that relate to your subject. Brainstorming can help you put the ideas in chronological order. Questioning is also a good method to find ideas and details. For example, questioning yourself such questions include Why? When? Who? And How? Asking these questions can be an effective way of getting yourself to think about specific topics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Secondly, the next step is supporting the ...

Pool Boy :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *::* Book Report *::*   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pool Boy was a well written story about a 15 year old boy, Brett Gerson, whose life is changed dramatically. Brett is the main character in this novel. The book Pool Boy is set in a rich part of present day California.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Let it be known that the Gerson’s are EXTREMELY rich, not just fairly rich ,extremely rich. One day Brett’s father was taken away and thrown in jail for insider trading. The Gerson family had to sell almost everything that they own to try and pay back the money to the government that they owed. They were forced to move out of their luxurious home to their great aunt Mary’s house on the â€Å"other side of the tracks†, which was the poorer side. The house isn’t much, it is filled with dust and dirt balls and the beds aren’t comfortable, but it is somewhere they can live.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The struggle begins. Brett is forced to get a job to help pay for the debt, start saving for college and just for spending money. The first job Brett gets is at a fast food restaurant. This is the kind of place that he would have never gone and ate at let alone work. He is always yelling at the boss and then the boss yelling back. This job does not work out with Brett very well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After quitting his job flipping burgers, he takes a job with Alfie Moore, the old man that used to clean the pool at his old house. Brett never thought cleaning pools would be this tiring. Worst of all, after a hot summer day of work, Alfie and Brett can’t even take a quick swim in the pool that they just cleaned. At lunch time every day, Alfie would have a new recipe something like â€Å"tabbouleh†. He would make Brett try it whether or not he wanted to or didn’t want to. The men became close Brett could talk about his problems mostly with his dad and Alfie wouldn’t judge him, maybe a side comment here or there but not much. Often Alfie would talk about how he left his wife and child and he wishes his daughter would have given him a second chance when she was younger to make up for what he did. While cleaning pools everyday, the men became very close. One morning when Brett went over to Alfie’s house early one morning, as he did everyday, he found Alfie lying on the ground, the door was locked, Brett threw a rock threw the window to brake the glass to get in.

Ek Bharat- Unity In Diversity

India is a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic society. It is a land of diversity. People of different creeds, customs, cultures and traditions live here. They have their different festivals, manners and lifestyle. Their religions and beliefs are also different. Despite all these, there are certain common visit able bonds that link them together. This is a distinct feature of India and it is popularly known as unity in diversity.Basically, Indian culture is tolerant and absorbing. Its nature is assimilating. Democratic set up facilitates the process. The diversity in every aspect of society serves as a source of strength and wealth. The different ways of worship and belief represent underlying uniformity. They promote a spirit of harmony and brotherhood. This is beyond all considerations of religious, regional, linguistic and sectional diversities. India is proud to have a rich cultural heritage.We are inheritors to many grand treasures in the field of music, fine arts, dance, drama, theatre and sculpture. Our spiritual tradition, piety, penance and spiritual greatness are common. Our seers and sages are the same they are held in high esteem in every section of society alike. Our scriptures are the storehouse of spiritual wisdom. Indian yogis, rishis, maharishis, etc are equally popular in every community. They are revered by them all. India is abundantly rich in dialects and languages.Twenty- two languages constitutionally enjoy the status of official language but Hindi is recognised as the lingua franca of the nation. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Nagaland to Mumbai, Hindi is understood as the national language of India. Though different regions have their different regional affiliation they all are Indians. People call themselves Bihari, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Marathi, Gujarati, but they feel proud to say that they are the Indians. Indian dance and drama are the brilliant examples of unity in diversity.The country abounds in triba l dances, folk dances, as well as classical dances of great virtuosity. They are regarded as the mode of aesthetic expression but they all symbolise one India. The expression is different but the theme is the same. We are proud of our cultural distinctiveness. We are proud to be the inhabitants of India. It is our responsibility to maintain its unique feature. We should think beyond the petty interests and work for the broader goals of bringing prosperity and progress in society.

Should Democratic Promotion Be a Top Priority of the United States

Promoting democracy has been a key part of the United States foreign policy prescription for more than forty years. After the defeat of the fascist regimes during the second world war and the fall of the Soviet Union after the cold war, the United States government latched on to the idea of democratization because it became widely accepted that this is how our national security is best protected. This new ideology is very different when compared to what Secretary of State John Quincy Adams stated in 1821: â€Å"Where the standard of freedom and independence has been unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions, and her prayers be.But she does not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. † The United States has not always forcefully campaigned change, but led by example in order to try to inspire the world (Hook 2008, 383-7). While this type of approach to int ernational relations may not fit our current time period, it is beginning to look as if our current policy approach is fading into history as well. Here is the issue at hand: should promoting democracy abroad be a top United States priority?Argumentatively, no, it should not. Democratic nations are said to be less prone to making war, more economically stable, and more peaceful internally. This premise comes from what is known as the â€Å"democracy-peace theory. † Unfortunately, this theory is not completely sound. Democracies are just as likely to participate in warfare, especially if they are a newly democratized state. Studies show that within the first ten years of being established, new democracies are likely to engage in conflict with other democratic states as well as with authoritarian states (Bin. 2007).America began its road towards democracy while fighting for its freedom in the Revolutionary War. A short distance down the time line, the northern and southern part s of the country were divided in a civil war, proving that even America had a rough start in the beginning. Transitioning over to democracy is not easy; actually, it is quite dangerous. The expectations of citizens living in a country undergoing the transformation may not be met as quickly as they would like, thus creating doubt in the new government’s ability to create positive changes. The end result is a rebellion against democracy (Bennett 2010, 43-60).Once the democracy has failed, leaving behind a country with no direction in sight, there is room for other institutions to seize control by preying on the sentiment of the citizens. Nazi Germany after the Weimar Republic and militaristic Japan after the Taisho democracy are a few examples that led to devastating outcomes (Bin. 2007). In these instances, democracy was tried, failed, and then another political institution took over, causing chaos, and causing the rest of the world to spend large amounts of money rebuilding a nd mending a broken country. Keep in mind that the United States has already built up a 12. trillion dollar deficit, which has increased $3. 87 billion dollars daily since September 28, 2007. To put that into perspective, if that number is divided by the entire population of the United States, that leaves about $40,000 dollars that every United States citizen shares in debt (U. S. National Debt Clock). I do not think that the United States has money to spare on risky foreign policies. Democracy is typically believed to enhance relationships between nations and make cooperation with them easier. We need to take into consideration that even though we preach that beneficial outcomes are more likely to arise, what if they do not?Suppose that we do everything correctly in establishing the necessary components for a democracy to be successful: create honest leaders, promote better education, establish a better economy, establish the rule of law, and instill the concepts that our Bill of R ights have established for our own country, it is possible that we could still end up with a country that is unfriendly to the United States and the rest of the world. For example, the democracy in Palestine that the United States accepted for many years elected a terrorist group by the name of Hamas in 2006 to be their leader.This group has an intense hatred for Israel, one of our closest allies. Now we have the pleasure of dealing with a democratically elected terroristic leadership that will be nearly impossible to work with. Democracy obviously did not consider our national interest in this case (Rosenbaum. 2007). Another good example of how democracy does not always serve America’s best interest is the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. It is questioned whether or not Venezuela is a democracy but the fact is, the Venezuelan people continue to elect Chavez as their leader. This makes them a democracy (Jordan 2007).Even though this country is a dem ocracy, relationships with them are not satisfactory due to Chavez’s defiance in spawning relationships with American enemies such as Cuba, Iran, and Libya (About. com). Regardless of the democratic state of these two countries, they have bred unfavorable situations for the United States, proving that democracy is not always the cure for the disease. If democracy is not guaranteed to produce countries that we can cooperate with and if we are unable to accept when a democracy is not in our favor, then why continue to pour valuable resources into promoting this policy?This question is worth consideration in a world that is beginning to view international relations with the United States as a joke. The United States has developed a hypocritical image in promoting democracy. In 2004, Secretary of State Colin Powell invited the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an organization that the United States worked through to advocate democracy in previous communist stat es, to witness the presidential election.Members of the organization were stunned when witnessing minorities being asked to provide two forms of identification when only one was needed and African Americans being intimidated by Republican lawyers at the polls. Representatives from Belarus, one of the least democratic countries in Europe, took this opportunity to justify their own corruption by pointing out the United States lack of democracy and respect for human rights (Parry. 2005). If we desire to see change in the rest of the world, then we must lead by example and take our own advice domestically.In 2009, 1. 75 billion dollars of the foreign affairs budget was specifically for promoting democracy, which included funds for voter and civic education abroad. While this was a positive for those countries, a portion of that money should have been used to fund programs such as these in our own education system. According to a report done in 2000 by the American Council of Trustees an d Alumni, students at fifty-five of the top colleges in the United States managed to earn their degree without ever taking a course in American history.Our elementary educational system is also significantly frail in teaching world history, geography, and languages other than English (Johnson. 2003). The National Assessment of Educational Progress for civics most recently discovered that in grades four, eight, and twelve, only about 21% of students had proficient civic knowledge. Funding was increased to the Center for Civic Education, but in 2005, President Bush proposed a request that all funding for the CCE be reduced in light of the funds going to the war in Iraq and other programs overseas (Quirk. 2008).We are prepared to fund programs such as the CCE in other countries but are reluctant to do it for our own future leaders of democracy. The United States also funds programs abroad encouraging citizens to participate in their government democratically by voting. Unfortunately, w hen compared to other countries that we actively campaign this message to, the United States ranks twenty out of twenty-one in voter turnout (Quirk. 2008). We are obviously paying too much money and attention to the rest of the world in regards to education and democratic participation because as everyone else continues to rise, we slowly decline.If we forget about our own citizens while focusing on others, what will happen to our own democracy? In conclusion, instead of making democracy promotion a top priority of our foreign policy, the United States should put democracy as an issue that needs attention domestically. If there are internal problems within our own country that are visible by foreign nations, the United States will never make progress in promoting democratic â€Å"American-style† values.Once the United States has tended to its own weak areas domestically and attempted to improve them, only then will our image as a world leader begin to take positive form again , and only then will it become easier for us to promote our values. We cannot lead by example if we are setting a bad example and we cannot clean up the world if we have not washed our own hands. Annotated Bibliography About. com: US Foreign Policy. The Relationship of the United States with Venezuela. http://usforeignpolicy. about. com/od/countryprof4/p/usvenezuela. htm.This website provided straight forward information about the relationship status of the United States and Venezuela. It provided brief information on why and how this relationship was created and what sort of path that the Venezuelan president is taking. I believe that the purpose of this website is for basic questions of research but not for in depth research. It did provide other links that were relevant to the topic, but I think that a website such as Wikipedia. com would be more reliable and have more detailed information. I was able to find this website through Google with the search terms being United States r elationship with Venezuela.Bennett, Andrew, George Shambaugh. 2010. Taking Sides: Clashing Views in American Foreign Policy. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. This book contains issues that are typically controversial in American Foreign Policy. The authors provide an introduction to each issue, both sides of the argument, and closing remarks on the argument. This book was the starting point of my paper because it is where my topic originated. The introduction to the issue actually contained more useful information for me to get started with rather than the actual argument itself.This edition of this book was published in 2010, which makes it a very reliable source. The authors specifically include a note to students explaining that these arguments are not one-sided and that the purpose of this book is to better educate people on these views and to encourage involvement. This book was a required reading for the course that this paper is intended for. Bin, Yu. 2007. Making Democracy Saf e for the World. Foreign Policy In Focus, (November 8), http://www. fpif. org/articles/making_democracy_safe_for_the_world (accessed February 15, 2010). This article was right on target with why democracy is not perfect.It explains how the â€Å"democracy-peace theory† failed to consider the other side of the spectrum when preaching that democratic states are less likely to participate in warfare. The author makes sure to point out that democracy is not negatively correlated with warfare, but that nations transforming to democracy are vulnerable. I think it is good that the article gave examples of democratic tries that failed, resulting in the taking over by an authoritarian regime because it helped to prove a new democracy’s vulnerability and that we should learn from the mistakes of history.This article was done 3 years ago, which is still recent, and right in the middle of the changing tides in President Bush’s foreign policy popularity. This article was on a website called Foreign Policy In Focus, and I found this website through a required reading for my American Foreign Policy class. I used the key word â€Å"democracy† to find this article. Hook, Steven W. 2008. U. S. Foreign Policy: The Paradox of World Power. 2nd ed. Washington DC: CQ Press. This book’s purpose is to provide information on American foreign policy from the past to the present.Hook divides the book into chapters that are focused on the different components of foreign policy and in one chapter, there is a section that is dedicated to democracy promotion as a part of the foreign policy prescription. This section was helpful in comparing past approaches to this issue to current approaches to this issue in detail. I would use this book again as a reference if necessary when doing another paper in regards to foreign policy. I was able to use this book as a source because it was part of the required reading that was listed for my American Foreign Policy cou rse. Johnson, Loch K. , Kiki Caruson. 2003.The Seven Sins of American Foreign Policy. PS Online, (January), http://www. aspanet. org. This article was assigned as a reading assignment in my American Foreign Policy course. The authors go into detail when explaining the seven wrongs that America commits in regards to foreign policy. They name ignorance, lack of empathy, isolationism, unilateralism, precipitate military action, presidential imperialism, and arrogance as the seven sins of United States foreign policy approach. The article provides examples of how each sin has been committed in order to show what needs to be changed and improved in foreign policy.The information on ignorance was particularly useful to me when explaining how education has declined in importance in the United States. Due to the detailed examples that are provided by the author, this article seems to be a reliable source. Jordan, James. 2007. Venezuela: Democracy or dictatorship. Green Left Weekly, (Novembe r 29), http://www. greenleft. org. au/2007/734/38002 (accessed February 18, 2010). This article, which was in question and answer form, was done by James Jordan, who is the emergency response coordinator for the US-based Venezuela Solidarity Network.He provides answers to questions in regards to Venezuela’s form of government and to what direct path that Hugo Chavez is taking their nation. I used this article to determine that Venezuela was technically a democracy in light of their continuous elections in favor of Chavez. The article comes from an online newspaper called Green Left Weekly, which is radical newspaper in Australia concerned with global issues such as the environment, human rights, and global peace. I found this article through Ask. com by asking if Venezuela was a democracy or not. Parry, Nat. 2005. U. S. Elections Undermine America in Eastern Europe.Foreign Policy In Focus, (September 30), http://www. fpif. org/articles/us_elections_undermine_america_in_easter n_europe (accessed February 10, 2010). This article shows the United States’ somewhat hypocritical image to the rest of the world in regards to democracy promotion. The author gives the 2004 presidential election as the example and describes what representatives of other nations witnessed as they observed the election. The author emphasizes that if America wants to be taken seriously when exporting American-style values, then America needs to practice these values.It is also emphasized that the 2004 election had a great deal of influence on the world’s perception of the United States. This article did a good job in helping me to produce my final points of my paper. It was written in 2005 but given how close in time that it was written to the 2004 election, I believe that this article is reliable and is useful in pointing out work that needs to be done domestically as well as foreign. Quirk, Patrick W. 2008. Democracy Promotion Doublespeak. Foreign Policy In Focus, (Apr il 4), http://www. fpif. org/reports/democracy_promotion_doublespeak (accessed February 10, 2010).This article points out hypocritical practices of the United States especially in regards to education and democratic participation. It discusses how the United States funds many programs to improve these areas in other countries but is reluctant to fund programs in these areas for its own citizens, demonstrating that our own democracy could use some attention as well. The article provides statistics in voter turnout between the United States and other nations and also gives an example of how President Bush failed to recognize that the United States had areas to work on domestically.The author makes many good arguments in this article that most people probably do not think to consider. I also found this article on Foreign Policy In Focus. That website looks to be a great source of information on current and past events. Rosenbaum, Jason. 2007. Is Democracy Really In America’s Int erests? (August 7), http://www. theseminal. com/2007/08/02/is-democracy-the-worlds-savior/ (accessed February 9, 2010). This article discusses how democracy promotion could lead to adverse effects in regards to the interests of the United States.The author points out that even if the United States did a superb job of promoting democracy, it could still produce governments that did not favor the United States. He emphasizes that before the United States continues with its current foreign policy approach to democracy, we need to consider whether it is worth the resources if the outcomes are not more likely to be in our favor almost 100% of the time. I found this article through Google. com by searching for the cons of democracy promotion. U. S. National Debt Clock. http://www. brillig. om/debt_clock/ (accessed February 18, 2010). On this website I was able to find the exact amount of the United States national deficit. The amount was even divided by the number of people living in the United States to show just how much each person has weighing on their shoulders due to irresponsible spending by the federal government. The site goes on to say that the national debt increases everyday by more than 3 billion dollars. This website is not a government website so its reliability is hard to judge, but by looking at the detail, the information seems valid.

Children’s learning needs Essay

As an early years practitioner it is your job to ensure that you meet children’s learning needs and understand and work with all children’s learning needs. It is important that you provide different kinds of opportunities also focus on individual children’s learning needs each and every child is unique and all learn at different rates. When in a setting it is important that you plan an enabling environment that children will find challenging but will allow them to learn in different areas. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities. The (UNCRC) was brought together to focus on children’s rights, it is there to show that children’s have rights and their safety is priority as they are more vulnerable. The (UNCRC) states that all children’s wants and learning needs should be met, also it has 5 core rights these being;- The right to life The right to his or her own name and identity The right to be protected from abuse or exploitation The right to an education The right to having their privacy protected To be raised by, or have a relationship with, their parents The right to express their opinions and have these listened to and, where appropriate, acted upon The right to play and enjoy culture and art in safety The (UNCRC) has two main articles that state that children have the right to an education so as a practitioner it is your job to ensure that you are meeting the educational needs for the children within your setting. (Article 28- Right to education)Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free. Secondary education must be available to every child. Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this. (Article 29-Goals of education) Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment. https://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/betterlifeleaflet2012_pr  ess.pdf When in a setting it is important that you ensure that you and parents are working together to ensure that that child is learning the best possible way. It is key to ask parents to encourage their children and help their child out at home. As a practitioner it is your job to ensure that all children are learning some that you can do is send things home for the parent and child so they can learn and have fun at the same time. As an early years practitioner you will recognise that children’s play is closely linked to their learning and development. Children learn in so many different ways but you will notice that they learn mainly through play. When children are able to do many different activity’s that allows them to lean but have fun at the same time thy will find what they are doing fun and will engage the children. It is important that when in you your setting you set up a variety of educational activity’s this way the children will be able to choose freely what they want to do. Play is essential to every part of children’s lives and is important to their development. It provides the children with different ways of doing things children will want to explore and learn new things. The Early years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a piece of frame work that relates to children from birth to five years old and id there to ensure that every child has the best possible start to in life and to make sure that all children are given support that enables them to fulfil the potential. It is important that as a practitioner you understand that children develop quickly and the children’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future lives. The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. The learning and development requirements cover: The Seven Areas Of Learning And Development which must shape activities and experiences (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings which are described below; The Early Learning Goals that providers must help children work towards. The goals summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the end of the Reception year, ie. the year that they turn five years old; Learning Goals. Assessment Arrangements For Measuring Progress when and how  practitioners must assess children’s achievements, and when and how they should discuss children’s progress with parents and/or carers. The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare. http://www.harwoodnursery.com/page_10.html Learning and development requirements There are six areas covered by the early learning goals and educational programmes: Personal, social and emotional development Communication, language and literacy Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Creative development. http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/130519/eyfs-ofsted-childcare-register-summary.pdf There are many different theorists that relate to children’s play and provide the importance of it one of the theorists being Lev Vygotsky, Vygotsky believed that imaginative play was crucial to a child’s normal development also he believed that play and activity gives children much keener experiences of pleasure than play. He saw that play was important to a child he said that early years play built the foundations of a child’s early life due to the child being able to learn from all the different kinds of activity’s he stated that there was many different kinds of things that would act as the stepping stones of the child’s future development. â€Å"In play a child’s always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behaviour. In play it is as though he were a head taller that himself.† https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lev+vygotsky+quotes+on+play http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1721196.stm Bibliography- https://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/betterlifeleaflet2012_press.pdf http://www.harwoodnursery.com/page_10.html http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/130519/eyfs-ofsted-childcare-register-summary.pdf http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1721196.stm https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lev+vygotsky+quotes+on+play

High School and School Valedictorian Competition Essay

In the essay, â€Å"The Joy of Graduating† by Kate Stone Lombardi, describes the traditional high school valedictorian competition with the most prestigious students. The fight for the position of valedictorian has intensified over the years. Danielle Gorman, an elected valedictorian at Moorestown High School in New Jersey, was quoted by Lombardi of the qualifications and standards it took to become valedictorian. The traits Gorman describes common to valedictorians were taking on too much and are unwilling to fail. I think that Gorman’s assessment is reasonable because many people who strive to become valedictorian take on â€Å"more than they can chew† by taking multiple advanced placement classes to extracurricular activities in and outside of school. My senior class in high school had very competitive students when it came down to ASB or any student elections. Each student who participated was usually the overachiever; they took multiple AP classes, team captains of the sports’ teams, and public speakers for all school events. Each student tried to work harder and prove that he or she could attempt to accomplish more than one another. The students knew that having the title in high school would set them apart from everyone else so that they could have a higher ranking along with using their popularity to their advantage in gaining that title. The idea of getting this title would overwhelm students so much that it would cause more stress on themselves on top of the classes they were already taking. Because of our school’s competitiveness it was difficult to decide one individual for valedictorian. When it was time to decide who would become the valedictorian, there were two top students whom our class thought would fit the winning spot. One of the students was a girl named Asal, who was elected senior class president for ASB. The other student was a boy named Henock, who was also elected in ASB but for the school president. Both students had superb grades close to a 5. 0 gpa and they both participated in every on and off campus school event. Each of them had many responsibilities. They each would do their part to help the school community when it came to any projects or tutoring. They set a great example for the student body to look up to. They wounded up the crowds during athletic games and pep rallies with incredible school spirit. They each would help come up with ideas and themes for dances, along with helping our school clubs with fundraisers and events such as blood drives. They would help put up flyers and make announcements to make the students aware of fundraisers and activities that were constantly going on at school. They would try to help get the whole school more involved by creating fun games and contests going on during lunch to make sure that everyone felt like they were a part of something no matter what grade level they were in. They had all this pressure coming down on them with all these school activities, along with their school work. They felt the need to accomplish these tasks in order to get into their dream college so this would help them feel a little more secure that they would be accepted. It was incredible that they were able to complete these tasks as full time students and it must have been mentally and physically exhausting. Our student body recognized their hard work and accomplishments so we naturally put them on a pedestal. The senior class knew that one of these remarkable scholars could be elected valedictorian. I personally encountered experiences with them both on how stressful it was for them to undertake so many duties. I had a couple of classes with each of the presidents, and I started to witness each of them become more stressed out as more and more talk went around the school about who would become the valedictorian. They took the initiative to work ten times harder in class and pushed to receive perfect scores on tests and projects to raise their overall grade, so their percentage would help raise their gpa. They took on so many extracurricular activities that they had no social life outside of school and struggled to keep up with everything going on. They were pushing themselves to the limit to be the best they could be. This soon turned into a chaotic competition between the two most prestigious students in our senior class. Once graduation day had finally arrived, we were anxious to see whose hard work and commitment had paid off. Everyone was sitting in their assigned seats, clothed in their cap and gown anxiously waiting for the speeches to be presented. I was looking around the stage to see who was chosen for the class valedictorian, but I couldn’t seem to spot out Henock or Asal anywhere. The principal was the first to give out the welcome speech. He presented a few awards and gave out some words of wisdom to the present senior class. Finally, at the end of his speech he announced that it was time to name our senior class’ valedictorian. Everyone moved around their seats anxiously trying to see who would be honored with this great achievement. The principal then surprised us with a statement none of us expected. There were to be two valedictorians honored this year because of their outstanding gpa and wide variety of extracurricular activities. Henock and Asal both gained the winning spot that they were each competing for. These two candidates spent their high school career taking various AP courses and being active participants in the school community in order to set themselves apart from the crowd and gained the honorable title of valedictorian. Little did they know that apparently their gpa’s were only a hundredth of a point apart. The principal explained that Henock actually had the overall higher gpa, but he felt that because of Asal’s hard work and effort she should deserve the same recognition. Needless to say our whole senior class was pretty shocked. We noticed how hard working and competitive these two had gotten to try to be valedictorian and yet both of them received the winning spot. Our school traditionally only had one valedictorian chosen each year so it caught us off guard that there were two valedictorians. It was ironic that they were both competing so hard against one another when all this hard work they accomplished still got them the credit they deserved. When the speeches were to be given out by our two valedictorians, I was expecting for Henock and Asal to compete for a better speech as well because I thought that since there is traditionally one valedictorian, they would still try to go head to head at who could give a better and more inspiring speech. But to my surprise they each gave out their congratulatory response to one another within their speech. In Henock’s speech, he acknowledged that Asal was a great inspiration and motivation for him to try harder in his classes and to exceed even his own expectations because that was how he perceived how she was in her classes. He admitted that he looked up to her with great respect and that she definitely deserved to be valedictorian whether or not he was chosen with her. Asal was very grateful and said a few great admiring words about him to show her appreciation towards him and his hard work. The fact that my high  school had two valedictorians did seem to be out of the ordinary for my senior class, but it certainly was deserved to the right people. Danielle Gorman describes the traits of a valedictorian to take one more tasks and harder classes with the drive to not fail. My classmates Henock and Asal indeed had that drive and it paid off well for the both of them and they each were appreciative that they got to share that number one spot with each other. Although they went head to head with each other trying to achieve the same goal, they were in it to win it and they did.