Compares and contrasts formative, summative, and confirmative Research Paper

Compares and contrasts formative, summative, and confirmative evaluation in the instructional design process - Research Paper Example Here, the clarity, impact and feasibility of the message and the instruction are determined. In the small group evaluation, the entire group is handed similar feedback based on grouped outcome of the successes or difficulties. This effectively addresses the instruction rather than the learners. In the field trial evaluation, the instructor uses the design and course materials already modified twice to present a full-scale instructional session. Challenges with formative evaluation are often found in feasibility matters. Students’ capabilities, instructional environment and medium greatly impact the outcome of the stage. The motivation, independence and maturity of individual students will determine the required time to complete the stage (Smaldino, Rusell & Heinrich, 2005). Summative evaluation is beneficial because it is possible to develop consistent, standardized sets of information on each learner. It also creates a justification for wide-scale decision making in education programs. Summative evaluation uses two phases to assess the worth or merit of a program. The inclusion of external evaluators is beneficial because it adds value to the evaluation and design of the learning process and materials. In the expert judgment phase, feasibility, content, design and congruence analysis are examined. In the field trial phase, outcome and management analysis are examined. It further looks at the impact on the students, job and organization. Essentially, the performance of the group in relation to the set objective is analyzed by the instructional designer in various ways (Gagne, Wager & Keller, 2005). Organizational resources and needs are aligned with the program through congruence analysis; goals are identified through content analysis; sufficiency of modules of instructional strategies is evaluated through design analysis; and feasibility analysis is in relation to the materials’ utility. Summative evaluation is challenged when it comes to balanci ng process and product measures and preventing backwards implication; anticipating the scope of positive and negative consequences of using results of summative assessment; attending to both non-cognitive and affective features of flourishing academic programs; and the information’s timeliness (Gagne, Wager & Keller, 2005). In confirmative evaluation, there is a follow up of the students after they are out of the program. It is beneficial because instructors get to know their competitive levels and how well they are making use of the knowledge and information they gain from their programs. This is a marriage of the other evaluations and programs in continuous improvement. Unlike the other kinds used at the designing and learning levels, confirmative evaluation comes months after implementation of the program (Morrison, Ross & Kemp, 2004). Endurance of outcomes, efficiency and return on investments are tested. However, the challenge is that the evaluators and students are forc ed to commit themselves to the full scope of evaluation. Identifying and including all the stakeholders, especially decision makers and activity planners, is also a problem. Question Two Formative assessment is an ongoing measurement in educational preparation aiming at the improvement of student learning. It provides information crucial in the monitoring of an individual’

Reformists or Fundamentalists for Iran Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Reformists or Fundamentalists for Iran - Essay Example This difference leaves the citizen with a choice to make in a democratic nation like Iran (Koontz 98). No party is said to be perfect in their ideas since, in either side, there are both positive and negative effects. However, having compared the goals ideologies and their take on religion, I will advocate for the reformists. This paper seeks to examine the main agenda of the reformists compared to those of the fundamentalists by analyzing their respective ideology, theocracy and religion. The goals that the reformists seek to achieve make them distinct from the fundamentalists. Their main objective is to preserve theocracy in the country. They put emphasis on the need of bringing certain democratic reforms into existence (Koontz 25). Every Iranian should be aware of his or her right accordingly and no one should be discriminated in regards to the gender or the tribe. For instance, in this years elections’ campaigns the reformists who had found refuge in the West due to p ost-election repression of 2009, had come up with a competing discourses as to what reform should be composed of and how an Islamic Republic should look like (Seifzadeh 254). This, according to me makes reformists admirable than the fundamentalists, who base their theocracy on the belief that not all people are equal. To illustrate the theocracy of the fundamentalists, we examine on their belief about the nature of women and men and their roles in society. They argue that, in Iran, women are inferior to men both mentally and physically. Their duties were restricted to child bearing and nurturing prescribed by their biological determinism. They were also to ensure comfort and satisfaction to their husbands. The Fundamentalists sought to suppress the roles performed by women and enhanced control of men over women. They ensured that their visibility in public was not guaranteed. This is not a true picture of a democratic country

The Study Of Human Computer Interaction

The Study Of Human Computer Interaction Human-computer interaction (HCI) is the study of interaction between people or users and computers. It is often regarded as the intersection of design, computer science and several other fields of study. Interaction between users and computers occurs at user interface or simply interface. This includes both hardware and software such as object or characters are display by software on a personal computers monitor. The inputs receive from users via hardware peripherals. For example keyboard, mice. Human-computer interaction (HCI) studies a human and a machine in conjunction. It draws from supporting knowledge on both the machine and the human side. On the machine side which techniques in operating system, programming language, computer graphics and development environment are relevant. Other, the human side have communication theory, graphic and industrial design disciplines, social science, linguistics, cognitive psychology and human factors are relevant. Human-computer interaction (HCI) is a wide discipline which studies all the elements linked to the human use of computer and software by association. It also concerns devices which can be linked to computer such as mobile devices, computerized consoles and video terminals. The main aim of Human-computer interaction (HCI) is to make the use of software and computerized devices as simply and easy to understand as possible which with the aim of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the action taken at the same time. Human-computer interaction (HCI) covers all the main stage of the productive flow from design of the user interface to the investigation of the result obtained, passing via the search for innovative solutions and the laboratory assessment of prototypes. This is another reason why Human-computer interaction (HCI) involves aspects linked to a number of disciplines, including: Your password is what tells the computer that you are who you say you are. Until we can do retina scans like in James Bond movies, the password is the best that we can do. But, because your password is like a key to your account, you need to safeguard it. Anyone who has your password can get into your account, and your files. Anyone who can guess your password has it. Anyone who has your password can pose as you. Therefore, you may be held responsible for someone elses actions, if they are able to get your password. You may not wish this to happen. Tips on safeguarding your password First and foremost, NEVER give your password to anyone. Anyone means your coworkers, your spouse, your systems administrator. In the event of an emergency, the sysadmin can change your password. Your sytems administrator never has a need to know your personal password. If someone needs to get onto our machines, and has a reason to be here, do not give them access to your account. Speak to the systems staff about us setting up an account for them. We would be very happy to give them one. Make your password something you can remember. Do not write it down. If you really, honestly forget your password, we can easily give you a new one. Wed rather set your password once a month because you forgot it than have someone find it written down and gain unauthorized access to your account. Make your password difficult for others to guess. This is not as hard as it initially seems. See the section below on chosing a good password. DO NOT Change your password because of mail from someone claiming to be your systems administrator, supposedly needing access to your files!! This is a popular scam in some circles. Remember, your systems administrator never needs your password for any reason. If someone needs to ask you to change your password so that they can gain entry to your account, they do not have reason to be there. We run sophisticated password crackers on the password files of our machines. If we guess your password, you will have to come see a staffer to have it changed. These are the same crackers that the bad guys have access to, so if you have a weak password, its better if we find out about it first. How Not to Choose a Password Here are some of the types of passwords that will be picked up by our crackers: Words in the dictionary. Words in any dictionary. Your user name. Your real name. Your spouses name. Anyones name (crackers dont necessarily know that your aunts middle name is Agnes, but its easy enough to get a list of 100,000 names and try each one). Any word in any cracking dictionary. There are lists of words that crackers use to try to crack passwords: passwords that a lot of people use. Some of these lists include: Abbreviations, Asteroids, Biology, Cartoons, Character Patterns, Machine names, famous names, female names, Bible, male names, Movies, Myths-legends, Number Patterns, Short Phrases, Places, Science Fiction, Shakespeare, Songs, Sports, Surnames Any of the above, with a single character before or after it (8dinner, happy1). Any of the above, capitalized (cat > Cat) Any of the above, reversed (cat > tac), doubled (cat > catcat) or mirrored (cat > cattac). We used to tell people that taking a word and substituting some characters (a 0 (zero) for an o, or a 1 for an l) made a good password. This is no longer the case. New crackers have the capability to crack things like this, in certain situations. Words like foobar, xyzzy and qwerty are still just plain words. They are also popular passwords, and the crack programs look for them. Avoid them. Any of the sample passwords, good or bad, mentioned in this document. How to Choose a Good Password I know that coming up with a good password can be difficult, so here are some guidelines to use. Choose a password that is at least six characters long. This should be long enough to discourage a brute-force attack. Currently, the maximum password length on many Unix systems is eight characters, but if you want to add a few more characters to make it easier to remember, go ahead. Just bear in mind that anything after the eighth character will be ignored (so abnormalbrain is the same as abnormal). In general, a good password will have a mix of lower- and upper-case characters, numbers, and punctuation marks, and should be at least 6 characters long. Unfortunately, passwords like this are often hard to remember and result in people writing them down. Do not write your passwords down! At work, your network people will require you to change your password every several days. At home, you should rotate your passwords as a matter of good computer hygiene. If you are using different passwords for differents websites, you can do yourself a favor by rotating portions your passwords every few weeks. Note that rotating parts of the password, not the entire passwords, will help deter hackers from stealing your phrases. If you can memorize three or more passwords at the same time, then you are in good shape to resist brute force hacker attacks. My conclusion is The graphical password schemes we considered in this study have the property that the space of passwords can be exhaustively searched in short order if an offline search is possible. So, any use of these schemes requires that guesses be mediated and confirmed by a trusted online system. In such scenarios, we believe that our study is the first to quantify factors relevant to the security of user-chosen graphical passwords. I recommendation that every month change one time password for safe. All security things dont let anyone know. Special security question. Because security question is help user find back forget password. character and number mix together is a best password.

Three Different Types of Human Memory Essay example -- Human Mind, Bra

"Memory is the diary we all carry about with us," Oscar Wilde once said. Now for a second imagine a life without any memories! One wouldn't be able to remember his/her name, how to look after themselves or to even recognize their own friends and family. It would be impossible to live happily without ones memories. That is why our memories are such vital points in our lives. They are the building blocks of our current selves. Due to those reasons it is very useful to find as much information regarding it as possible. For that very purpose this research paper has been written. The purpose of this research is to uncover the truth regarding how the human brain stores and retrieve memories. Throughout this research, topics such as definition of memory, types of memory, diseases resulting in difficulties with memory, as well as the most known phenomena dà ©jà  vu which is caused by a certain type of memory process will be discussed. The word memory can be defined in many ways depending on the field that the term memory is used in. To start of, the most commonly used definition for the term memory is the name given to the human’s ability to encode, store, retain and subsequently recall information and past experiences in the brain. It is a sum of what we remember in total and it enables us to learn and adapt from previous experiences and to build relationships. Etymologically, the modern English word memory has originated from the passed down Latin word memoria and memor which means mindful and remembering. In neurological and psychological terms memory is simply classified as a set of encoded neural connections in the brain. Since the development of the computer in the 1940s, the word memory is also used to describe the ability of a compu... ...althcommunities.com/parkinsons-disease/symptoms.shtml Mastin (2010). The Human Memory. Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://www.human-memory.net/types.html Memory of Time May Be Factor in Parkinson's (vol.21). (1996). Retrieved from Columbia University Record website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss22/record2122.15.html University of Toronto (2004, May 7). Scientists Uncover How Brain Retrieves And Stores Older Memories. Science Daily. What makes the human brain unique? (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/WhoAmI/FindOutMore/Yourbrain/Howdoesyourbrainwork/Whatarethepartsofyourbrain/Whatmakesthehumanbrainunique.aspx When deja vu is more than just an odd feeling. (2006, February 13). Retrieved from http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=2c4f7afd-5a3a-4e52-a2fb-bc729692bfb4&k=48785

Comprises the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features Essay

It comprises the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a society and includes, in addition to the arts and letters, the value systems, traditions, modes of life and beliefs of the society. It also absorbs from other cultures and undergoes changes with time, sometimes beneficial, sometimes regressive. When the word â€Å"culture† is mentioned, we can think of many things as â€Å"cultural†, such as language, clothings†¦ etc, because we classify cultures of different places. However, culture is so valuable that it has to be kept for thousands of years,and passed on by one generation to another. Culture is so important that it is more than its distinct visible features, if we extends this to the inner self of a person, to members within a society, further to the whole community, maybe we can find some answers by finding out how they are affected by culture. Culture represents a whole community, to investigate how culture changes one’s inner values, we have to define some common beliefs, just like clothing that has some features that help distinguish its cultural background. People having the same cultural background, in general, are likely to behave in a similar way, because their education and religion background have also cultural elements. It is true that personalities are different for everyone, but culture can affect people to a certain degree because it provides an environment from which they obtain their values, especially for children at young age. For example, chinese are generally considered to be more respectful but the westerners are more open-minded and outspoken, their education style has played an important role, because in Chinese culture children have to learn to be composed and be polite and there is a border line between teachers and students, whereas in western they tend to be active to be appreciated by the teachers. Therefore people from different cultural backgrounds will have a diversity of ways expressing the same intention. Culture is important because it has some values that are automatically fill in a person’s mind through an environment, which changes one’s deeds. Culture also plays an important role to the interactions between members within a community. When the same culture can cause similarities of values, this can bond people with the same culture together because they will feel comfortable and easier because it confirms their values. On the other hand, they may find other cultures odd if they neglect cultural difference. Culture can pull a person closer, or further away to the majority, therefore culture is very important to the communication network in a society as well, maining the relationship among people. Since culture can form invisible bonds between members in the community, this can hold people with the same cultural background together, passing on the values. This propogation of values is can not only transmit culture knowledge and retain the relationship among people, it also builds up a long term tradition after years and years. Culture is strengthened in this way because it can give background and reference to its later generations of its ability of keeping the long-term tradition, gaining the sense of belonging of people to the country of that culture. It is important in terms of the development of a community as a whole, as it forms cultural groups together which help passing culture on from one generation to the next one, maintaining the existence of some traditional values. Culture contains elements that affect one’s inner values other than just external characteristics, which those values play an important role in his whole life. The communications between people are also based on culture to some extent and this forms cultural groups, passing cultural knowledge on, building up a cultural status to a country for years which people with the same cultural background will find them belonging.

Masculinity portrayed in “The Great Gatsby” Essay

Masculinity is a well known stereotype that often defines men as being tough, strong, and having no emotions. In most cases, their work tends to identify their level of masculinity. In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald, and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, the male characters create their identities through their abilities to provide for their families. In these three texts, the males portray their masculinity by their roles as head of the family and their work and wealth. As a tradition in many cultures, the males assume the position as head of the family. In most cases, their family responsibilities and obligations establish their masculinity. Pa was the head of the family now (Steinbeck 139). In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Pa became the leader of the family after Grandpa died. Pa took over Grandpas role in the family and was responsible for the whole family in result. Traditionally, the position of the family leader is passed down to the eldest male. Similar to Pa in The Grapes of Wrath, Tom in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, demonstrated his masculinity as the head of the household after his father had abandoned the family. I mean that as soon as Laura has got somebody to take care of her, married, a home of her own, independent — Why, then youll be free to go wherever you please, on land, on sea, whichever way the wind blows you! (Williams 35). Tom is obligated to support his family, especially his crippled sister Laura, until she finds a husband. Because Tom was the only male in his sister and mothers lives, he had to assume household responsibilities, as most men did for their families. Ultimately, Pa and Tom expose their masculinity by obtaining the duties of being in charge of their families. Customarily, a mans masculinity is defined through his wealth, occupation, or means of work. Throughout society, it is a stereotype that if a man makes a sufficient amount of money and has a job that easily supports himself and or his family, he is masculine. If he has a small, not so important, low earning job, then he is typically considered less masculine. In The Grapes of Wrath, Pa struggles to prove his masculinity. Well what the hell am I gonna do? Were out of money. One of my boys got a short job but that wont  feed us. (Steinbeck 374). Pa gets frustrated because hes helpless when it comes to work. He does not feel like he is supporting his family, therefore he feels like he is masculinity is diminishing. Different from Pa, Tom and Gatsby in The Great Gatsby are able to successfully display their masculinity by the amount of wealth that they have. Tom Buchanans arrogance and pride that he shows toward his wealth seems to prove his masculinity to his mistress Myrtle. They are both hung up on his money and Tom likes to flaunt it. Because Tom is wealthy, Myrtle sees him as the perfect gentleman. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face (Fitzgerald 7). Tom is described as being clearly aware of his power and manliness. Like Tom, Jay Gatsby also has a large fortune. The fact that Mr. Gatsbys money is entirely earned from work, unlike Tom whose money is passed down through the family, also displays masculinity. His gorgeous home and lavish parties provided by his abundant wealth makes the community realize how much he earns, which otherwise depicts his masculinity. Masculinity is identified in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald, and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, through the male characters abilities to support their families, which also touches upon their jobs and wealth. In modern society, while masculinity still seems to be based on a mans ability to provide for his family, the type of job he has, or the money that he earns, it plays a crucial and distinctive role in the way that people view men. Overall, it classifies their level of manliness. Furthermore, men tend to strive to gain these qualities that illustrate masculinity, as it is portrayed in these three novels.

Just Color and Work Essay

Just Color and Work Essay Just: Color and Work Essay DIA â€Å"Scavenger Hunt† Daniel Cronin Section: 1609 October 13, 2013 Sloan: McSorley’s Bar, 1912 John Sloan (1871-1951) Painted in 1912 Subject: My interpretation of what the painting is about is to give the viewer a depiction of the saloongoers; since during this time there was a lot of anti-saloons I think the artist wanted to give people a better depiction of what was happening in these solons, especially in one of the most major solons in New York. Theme: The theme of this painting seems to me to be urban and captures that moment in time or that moment in history. I believe the artist is trying to make us the viewer understand that these bars or solons are negative or bad to society. My belief of that can be seen for the colors this artist has used; Sloan used more realistic colors, the colors are less intense and duller, and feature colors that are darker and generally the same hue. Medium: The medium the artist constructed is oil on canvas. I particularly like his choice because the oil on canvas almost creates a dreamy affect and make me ponder what it would be like to be in that bar at the time or what life was really like during this time. Primary and Secondary Colors: In this painting there really aren’t any primary colors being used, the artist uses more secondary colors then anything else, blacks, brown, tan, and orange. The artist uses duller color rather than more intense colors which amplifies the theme of this painting. Importance of Color: The importance of the secondary colors (duller colors) in this painting is to show the theme and meaning. The artist choice of colors really gives me a better interpretation behind the painting. It allows me to understand that the solons are a drain on life and society, which is my interpretation of the painting. Mood: My interpretation of the mood of this work is sorrow or the lack of life. As you can see in the painting the only people in these solons are men, not children and not women. When you think of women and children you think of joy, happiness and life so as I look at this work I think to my self as if I were these men. I just got off a 12-15 hour shift and rather than go home to a house full of children and a wife that is going to complain I’d rather meet with my friends and co-workers at this bar and talk about how horrible work and life is. To reiterate mostly, depressing, sorrow and lack of life. The Title: The title to me is rather plain but it has some major historical background to it. This is an actual bar in New York where people would meet, drink and discuss daily life. Organization: The overall organization of this piece is great. There is not a lot of disjunction is this piece and you can clearly interpret what is going on in this work. Overall very realistic, something that you would actually picture going into a bar or solon. Assessment: My opinion of this work would be great. I love this piece is general not just because I’m a history nut but because it clearly represent life during this time using colors, depicting the mood, the great linear line of subject and a great understanding of the theme. I would say that this is one of the more successful pieces that I have examined. Ruisdael: The Jewish Cemetery, 1655-60 Jacob van Ruisdael (1629-1682) Painted from 1655-1660 Subject: The subject of this piece is landscape. My interpretation of Jon Van Ruisdael The Jewish Cemetery is that he wants you to focus on the entire piece and to really analyze the details of this realistic work of art. Theme: The theme of this work to me is to evoke emotion, specifically through death and you can see this through the use of nature in this panting. There is a lot of symbolism in this canvas; portrayed through death and destruction and then contrasted with a rainbow, symbolizing nature's ability to grow and regenerate. Medium: The medium in this painting is oil and canvas this to me really helps portray the

Questions Labor Relations Essay Example

Questions Labor Relations Essay Example Questions Labor Relations Paper Questions Labor Relations Paper However, it is not absolutely necessary for teachers to be unionized to ensure that they have their labor protection and financial needs met. Emerson) When unions completely vanish, Americans lose their right to bargain collectively for their pay and benefits. Even those who have never bargained collectively will feel some loss. Union workers usually maintain a 20% wage advantage over nonunion workers. From 1979 through 2006 the union density collapsed and real wages for managerial employees rose by 4%, whereas before the collapse during its peak, real wages rose by 75%. Workplace dissatisfaction does not occur as much as alienation. Union members tend to segregate themselves from nonunion members. This operation seems to OCCUr to allow union members to protect themselves and their union rights; where they find strength in their one-for-all and all- for-one stance. 2. List and discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages in using seniority as a factor to determine shift preference or overtime assignments. Personnel based off of seniority allows for one to look at the longevity of the worker and their knowledge of how the system works. If an employee has been with a corporation/industry for several years, they know the ropes of not only their job potentially, but the job of their manager and other nifty title tricks that can be useful when promoting or moving an employee up the ranks. A new employee, though they are vigorous and very hard working in their duties, need to be established and have already been invested in with training with their current job. To fill the job once again after recently employing the current positions is expensive for HER. Since seniority based personnel has more knowledge of the company and a greater long-term investment, it is more likely when there is an economic downturn to layoff new workers rather than those that have been with a company over an extended period of time. This is an advantage when factoring the determination of shift preference or overtime assignments since there is loyalty from the employee and it would be best to satisfy those that managers feel that they can count on. Small Business) The downside of using seniority of the workplace to determine shift/overtime scheduling is that some workers that are unionized tend to be less proactive on assignments and may take twice the time to finish a project than a younger individual who has a better work ethic. On a personal note, I am fairly new at my current job. I have been here for only 5 weeks, whereas some employees have been working at the retail outlet for 3-5 months. Have been promoted more quickly through the ranks due to my work ethic and now am an assistant manager for the outlet store. Because of my bill ¶y to work hard, can request time off or particular schedule changes when needed for medical appointments or as I am tying to schedule my wedding. Also, anyone beneath the ranks of assistant manager are not allowed to work over 39 hours, whereas managers are eligible for overtime work compensation pay. 3. Identify two different steps a company should take to prepare for its first round of bargaining with the union pre-negotiation activities. Explain why each of the steps you have identified is critical to achieving an initial successful collective bargaining agreement with the union. Both parties should bargain in good faith in the collective bargaining process; meaning that there is a mutual obligation and understanding that both parties must participate actively to come to an agreement. It is important determine the category of bargaining: mandatory, permissive, or illegal. Mandatory category includes wages, health safety, management risk, work conditions, and benefits; permissive category is non- required requests but are brought up during the bargaining process; illegal category is topics that are obviously not allowed to be discussed. Aids) After both parties are prepared to present their side of the bargain, negotiation teams are set up and consist of individuals with the knowledge of the organization and must have the skills to be an effective negotiator. The most important part of the preparation step is the understanding in both parties of he working conditions and the dissatisfaction with of working conditions. The management teams should also prepare and anticipate union demands to better prepare for compromises. Aids) After both sides have prepared and set up a time, the novo parties present their proposals to each other. In this step, it will likely involved an opening statement and options on how to resolve the current issues that will be presented. The most important part of this step is to approach the proposal with a lets make it work attitude. After the initial discussion, each party goes back to the drawing board to determine which request can and cant be honored. (Aids) 4. Identify and explain the major ways in which the government is an important participant in the labor relations.

Knowledge Encyclopedia - DK and Smithsonian Institution

Knowledge Encyclopedia - DK and Smithsonian Institution Summary Knowledge Encyclopedia is a large (10† X 12† and 360 pages) book from DK Publishing that benefits from big, colorful computer generated images, including 3D images. The book, developed with the Smithsonian Institution, provides detailed information for each of its many illustrations.   While the publisher recommends the book for ages 8 to 15, I think younger children and adults will also find the book full of fascinating illustrations and facts and I recommend it for age 6 to adults. The Illustrations The emphasis throughout Knowledge Encyclopedia is on visual learning.   Beautifully constructed and detailed illustrations are used to present information and the text is used to fully explain the visual images. The illustrations include photographs, maps, tables and charts, but it is the computer generated images of animals, the human body, planets, habitats and much more that make this book spectacular.   The illustrations are fascinating, making the reader anxious to read all the text in order to learn more. The Organization of the Book Knowledge Encyclopedia is divided into six major categories: Space, Earth, Nature, Human Body, Science and History. Each of these categories has a number of sections: Space The 27-page long Space category has two sections: The Universe and Space Exploration. Some of the topics covered include: The Big Bang, galaxies, the sun, solar system, astronomy, space mission to the moon and exploring the planets. Earth The Earth category has six sections: Planet Earth, Tectonic Earth, Earth’s Resources, Weather, Shaping the Land and Earth’s Oceans.   Some of the topics covered in the 33-page section include: the Earth’s climate, volcanoes and earthquakes, rocks and minerals, hurricanes, the water cycle, caves, glaciers and the ocean floor. Nature The Nature category has five sections: How Life Began, The Living World, Invertebrates, Vertebrates and Survival Secrets.   Among the topics covered in the 59 pages are dinosaurs, how fossils form, plant life, green energy, insects, the life cycle of the butterfly. fish, amphibians, Frog life cycle, reptiles, the crocodile, how birds fly, mammals and the African elephant.   Ã‚   Human Body The 49-page Human Body category includes four sections: Body Basics, Fueling the Body, In Control and Life Cycle. Some of the topics covered include: the skeleton, how food moves from the mouth to the stomach, blood, air supply, the nervous system, brainpower, the sense, life in the womb, genes and DNA. Science There are four sections in the Science category, which is 55 pages long. Matter, Forces, Energy and Electronics include 24 different topics. Among them are atoms and molecules, the elements, laws of motion, gravity, flight, light, sound, electricity, the digital world and robotics. History The four sections of the History category are The Ancient World, The Medieval World, The Age of Discovery, and The Modern World. The 36 topics covered in the History categorys 79 pages include: the first humans, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, The Roman Empire, Viking raiders, religious wars and faiths, the Ottoman Empire, The Silk Road, voyage to the Americas, the Renaissance, Imperial China, the slave trade, The Enlightenment, wars of the 18th-21st Century, The Cold War and the 1960s.   Ã‚   Additional Resources Additional resources include a reference section, a glossary and an index. There is a wealth of information in the reference section, which is 17-pages long. Included are sky maps of the night sky, a map of the world, with information about time zones, continent size and continental populations; flags of countries around the world, an evolutionary tree of life; entertaining charts and statistics on remarkable animals and their feats and a variety of conversion tables, plus wonders, events and people throughout history. My Recommendation While I recommend Knowledge Encyclopedia for a wide range of ages (6 to adult), I also especially recommend it for reluctant readers, kids who love to collect facts and kids who are visual learners. It’s not a book you’ll want to read straight through. It’s a book you and your kids will want to dip into again and again, sometimes in search of specific information, sometimes to see what you can find that looks interesting. (DK Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 9781465414175) More Recommended Nonfiction Books The Scientists in the Field series is excellent. The books include: Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot, Digging for Bird Dinosaurs, The Snake Scientist and The Wildlife Detective.   I recommend the series for ages 9 to 14, although I have also found that some younger kids who favor nonfiction enjoy the books as read alouds. I recommend the following nonfiction books for kids with an interest in weather and natural disasters: Inside Tornadoes, Inside Hurricanes and Tsunamis: Witness to Disaster.   For more nonfiction resources, see my directories Tornadoes: Recommended Nonfiction Kids’ Books and Tsunamis: Nonfiction Kids’ Books.

Same sex marriage shoul be allowed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Same sex marriage shoul be allowed - Essay Example There are no parts in the article that are vague or ambiguous. The writer clearly states her opinion and anchors it by using examples and evidence given by the Supreme Court, regional courts and rulings in specific states, as well as writings from the US Constitution. The source is most credible since it gives abundant proof and evidence regarding previous trials and rulings regarding to same-sex marriages and unions, as well as ones of opposite-sex marriages and conception of children, and the state of children it opposite-sex marriages as proof that they are not necessarily happy or even safe in that type of family. The article doesnt use any rhetorical devices. It is written to the point, in an interesting and fluent way. It is also very straightforward and relevant, presenting the reader with all necessary facts and opinions. The fallacies mentioned by the author are those of those who oppose same-sex marriage. She states that marriage and sex between gay people were once very prevalent and acceptable, and it wasnt until the Jewish Torah that they were banned. She also states that it is incorrect to suggest that children will not grow to be happy, healthy and safe in homes with same-sex parents, and illustrated that a staggering percentage of children who are not well taken care of come from opposite-sex homes when both parents are present (not a single parent family). Furthermore, she protests the right of religion to interfere with the institution of marriage, which is a civil right and matter. One argument made by the writer is that marriage is a civil and most basic right which should be given to anyone who so pleases. It is a declaration of a couple who wants to be together, spend their lives together in a close and intimate relationship. Seeing as how it is a basic human right, there shouldnt be a ban on it for a segment of the society. It even predates the constitution of the US as a basic right for all

Diversity Management as a Tool For Eliminating Discrimination Literature review

Diversity Management as a Tool For Eliminating Discrimination - Literature review Example This paper shows that what are the positive points of diversity management and how diversity management enhances the performance of the individuals as well as the organization. It will develop the skills which are essential to managing a workforce team. In this article, we will study how a diversified work team enhances the productivity of an organization and how we can mitigate the hazards of diversity.  Organizations are formed with a major aim to earn profits but to earn profits, dedication and hard work is required, apart from compelling the employees to do the work. Management or the managers are supposed to manage their employees and their work in a professional manner which is ethical and appreciable as well. Proper management will ultimately increase the performance and motivate the employees because according to Steven Kopin self-motivated employees are more productive and dedicated rather than the unmotivated ones. The most important human activity is managing. Ever since people began forming groups to accomplish aims they could not achieve as individuals, managing has been essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts. As society has come to rely increasingly on group effort, and as many organized groups have become large, the task of managers has been rising in importance. The aim of all managers is the same: "to create a surplus". Management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected items. Management is essential for any organization for creating its value in the long run. Managers are charged with the responsibility of taking actions that will enable individuals to make their best contribution to groups' objectives. Management thus applies to small and large organizations, to profit and for a not-for-profit enterprise to manufacture as well as service industries. The term enterprise refers to a business, government agency, hospital, un iversity, and any other type of organization.

IKEA Growth and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

IKEA Growth and Sustainability - Essay Example He opened the chain’s first store in Almhult, Sweden in 1953. Located in the Smaland region, one of the poorest regions in the country where the young Kamprad developed his characteristic Spartan work ethic and austere management style typical of the province. The company is intimately infused with the personality of Kamprad; the very name is derived from the initials of his name (I and K), and the first letter of the farm Elmtaryd and the village Agunnaryd where Kamprad was raised (IKEA website, 2011). Ikea’s products are characterised by self-assembly, which means that the customer purchases the product components with instruction on how it is to be assembled. The broken-down product is sold in flat packs that save on space and are easy to transport in the customer’s van or car, without the need for delivery service. The core strategy of the company is the creation of furniture of high value in terms of workmanship and aesthetics, at the lowest possible cost to the customer. Its overriding philosophy remains unchanged from Kamprad’s initial vision, that people of all walks of life are entitled to affordable and beautiful furniture. The company constantly explores emerging efficiencies in its value chain, allowing it to realize an average 2-3% reduction in its prices for each year over the last 10 years (Thomas White Global Investing, 2011). The company’s growth from the time it was established has been consistent and steady. Annual turnover has risen from the equivalent of about 1 million euro in 1954 to 13.6 billion in 2004 (see diagram below). Even through the recent economic recession from 2007 to the present, the group’s sales turnover improved from 17.7 billion euros in 2006 to 23.8 billion euros in 2010, with a yearly positive increment. Visitors to Ikea stores through the years have increased from a mere 50,000 in 1954 to 401 million in 2004, to a recent 699 million in 2010, again with constant positive year-on-year growth. The growth in visitors is driven by a continuous growth in the number of Ikea stores worldwide. In 1954 there was the lone Ikea store opened by Kamprad, and by 2004 the total stores numbered 201. Ikea store continued opening while others were closing, from 237 in 2006 to 316 in 2010 (Ikea Website, 2011). Ikea turnover history. (Source: Boscor & Bratucu, 2009:55) Concerning its s ustainability, Ikea has adopted several initiatives which promise to enhance the company’s operations to a level of minimal waste and maximum productivity. According to green design advocate Inhabitat (2011), Ikea has committed to use 100% renewable energy, banned the sale of incandescent bulbs, and promises to use only sustainable cotton. The company has also been reported to install charging stations for electric vehicles at its US stores, and in Sweden it has built a company-owned wind farm to power 17 of its stores. Undoubtedly, the company’s growth and sustainability are synergistically intertwined, such that one cannot prosper without the other. This study shall thus analyse the drivers of growth and sustainability of the Ikea Group using Bolman and Deal’

The gender is a key variable in international relations Essay

The gender is a key variable in international relations - Essay Example In this essay, I have discussed gender relations from various perspectives to highlight its position within international relations. The answer to whether gender remains a key variable in international relations studies seems to be contentious. Various issues are discussed here including the interrelations between gender and politics, gender and social norms and gender and industrial changes. Trade, political agenda, and social policies are shaped and controlled not just by a non-gendered approach to international relations but also by including factors of race and gender in developing these approaches. The analysis definitely points to a single all-important factor in the study of gender in international relations, namely the influence of feminism. Feminist and women’s movements have developed in parallel with changes in the study of international relations and have transformed the way social rules and political changes are defined or analyzed. Several aspects of the feminist approach are discussed here including health, scientific management, political inclusion, incarceration, workplace equality, trade relations and women’s human rights. The studies suggest that gender issues have awareness of the discriminatory practice at the workplace, in the classroom, in political scenarios, social meetings and in the wide international contexts. Gender issues have permeated all aspects of society and are subsequently the main variables that define wide social transformations along with race and class. Considering the range of issues that seem to be affected by gender considerations and the tremendous influence of feminism in highlighting a gendered view of social systems, the acknowledged masculinities in social realms seem to have been replaced by a greater realization for women’s rights and gender equality patterns in all aspects of international relations.

Assignment 8 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

8 - Assignment Example It is a practice that helps organizations achieve their desires for products and services in a manner that realizes the value for their capital on the entire foundation in terms of creating remunerations to the organization, society and the economy at large while minimizing damage to the surroundings. It helps in creating markets for proper expertise and revolutionary solution. Sustainable procurement tries to attain the suitable balance between the three main components of development which includes ecological, communal and commercial factors (Abrams 45). A good number of businesses are turning to social responsibility by linking the similarities among the products and the services they offer and the problems that are occurring every day in their societies. For example, organizations providing health services may crop up with methods of offering medical support to the individuals who undercover with life assurance amenities. United Health Group is one of the key groups in the health assurance sector and services dominion operating to advance the spread of its influence by working hard to improve access to the medical concern for unmerited group of people, senior and low-income families and individuals (Thompson et al., 100-107 ). It is enthusiastically working together with stakeholders, supply agents, clients, non-governmental organizations and government agencies in an effort to unearth ways to today’s vast healthcare scheme crisis. The organization is also concerned with sharing its quantifiable facts with healthcare provid ers to assist in the improvement of the quality of supply chain so as to make sure Dell’s Guiding Principles and Procedures concerning social responsibility are in place (Amato, Sybil Henderson, and Sue 20). The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2009 published its guiding principles for social responsibility (Amato, Sybil Henderson, and Sue 34-45). They are of one’s free will to use and do not include

A short review of Nancy Folbre, Valuing Domestic Product New York Term Paper

A short review of Nancy Folbre, Valuing Domestic Product New York Times, May 28, 2012 - Term Paper Example One of its major points is the significant economic effects of domestic work to the economy. This is because the unpaid domestic workers offers a supplementary role to the employed member of households, roles that would have been paid for if they were for example taken over by a house help. The article illustrates this with the example of marrying a paid worker thereby ceasing to pay. This will reduce the gross domestic product while a divorce in the arrangement to effect payments for the services would increase the gross domestic product. This identifies the significance of unpaid domestic work to the gross domestic product (Folbre, 2012). Another identified issue in the article is the undervaluation of the value of unpaid domestic works. One of the reasons for the underestimation of the unpaid domestic work is its equivalent rating with average rate for commercial household workers. The difference in family based skills, and probably self-interest in the unpaid domestic work, howev er illustrates a higher value for the unpaid work. As a result, published estimates are less than the actual value of unpaid domestic work. ... Similarly, those who still dedicate to it have a reduced invested time in the work. The reason for such reduced time is the technological developments that provide time efficiencies and cheaper substitutes. These have also led to loss of significance of unpaid domestic work (Folbre, 2012). The article also explains the role of homemakers, as unpaid domestic workers, as social and economic equalizers. This is because their shift from the domestic chores into paid works leads to a significant difference across households a factor because of the less volatility in the value of domestic chores as compared to employment opportunities (Folbre, 2012). Why full time homemakers are income equalizers Full time homemakers are income equalizers because the value of domestic roles and domestically generated products are less volatile that the value in employment opportunities and market products. This means that the homemakers generate almost equal utility levels to harmonize the differences from the breadwinners’ market income. The transition from full time homemakers to the employment market however increases wage rate inequality. Similarly, the shift from a full time homemaker into an employee means that market products whose values are highly volatile substitute the almost uniformly valued domestically produced products. The volatility factor that is less significant in domestic roles than in the market therefore explains the role of full time homemakers as income equalizers (Folbre, 2012). Unpaid household work in Canada The value of unpaid household work in Canada is estimated to fall within the range of between 35 percent and 55 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (Perelman, 2011).

Assignment 8 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

8 - Assignment Example It is a practice that helps organizations achieve their desires for products and services in a manner that realizes the value for their capital on the entire foundation in terms of creating remunerations to the organization, society and the economy at large while minimizing damage to the surroundings. It helps in creating markets for proper expertise and revolutionary solution. Sustainable procurement tries to attain the suitable balance between the three main components of development which includes ecological, communal and commercial factors (Abrams 45). A good number of businesses are turning to social responsibility by linking the similarities among the products and the services they offer and the problems that are occurring every day in their societies. For example, organizations providing health services may crop up with methods of offering medical support to the individuals who undercover with life assurance amenities. United Health Group is one of the key groups in the health assurance sector and services dominion operating to advance the spread of its influence by working hard to improve access to the medical concern for unmerited group of people, senior and low-income families and individuals (Thompson et al., 100-107 ). It is enthusiastically working together with stakeholders, supply agents, clients, non-governmental organizations and government agencies in an effort to unearth ways to today’s vast healthcare scheme crisis. The organization is also concerned with sharing its quantifiable facts with healthcare provid ers to assist in the improvement of the quality of supply chain so as to make sure Dell’s Guiding Principles and Procedures concerning social responsibility are in place (Amato, Sybil Henderson, and Sue 20). The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2009 published its guiding principles for social responsibility (Amato, Sybil Henderson, and Sue 34-45). They are of one’s free will to use and do not include

Decentralisation Advantages and Limitations of Decentralization Essay Example for Free

Decentralisation Advantages and Limitations of Decentralization Essay Decentralisation of authority is another concept closely related to centralisation. The delegation of authority by an individual manager is closely related to organization’s Decentralisation of authority. Decentralisation of authority means conscious/systematic effort to bring dispersal (spreading) of decision making power to the lower levels of the Organisation. In decentralisation, only broad powers will be reserved at the top level. Such powers include power to plan, organise, direct and control and maximum powers will delegated to the authority at the lower level. Decentralisation is just opposite to centralisation. Under centralisation, authority is mostly concentrated at the top level management. Centralisation and decentralisation are mutually dependent. In a large Organisation, the process of centralisation and decentralisation co-exist and reinforce each other. Decentralisation is a natural development when the Organisation grows large and complex. Here, centralisation of management is neither possible nor desirable. The only practical solution is to divide the Organisation into decision-making units and giving the powers to take routine types of decisions in regard to the functioning of those units. This is decentralisation in practice. In decentralisation, systematic efforts are being made to delegate to the lowest levels all authority except that which can only be exercised at the central points. Decentralisation is delegation not from one individual to another but delegation to all units in an Organisation. A company is said to be highly decentralized, when the delegation is company-wide in all functions and divisions of the company and also for a wide range of authorities and responsibilities. Decentralisation is different from centralisation as in centralisation, the decision making power is in the hands of one person only. We observe such centralisation in sole trading concerns. It is also noted that centralisation is one feature of traditional management in India while decentralisation is a normal practice under professional management. Definitions of Decentralisation According to Henry Fayol, Everything that goes to increase the importance of the subordinate’s role is decentralisation, everything that goes to reduce it is centralisation. According to Louis Allen, decentralisation refers to the systematic effort to delegate to the lowest levels all authority except that which can only be exercised at central point. This definition makes it clear that even in decentralisation, delegation to the lowest levels is not complete as the basic functions in the management process are centralized. Advantages / Importance of Decentralization 1. Decentralisation helps to improve the quality of decisions/decision-making at the top level management : Decentralisation of authority among other executives at all levels in the Organisation relieves the top executive of the excessive burden saving his valuable time, which he can devote to more important and long-term problems. This is bound to improve the quality of his decisions regarding such problems. 2. Decentralisation facilitates diversification of activities : It is a matter of common experience that an Organisation with departmentation on the basis of products facilitates diversification of products or market even when the authority is centralized. Decentralisation takes this process a step further. Managers of semi-autonomous product divisions are able to utilise their skills and experienced judgment. This has a bearing on their products and the market. The enterprise also attains maximum possible growth. Decentralisation is beneficial when new product lines or new activities are introduced in an Organisation. Such policy creates self sufficient units under overall co-ordination of top level management. 3. Decentralisation encourages development of managerial personnel : Most companies find lack of managerial talent as a limiting factor in their growth. A company cannot expand effectively beyond the scope and abilities of its managerial personnel. Capable managers, however, can be developed only by giving managerial jobs to suitable persons and delegating them the authority to make important decisions. Such wide exposure gives them opportunity to grow and to have self development for higher positions. The more talented and capable persons will learn and improve and qualify themselves for higher managerial positions. Only a decentralized Organisation can offer such opportunities to future managers without involving additional expenditure. A decentralized Organisation also allows its managers adequate freedom to try new ideas, methods or techniques. In brief, decentralisation creates a team of competent managers at the disposal of the company. 4. Decentralisation improves motivation : Research conducted by social scientists has proved that the Organisation structure itself exercises some influence on the motivation of the people working within it. An Organisation structure which facilitates delegation, communication and participation also provides greater motivation to its managers for higher productivity. Decentralized Organisation structure is most favorable for raising the morale and motivation of subordinates which is visible through better work performance. 5. Decentralisation makes decision-making quicker and better : Since decisions do not have to be referred up through the hierarchy, quicker and better decisions at lower levels can be taken. Divisional heads are motivated to make such decisions that will create the maximum profit because they are held responsible for the effect of their decisions on profits. Thus decentralisation facilitates quick and result-oriented decisions by concerned persons. 6. Decentralisation provides opportunity to learn by doing : Decentralisation provides a positive climate where there is freedom to make decisions, freedom to use judgment and freedom to act. It gives practical training to middle level managers and facilitates management development at the enterprise level. Limitations of Decentralization 1. Decentralisation may lead to the problem of co-ordination at the level of an enterprise as the decision-making authority is not concentrated. 2. Decentralisation may lead to inconsistencies (i.e. absence of uniformity) at the Organisation level. For example, uniform policies or procedures may not be followed for the same type of work in different divisions. 3. Decentralisation is costly as it raises administrative expenses on account of requirement of trained personnel to accept authority at lower levels. Even the services of such highly paid manpower may not be utilised fully, particularly in small organisations. 4. Introduction of decentralisation may be difficult or may not be practicable in small concerns where product lines are not broad enough for the creation of autonomous units for administrative purposes. 5. Decentralisation creates special problems particularly when the enterprise is facing number of uncertainties or emergency situations. The decision-making process gets delayed and even correct decisions as per the changing situations may not be possible. Decentralization Is Not An Unmixed Blessing The advantages of decentralisation are more significant as compared to its limitations. The limitations suggest possible problems relating to decentralisation. Efforts should be made to solve these problems. It is certainly not desirable to have centralisation (in place of decentralisation) only because of certain limitations. However, to what extent the organisation should be decentralized is a delicate issue. Here, certain factors such as size of the organisation and the abilities of lower level managers need careful consideration.

Do Different Detergents Effect Plant Growth?

Do Different Detergents Effect Plant Growth? Somehow, though all life on earth has been created to be equally beautiful and unique in its own way, the plant kingdom is something that always has the most astounding of wonders, flowers that are synonymous with beauty, fields that personify heavenly scenery and gigantic trees that are only a minute reminder of natures infinite power, are just the beginning of a long list of the incredible sights that the green kingdom beholds. But as everything else in the world of today, these greeneries are also strongly hit by the one common and dramatically disastrous problem: POLLUTION! The contamination of the Air, the effluence of toxic waste in precious river and lake waters and toxic wastelands of precious soil deposits play pivotal roles in the degradation of these beautiful stores of life. Water pollution, however, is the hardest hitting of the lot, with effects ranging over a large span. The effects of water pollution are far-reaching and affect not only the environment, but human beings and animals as well. Water pollution affects our oceans, lakes, rivers, and drinking water, making it a widespread and global concern. Numerous diseases, health problems, and even fatalities have been associated with water pollution. Water is considered polluted when chemicals, pathogens, or contaminants are detected. Human beings have the most crucial impact on our water resources. They also have the ability to control or eliminate water pollution. Causes of Water Pollution Farmers often use chemicals to hinder bug infestations or other diseases from damaging or ruining their crops. They may also use chemicals to enhance the growth of their crops. Either way, these chemicals seep into the ground water or run off into lakes, creeks, or rivers, causing water pollution. Farmland that is irrigated and treated with chemicals in the form of fertilizers or pesticides is a major contributor to water pollution. Industrial processes produce toxic waste containing heavy metals. When heavy metals filter into water, they are fatal to marine life. Shellfish and fresh fish are staple menu items for people around the world. Humans are affected by the heavy metals ingested by the fish and shellfish, causing health problems and sometimes death. The heavy metals in water have also been linked to severe birth defects, a damaged or suppressed immune system, cancer, fertility problems, and developmental problems in children. The construction industry is the major fault for contaminating our water resources with cement, lubricants, plastics and metals. Rivers and lakes are also polluted from heavy silt or sediment run-off from construction sites. Ground water pollution occurs when chemicals, debris, garbage, oil or other harmful contaminants enter the ground water supply over time. Ground water is often a resource for our drinking water. If it isnt treated properly, those harmful elements can cause serious health issues for human beings and domestic animals. Natural catastrophes are the cause of water pollution effects as well. Major upheavals such as storms, earthquakes, acid rain, floods, and volcano eruptions have been known to disrupt the ecological system and pollute water. The growth of algae due to food items, feces, or urea in the water source is also a source of water pollution. When algae grow in water, it uses up more than its fair share of oxygen, causing other living organisms in the body of water to suffer. Certain types of algae can be fatal if they reach an algal bloom stage, otherwise known as brown or red tides. The process of contamination begins with tiny organisms called zooplankton and travels up the food chain through clams, birds, marine creatures, and ultimately, humans. These types of algae are considered toxic because they have been known to cause fatalities in humans. Even overgrowths of non-toxic types of algae can effectively block the sunlight from penetrating the waters surface, which makes it difficult fo r marine life to find food, causing eventual death. Littering on the land or on the water is a source of water pollution. Debris tossed onto land eventually makes its way into storm drains and then returns to surface water. Ships and boats discharging human waste or chemicals into the water directly are simply speeding up the pollution process. Industrial accidents that dump chemicals into the water kill marine life swiftly and within a short period of time. As the fish and plant life decompose, further water pollution occurs. Even sunken ships are a contributor to water pollution. As the ship corrodes and decays over time, those pieces of debris or chemicals are released into the ocean or freshwater lake. Once again, marine life is affected, which means humans who eat those fish or shellfish can be adversely harmed as well. Major Effects of Water Pollution The effects of water pollution are far-reaching and affect not only the environment, but human beings and animals as well. Water pollution affects our oceans, lakes, rivers, and drinking water, making it a widespread and global concern. Numerous diseases, health problems, and even fatalities have been associated with water pollution. Water is considered polluted when chemicals, pathogens, or contaminants are detected. Human beings have the most crucial impact on our water resources. They also have the ability to control or eliminate water pollution. The effects of water pollution are numerous. Some water pollution effects are recognized immediately, whereas others dont show up for months or years. Additional effects of water pollution include:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The food chain is damaged. When toxins are in the water, the toxins travel from the water the animals drink to humans when the animals meat is eaten.  · Diseases can spread via polluted water. Infectious diseases such as typhoid and cholera can be contracted from drinking contaminated water. This is called microbial water pollution. The human heart and kidneys can be adversely affected if polluted water is consumed regularly. Other health problems associated with polluted water are poor blood circulation, skin lesions, vomiting, and damage to the nervous system. In fact, the effects of water pollution are said to be the leading cause of death for humans across the globe.  · Acid rain contains sulfate particles, which can harm fish or plant life in lakes and rivers.  · Pollutants in the water will alter the overall chemistry of the water, causing changes in acidity, temperature and conductivity. These factors all have an effect on the marine life.  · Marine food sources are contaminated or eliminated by water pollution.  · Altered water temperatures (due to human actions) can kill the marine life and affect the delicate ecological balance in bodies of water, especially lakes and rivers. Our main aim is to reproduce our polluted environment by scaling it down to using instruments which are practical and feasible enough to use in any laboratory. Explanation of Research Question Do different concentrations of different detergent affect the growth of root and shoot in Vigna Radiata (Mung bean)? This question mainly addresses the topic of stunted growth of plants. Different detergents contain various powerful surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate. These detergents characteristically aggregate lipids and denature proteins. When detergents are absorbed by a plant, the detergents can cause cell membranes to collapse and membranes to function improperly. This can cause part or all of a plant to die. Depending on the various concentrations of these pollutants, the plant shows different levels of growth, ascending from the least growth in the most concentrated of solutions (0.5%) to the highest in pure distilled water. Our main aim, under this research question, is to find out the trends in growth affection of plants that are subjected to these detergents. Materials and Methods Materials Required Surf Excel Tide washing powder Test tubes Beakers Petri dishes Mung bean Cotton Dropper Capillary tubes Distilled water Detergents detergent cartoons, detergent cartoon, detergent picture, detergent pictures, detergent image, detergent images, detergent illustration, detergent illustrations Detergents have only been around for about 85 years, even though soaps have been around for about 3,000 years. Detergents were first produced in Germany about the beginning of World War I. Plants are one of four families in scientific classification. They differ from animals in that they have chlorophyll and cell walls in their cells. Detergent is defined as a cleansing substance that acts similarly to soap but is made from chemical compounds rather than fats and lye. By the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Modern detergents contain a chemical called a surfactant, which, defined by Word Net 1.6 is A substance capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved. This allows the detergent to spread further, penetrate better and clean much more efficiently. With the addition of builders, which make the surfactants work much better. Detergents are used mainly for four different things: personal cleansing, laundry, dish washing and house cleaning. Detergent Popularity Detergents are far from being as old as soap, but today they are the best selling method of washing clothes and dishes. Detergent popularity has grown exponentially since around 1950. In between 1940 and 1972 the sales of detergents went from about 4,500 tons per year to around 4,448,000 tons per year. Detergents, as was stated, were first seen around the beginning of W.W.I. The exact year is 1916. They were first used Because of the war related shortage of fats. It was sold under the general name Nekal. The discovery of detergents was in part because the people where looking for a cleaning substance, that, unlike soaps, would not mix with the minerals in water to make a wax like residue called soap curd. They were not as high quality detergents as we have now, and were used mostly as wetting agents in textile work. The quality didnt change much in the 20s and 30s, with only minor enhancements. The sales for detergents really skyrocketed around the beginning of W.W.II, with a shortage of fats and oils needed to produce soap. The military badly needed a cleaning agent that wouldnt mix with the mineral rich waters to make soap curd. The breakthrough came at the end of the war in 1946. Up to then detergents were used for hand dish washing and washing sensitive clothing. The first all- purpose laundry detergent had surfactants and builders. The builders greatly improved the efficiency of the surfactants. By the end of 1950, soaps had almost been forgotten as a way to wash clothes and dishes, but were still used at the same time as detergents. Through the years, detergents have changed a lot. In the 50s detergents were used in dishwashers and for the laundry. They were adapted to be bleaches. Fabric softeners were also developed. In the 70s they manufactured liquid hand soap. In the 80s they made liquid dishwasher detergent, detergents for colder water washing and concentrated detergents. In the 90s they manufactured super-concentrated detergents and dishwasher gels. Detergents used: To counterfeit the pollution of natural water environments, we will use two different detergents, both of which use surfactant molecules, these have two parts. One is water loving and the other is water hating. The water-loving (hydrophilic) part breaks the surface tension of water. The water-hating (hydrophobic) part is attracted to oil and grease in soils, loosening and removing them from fabrics. Detergents usually contain more than one type of surfactant to address the needs of removing certain types of soils and cleaning different types of fabrics. The Mung bean is the name of the seed of Vigna radiata, an ovoid, greenish brown dicot which is native to parts of Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. The mung bean is one of many species recently moved from the genus Phaseolus to Vigna and is still often seen cited as Phaseolus aureus or Phaseolus adiates. These variations of nomenclature have been used regarding the same plant species. Plant Taxonomy Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Vigna Species: V. radiata History of Plant Originally from Asia, the Chinese have been growing mung bean sprouts (Nga choy or Nga choi) for approximately 3,000 years. Farmers grow them often with little machinery. After harvest they are left to dry on gravel roads. So the dust and dirt on your mung beans that you buy from the store is actually from a road in China. Today China and India are the main producers of mung beans; it is also grown in Australia. The mung is also popular in the Philippines where they call it Munggo. Climate and Soil Mung beans are mainly cultivated in China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Burma, Bangladesh and India, but also in hot and dry regions of South Europe and Southern USA. In India and Bangladesh, they are grown during two seasons. One is the Rabi season (starting November), and the other is the Kharif season (starting June). Mung beans are tropical (or sub-tropical) crops, and require warm temperatures (optimally round 30-35 °C). Loamy soil is best for pusap cultivation. Nutritional Values Mung beans are a good source of Vitamins A, B, C E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and amino acids. Mung beans contain 20% protein and are a good source of foliate and dietary fibre. Variables: Control Amount of sunlight received by seeds Levels of Oxygen and Carbon di-oxide supplied to seeds Species of viable seeds Temperature Amount of Solution use Independent The concentration of detergents in solution (0.1% to 0.5%) Dependent The length of the shoot in Vigna radiata (in cms) The length of the root in Vigna radiata (in cms) Procedure: Cover the base of 11 different petri dishes with cotton (10 + 1 control) Mark the petri dishes according to the percentage concentration of detergent in each (From 0.1% -0.5%) Separate the petri dishes according to the detergent used, 5 with Surf Excel, 5 with Tide powder and one control dish with distilled water. Place an equal number of Vigna Radiata seeds in each petri dish (10) Ensure equal amounts of sunlight and carbon di-oxide levels to each petri dish. Tend to the seeds for 10 days and calculate root and shoot growth of seeds in all concentrations at the end of that period.

Tunnels used in War Zones :: essays research papers

Tunnels The first characteristic of a tunnel complex is normally superb camouflage. Entrances and exits are concealed, bunkers are camouflaged and even inside the tunnel itself, side tunnels are concealed, hidden trapdoors, and dead-ends where used to confuse the attacker. Trapdoors were used extensively, both at entrances and exits and inside the tunnel complex itself. There where several different types of trapdoors, concrete covered by dirt, hard packed dirt reinforced by wire, or a basin type consisting of a frame filled with dirt. This latter type was particularly difficult to locate in that probing would not reveal the presence of the trapdoor unless the outer frame was actually struck by the probe. Trapdoors covering entrances were generally 100 meters apart. Booby traps were used both inside and outside entrance and exit trapdoors. Tunnels found in the War Zones were generally better constructed than those found in other areas. In some cases these complexes were multileveled, with storage and hiding rooms generally found on the lower levels. Entrance was often gained through concealed trapdoors and secondary tunnels. In the deeper complexes, foxholes were dug at intervals to provide water drainage. These were sometimes booby-trapped as well as containing punji-stakes for the unwary attacker. Average tunnel size was 2-feet wide and 2.5 to 3-feet high. They also used air or water locks that acted as firewalls, preventing blast, fragments or gas from passing from one section of the tunnel to another. A trained tunnel exploitation team was essential to the expeditions of VC tunnels since untrained people may have missed hidden tunnel entrances, taken unnecessary casualties from concealed mines and booby traps . To facilitate this, teams were trained, equipped and maintained in a ready status to provide immediate assistance when tunnels were discovered. Hiding VC attempted to evade and avoid all contact with government forces for any one of many reasons and this was the normal reaction for a VC unit when confronted with a superior government force. Frequently however, GVN tactics or time/distance considerations made it necessary for the VC to evade by physically hiding in villages, or becoming one of the local population. This article is concerned with this one aspect of VC escape and evasion technique and is especially oriented to the situation presented when search operations were made more difficult because they were conducted in the presence of a friendly or passive populace. Protection of equipment was equally important, if not more so, than protection of personnel.

Education Philosophy Statement Essay -- Educating School Essays

Education Philosophy Statement Every person has his or her idea of what education should be. One wants to be educated or go to universities so he or she could have a higher degree. Some other person wants to get education just to fulfill one's self. Many people get college education thinking that they can make more money. Education is not about money; it is a lifetime process that enables one to satisfy one's inner self. It makes a person feel good for who they are inside. Jon Spayde's article "Learning in the Key of Life" made me think about the different aspects of education, such as college education or street education. Which one is a more necessity for survival in today's world. The question that arises in my mind is does education help us during everyday life. Maybe education does not provide the necessity tools to survive in the real world. We are not wasting our time in the institutions; however, the real world is a bigger school than any other schools that we attend. Unfortunately, 21st century's definition of school is technology for example computers, just like Jon Spayde states, "For our policy heads, education equals something called training for competitiveness, which often boils down to the mantra of "more computers, more computers." (60) Education is not based on technology and computers that our society is after today. Computers do not make a person happy or fulfill one's life. Canadian historian and critic John Ralston Saul claims, "Technical training is training in what is sure to be obsolete soon anyway; it's self-defeating, and it won't get you through the next 60 years of your life." (61) Education is a lifetime process, and one that will never complete in the sixteen years of normal schooling. .. ... daily than any other subject. There is nothing more truly than John Spayde's words that state "The whole world's a classroom." It is true that in today's society we do need computers, however, they are not the main ingredient to survive in real life. There are many people who are very well educated, but can not interact socially. There are many other ways to become educated besides in the classrooms. The school does not prepare us for the real world. Learning does take place around the span of a lifetime. I believe humanity courses will enlighten one's ability to understand what a true happiness really mean and make one's life better. Happiness should not be about unnecessary pleasure. Work Cited Spayde Jon. "Learning in the Key of LIfe." The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford, / st. Martin's, 2000. 58-64.

R.E Coursework Religion and Medical Issues Essay

Ai) Infertility is when a couple cannot naturally conceive a child. There are many treatments to get around infertility; some of these, may however raise moral issues. There are many treatments available; Fertility drugs are one of these, this is where an infertile woman is given drugs, which stop infertility and make a woman capable of carrying a child. These are recognised by the church, as the sacredness of life is not threatened. AIH (artificial insemination by the husband), is another of these treatments. The sperm of the husband is taken and artificially put it in the wife. AID (artificial insemination by the donor), this is for if the man does not produce sperm. An anonymous donor donates his sperm, which is then artificially put into the woman. Gamete storing, is a fairly new process where the gametes are frozen, this means that if one of the parents has a treatment which makes them infertile, they can use the gametes which are stored. Surrogacy. This is where an alien hostess carries the baby. The sperm of the man is artificially inserted into the hostess. This is not recognised by the church because it is very similar to adultery. Aii) Roman Catholics have the view that life is sacred and therefore the sacredness of life must be protected. The church believes that no one has the right to children; if someone is infertile it is because it is supposed to be that way. Any of the treatments, which involve the destruction of embryos, are banned because this is the same as abortion and that is banned in the Catholic Church. The Church bans any of the treatments, which involve artificial insemination by the husband, as this involves masturbation, which is a sin in the eyes of the church. In AID and surrogacy the child does not get to know their biological parents, the church believes that the child has a right to know their biological parents. All forms of fertility treatments involve procreation outside of sex; God intended procreation to be part of the sex act. Other Christian churches allow IVF and AIH as they believe it is a good use of technology to provide families with the happiness of children. God intended families to have children, if IVF or AIH is the only way to do that it should be done. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife and so it is not counted as adultery and therefore it is still a pure loving act. Some of the embryos are destroyed in these processes; embryos, which are not yet foetuses, so therefore it is not considered murder. The other churches still have major concerns about the other treatments; they have not banned them, however. All churches encourage childless families to adopt as they believe all children should have a loving happy family. iii) Generally Christians believe in transplant surgery and think that it is a good thing. Some Christians have some ethical issues, however. They believe that it would be wrong for rich people to pay for organs. It is well known that some wealthier 1st world citizens would be more than willing to exploit uneducated, 3rd world citizens to save themselves. This is known as the black market. The people in Africa may not be well educated and therefore do not realise that it is dangerous. It could be dangerous as the surgeon in Africa may be using dirty equipment and therefore the African would be vulnerable to infection. It is also exploiting the poor which is condemned by the bible. Some Christians are opposed to using organs from the dead but support using those of the living. They believe that organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of the individual created by God. Transplanting organs from the dead into the living is usurping the role of God, and humans do not have the right to play God. This is a sin and is condemned by the Bible. Jesus taught us to love thy neighbour. If an organ can be transplanted while someone is alive then it is not vital and transplanting it would be, ‘loving thy neighbour.’ Some Christians believe all transplant surgery wrong and condemn it. They believe that transplants ignore the sanctity of life. This is a great sin in the eyes of the church. They believe that transplanting organs is ‘playing God’ and this is one of the great sins. They also believe that it is very expensive and requires very skilled people of which there are few. It raises the question of when someone is considered dead, as the heart needs to be removed when it is still beating. It diverts recourses from less expensive treatments which could help far more people than transplants. Most Muslims believe that transplants are wrong. They believe that it is against God’s will to remove anything from the body after death this means that none of the organs can be removed. They believe that God created each person and so to remove something from one and put it in another is to act as God which is the greatest sin in Islam. They believe that life is sacred and only God has the right to give and take it.

Hunger in Haiti Essay

Abstract Haiti is a small Caribbean country with serious hunger problem for many years. Even in 1980s, Haiti had advanced agriculture and hunger problem was far from this country. However, the local wars and conflicts happened in 1990s changed this. Agriculture was disturbed and hunger problem became more and more serious. It has been the key problem of Haitian development so Haitian government and international society have taken lots of measures to improve this situation. The major international supports were from the US and some EU countries. Plenty of data and reports show that hunger population in Haiti has been reduced a lot. Haiti will be most likely to achieve the Millennium Development Goal pronounced in 2000 by 2015. Hunger: the key problem in Haitian development â€Å" Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply† (Borlaug, 1970). However, the hunger problem troubles a quarter of the world’s population even in these years. The problem of world hunger is serious and has affected economic development in many countries. It is common knowledge that food is the first necessity of people, but to solve the problem of feeding a population of about 6.5 billion is a big challenge to the world. Lindsay (2008) reports that food is in short supply every year because there is not enough to satisfy people’s demand in the impoverished countries. However, food security is the basis of the social development in the world. It is quite clear that a hungry country cannot make great efforts to develop the economy and improve the living standards of its people. For example, during the 3 years from 1959 to 1961, because of the food shortage, China was hesitating, virtually at a standstill , and there was little economic growth and not much of a rise in the standard of living. Therefore, solving hunger problem is vital for world but there are still many problems demanding prompt solution in food supplies in the world, especially in some less-developed nations like Haiti. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) pronounced by the United Nations in 2000 called for the proportion of people who suffer from hunger to be halved by 2015. This paper will discuss Haiti’s struggle to reduce hunger and explain why this country can probably meet the MDG by 2015. Although many developing countries experience hunger problems, Haiti’s food crisis shows the relationship between food and social stability. This country has suffered from an extremely serious food crisis these years. Plunkett (2000) reports that agriculture accounted for 30% of Haiti’s GDP, employing two thirds of Haitian people before 1980s. However, after the armed conflicts between Haitian opposing political factions happened in 1990s, agriculture was disrupted and hunger problem became both a rural and an urban phenomenon in Haiti. More than half of total population suffered from hunger and the percentage of rural population was higher, about 65% of people living in countryside didn’t have adequate food. Children were the population most hurt by this long-term and intractable problem. One in three Haitian children suffered malnutrition and one in eight died before the age of five as a result (Plunkett, 2000). It was a shock that so serious the Haitian hunger problem was before the new century. Because of its food crisis, Haiti’s social stability has been severely affected. According to Gauthier (2008), riots have happened all over Haiti in past years and many people died in hunger-related riots. Another report shows that a peaceful demonstration turned into a violent incident in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti (Chatterjee, 2008). Clearly, Haitian people have stored up discontent against their government due to the food insecurity. At the same time, unstable social order and anarchy gravely undermined Haiti’s economy, which came to a standstill. According to Plunkett (2000), the hunger problem caused depression in the market and the closure of industrial and commercial enterprises prevalent in 1990s in Haiti. The factors which caused this crisis are multiple. It is necessary to analyze the complicated factors before taking any measures to solve this problem and help Haiti achieve the MDG by 2015. The long-term local wars at the end of last century had unfavorable impacts on grain production in Haiti so that the domestic supply of food fell short of demand. The decrease of rice production after wars also caused Haitian people’s lower income directly so more than three quarters of the rural population lived below the poverty line by 2000. There was a dramatic increase in price of stable food and this caused devaluation in Haiti. To a certain extent, Haitian people’s purchase ability decreases because of their remarkably small income and the high food price, so they cannot buy enough food (Gauthier, 2008). Chatterjee (2008) points out that the cheap rice imported from the USA caused Haitian national rice production to plummet. Because of advanced agricultural technology, American rice has many advantages such as lower price and higher nutrition. Large quantities food imports from the US in 1990s after Haitian civil wars helped people have more food but also limited the national agriculture growth in Haiti. Besides these, according to Gauthier (2008), the increasing demand of food by local people and reductions in rice imports because of funds burden these years are also the factors that cannot be ignored. In response to the challenges of the food crisis, the Haitian government has spared no effort to help hungry people have enough to eat since 2000. According to Gauthier (2008), Haiti’s new government supports the modernization of agricultural techniques and the restoration of agricultural production. The government decides to open up more wasteland and the newly reclaimed land is now bringing forth bountiful crops. In country areas, government offers relief grain to the people who cannot afford enough food (Chatterjee, 2008). The Haitian government’s efforts are effective and have accomplished a lot but the government is short of funds to give hungry people support continually, so Haiti also takes vigorous action to promote international cooperation in food security. Chatterjee (2008) reports Haiti has recently qualified for debt relief under the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative, and in the meantime, many of Haiti’s creditor countries, especially some developed countries, consider a compassionate discharge because of Haitian domestic food difficulties. Apparently, international aid programs from developed countries and NGOs are of extreme importance to help Haiti’s government. According to Plunkett (2000) and Gauthier (2008), Haitian food crisis has improved significantly these years, the hunger population has been reduced 32% by 2007 and the good momentum is being maintained. To meet the MDG by 2015, efforts should be continued to win aid programs from international organizations and developed countries to help Haitian people get adequate food in following years. Some international organizations such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization can coordinate the world’s food aid to Haiti. But Haiti cannot rely on foreign assistance and they need to become self-reliant in the future, so the UN peacekeepers should play a bigger role in the social stabilization of Haiti so that a stable political can help Haiti restore its native agricultural production. Self-sufficiency and self-reliance are the fundamental ways to eliminate the hunger problem in Haiti. In conclusion, with the implementation of different measures, an optimistic estimate suggests that the MDG will be achieved by 2015 in Haiti. Ample food is the basic human right in this world. The nations all over the world should join hands to safeguard the food security. Reference Borlaug, N. (1970). The green revolution, peace and humanity. Nobel Lectures. The Nobel Peace Prize Institute. Retrieved on November 12, 2008 from http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1970/borlaug-lecture.html/ Chatterjee, P. (2008). Haiti’s forgotten emergency. The Lancet, 372 (9639), pp. 615 – 618. Retrieved on November 12, 2008, from http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(08)61259-3/ Gauthier, A. (2008). Food crisis in Haiti: exposing key problems in the process of stabilization. FRIDE Comment, 782 (45), pp. 34-38. Retrieved on November 12, 2008, from PAIS International database. Lindsay, R. (2008). Haiti on the ‘Death Plan’: Protesters decry high food prices and the savage cost of neoliberalism. The Nation, 286 (21), pp. 22-24. Retrieved on November 12, 2008 from PAIS International database. Plunkett, D. (2000). Food security in Haiti: A case study comparing the food security frameworks of the Haitian government , the European Commission and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Retrieved on November 12, 2008 from http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACH663.pdf/

Athenian Democracy 4 Essay

Who really made our type of government? We surely didn’t. It was amazingly the people of Athens. It started in 508 BC and is still around as we use it. It remains a unique and intriguing experiment in direct democracy where the people do not elect representatives to vote on their behalf but vote on legislation and executive bills in their own right Participation was not at all open, but the in-group of participants was constituted with no reference to economic class and they participated on a scale that was truly phenomenal. The public opinion of voters was remarkably influenced by the political satire performed by the comic poets at the theaters. Only adult male Athenian citizens who had completed their military training as ephebes had the right to vote in Athens. We have had that and many other laws changed around the government. In our government every few years the people vote on new people to represent them, hence the name â€Å"Representative† Democracy. However the Athenian people also voted on some of their leaders but that was done in the Agora, which is where every male land owner who is over the age of twenty would meet. This meeting was called the assembly. The assembly could be best related to our State Representatives. Then just above them was the council of 500, who monitored the assembly and gave them topics to discuss, as well as bills to vote on. Above the council of 500 come the Magistrates. The Magistrates job can be best described as the â€Å"Police in the Government. † Their job is to ensure that all the laws are being followed and act accordingly when they are not. The Magistrates, despite the amount of power that they hold, are still not the highest government official in the Athenian democracy, after them comes the Council of the 10 Generals. The Council of 10 Generals was in charge of the military. The Athens didn’t start by being a democratic city. It was started by Cleisthenes whose reforms turned Athens from an oligarchy (government by the few) to a democracy (government of the people). The key to Athenian democracy was Cleisthenes redrawing of the social-political landscape of Athens and Attica. The chief magistrate of the city was often called the Archon eponymous or ruler. His responsibilities included conducting investigations of legal cases, in particular those that involved the state. He was responsible for protecting the orphans and heiresses with no family and to appoint the choregos who was in charge of organizing the religious festivals. The move towards democracy reflects other changes in society. In the prehistoric period, throughout Greece, aristocratic families have provided the main fighting force, as cavalry. In the seventh century the Greek city-states develop the new military idea of the heavily armed soldier, the hoplite. A remorseless phalanx of hoplites becomes as effective on the battlefield as the tank in modern times. These soldiers provide their own weapons and armor, but this is expensive. Several of the Greek oligarchies, including that of Athens in the sixth century, reflect the power of this middle class of citizens. A strategic change of direction by Athens, early in the fifth century, gives these poorer citizens a new power. The military effort is diverted into building up an Athenian navy. Triremes, the fast warships of the time, need men to row them. Suddenly every citizen has a part to play, and the crews of a fleet of warships have a self-evident political strength. A more radical democracy, introduced by Pericles in 462, is almost an inevitable result. Approximately one hundred officials out of a thousand were elected rather than chosen by lot. There were two main categories in this group: those required to handle large sums of money, and the 10 generals, the strategy. One reason that financial officials were elected was that any money embezzled could be recovered from their estates; election in general strongly favored the rich, but in this case wealth was virtually a prerequisite. Generals were elected not only because their role required expert knowledge but also because they needed to be people with experience and contacts in the wider Greek world where wars were fought. In the fifth century BC, principally as seen through the figure of Pericles, the generals could be among the most powerful people in the polis. Yet in the case of Pericles, it is wrong to see his power as coming from his long series of annual generalships (each year along with nine others). His office holding was rather an expression and a result of the influence he wielded. That influence was based on his relation with the assembly, a relation that first lay simply in the right of any citizen to stand and speak before the people. Under the fourth century version of democracy the roles of general and of key political speaker in the assembly tended to be filled by different persons. In part this was a consequence of the increasingly specialized forms of warfare practiced in the later period. Elected officials too were subject to review before holding office and scrutiny after office. They too could be removed from office any time the assembly met. In one case from the fifth century BC the 10 treasurers of the Delian league (the Hellenotamiai) were accused at their scrutinies of misappropriation of funds. Put on trial, they were condemned and executed one by one until before the trial of the tenth and last an error of accounting was discovered, allowing him to go free.