Free Essays on The Future Of Project Management

The Canadian construction industry is one of the most substantial establishments in the Canadian business industry, and with many other partners, is responsible for the prosperous growth of the Canadian economy. It not only provides many jobs in Canada but also overseas, creating construction jobs for members of other countries. Though the past and the present of the Canadian construction industry have proved to be prosperous, an absence of investment in the future of the Industry will prove to be the industries downfall. When traditional resources run out, Canada will be left behind because it has relied so heavily on existing technologies geared to these natural resources and does not have readily available new procedures and materials to replace old technologies. â€Å"Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.† – Kahlil Gilbran (Quoteland.) And unless the Canadian construction industry is willing to start investing in the construct ion technologies of tomorrow, the now prosperous industry will ultimately lose its reputation and see its own downfall. The Canadian construction industry made a name for itself in the past based on its innovative ways of dealing with its vast terrain, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast and from the Arctic Ocean to the Great Lakes. (Industry Canada) While the Canadian construction industry is ninety-four percent Canadian owned, it is made up of ninety to ninety-five percent of firms operating with 20 or fewer employees. (Poh, S.H.) Even though Canada is not named one of the top five growing countries in the construction industry, (Poh, S.H.) Canadians are known world wide for having carved a highly developed and connected nation out of its huge and rugged geographic area. To do this, they built railroads by tunneling through the Rocky Mountains, linked the Great Lakes in a navigable St. Lawrence Seaway, and constructed mammoth hydroelectric dams in the ... Free Essays on The Future Of Project Management Free Essays on The Future Of Project Management The Canadian construction industry is one of the most substantial establishments in the Canadian business industry, and with many other partners, is responsible for the prosperous growth of the Canadian economy. It not only provides many jobs in Canada but also overseas, creating construction jobs for members of other countries. Though the past and the present of the Canadian construction industry have proved to be prosperous, an absence of investment in the future of the Industry will prove to be the industries downfall. When traditional resources run out, Canada will be left behind because it has relied so heavily on existing technologies geared to these natural resources and does not have readily available new procedures and materials to replace old technologies. â€Å"Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.† – Kahlil Gilbran (Quoteland.) And unless the Canadian construction industry is willing to start investing in the construct ion technologies of tomorrow, the now prosperous industry will ultimately lose its reputation and see its own downfall. The Canadian construction industry made a name for itself in the past based on its innovative ways of dealing with its vast terrain, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast and from the Arctic Ocean to the Great Lakes. (Industry Canada) While the Canadian construction industry is ninety-four percent Canadian owned, it is made up of ninety to ninety-five percent of firms operating with 20 or fewer employees. (Poh, S.H.) Even though Canada is not named one of the top five growing countries in the construction industry, (Poh, S.H.) Canadians are known world wide for having carved a highly developed and connected nation out of its huge and rugged geographic area. To do this, they built railroads by tunneling through the Rocky Mountains, linked the Great Lakes in a navigable St. Lawrence Seaway, and constructed mammoth hydroelectric dams in the ...

Free Essays on Yoga And Its Benefits

YOGA AND ITS BENEFITS Many health and lifestyle benefits are associated with the practice of Yoga. However, it is impossible to understand the attainment of these benefits without explaining the classical form of Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, as a way of life, the philosophy it is based on, and the eight methods that makes it up. Yoga is a way of life whose creation and systemization is credited to Maharishi Patanjali. According to Patanjali, the basic idea of yoga is to unite the atma or individual soul with the paramatma or the Universal Soul. According to Yoga philosophy, by cleansing one's mind and controlling one's thought processes one can return to that primeval state, when the individual self was nothing but a part of the Divine Self. This is the sense encapsulated in the term samadhi. The aim of the yogi is to be able to perceive the world in its true light and to accept that truth in its entirety. The term 'yoga' stands for 'union'. A yogi's ultimate aim is to be able to attain this 'union' with the Eternal Self with the help of certain mental and physical exercises. Different schools of thought have been derived from Ashtanga Yoga, but they all adhere to different applications of the Ashtanga discipline, and are all ultimately aimed at liberation of the soul and an understanding of the Divine Un ity. For the purposes of this paper, the understanding of the benefits that can be derived from Yoga, only and in-depth discussion of Ashtanga Yoga is necessary. The Patanjala Yoga philosophy is also known as Ashtanga Yoga and is the practical manifestation of the Sankhya and Vedantic philosophies. It is an attempt to understand the nature of the mind, including â€Å"Its different states of being, impediments to growth, afflictions and the methods of harnessing it for the achievement of absolute self realization†. Sankhya philosophy assigns three functions to the mental body: mind, intelligence and false knowledge. Vedanta a... Free Essays on Yoga And Its Benefits Free Essays on Yoga And Its Benefits YOGA AND ITS BENEFITS Many health and lifestyle benefits are associated with the practice of Yoga. However, it is impossible to understand the attainment of these benefits without explaining the classical form of Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, as a way of life, the philosophy it is based on, and the eight methods that makes it up. Yoga is a way of life whose creation and systemization is credited to Maharishi Patanjali. According to Patanjali, the basic idea of yoga is to unite the atma or individual soul with the paramatma or the Universal Soul. According to Yoga philosophy, by cleansing one's mind and controlling one's thought processes one can return to that primeval state, when the individual self was nothing but a part of the Divine Self. This is the sense encapsulated in the term samadhi. The aim of the yogi is to be able to perceive the world in its true light and to accept that truth in its entirety. The term 'yoga' stands for 'union'. A yogi's ultimate aim is to be able to attain this 'union' with the Eternal Self with the help of certain mental and physical exercises. Different schools of thought have been derived from Ashtanga Yoga, but they all adhere to different applications of the Ashtanga discipline, and are all ultimately aimed at liberation of the soul and an understanding of the Divine Un ity. For the purposes of this paper, the understanding of the benefits that can be derived from Yoga, only and in-depth discussion of Ashtanga Yoga is necessary. The Patanjala Yoga philosophy is also known as Ashtanga Yoga and is the practical manifestation of the Sankhya and Vedantic philosophies. It is an attempt to understand the nature of the mind, including â€Å"Its different states of being, impediments to growth, afflictions and the methods of harnessing it for the achievement of absolute self realization†. Sankhya philosophy assigns three functions to the mental body: mind, intelligence and false knowledge. Vedanta a...

Manta rays Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Manta rays - Research Paper Example This huge ray has an incredibly slow growth rate, which presents a real problem for their struggling population. Interactions with people can be destructive for Manta birostris because of this, for many fishermen utilize them for their fins and meat. The fate of the manta ray is undecided, and relies almost entirely on the human race. â€Å"As manta rays move through their aquatic environment, they process information through many different sensory channels allowing for a complex repertoire of signals and behaviors to be used for finding food, mates, escaping predators, and to facilitate social interactions with conspecifics.† (Deakos,  M. 2011). Records state that manta rays can grow anywhere from 20-30 feet in length. That is, from the tip of one ‘wing’ to the other. The largest batoid fish on the planet, Manta birostris has a lot to live up to. It does this just fine by not only being the largest of its order, but by also being one of the largest fish in the world’s oceans. Their color can vary from shades of green to pure black. Each individual has mottles and spots around the abdominal area, and the shades of solid color can vary over the head and back of each animal. Their underbellies are pale, ranging from white to off-white, which makes the black speckles and mottled dots easy to distinguish. Biologists use these speckles and spots in order to identify each manta ray, and have a catalogue of individuals. Wounds and scars are also occasionally used, but after 12 months many of these heal. Chunks out of ‘wings’ or other missing parts are better to use as an identification tool. Aside from their coloring, manta rays have a long tail that grows thinner and thinner until it reaches the tip. Their tails are whip-like at the end and have a shorter length than that of their body. A manta ray’s tail is harmless, however, and has no spines or stingers. The tails, while short, are thought to help in direction, like a rudder on a ship. On the other side of their body, inside the mouth, both male and female manta rays have 300 rows of tiny teeth. The teeth have flat tops and edges, and are not used in feeding. Manta rays are filter feeders, and have no reason to chew their food. What the teeth are used for has been a baffling topic for biologists all over the world. Because so little is known about the manta ray, even small things such as teeth remain a mystery. One theory is that they are used in combat by males and females alike. ‘Combat’ can mean anything from defending territory to defending a mate. Manta birostris is found in all the world’s oceans. These include the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Artic, the Southern, and the Indian oceans. How many and what species occur in what oceans has yet to be discovered. There could well be even more species of manta ray that haven’t been discovered yet. Despite their gigantic size, manta rays prefer shallower inshore waters close to reefs and rocky areas as opposed to the deeper parts of the oceans. They use the more open areas of these shallower places to gracefully glide through the water. Some species of ray may travel into the depths in order to migrate, although evidence of this fact is scattered and not well documented. What little documentation there is, however, is very valuable. â€Å"An analysis of 79 underwater photographs of Manta birostris gathered over a period of nine years in a marine protected area suggests a high predictability of manta ray occurrences in the region during the austral winter

How sex in advertising has negative effects on societies perception of Term Paper - 1

How sex in advertising has negative effects on societies perception of beauty - Term Paper Example This "How sex in advertising has negative effects on societies perception of beauty" essay outlines the impact of the usage of sex images in advertisement on our society and our standards of beauty. In most of the current advanced societies, children spend more times in front of televisions and computers rather than in play grounds. â€Å"Research has shown that young children—younger than 8 years—are cognitively and psychologically defenseless against advertising. They do not understand the notion of intent to sell and frequently accept advertising claims at face value†. Children during their early developmental stages may not possess the ability to segregate between good and evil. Moreover, children also possess intrinsic thirst for sexual activities even though it may not be visible or identifiable to others. When a sex provoking advertisement is displayed in front of the children, they are getting a new knowledge or a wrong message which they will keep in the ir mind forever. For example, bedroom scenes are common in the advertisements of condoms and beauty products. These advertisements often portray males as the symbol of strength or stamina and females as the symbol of beauty or figure. Children watching these advertisements may develop a feeling that only stronger men and beautiful women are capable of enjoying sexual life. In their 2002 thesis, â€Å"Effects of Sex in the Media,† scholars Richard J. Harris and Christina L. Scott address the effect of visual cultures whose morals are affected by this advertising. They say a worldview that progressively reflects the perception of the media may be refined by repeated contact to a regular set of messages. As an example, they say â€Å"watching numerous sitcoms and movies showing teenagers being sexually active may cultivate acceptance of such a position in the viewer and thus weaken family- taught values against pre-marital sex.† So, the viewing of sexual images in adverti sing also distorts the moral values of teenagers, maybe even to the point of rebellion against the values their family taught them (Robertson, p.2) â€Å"Sex is used in commercials to sell everything from beer to shampoo to cars. New research is showing that teenagers' exposure to sexual content in the media may be responsible for earlier onset of sexual intercourse or other

Understanding Effects Of Ethnicity In Afghan Culture Essay Example for Free

Understanding Effects Of Ethnicity In Afghan Culture Essay Ethnic differences prevalent in Afghanistan have had a great impact on peoples’ personal lives especially during interpersonal communication. As an Afghan citizen, belonging to the Pashtan ethnic group, born and raised in a multicultural society, I had to master the art of effective communication at an early age. Here in this paper, I will explain how my life has been impacted by ethnic differences in Afghanistan especially during interpersonal communication. I will explain how I communicate with my friends from my ethnic group, from other ethnic groups as well as foreigners living in Afghanistan. My paternal grandfather, a Push tan was a governor in Central Afghanistan while my maternal grandfather, a Tajik, was the Interior Minister and finance minister and my father was the Mayor of Herat City, in the west of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is situated in South-western Asia. It borders Iran, Pakistan and several other countries in Central Asia. The â€Å"Islamic State of Afghanistan† is Afghanistan’s official name. Kabul is the capital and the other two major cities in Afghanistan are Herat and Kandahar. More than three quarters of Afghanistan’s population inhabits rural areas. The literacy level in Afghanistan is very low and it is among the world’s countries with small economies(Hussain 34-35). My ethnic group, Pushtun, is the major ethnic group in Afghanistan accounting for almost a half the population (42%). Tajiks account for 27% Hazaras 9% Uzbel 9% Aimak 4% Turkmen 3% while the other ethnic groups account for 4% of the population. As a result of the diverse ethnic groups, Afghanistan has been adopting various language policies in a bid to foster national unity. For instance, in 1992, the communist regime fell due to constant fighting which arose as a result of issues such as language policy. Linguistic differences made various factions fight each other. Consequently, between the year 1992 and 1996, Afghanistan’s national anthem was changed from Pashto language to the Dari(Hussain 40-44) The 2003 Draft Constitution in Afghanistan saw the Pashto and Dari languages become the official languages during the Draft Constitution’s amendments of Afghanistan’s language policy. The constitution made provisions guaranteeing all languages as equal. In today’s world, most countries strive to preserve its people’s culture as well as the language. Afghanistan has adopted the Assimilation Language Policy, which is aimed at fostering national unit by having a single national language. Pashtu is the national language of Afghanistan(Hussain 35-39) In Afghanistan, bilingualism is very common. Most people, especially literates can write and speak in at least two ethnic languages. As a child, I acquired two ethnic languages. By the time I went for my primary education, I could speak a few Dari words and phrases in addition to my mother tongue, Pushtan. When I joined school, I learned the Dari language which is taught because it is the national language. When people become competent in two or more languages, they tend to use both languages in interpersonal communications. This results in switching between codes and mixing phrases from two different ethnic languages. Code switching is the use of words or phrases from two distinct languages or dialects in interpersonal communication. Code mixing entails the use of various words or phrases. When participants code-mix, they learn to relate what is altered by the speaker during a speech activity with the intended meaning as well as learning to compare what is spoken with what they know(Wood 67). In Afghanistan, people may code switch consciously or unconsciously. When a person code switches unconsciously, it is because s/he has gained competence in the two languages. Thus, one will switch between the languages and may not intent any communicative effect on the listeners, although the listeners may achieve an effect depending on how the speaker switches or mixes phrases. Conscious switching or mixing between different languages entails the speaker’s conscious effort. The speaker decides where to put a certain word or phrase with the aim of achieving a certain communication effect (Julia 30). Whenever I am with my Pushtan friends, we at times switch between the Pushtan language and the Dari language. At times, we do this unconsciously without putting into consideration the communication effect it will have to our listeners. Competence in both languages enables us to know where, when and how to mix the codes and switch between the two languages effectively. After all, we have spoken and written in these languages since childhood. In Afghanistan, people switch between languages for a number of varied reasons. For instance, whenever I am with my Pushtan friends and a band of people from say Dari whom we may detest and look down upon joins our band, we will code switch and code mix intentionally. We do this in a bid to make them feel unwanted. Occasionally, some of us will mix some Pashtun words with the Dari language. Infact, a great percentage of the words and phrases used in the speech may constitute Pashtun words. Normally, during most interpersonal communications, everyone wants to participate and this entails understanding what the other participants say so as to respond effectively. Since we withhold certain information from them by code switching, this makes the Dari speakers not participate in the speech act. Consequently, some of them may opt to leave the band while the stubborn ones may remain behind. Nothing irritates like people breaking into laughter and you are left wondering what amused them. One can even be made to think that he is the subject of mockery. Thus we may code switch so as to eliminate those we don’t want in our band (Jacobson 54) Our group may also code switch so as to make other groups of people feel appreciated. For instance, whenever we are with our friends from other ethnic groups, some of my friends who have mastered a few phrases and words from the languages will mix them with the Dari language. This makes them feel accommodated in our band. They feel that we appreciate their languages which are deemed to be inferior simply because they are not the official or national languages in Afghanistan. During interpersonal communication, everyone wants to be a part of the speech event. Consequently, our friends will feel motivated to participate because we acknowledge their presence. In addition, whenever I am with my Pushtan friends and we encounter Dari speakers who are not competent in Pushtan, we choose to use the Dari language in a bid to accommodate them. During a speech event, people tend to accommodate the other speakers. This is very crucial for effective communication. Imagine a situation where you speak to someone in, say, Dari, and he responds in Pashtun. Will you continue speaking in Dari? Of course not you would rather opt to switch to Pashtun if you are competent in it so as to avoid communication barriers. Language differences in Afghanistan can lead to communication barriers and so people have learned to accommodate others during a speech event by switching to the language used by other participants (Giles and Coupland 52). During a speech event, we may change our styles from time to time. Some of the reasons which make our band change styles during interpersonal communication include the topic being discussed, the participants in our band, and the motives/intentions of our band and so on. So we accommodate other participants by adjusting the number of times we switch between languages and strive to minimize the number of switches depending on the person we are speaking to. The accommodation is applied in our day-to-day speech events. In fact, some of my Dari friends who are not competent in Pushtan have mastered a few Pushtan words and phrases. Whenever we are conversing, they may mix a few Pashtun phrases with Dari phrases in a sentence. They do this so as to please us. They want us to think that they recognize and appreciate our language. As a matter of fact, some of them do this sarcastically; nothing irritates a Pashtan speaker than to hear a Dari speaker or any other speaker use a Pushtan word or phrase of which he or she does not even have the slightest idea of its meaning. Worse still, some of them may even use the wrong word order. I once lived in Hawaii and learned a few Hawaii words. When I visited the United States, I could hear the Americans switch to the Hawaii language. Some Americans could even mix spiritual phrases and words with English. What irritated me most was the fact that the Americans were not competent in the Hawaii language, yet they could dare mix Hawaii spiritual words and phrases of which they did not even know the meaning. I consider this as a kind of theft and a slap on the face to the Hawaii language. People should respect other peoples’ language especially spiritual words and phrases. In addition, Afghan’s may also code switch because they feel that they cannot express themselves well in a certain language. They feel that they lack certain words or expressions from a given language and that another language may have a ready word or expression for the message they want to convey. Whenever I am speaking with my Pashtun friends, who understand the Dari language, I will not bother much to think for a word in Pashtun when I have a Dari word or phrase for it. Most people will sometimes find it difficult to express themselves in their mother tongue. To some people, expressing oneself in an official language is much easier since it is the language they use most of the time, thus, they always have ready words and phrases. Most people agree that it is easy to express oneself in Dari, the national language simply because they use it more often and they may lack the appropriate words in their original language. Afghans view code switching to be beneficial during interpersonal communication although this will depend on the context or situation in which it occurs. This holds true, especially when a speaker encounters problems expressing himself in a particular language and he/she is competent in another language which his speakers are competent in. Thus, a speaker will break the communication gap by inserting phrases or words from the language his participants understand. Ethnicity also affects communication styles and strategies in Afghanistan in that, people from different ethnic groups have differences in social etiquette, customs and protocol. In Afghanistan, there are some common customs and protocols among the different ethnic groups, which affect interpersonal communication. For instance, men and women should not make eye contact. Men should not prolong their eye contact with other men and when they do, they should do so only occasionally. This custom creates a communication barrier in that communication between men and women is not effective since women are not allowed to speak directly to men. If a woman speaks directly to a man, she is being disgraceful and lowering her dignity. This greatly affects my life since women in our country are deprived of rights of expression, which implies that our mothers and sisters, who are the backbone of our nation, have no direct communicative role to play in the society. This implies that men and women in my country have to employ different styles and strategies in both verbal and non-verbal communication. In order to ensure that they preserve their cultural values, mixing between genders in my country is not freely allowed and free mixing only takes place within families. In places of work, in offices, and businesses or at institutions of learning, both higher and lower, both men and women must respect and maintain each other’s honor. They must also adhere to their culture without putting into consideration the impact it will have on interpersonal relations. Consequently, this has led to poor interpersonal relations in public places, which has led to increased war and conflicts among individuals, groups of people and ethnic societies. These have led to men dominating the country. Since they are the only ones who have a say, they have gone ahead and enacted and enforced laws and regulations which undermine their women folks and children who are regarded as inferior members of the society. Interactions and relations between individuals have also been adversely affected especially in institutions of learning. Foreign students who join universities in Afghanistan are faced with major challenges. To start with, most of these students come from ethnic backgrounds where women and men are regarded as equal. Consequently, they are forced to learn and to read the rules and ensure that they abide by them. This has led to students’ academic performance being affected since they spend a lot of time adapting to cultural changes. Besides eye contact, which is a non-verbal communication style, other types of non-verbal communication are also affected. Signals are also affected by ethnic differences. People send signals to convey messages. Sending of signals has been affected by ethnic differences in that people may send the wrong signals during the process of communication. Since women are not allowed to look at men in the eyes, this may pass the wrong signals to foreign men who have not mastered Afghanistan culture. They may think that the women are shy and may consequently tease them or misunderstand their intentions. In addition, since men and women are not allowed to shake hands, a misunderstanding may arise when an Afghanistan man or woman declines to shake hands with a foreigner who is not aware of the cultural values in Afghanistan. As a result, the communication process among different ethnic groups in Afghanistan has not been effective. The handshake is the most common form of greeting used in Afghanistan, Placing one’s hands over their hearts and nodding slightly is also another form of greeting. Foreigners can misunderstand this and a wrong signal can be sent probably signaling that someone is in love or in shock depending on how placing one’s hands over one’s heart implies in one’s culture. Symbols are also another form of non-verbal communication used. Symbols can be used to represent or express information. For the process of communication to be effective, the transmitter needs to employ both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication because they supplement each other. Ethnicity in Afghanistan has affected interpersonal communication in that cultural values have made the use of symbols ineffective by making them fail to communicate the intended information. Whenever I am socializing with the women folks in Afghanistan, I do not get their message right since they do not use symbols appropriately in a bid to uphold their cultural values. Men are supposed to dominate all interactions including interpersonal communications When a Turtumani person is speaking to a Baluchi speaker, one has to use Dari, which is the official language. The two language speakers have different cultural values and backgrounds. The problem may arise if one of the speakers say the Baluchi speaker, is illiterate and does not understand the national language. Thus, the two speakers will need the assistance of an interpreter. If the interpreter is not competent in both languages, a communication breakdown may arise. Most literate Afghans have learned Social and Humanistic languages and have leaned that each ethnic group is unique in and that no ethnic group should be considered superior than the other. Language reflects a peoples’ culture. Verbal communication entails use of well-constructed sentences with a correct word order. According to linguists, each language is unique in its own way and no language is deemed to be more superior to other. Thus, each Afghanistan ethnic language whether used as a national or official language contains complex structures. Each ethnic language has its own unique way of tense formation. Since the literacy level in Afghanistan is very low, communicating with people who are not learned in Afghanistan has posed a great challenge for me and my literate friends. I recall with nostalgia an incidence where my best Friend, Pierre picked up a fight with an illiterate Dari speaker as he tried to convince him that all languages are equal. In conclusion, ethnicity affects interpersonal communication in Afghanistan in that certain ethnic communities look down upon others. Some communities feel that they are greater/superior than others simply because they are considered to be bestowed with more natural resources than the others. Consequently, a communication gap may arise between the two. For instance, Dari ethnic groups and the Pashtans perceive themselves to be superior to other ethnic groups like Turkmen or Aimak ethnic groups. This is because they are a majority groups in the country’s population and their languages are recognized as the national and official languages. Each ethnic group in Afghanistan has a specific vocabulary, which it uses during the process of communication. For instance, the Pashtans have a specific and unique vocabulary, which they use. These cultural vocabularies hinder communication when one is speaking to members of a different ethnic group who do not have competence in the Pashtan language. As a result, Afghans should learn to embrace their diverse cultures by learning to cope with the challenges they encounter due to ethnic differences on their day-to-day activities. Afghanistan has been through many calamities and disasters, or instance, landmines and explosions. Schools have also been shattered, hospitals and roads demolished not to forget violence against women and drug addiction among the youth. These problems can be minimized by effective interpersonal communication among differing ethnic groups or parties.

Ecstasy: A Drug That Can Kill :: Illegal Drugs Essays

Ecstasy: A Drug That Can Kill missing works cited Three years ago, Mark*, now a college junior, went to a Dave Mathews concert in Boston with a few friends. He was 18 at the time, and about a half-hour before the concert started, they all decided to take a pill of the drug Ecstasy. This was Mark’s first time taking the drug, so he didn’t fully know what to expect. They chose what is called the â€Å"speedy† type, commonly used at raves and parties rather than the â€Å"dopey† type, which is known to give more of a slow, relaxing feeling. â€Å"Seriously, you get this warm fuzzy feeling that runs up your back, and a feeling that everything in life is right. Your jaw begins to clench and you love chewing on stuff†¦gum, straws, candy,† he said. The feelings that Mark experienced are typical effects of the drug. His most intense feelings lasted about three hours, and the overall feeling of the drug remained for about six to seven hours. Yet the feelings of contentment abruptly ended when he awoke the next day. â€Å"The next day was the most horrible day of my life,† he said. â€Å"All the happiness that was triggered in your brain is drained and you’re left with nothing.† Over eight million people aged 12 and older reported using the â€Å"club† drug ecstasy at least once in their lifetime, according to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), an information source on the consequences, patterns, and prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use and abuse in the general U.S. population, age 12 and older. Methylenedioxymethamephetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic psychoactive drug used for its elated and hallucinogenic causes. Formally used to assist psychotherapy in the 1970s, it is now banned in the United States. Although illegal, it is rapidly rising in popularity in the United States, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Taken orally in a tablet or capsule, snorted, or injected, it generally takes 30 to 40 minutes to take effect and lasts about three to six hours, although some side effects can occur weeks after taking the drug. Ecstasy’s psychological side effects include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. Like Prozac, it causes an elevation in serotonin, a chemical in the brain which triggers happy feelings in people. Some physical side effects are muscle tension, teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, chills, or sweating.

Healthy eating in schools

Hi, my name is Ben Dickens and I'm here today to make you are aware of the appalling state of food on offer at Salendine Nook High. We all send our Children to school believing that they will be there to learn and work towards attaining good grades. We also expect them to get a healthy and well balanced meal at lunch but to my amazement, this isn't the case. During a recent visit to the school through my job I was perplexed at how awful the food at the school is. Unbelievably our children are offered crisps, chocolate, cakes and fizzy pop at break times. At lunch times the food gets shockingly worse, our children are once again offered cakes and fizzy pop in addition to chips, burgers and pizzas. This is a total disgrace and it should not be allowed to happen to our children. The school has a responsibility to look after our children and I don't believe that offering this complete rubbish as food is responsible. In fact it's an outrage so I urge you to join me in my fight against the school and force them to change their menu. The only way it can happen is if we all join together and campaign to get the school to change. I feel change starts in the classroom, and educating our children in school would be the first step towards achieving our goal of healthier school meals. The school would also need to train the current staff or find better skilled staff to be able to prepare the meals. Doing this would mean we have a better chance of succeeding on our fight to reform school meals. I really can't stress how important healthy eating is at school, not only does it teach the children good habits and get them used to healthy foods but it can also boost energy and concentration levels. In a recent survey conducted by The School food trust claims that if a child eats a hot, well balanced and nutritious meal at lunch time it can boost concentration levels for afternoon classes. So not only is eating healthy good for our children's physical health it can also have a positive effect on their school work. Recently you may have heard about Jamie Oliver's healthy eating campaign and the positive effect it had on the children at Kidbrooke School. Before Jamie Oliver was involved at the school the exam results of year eleven students was at the lowly level pass rate of 74% after the school food was overhauled the pass rate is now at 90% and rising year by year. This is the effect that eating healthily at school can have on our children's exam results and their overall wellbeing. We all want the best for our children so why shouldn't we campaign for the school to change? Questions needs to be asked of the school as to why they aren't offering wide range of healthy foods. Is it just convenient for them to cook fast food without a thought for our children's future health? Are the school cooks skilled enough to prepare good food? Does the school actually care what they feed our children? Only the school know so we must demand answers and we must plead for change. We must do all we can to force the school to change, starting by directly contacting them and questioning their policies on the food in school. We must also contact local councillors and government officials to see if they can help change the food. Doing this may also spark a more widespread change which can only be good for the future of all our children. Hopefully if we persist with this campaign the school will eventually realise that the food needs to be healthier. I cannot stress enough how important it is to change the food. After all we all attempt to give our children a healthy diet at home so why should the school ruin that by feeding them disgusting greasy food? We don't want them growing up on such a bad diet so we must act now and stop the school from ruining our children's diets. So join me in this campaign so we can ensure a healthy experience at school for all of our children. Thank you very much for listening, on your way out of the venue please take an information pack with some further information for you to read. You can also follow us on twitter for updates on our fight.

Sequencing Objectives

Sequencing objectives within classes and courses within curriculum is important because much of what we learn is developed through building blocks of knowledge. For example, In my current field, one must know medical terminology and anatomy and physiology In order to begin a coding class. If one does not know where the perform sinus Is In the human body, one cannot assign â€Å"history of perform sinus cancer† the correct V-code. One would assume that since the word â€Å"sinus† Is In the phrase, the V-code would be included in the nasal cavity and sinus grouping.The horrify sinus is actually located in the pharynx; therefore, the V-code would be in the grouping with oral cavity and pharynx. Sequencing of the Course and Curriculum Regulate and Stein refer to macromolecule sequencing, giving the students an overview (epitome) that outlines the fundamental aspects of the course first. Instruction progresses with each Idea being more detailed and elaborating upon the previ ous one. Objectives are developed to Insure that prerequisite skills are covered before advancing to the next objective. Sequencing of Skills wealth the TopicBasic skills are taught first within each topic, building upon each other. Analyzing Topic Objectives to Determine Learning Outcomes This approach examines the relationship between the course map and the unit map. This approach looks at objectives from different learning domains and the relationship between each, sequencing to insure that prerequisite skills are covered in earlier lessons. Sequencing of Skills within Lessons This mapping Is more detailed oriented. Objectives are sequenced In more detail, broken down Into Individual skills required wealth the lesson presented. Learning Hierarchies and Instructional SequenceAccording to Eagan, when the proper sequence of prerequisite skills is established, intellectual skill instruction is easily managed by the teacher. Knowledge-Based Sequencing Instructional design is represent ed as organizational patterns on the concept map and then used during the development phase to automatically generate instructional maps. Sequencing Content for Online Learning This Involves sequencing knowledge units and learning tasks within those units. Spiral Sequencing of the curriculum. And example of this is in foreign language instruction. Basic grammar skills are revisited continually as the student progresses.

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon The book The Pillow of Sei Shonagon can be regarded as a comprehensive description of the life at Japanese court at the period of Heian society. Sei Shonagon provides her insightful accounts of the life at the court. The writing is very personal and it makes the book even more valuable as it does not only reveal certain customs and traditions, but unveils the way people thought. Remarkably, the book also helps understand peculiarities of the Heian society and gender roles in it.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the first place, it is necessary to note that the Heian period is characterized by certain empowerment of women as they could take some roles in a social life of the state. Thus, women could obtain education which was really good and comprehensive. Earlier, education was considered to be a male task. In Heian Japan, women had a speci fic role as they were leading personalities in literature. They wrote a variety of literary works which were admired by women as well as men. Women could also copy books, and this was also rather a privilege (Shonagon 1991, 148). Apart from working on literary masterpieces, women at the court did not have a privileged position. Clearly, people of that period cherished education and mental as well as physical abilities. Sei Shonagon stresses that people who excel in studies, literature or art of war are exceptional. Therefore, such virtues as excellence in art of war, literature and politics were seen as primary. It is also necessary to note that men were still regarded as superior creatures. Men were regarded as rulers and those who lead, while women were seen as subordinate creatures and had to play certain roles. These were roles of wives, mothers, mistresses and, of course, writers. Thus, being a court lady, Sei Shonagon, was quite close to her Majesty Empress. Sei Shonagon enjoy ed all privileges of an aristocrat of that period. Of course, she had to follow the conventions which existed at the court at that period. It is necessary to note that there were a lot of rules and traditions which had to be respected. It is necessary to note that the court at that time was characterized by peculiarities of any medieval court. There were various intrigues, love affairs, coalitions, etc. Notably, the author pays a lot of attention to love affairs and eroticism in her book. Thus, she depicts a number of dates and night meetings. She also describes complicated traditions and customs associated with love affairs. Men and women had to write love letters, which had to have certain structure or rather form. These writings had to be deliberate and thoughtful.Advertising Looking for critical writing on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The author also describes how hypocritical the life at the court was as people often pretended to be better than they were in reality. Admittedly, it was a norm to have an exemplary family where the husband and the wife love each other. However, in reality the situation was different and many couples hid their feelings. Sei Shonagon notes that there are hardly couples who â€Å"always treat each other with scrupulous care and respect† (Shonagon 1991, 146). Therefore, the Heian court life was not different from the life at any other court (or even at any other society where people tend to create certain images top fit the society). It is also necessary to point out that even though family values were regarded as prior to anything, adultery was also a norm. Sei Shonagon mentions a man â€Å"with two mistresses who is obliged to see them being bitter and jealous towards each other† (Shonagon 1991, 171). The author also writes about waiting for a lover in the middle of the night. This may not refer to adultery, but it is not an exemplary ma rital relationship. Therefore, extramarital affairs were seen as something illicit but possible. Another characteristic feature of the court was the aristocracy’s attitude towards representatives of other societal layers. This can be easily explained as one of the major virtues of an individual was education and only aristocrats could afford being educated. Wisdom and courtesy were seen as certain priorities. Admittedly, peasants did not have time or money to obtain education. Aristocrats did not take this into account and saw peasants as inferior creatures. To sum up, it is possible to note that Sei Shonagon reveals major peculiarities of the life at the court. The writer describes a variety of traditions and conventions which existed at the court. Clearly, the Heian court can be regarded as a conventional court of the Middle Ages as those who lived there were hypocrites. However, the court was also somewhat exceptional as women had quite a special place. Women were able to obtain education. Women were even regarded as major figures in literature at that period. However, it is also true that this was a partial empowerment as women were still seen as inferior in many other respects. Major roles assigned to women (apart from roles of writers) were roles of wives, mistresses and mothers. References Shonagon, Sei. The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon. Translated by Ivan Morris. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Definition and Examples of Vocal Fry (or Creaky Voice)

Definition and Examples of Vocal Fry (or Creaky Voice) In speech, the term vocal fry refers to  a low, scratchy sound that occupies the vocal range below modal voice (the most commonly used vocal register in speech and singing). Also known as vocal fry register, creaky voice, pulse register, laryngealization, glottal rattle, and glottal fry.   Linguist Susan J. Behrens describes vocal fry as a type of phonation (vocal fold vibration) whereby the vocal folds start to slow down and beat irregularly before closing, toward the end of an utterance. This behavior causes a  rough voice quality, a lowered  voice pitch, and sometimes a slower rate of speech. All contribute to make a speakers voice sound creaky or raspy (Understanding Language Use in the Classroom,  2014). Examples and Observations Creaky voice involves a raspy quality of voice produced by reducing the amount of air passing through the vocal cords, which results in a non-pure or non-clear tone. It . . . carries a pragmatic meaning, often signalling the end of a turn, and is associated with younger female speech . . ..(Sandra Clarke, Newfoundland and Labrador English. Edinburgh University Press, 2010)Is your little princess sounding more like a frog? Speaking in a croaky voice, officially called vocal fry, has become normal among young women, new research published in the Journal of Voice finds. (Say Whaaat as if youre suffering from a very sore throat and youve got the sound.) But regularly talking this way could cause long-term vocal cord damage. Which means these women could end up not saying much at all.  (Leslie Quander Wooldridge, Croak Addicts. AARP Magazine, April/May 2012) Vocal Wrongness? The most recent trend in vocal wrongness is called vocal fry. Vocal fry is created when someone slips into a lower tone, usually at the end of a sentence, and this tone has a fried or creaky quality. Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian are infamous for this way of speaking, but research indicates men tend to speak with this raspy flaw as well. And vocal fry is on the rise, with two-thirds of college students in one study displaying it. The problem with using it is it conveys a sense that youre not confident, or in some cases, sure of what you are saying.  (Lee Thornton, Youre Doing It Wrong!. Adams Media, 2012) Young Women and Vocal Fry A classic example of vocal fry, best described as a raspy or croaking sound injected (usually) at the end of a sentence, can be heard when Mae West says, Why don’t you come up sometime and see me, or, more recently on television, when Maya Rudolph mimics Maya Angelou on Saturday Night Live.[L]inguists ... cautioned against forming negative judgments.If women do something like uptalk or vocal fry, it’s immediately interpreted as insecure, emotional or even stupid, said Carmen Fought, a professor of linguistics at Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif. The truth is this: Young women take linguistic features and use them as power tools for building relationships. ... It’s generally pretty well known that if you identify a sound change in progress, then young people will be leading old people, said Mark Liberman, a linguist at the University of Pennsylvania, and women tend to be maybe half a generation ahead of males on average. ... So what does the use of vocal fry denote? Like uptalk, women use it for a variety of purposes. Ikuko Patricia Yuasa, a lecturer in linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, called it a natural result of women’s lowering their voices to sound more authoritative.It can also be used to communicate disinterest, something teenage girls are notoriously fond of doing.(Douglas Quenqua, They’re, Like, Way Ahead of the Linguistic Currrrve. The New York Times, February 27, 2012) Vocal Fry and Meaning [V]oice quality changes contribute to meaning at many ... linguistic levels. Creaky voice (or vocal fry) often signals prominence within a sentence, the presence of linguistic boundaries like ends of sentences, or major changes of topic...  (Jody Kreiman and Diana Sidtis, Foundations of Voice Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Voice Production and Perception. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) Creaky Voice Like breathy voice, creaky voice is also used as both a tool for age, gender, and social distinction, and for phonological contrast with some of the worlds languages.There is a minimum fundamental frequency below which modal voicing can no longer continueusually about a quarter of a persons average speaking fundamental. At this point the nature of phonation changes and the speaker begins to use creaky voice, also known as laryngealization or vocal fry. The term stiff voice has also been applied to a variety of phenomena that partially resemble creaky voice. In creaky voice, the vocal folds are very shortened and slackened to maximize their mass per unit length, and the IA muscles are contracted to draw the arytenoid cartilages together. This action allows the vocal folds to stay together for a much longer part of the phonation cycle than in modal voicing . . ., only allowing a tiny burst of air to escape between long closure periods.  (Bryan Gick, Ian Wilson, and Donald Derrick, Ar ticulatory Phonetics. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) The Great Unnamed [W]e have no shared public language through which to speak about the voice or sound, in contrast to the wide vocabulary that weve developed for visual images. Sounds are still part of the great unnamed. Back in 1833 the American physician, James Rush, tried to identify different kinds of voiceswhispering, natural, falsetto, orotund, harsh, rough, smooth, full, thin, slender. By the 1970s phoneticians hadnt moved much beyond Rush in naming different types of voice. The terms they had come up withlike whispery voice, harsh voice, creaky voice, tense or lax voicewere never taken up by the public. Neither was more specialist terminology, like vocal fry, jitter, or shimmer, words which anyway have no agreed definition. Were in a state of terminological disarray, and few of us are able to describe the voice in words that arent either impressionistic or ambiguous.  (Anne Karpf, The Human Voice: The Story of a Remarkable Talent. Bloomsbury, 2006)

Management- Data for Sale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management- Data for Sale - Essay Example (Rugge & Glossbrenner, 1997) 1. Most data brokers do not fully investigate the client that they are selling information to. This results in impersonation being used as a primary tool by hackers to acquire personal information from data brokers. There is a high probability that this information can be misused and incidents in the past have proven that such information is misused. (Baynes, 2011) Not only is the information provided by data brokers subject to misuse intentionally, there are other instances where the information has been abused unintentionally. There are myriad cases of personal information being lost from the laptops and other resources of data mining companies and data brokers. This poses another serious question as to the security methods employed by data brokers. Again this signals towards an unethical method of dealing with security because there is as yet little legislation to push data brokers to ensure that all information is retained safely. (Whiting, 2006) 2. T he unrestrained proliferation of data brokers has a straight negative consequence. The increasing numbers of data brokers are facing tough competition in an unregulated market so they are forced to use any means to reach greater profitability.

Art, Music, Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Art, Music, Religion - Essay Example This can be through word art or poetry, sculptures, a beautiful painting among others. Consequently, it is the greatest illusion imposed on the wills of mankind as an alternate reality. Hence, it is suffice to say that art has a profound and immeasurable impact on the lives of human beings. Foremost, art is the expression of life and consequently enhances our awareness and appreciation of nature and the gift of life. The artistic visual impression of nature’s scenery such as the sun, rivers and wild animals, enhance the intrinsic value of life and elucidate a sense of nurturing and care by human beings. Second, art is a tool for communication that is used to convey special messages of a social, economic or religious connotation. Hence, it is the voice that reaches beyond the canvass, provokes thought and shapes the perception of people pertaining to the message conveyed. Third, art impacts on the moods of people by eliciting both positive and negative emotions. For example, vi sual or musical art can stir positive emotions such as happiness, optimism or peace of mind. While some darker form of art, such as those expressing war or hunger, can provoke negative emotions such as depression, anxiety or anger. Consequently, these emotions can affect the daily life of a person in a positive or negative way. Furthermore, art contributes in the building of local and global relations. This is because art is a universal language since the information being conveyed is the same all over. Moreover, the participation in art calls for interaction as people meet in experiencing it or developing it. Consequently it results in the building of interpersonal relations. 2. Art in Puerto Rico Graffiti is a form of street art that involves scratching or scribbling and is derivative of the Italian word graffiato (DeAngels, 2010). It is used to convey messages to the wider public, through the artistic writings or paintings, via public and private surfaces such as buildings and st reets. Historically, evidence shows that graffiti existed in ancient civilizations in the form of figure sketches and inscriptions. These were evident from the ruined walls of sepulchers in places such as Pompelli and Catacombs. In the modern period, the use of graffiti in the early 1970s was associated with youth in New York from the Puerto Rican and black communities. These youth incorporated the use of tags by spray painting public city buildings, subway trains and buses. However, the famous revolutionary graffiti artist referred to as the, â€Å"father of controversial graffiti†, was Jean-Michel Basquiat. He was the son of a Puerto Rican mother and Haitian father who inspired the spread and growth of graffiti to Puerto Rico. The messages conveyed by his art at the time by the graffiti related to issues such as wealth inequalities, racial segregation and discrimination among others. Consequently, Jean-Michel Basuaiat’s art work cast graffiti into international recog nition and inspired the youthful generation in Puerto Rico. Presently, graffiti is used in Puerto Rico as a creative tool for expressing thoughts, ideas and opinions of a political meaning or otherwise. Moreover, the graffiti in Puerto Rican cities such as Old San Juan and Santurce, display beauty and angst that have formed played a part in its culture. The government on its part can control graffiti by distinguishing it from the illegal version of it known as tagging and reigning in on the culprits. The tagging form of art is mostly gang related and driven by the motive of vandalism, controversy to public value and vulgarity. This is opposed to the creativity and beauty in expression in expression of graffiti that the