Porters Five Forces Model of Mr. Empanada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Porters Five Forces Model of Mr. Empanada - Essay Example The restaurant s are restricted in the manner in which they acquire their raw materials. They cannot look for cheaper alternatives and this may affect the way they compete with other players in the market. The fact that the franchisee can only use the products provided by the affiliates makes it hard to differentiate their products in order to meet the diverse customers’ needs. They are thus restricted to the segment of customers that they serve. The franchisee also have a joint advertisement with the affiliates. This has increased the cost of production for the restaurants. Another force that may affect the company is the labor force. Currently, the company is led by family members and this has minimized power struggles. However, as the company grows and there is need to expand the workforce, this will come with challenges from the workers such as increased wages. The company will then have to deal with issues of drafting fair salary and remuneration package for her workers a t the different

Social Change in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

Social Change in Nigeria Essay Throughout Africa societies that had been predominantly rural for most of their history were experiencing a rapid and profound reorientation of their social and economic lives toward cities and urbanism. As ever greater numbers of people moved to a small number of rapidly expanding cities (or, as was often the case, a single main city), the fabric of life in both urban and rural areas changed in massive, often unforeseen ways. With the largest and one of the most rapidly growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria has experienced the phenomenon of urbanization as thoroughly as any African nation, but its experience has also been uniquein scale, in pervasiveness, and in historical antecedents. Modern urbanization in most African countries has been dominated by the growth of a single primate city, the political and commercial center of the nation; its emergence was, more often than not, linked to the shaping of the country during the colonial era. In countries with a coastline, this was often a coastal port, and in Nigeria, Lagos fitted well into this pattern. Unlike most other nations, however, Nigeria had not just one or two but several other cities of major size and importance, a number of which were larger than most other national capitals in Africa. In two areas, the Yoruba region in the southwest and the Hausa-Fulani and Kanuri areas of the north, there were numbers of cities with historical roots stretching back considerably before the advent of British colonizers, giving them distinctive physical and cultural identities. Moreover, in areas such as the Igbo region in the southeast, which had few urban centers before the colonial period and was not highly urbanized even at independence, there has been a massive growth of newer cities since the 1970s, so that these areas in 1990 were also highly urban. Cities are not only independent centers of concentrated human population and activity; they also exert a potent influence on the rural landscape. What is distinctive about the growth of cities in Nigeria is the length of its historical extension and the geographic pervasiveness of its coverage.

Explication of Ulysses Essay -- Alfred Tennyson

Explication Of Ulysses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this poem, Tennyson reworks the figure of Ulysses by drawing on the ancient hero of Homer's Odyssey. Homer's Ulysses learns from a prophecy that he will take a final sea voyage after killing the suitors of his wife Penelope. Ulysses finds himself restless in Ithaca and driven by "the longing I had to gain experience of the world†. Ulysses says that there is little point in his staying home "by this still hearth" with his old wife, handing out rewards and punishments for all of his subjects who live in his kingdom. Still speaking to himself he proclaims that he "cannot rest from travel" but feels required to live to the fullest and swallow every last drop of life. He has enjoyed all his experiences as a sailor who travels the seas, and he considers himself a model for everyone who wanders and roams the earth. His travels have exposed him to many different types of people and ways of living. They have also exposed him to the "delight of battle" while fighting the Trojan War with his men. Ulysses declares that his travels and encounters have shaped who he is: "I am a part of all that I have met," he says. And it is only when he is traveling that the "margin" of the world that he has not yet traveled shrink and fade, and stop to push him. Ulysses declares that it is boring to stay in one place, and that to remain at a standstill is to waste rather than to flourish; to stay in one place is to pretend that all there is to life is the simple a...

Relationship Between Humans and Objects

CUL341 INDIVIDUAL REPORT Indeed, there is a powerful relationship between humans and objects in today’s society. An object is a tangible something that one can take hold off with their senses. Some objects have the power to create social relations between humans, for example there is the trident and the wand that changes the image of a person who utilizes the object. Indeed, such are objects that allow the power of symbolism to give meaning to human activity.The trident is one of these objects that have the great power to create social relations. A trident is a long stick usually having a small double-u (w) looking symbol at the top of it. It’s a three-pronged spear known for giving social power to a person or vice versa, a powerful person in the society carries it and utilizes it to express their power. Although the object has many other uses such as fishing and also as a weapon, there are several examples in history where it would be carried just to symbolize power.In Hinduism, their God Shiva and the Roman God Neptune too are both are known for a trident being clutched to them most of the time. The trident gives a different image of one who carries it; it expresses their power to the society. In Roman myth, God Neptune used it to create earthquakes and other natural disasters as it was indeed a powerful object, and hence created social relations between the Gods and their worshippers as it allowed them to see the power it has.Today we obviously don’t see powerful people carrying it around; however, it is still seen in animated TV shows and movies to give a meaning to the character. It is seen in the little mermaid where King Triton bears it on him to convey his power to the rest of the creatures of the sea. Also in the Lion King, the monkey who is characterized to be an influential persona popping up when someone needs advice amongst the animal kingdom bears the trident on him at all times. Thus, again the object is able to create social relations amongst the characters.Another object that was discussed is the wand. The wand is a thin stick made from wood, of even sometimes metal. They are known to give a magical sense to one who bears it. The wand indeed also creates social relations amongst people as when one utilises a wand, he is will be known to be a person who performs magical spells. The wand is used to perform magical spells so therefore, the one who bears it is conveyed by the society to have great power as wands can only be owned and used by a fairy, wizard, witch or a sorcerer.Wands are known to have also created social relations in historical myths and legends. In Roman myths, Mercury also beared a wand that allowed the worshippers to have a powerful view of Mercury amongst the society. In fairy tales and other science fiction, the magic wand is used to do many powerful acts used for good and evil. Evil acts include defeating or transforming people into animals and good acts can include used for protect ion or other useful acts like opening a locked door.Some fairytales in which the wand is used widely is Cinderella where the fairy godmother would have the power to perform good acts such as make Cinderella beautiful and grant her clothes to go to the ball. Furthermore, in today’s world we most often exposed to wands and their magic in popular fiction novels and movies/TV shows. A well known novel plus movie is Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a wizard who studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His aim in the movie is to defeat his enemy Lord Voldemort who killed his parents.Everything in the fictional movie is pretty done through the power of the wand. The good acts, the bad acts by wizards and witches gives viewers insight to how a single object can create such social relations in a society. Indeed, a single object can have the power to shape ones image of a persona. Indeed, in the modern world, the relationship between objects and humans has developed to becom e a great influence on the view one has for another in the society. It is evident that the triton and the wand both are very good examples of such objects enhance their powers to create social relations amongst humanity.A Trident has been used in history and even today in fiction movies to allow a view of a persona to be great and powerful. Similarly, the wand also creates social relations amongst a society where one can be seen as a normal person and just by bearing a wand; he will be seen to be a wizard whom can perform magical spells. Indeed, Objects can enhance the power of symbolism and give a different meaning to a person. REFERENCES http://www. ehow. com/about_4759212_magic-wand-stories. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Trident

Margaret Thatcher: Creating a Neoliberal Culture Essay

Margaret Thatcher had a resounding career as a Prime Minister in Britain. She was loved and hated for her strong handed nature to politics. She drove down unemployment and brought Britain out of a recession through utilizing neoliberal policies. Thatcher increased the power of the private sector with a reduction of government regulation and privatization of public facilities. She took charge at creating a culture that was focused on the individual. Lastly she battled any unions, which sought to challenge the neoliberal values she was fostering. In order to claim Margaret Thatcher as a neoliberal, a solid definition of neoliberalism is needed. The ideology of neoliberalism is grounded in individual freedom. In order to achieve this, neoliberals ask for a system of government that is minimal. There should be almost no regulations that aim at restricting an individual’s freedom (Hall 2011 11). This allows people to act as free agents in accordance to their personal aspirations. To supplement this goal there is a desire for open, competitive and unregulated markets. State-led social engineering must never prevail over corporate and private interests.(Hall 2011 10-11) Capitalism as a market system provides freedom from state intervention and social collectivities. Stuart Hall states how Neoliberals see this â€Å"as the optimal mechanism to social-economic development,† (Hall 2011 11). They want to provide equality of opportunity and understand that this has a propensity to create inequality. This inequality is seen as a necessary evil in the creation of freedom, and ask that government not make any attempts to ameliorate the gap between people. The government’s role comes to the provision of securing the freedom of the people it sees over (Hall 2011 11). It does this through various things such as state guided military, police force, and law that protects private contracts. These state facilities protect the individuals and allow them to operate within the state. Neoliberalism is an ideology that acts to create individuals free to make choice and to succeed or fail by them. One of the main facets of neoliberalism is the reduction of government to  minimal levels. When Margaret Thatcher took office in 1979 she was determined to separate herself from the more socialist values of past leaders. Thatcher immediately sought to reduce power of the government in the private sector through flotation of government owned facilities. There where a series of small sell offs and then in 1984 the privatization of British Telecom proved hugely successful at reducing public debt. Then in 1987 opened the floodgates with the privatization of British Airways, Rolls-Royce, British Airports Authority, and later British steel (Hall 2011room and Sylvia 2011). After this Thatcher also was able to privatize British oil companies. She even privatized utilities such as water and electricity (Moore 2011). Besides the privatization of organizations, she also removed regulations on private corporations. The fair wages resolution created a wage floor that restricted the ability of corporations to pay competitive wages (Robertson 1986 288). In 1983 the government removed this resolution, opening a large gap in this wage floor (Robertson 1986 288). The Employment Act of 1975 gave workers the ability to submit low wage claims for government arbitration. Thatcher removed this with her updated Employment Act of 1980 (Robertson 1986 286). She was even willing to work around the law to increase the power of corporations When unable to make reparations to council law on minimum wages, she introduced the Young Workers Scheme (Robertson 1986 287). This grated subsidies to employers who paid less then legal minimum wage to workers 18 and younger (Robertson 1986 287). After the YWS was phased out she continued to avoid law with the New Workers Scheme (Robertson 1986 287). She provided government subsidies of  £20 to workers between the ages of eighteen and twenty who were paid less than  £80 per-week (Robertson 1986 287). This allows corporations to set prices lower than legal and incentives workers to take those positions. Along with increasing the strength of the private sector, Margaret Thatcher wanted to change British culture to be more in line with neoliberalism. She did this by promoting individual values and the reduction of state dependency. In Thatcher’s own words, â€Å"There is no such thing as society. There is only the individual and his family,† (Hall 2011 11). One of the first things she did was instate the Enterprise Allowance Scheme (Robertson 1986 288). This replaced employment benefits by giving  £40 a week to 65,000  people and then a  £1000 if they start their own business. This promotes individuals to create their own solutions in an economic environment that was riddled with unemployment. She then went on to make unemployment even less appealing by cutting benefits offered to real values not seen since 1951 (Robertson 1986 288). Thatcher had even raised the idea of refusing supplemental benefits to youth who didn’t register for jobs or job training, but had to back off when faced with accusation that this would be tantamount to conscription (Robertson 1986 289). These reforms had the effect of raising self-employed citizens to ten percent, declared by Britain’s Department of Employment (Jenkins 2007 164). Britain’s rank in economic freedom and entrepreneurial welcome has risen from 15th in 1989 to 1st in 1990 (Jenkins 2007 164). The above references show that Thatcher was trying to, and in many ways succeeded in creating a culture of individualism and self responsibility in Britain A source of resistance to the culture she had created was worker unions. Margaret Thatcher goes on to dismantle union power and stands cold faced and firm against any resistance they show. There are several key years in Thatcher’s battle against unions. In 1980, 1982, and 1984 there were a series of acts that undermined union economic and political power (Robertson 1986 286). The Employment Acts in 1980 and 1982 served to strip legal rights from unions such as secondary picketing and sympathy strikes. In 1982 there was an act that relaxed rules to unfair dismissal. What it did was to exempt small businesses from rules that enabled workers to file unfair dismissal claims if they had less than two years of service (Robertson 1986 286). She even went to try and extend this exemption to all business in 1985 (Robertson 1986 286). In response some unions organized strikes to confront Thatcher’s crackdown. The most well known attempt was the miners’ union organizing a strike that lasted for over a year (Moore 2011). Throughout this Thatcher did not relent any of her conditions or regulations. In the end the union gave in and the strike broke (Moore 2011). Throughout her time in office the yearly money lost to days of strike fell from 29.5 million to 1.9 million (Moore 2011). Margaret Thatcher drove union membership down sixteen percent between I979 and I984 (Robertson 1986 287), showing that she was further driving Britain into  Neoliberal ideals Some people have suggested that Margaret Thatcher’s assault on government and claimed her to be as far right as libertarian. The previously stated quote â€Å"there is no such thing as society. There is only the individual and his (sic) family,† (Hall 2011 11) is a radically right saying people could point towards. Also her privatization of essential goods and services such as water points towards a far right standpoint. The difference between neoliberal and libertarian mainly comes down to degree. This means that both are right aligned, holding a focus on freeing of people and reducing government. It should be held that Margaret Thatcher is not as far right as libertarian. Though she took Britain along with her in a huge sweet politically in that direction, she held some key businesses as private for the benefit of Britain’s economic well being. She also did not really undermine the post-war welfare consensus. She retained such public sector giants as the NHS, British Rail, the Post Office (Jenkins 2007 162). These could have been privatized, but it was held that doing this could hurt Britain economically. A libertarian would have to cut these as they are not seen as being responsible to the state. She also kept the structure of social welfare and benefits (Jenkins 2007 162). Though she did restrict funding and brought it down in degree, a libertarian would have eliminated such state run benefits For these reasons Thatcher is politically right, but not to the degree of libertarianism. Margaret Thatcher’s career as a Prime Minister in Britain was controversial at best. She took to neoliberal values to drive down unemployment and foster economic profit in Britain Thatcher stripped the public sector of many of its organizations and then cutting government regulations to increase the power of the private sector. She sought to create a culture in Britain around the individual and their responsibility to their own success. She also broke down unions as they stood to fight against the neoliberal culture she had created. This is why Margaret Thatcher is a neoliberal. References Robertson, David. 1986. â€Å"Mrs. Thatcher’s Employment Prescription: An Active Neo-Liberal Labor Market Policy† Journal of Public Policy. 6: 275-296. Groom, Brian. And Pfeifer, Sylvia. 2011. â€Å"Privatisation defined Thatcher era.† http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/docview/909517457 (November 21, 2012). Hall, Stuart. 2011. â€Å"The neoliberal revolution: Thatcher, Blair, Cameron – the long march of neoliberalism continues.†Soundings. 48: 9-27. Moore, Charles. 2011. â€Å"The Invincible Mrs. Thatcher.† http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA276179927&v=2.1&u=ucalgary&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w (November 21, 2012). Jenkins, Simon. 2007. â€Å"Thatcher’s Legacy.† Political Studies Review. 5: 161-171.

How to Say All 50 Us States in French (And Why We Should Care)

How to Say All 50 Us States in French (And Why We Should Care) Why should we care how to say the names of all 50 states in French? Well, history, for one thing. Aside from knowing French equivalents of geographic terms that could come in handy, theres a long-standing American soft spot for all things French. Many of the French share a fascination with all things  Ãƒâ€°tats-Unis (United States). We need to know their words; they, ours. The Franco-American Alliance The United States and France have had a deep and complex friendship since before the American Revolution, when  Louis XVI’s regime came to America’s aid by providing money, arms, and military advisers, essential assistance best symbolized by the Marquis de Lafayette. The subsequent French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power also benefited the U.S. in 1803, when Napoleon’s woes in Europe and the Caribbean forced him to sell the entire Louisiana territory to the United States, in the words of  Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Says Oxford contributor  Kathryn C. Statler, a University of San Diego historian  : Franco-American economic and cultural contacts increased throughout the 19th century, as trade between the two countries prospered and as Americans flocked to France to study art, architecture, music, and medicine. The French gift of the Statue of Liberty in the late 19th century solidified Franco-American bonds, which became even more secure during World War I. Indeed, during the war, the United States provided France with trade, loans, military assistance, and millions of soldiers, viewing such aid as repayment for French help during the American Revolution. World War II once again saw the United States fighting in France to liberate the country from Nazi control....The Franco-American alliance has been primarily amicable in nature, and when it has not, leaders and citizens on both sides of the Atlantic have moved quickly to remedy the situation. A long line of official, semi-official, and unofficial diplomats, beginning with the Marquis de Lafayette’s staunch support of the American Revolution, has ensured the lasting success of the Franco-American alliance. Today, Americans are still flocking to France for tourism and cultural enrichment, and millions of French have been coming to the US, a product of the great French love affair with la vie Amà ©ricaine and its  freedom, financial opportunity, blend of cultures, and ability to pick up and move whenever and wherever. French and French Canadians Living in the United States As of the 2010 census, there are about 10.4 million U.S. residents of French or French Canadian descent: 8,228,623 French and 2,100,842 French Canadian. Some 2 million speak  French at home  and 750,000 more U.S. residents speak a  French-based creole language. In North America, French-based language groups, mainly in New England, Louisiana, and to a lesser extent, New York, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida, and North Carolina, include Quà ©bà ©cois, other French Canadian, Acadian, Cajun, and Louisiana Creole. So, for all that and more, we have a vested interest in knowing what the French call all 50 states. 50 State Names in French The list below details all 50 state names in English and French. Most states are masculine; only nine are feminine and they are indicated by (f.). Knowing the gender will help you choose the correct  definite article  and geographic  prepositions to use with each state. Most names are identical in both English and French, but when they do not share the same spelling, English names are provided in parentheses after the French names. Les États-Unis dAmà ©rique the United States of America Abbreviations: É-U  (US) and  Ãƒâ€°-UA  (USA) AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCalifornie (f.)  (California)Caroline du Nord  (f.) (North Carolina)Caroline du Sud  (f.)  (South Carolina)ColoradoConnecticutDakota du Nord  (North Dakota)Dakota du Sud (South Dakota)DelawareFloride  (f.)  (Florida)Gà ©orgie (f.)  (Georgia)Hawaà ¯Ã‚  (Hawaii)IdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisiane  (f.)  (Louisiana)MaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew Jerseylà ©tat de New York*  (New York State)Nouveau-Mexique  (New Mexico)OhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvanie  (f.)  (Pennsylvania)Rhode IslandTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginie  (f.)  (Virginia)Virginie-Occidentale  (f.)  (West Virginia)là ©tat de Washington*  (Washington State)WisconsinWyoming Plus, Washington, D.C. (formerly the District of Columbia), a compact federal district under the jurisdiction of the US Congress. As such, the capital district is not part of any state. It is spelled the same in English and in French. *These are said this way to distinguish between cities and states with the same name.

Implementation of the Porters Five Forces Model on the Cosmetic Retail Industry

Implementation of the Porters Five Forces Model on the Cosmetic Retail Industry Cosmetic retail is quite developed industry. However, every industry has its peculiarities, which are sometimes hard to understand. Thus, in order to better understand the context in which this or that the company operates, it is crucial to use Michael Porter’s Five-Forces Model.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Implementation of the Porter’s Five Forces Model on the Cosmetic Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As stated by Berger, this framework â€Å"considers the five competitive forces that influence a business success or failure† (10). Each of the forces has variables. Five variables have been chosen for each force and rated on a scale of 1 to 5 according to their importance for the cosmetic industry. Rivalry among competing firms Number of competing firms Product differences Fixed costs/Value added Industry growth Switching costs According to David, it is â€Å"the most power ful of the five forces† (75). Thus, the number of competing firms matters a lot. The difference of cosmetic is wide, so there is an opportunity for rivals to sell different products. The industry growth influences the development of competition. If fixed costs are high and switching costs are low, they increase the rivalry in the industry. Potential Entry of New Competitors Barriers to entry (rights) Economies of scale Capital requirements Brand equity Switching costs If there are no considerable barriers to enter, there may be many new entrants (Berger, 11). For the cosmetic industry, the most important barriers are the exclusive rights and economies of scale. However, this industry has large capital requirements since the differentiation of products that are sold in it. Moreover, cosmetic retail is more widespread as chain stores or exclusive brand retailers, which also make up chains. Potential Development of Substitute Products Ease of substitution Buyer inclination to substitute Buyer switching costs Relative price performance of substitute Quality depreciation For the cosmetic industry the crucial issue is the way for buyers to substitute and their willing to do this. For the retailers it is better to sell unique products, for example to sell one cosmetic brand. The less valuable is the change of quality, due to the fact that retailer cannot influence the quality of products they sell. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Supplier concentration to firm concentration ratio Strength of distribution channel Impact of inputs on cost or differentiation Switching costs of firms in the industry Differentiation of inputs Suppliers tend to have very little power in the retail industry. However, for the cosmetics the exclusive suppliers matter a lot and influence the market. They can make retailers have large inputs on the scale of orders. If the supplier is exclusive, the switching costs are very high. As for the cosmetic retail – the inputs are sligh tly differentiated, so this variable is less crucial. Bargaining Power of Consumers Buyer information Substitutes available Brand identity Buyer volume Price sensitivity As for cosmetics retail, â€Å"buyers are fragmented no buyer has any particular influence on the product or price† (Porters Five Forces:A Model For Industry Analysis, para. 18). Still, buyer has to be provided with the information and has a choice of substitutes. Some buyers tend to choose only one brand. Buyer volume and price sensitivity are less important because cosmetic is what people tend to buy all the time, and prices do not react on the slightest changes.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Berger, Alexander. Contemporary Development in Business and Management: Beiersdorf. Pakistan: GRIN Verlag, 2011. David, Fred R. Strategic management: concepts and cases. 13th ed. New Jersey: Pre ntice Hall, 2011. â€Å"Porters Five Forces: A Model for Industry Analysis.† QuickMBA. n.d. 3 Nov. 2011. quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml.

Repairing a MySQL Database With phpMyAdmin

Repairing a MySQL Database With phpMyAdmin Using MySQL with PHP expands and enhances the features you can offer on your website. One of the most popular methods of managing a MySQL database is through phpMyAdmin, which is already on most web servers. Occasionally, database tables become corrupt and you are no longer able to access them or they dont respond as quickly as youd like. In phpMyAdmin, the process of checking the table and repairing it  so you can access the data again is fairly simple. Before you begin, make a backup of the database in case phpMyAdmin cant repair it. Checking Your Database in phpMyAdmin Log in to your web host.Click the phpMyAdmin icon. If your host uses  cPanel, look there.Choose the affected database. If you only have one database, it should  be chosen  by default so you dont need to do anything.In the main panel, you should see a list of your database tables.  Click  Check All  to select all of them.At the bottom of the window just below the list of tables, there is a drop-down menu. Choose  Check Table  from the menu. When the page refreshes, you will see a summary of any table that may be corrupted. If you receive any errors, repair the table. phpMyAdmin Repair Steps Log in to your web host.Click the phpMyAdmin icon.  Choose the affected database.  In the main panel, you should see a list of your database tables. Click Check All to select all of them.Choose Repair Table  from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the screen. When the page refreshes, you should see a summary of any tables that were repaired. This should fix your database and let you access it again. Now that it is fixed, its a good idea to make that database backup.

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Criminal Justice - Essay Example Nevertheless there are those who feel violated once their rights are ignored, including in safety situations (Barnett, 54). The main objective of the public order advocates is to protect the law abiding citizen in the society from harm. Such individuals believe that under certain conditions that involve a criminal threat to public order, the society’s interest ought to take precedence over the individual rights (Barnett, 54). In my opinion, individual rights are important as one can have their individual rights and still keep safety in a society. Individual rights are constitutional and are assured to the citizens under the constitution. Constitutional rights are taken to be basic rights but, not as absolute rights. For instance, one has his freedom of religion unless his religious belief is infringing on the rights of other citizens. For instance, if ones religious beliefs allow him to kill someone as a sacrifice to his God, then his freedom of religion can be restricted (Barnett, 59). Ever since 11 September 2001 there has been a lot of questions on individual rights versus public safety. The Patriot Act has an effect on foreign travelers more than anybody else as it denies due process to the foreigner visitor. This act is not constitutional since the American Government is supposed to give due process to everybody. Law enforcement bodies have to still get a warrant to conduct searches but probable cause is more lenient than before (Barnett, 59). Majority of the people have a belief that individual rights ought to be sacrificed for the safety of the public. However, this is a dangerous move since it insinuates that the government is not supposed to abide by the procedures and policies that are set by the constitution. The import of this is that the government can then become corrupt. The rights of an individual will trump public safety but a peaceful society can still be sustained with no denial of

The audacity of love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The audacity of love - Essay Example ise and Jerome Robbins is an exquisite blend of entertainment and education that opens a new vista pertaining to the class difference and class consciousness. â€Å"West Side Story† is an American film based on the eternal romantic play by Shakespeare, â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† and adapted from the Broadway Musical bearing the same title. But these facts do not make this film powerful. The combination and the balanced blend of countless elements generate a powerful impact on my mind. The urban retelling of â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† set against the background of the streets of Manhattan during the late summer of 1957 revolves round the story of love between two youngsters from opponent camps related to NYC gang and their consequence. The death of Tony in the arms of Maria which reaffirms their love â€Å"Somewhere† indicates that the film shows that despite of having every scope and possibility for the lovers to be one, they fail to achieve that state due to class differences and social rivalries. The beginning of the film shows the passionate love of Tony and Maria and their slow paced development of passion and desire for one another helps to make me feel their passion and overflowing emotions equally. In other words, the film makes me fall in love with the love story of Maria and Tony, woven within the plot of the film. Naturally at the end of the film the tragic consequences of the lovers give out a strong emotional impact and a long-lasting impre ssion on my mind and anyone watching the film would also come to the same point that social rivalry leads the generations and the world nowhere. Also the urban setting and re-telling of the film enables the contemporary mind to relate with it strongly. â€Å"The Graduate† directed by Mike Nichols is an American comedy-drama that was released in the year 1967. The plot of the film â€Å"The Graduate â€Å" combines an extra-ordinary and enchanting love story between its main characters, Benjamin Braddock played by the Academy Award

Violence in Secondary Schools and Colleges in Britain Essay

Violence in Secondary Schools and Colleges in Britain - Essay Example It is common to read in the newspapers and hear through other people that a teenager has been stabbed in the eye and the head by a fellow of 15 years old at school; we also hear and read about pupils that suffer cuts and bruises in a school/college attack or that are slashed across the face with a pencil sharpener; students mugging other students for their cash and mobile phones, and the list is long. The truth is that this issue has been raised some years ago. The police usually said that the incidents reported where not related to racial disputes. However, this need to be confirmed as usually ethnic groups is also part of the problem. In 2006, Ministers decided to change the law to provide teachers with the legal right to discipline unruly pupils and restrain children using reasonable force. In May 2005 the British government announced the creation of a task force (Curtis:2005) where experts heads and teachers would have to consider a national code of behaviour, and to set minimum standards expected by schools, parents and pupils, in order to tackle poor behaviour. Also, a new offence of "allowing a child to be found in a public place during school hours without good cause" to make sure parents keep track of their children was established, and the controversial right of parents to appeal when a pupil was excluded for more than five days was backed as well (Macleod:2005). The whole initiative represented a new move to construct a "culture of respect" in the classroom. However, as we have already seen, reforms have made little impact. Colleges started to take different measures like installing metal detectors in hundreds of secondary schools in an effort to dissuade pupils from carrying knives and dangerous weapons; increasing guards and security; introducing cameras; among others. The introduction of these cameras was important as by this measure some students were caught red-handed like for example in the act of stealing a purse or breaking the windows of the classroom, or vandalising cars in the school area. The question from now on is the following: How can we improve the current situation For the question raised we can think of many important measures that can be adopted. For example it is necessary to establish norms for behaviour for students. Students can be asked to set penalties and enforce rules. Also it is imperative to encourage parents to talk with teachers about the progress of the child, to engage in a closer relationship with the school authorities, and to learn how to recognize the warning signs of violence either at home or with their peers as they will surely reproduce later in the school environment. For teachers it is also important to recognise the signs of violence as soon as they occur and to stop them immediately. They can report immediately

Medical & social needs of homecare clients Essay

Medical & social needs of homecare clients - Essay Example Conclusion Medical and social needs of Homecare Clients. 1. Introduction. Home health aide has a role of assisting the client and family in managing the condition of health at clients home. This essay will describe the needs of the clients, explain the role of home health aide and relate rights of client and family to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It will also discuss culture, life style and experiences of clients while identifying common reaction to illness or disability. The essay will identify body functions, diseases and disorders and emotional or spiritual needs of patients. 2. Basic physical and emotional needs of clients. Home health aides help clients who have diverse needs so that they feel comfortable and get assistance. They include the elderly, infants, mentally ill, people with physical and developmental disabilities together with people with nutritional needs. Majority of the clients require physical assistance in form of service. They require to be bathed, dress and given a hand to conduct self grooming. The client needs to be assisted to wash their hands and perform hygienic tasks to control infections. They need someone to support them as they manage pain. The urinal system may be causing incontinence and they will need someone to help them (Harris, 2004, p. 5). Clients may have nutritional requirements. The home health aide will assist by making the right combination of food and serve them. Those with skin ailments or wounds require help to take care of the skin and the wounds. The home health aide may be required to change the dressing at the right time. The disabled and the elderly may have musculoskeletal system problem. They will need someone to assist them in mobility. The bedridden will require someone who understands the best position when turning them in bed or moving them to another location. The home health aide will give a hand in ambulation and motion. The client will be in need of a safe environment, the home health aide mak es the environment safe for the client. They can clean and arrange their house (Eldelman and Madle 2010, p. 22). The home health aide is involved in organizing and arranging appointments for the client. Organizing entails arranging the means of transport and accompanying the client to their appointments. At times, the home health aide assists in doing shopping and cooking appropriate food for the client. They give the patient company. Additionally, they keep track of medication taken and appointments with the doctors. They facilitate them to participate in certain activities as well as exercise. Because they work closely with the doctors, the home health aides are required to report on the progress of their client. They can be shown to check respiration rate and temperature for the purpose of giving a report. They follow the directions of the physician to give the correct medication. According to Ahroni (1989, p. 77), the client needs to be assisted in lifting and coordinating activ ities. They need someone to give them company. They call in for help in case of emergencies. Clients in home health care need emotional support from the home health aide. This can be achieved if they talk to them, share stories, read books, and listen to them. Emotional support is needed by the client as they cope with their condition and situation. The family too needs emotional support. Families living with the mentally ill patients, disabled and terminally ill need encouragement. The new born can be delicate to handle and people may

Audiovisuals MaterialsTechnologies Used To Help Students With Learning Essay

Audiovisuals MaterialsTechnologies Used To Help Students With Learning Disabilities And How Are These Students Incorporated Into The Regular Classroom - Essay Example However, special attention and different teaching strategies should be employed by the teachers for this system to be effective. Students with learning disabilities have strengths and weaknesses that affect their learning. For teachers to be successful, they need to identify these points. Upon identifying these strengths and weaknesses, the teachers should work to enhance the students' skills and work to improve on the students' weak points. (Alberta Education , 2002) Teachers can start by guiding their students using an organized system. Teachers are encouraged to pay special attention and give extra time to such students for a certain period of time and slowly adjust the intensity or level of guidance according to the progress made by the student. This should be done until such time that the student can work independently. (Alberta Education , 2002) There are a variety of approaches that teachers can employ in teaching students. These approaches are like tools or strategies that will help the teachers in making the challenging task of imparting knowledge to these special students a lot easier. Students will also experience the benefits of the learning experience with the aid of such strategies. Professionals in the field of education are constantly doing research and looking for ways to improve the systems of teaching, especially students with learning disabilities. They believe that by carefully understanding the case of each individual, employing the right approach for each, and carefully monitoring their progress, there is a great possibility to improve and even correct these disabilities in the regular classroom setting. As much as possible, teaching professionals would like to address learning problems in the regular classroom setting without having to resort to special education classes. Before a student is referred to enroll at a special education program, the teachers conduct an assessment test called the Response-To-Intervention or (RTI). This is to make sure that all efforts are exhausted in the regular classroom setting before resorting to special education programs. Identification is the first step in teaching students with learning disabilities. There are two standard approaches in identifying proper strategies in teaching special students. There is the problem solving approach and the standard protocol approach. (Teaching LD, 2005) According to the website "Teaching LD", the problem solving approach involves four steps. These are proble m identification, problem analysis, plan implementation, and problem evaluation. (Teaching LD, 2005) Problem identification involves observing the students' behavior while in class to determine and enumerate the problem areas that need attention. After the teacher determines the students' weakness or limitation, the teacher check on the possible factors or causes that bring about the problem and develops a plan to address the situation. Plan implementation entails carrying out the plan set to solve the individual's problems. Problem evaluation is the last step. Here, the effects of the solutions implemented are checked vis--vis the problem of the student to determine if significant improvements have been made due to the implementation of the solution. This step is very important to determine whether to

Medical & social needs of homecare clients Essay

Medical & social needs of homecare clients - Essay Example Conclusion Medical and social needs of Homecare Clients. 1. Introduction. Home health aide has a role of assisting the client and family in managing the condition of health at clients home. This essay will describe the needs of the clients, explain the role of home health aide and relate rights of client and family to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It will also discuss culture, life style and experiences of clients while identifying common reaction to illness or disability. The essay will identify body functions, diseases and disorders and emotional or spiritual needs of patients. 2. Basic physical and emotional needs of clients. Home health aides help clients who have diverse needs so that they feel comfortable and get assistance. They include the elderly, infants, mentally ill, people with physical and developmental disabilities together with people with nutritional needs. Majority of the clients require physical assistance in form of service. They require to be bathed, dress and given a hand to conduct self grooming. The client needs to be assisted to wash their hands and perform hygienic tasks to control infections. They need someone to support them as they manage pain. The urinal system may be causing incontinence and they will need someone to help them (Harris, 2004, p. 5). Clients may have nutritional requirements. The home health aide will assist by making the right combination of food and serve them. Those with skin ailments or wounds require help to take care of the skin and the wounds. The home health aide may be required to change the dressing at the right time. The disabled and the elderly may have musculoskeletal system problem. They will need someone to assist them in mobility. The bedridden will require someone who understands the best position when turning them in bed or moving them to another location. The home health aide will give a hand in ambulation and motion. The client will be in need of a safe environment, the home health aide mak es the environment safe for the client. They can clean and arrange their house (Eldelman and Madle 2010, p. 22). The home health aide is involved in organizing and arranging appointments for the client. Organizing entails arranging the means of transport and accompanying the client to their appointments. At times, the home health aide assists in doing shopping and cooking appropriate food for the client. They give the patient company. Additionally, they keep track of medication taken and appointments with the doctors. They facilitate them to participate in certain activities as well as exercise. Because they work closely with the doctors, the home health aides are required to report on the progress of their client. They can be shown to check respiration rate and temperature for the purpose of giving a report. They follow the directions of the physician to give the correct medication. According to Ahroni (1989, p. 77), the client needs to be assisted in lifting and coordinating activ ities. They need someone to give them company. They call in for help in case of emergencies. Clients in home health care need emotional support from the home health aide. This can be achieved if they talk to them, share stories, read books, and listen to them. Emotional support is needed by the client as they cope with their condition and situation. The family too needs emotional support. Families living with the mentally ill patients, disabled and terminally ill need encouragement. The new born can be delicate to handle and people may

Discussion 7- economics-pricing strategies Assignment

Discussion 7- economics-pricing strategies - Assignment Example Since producers have no control over the market prices, they can only control how much they produce. For production, firms in pure competitive market evaluate both the prices for selling their goods and the cost of production. If the analysis leads to greater profit maximization margin, the firm increases its production. Firms in a competitive market maximize profits or minimize losses by evaluating marginal revenues against marginal costs (Reynolds, 2011). Since there are many producers, each makes up a small portion of the total market. No particular producer can influence market prices. The demand curve for the various producers in pure competitive markets is completely elastic (horizontal). Producers in pure competitive markets are price takers. Such producers have the power to sell their products as much as they can produce. If competitors change their prices in pure competitive markets, consumers are willing to switch their demands to the most competitively priced products. In such a case, cross-price elasticity increases since consumers have other available options at better offers. If one producer raises the price, demand goes to

Women in the Media in Kuwait Essay Example for Free

Women in the Media in Kuwait Essay Kuwait is a Middle Eastern country boarded on the east by the Arabian Gulf and slot in between Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the south and west. Kuwait became a fully independent country since 1961. Kuwait was the first Arab country in the Gulf to have an elected parliament. Women were not allowed to vote or elect or stand as candidates in the elections until 1999, when Shaikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah issued a decree giving women their political rights but it was defeated in the National Assembly. Finally, in 2005 Kuwaiti parliament gave women their fully political rights. In pre-oil, Kuwaiti women were forbidden from going to schools and usually were allowed only to recite Quran at (Al Mutawa’a) house. The merchant classes were the first to educate their daughters to extend their families’ power. After the new oil economy stage, women started to participate in the society to change stereotypes and traditional role. In addition they started to deal with the positive changes on lifestyle and contributed in the development of Kuwait society. Without any doubt, when women in Kuwait were granted the right for education by law, their life started to change and became part of the workforce. Education gave women the power to claim for their rights by the efforts of other women who were working in media sectors. Kuwaiti women in media highlighted and raised their problems and demands through TV and Radio programs, articles published in the newspapers, TV drama and plays on the theatre stage. Media was the most effective field that women made progress and gained power to achieve their goals. Media is a broad term that includes mass and social media; mass media is the means of transmitting messages to broad audiences. It includes television, radio, newspaper, magazines, books and so forth. Social media are the means of connecting and interacting actively it includes cell phones, e-mails, PTA and the web. Media in Kuwait includes news, newspapers, television, radio, journals, news services, press abstracts, publishing and bookseller associations. Kuwaiti women made a good contribution in the media because Kuwait has the most vocal and transparent media among Arab countries also well known in the freedom of press. The government funds some of the newspapers and satellite channels and owned Kuwait news agency (KUNA). I 2009, Kuwait had fifteen newspapers companies besides the English newspapers; Arab times, and Kuwait times. The Kuwaiti law controls media to forbid insulting religion references related to God, Islam, and Profit Mohammed (PBUH). Moreover, another law was made to forbid anybody from criticizing the ruling family in specific the Emir. In order to join media a person has to stick to the pervious laws concerning religion and the Emir otherwise he/she will be eligible for fines or send to the jail. Under the Press and Publication Law, the government suspended some of the local newspapers for violating this law for example; Al-Anba’a was suspended for five days for publishing an article about separating between the positions of crown prince from prime minister. Women respected both laws in media especially in the press. In the old days rarely women were encourage to join media in Kuwait because it is an Islamic country and women were preferred to stay home. Some women were very lucky because they have been married to an open-minded educated husbands and made positive impact on the women who had joined Kuwaiti media and became stars of Kuwaiti society. It was noticeable that Kuwaiti women in the media were attacked by some Islamic groups. Kuwaiti women who wear the hijab didn’t dare to study any subject related to media. Studies and social research proved the impact of media messages on the individual behavior and collective beside their power on the political decision. Women started media in Kuwait through television, radio, the press and other means; the famous publication was through T.  V. Kuwait T. V. began to broadcast at the earliest sixties in black and white, the building was closed to the Dsman Palace. The first Kuwaiti woman who entered the media on Kuwaiti television in 1961 was Fatima Hussein, followed by a number of announcers such as Nouria Al-Sdani, Anissa Jafar who was known as â€Å"Mama Anissa†. Other active women in Kuwait radio were; Amina Al-Ansari, Iqbal Al-Gharaballi and Amal Al-Abdullah who later turned to the T. V. activities, the previous names were the first generation of female announcers in Kuwait T. V. and radio. One of the most famous announcers in Kuwait T.  V. and radio is Fatimah Hussein. Fatimah Hussein Al-Essa Al-Qanaie, born in Kuwait 1937, completed her Secondary School Education in Kuwait and was granted a scholarship by Government to study abroad in the University. She was the first woman who was allowed to study out of Kuwait at Cairo University, College of Arts, and Journalism Department 1956-1960. After graduation she was married in 1960 to Suliman Al Mutawa and accompanied him to the USA for his Master Degree. She did not waste her time and decided to study English at the Community Services Department of Columbia University. She started to practice broadcasting in New York, with the Voice of America Radio, where she prepared and presented messages to Radio Kuwait, under the theme name â€Å"Journal of a Kuwaiti Lady in New York†. Radio Kuwait awarded her efforts and offered her another scholarship to study the art of Broadcasting in the University of New York and she managed to take several courses in the Art in the Art of Broadcasting. After she returned to Kuwait and started to work at Radio Kuwait she prepared he own daily program about woman and the family for 15 minutes. She became a media woman with the programs she prepared on the family issues. Kuwaiti Journalist women were the less in media sector due to the nature of work and the difficult circumstances. Hidaya Sultan Al-Salem was the owner and editor of the weekly al-Majales. She was supposed to be honored for her contributions and articles but instead she was murdered on 20 March at her 66 years old. She was famous and active journalist when she was killed on her way to work. A Kuwaiti military man was following her and in the middle of the street he opened fire on her chauffeur-driven car in Kuwait City. The killer confessed that he took revenge and killed Hidaya because of her article about the girls of his ribe Al Awazem. Moreover, Kuwaiti women made significant contributions in TV drama and were famous in Gulf and Arab countries. Also, they made influential contribution in Kuwaiti movie (Bas Ya Bahar), which presented the old Kuwaiti life when they were diving for pearls and traveled six months away from their homes. In this movie Hayat Al Fahad expressed the life of Kuwaiti women at that time. More contributions of Kuwaiti women in media were developed by Dr. Suad Al Sabah; one of the ruling family members in Kuwait. She was graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences at Cairo University in 1973. In 1981 obtained PhD in economics from Guilford University (UK). She established Suad Al Sabah Publishing and Distribution House. She writes poetry that was published in several books. Another famous flag does not need any introduction, who does not know Mama Anissa? More than 45 years she was introducing and preparing programs for children in Kuwait. Her programs attracted children beside adults and brought happiness to the children who participated from all over Kuwait. She approached the childhood world and became the mother of all Kuwaits children. Conclusion  Kuwait, which is located in the north west of the Arabian Gulf generally, divided into two different periods: pre-oil and after the discovery of oil. In the pre-oil period Kuwait society was controlled by male only while women were not involved in any work except house working and did not attend schools for education, they were reciting Quran at (Mutawa) house. Kuwaiti women had very hard life , they were not involved in the public life and were forbidden from education. The first who made changes in women life were the merchant families when they sent their daughters to schools. Education was the spark that lightened women life. After oil, the government realized that education is necessary to make the progress and development. Women claimed for their rights and struggled until they were able to elect, vote and nominate in 2005. They fought for their freedom by different means. Kuwaiti women who were involved in Media encouraged women to claim for their rights. Women in media have a powerful role in the social and political life. Some of these women joined Kuwaiti TV such as Fatima Hussain who was famous for the family program, Mama Anisa who was famous for Children programs, Amina Al Sharrah, Mona Taleb who were from the irst generation of media women. Other women became journalist such as Hidaya Alsalem who was murdered because of her politics view and articles. Moreover, Kuwaiti women developed the drama, poetry and movies to express their demands. I believe that Kuwaiti women deserve to be honored for their will to win, as they did not slender to the cruelty of traditions and custom. Even though they have paid their life for the sake of their beliefs and courage but at the end they made progress and moved on to share with men all aspects of life and cancel the discriminations between men and women.

Effect of Hormones on Aggressive Behaviour

Effect of Hormones on Aggressive Behaviour The role of hormones in mediating aggressive behaviour How hormones can trigger and influence aggression in animals and humans has interested many researchers in the last six decades (Brooks-Gunn, Graber, Paikoff, 1994). Scientists realised soon that aggressive behaviours has to be always set in a larger context. The larger context can never be neglected while investigating complex human behaviours. This applies especially when considering the hormonal contributions to aggressive behaviour since far more than one link seems to exist between hormones and aggression. For instance, the hormonal control of parental, sexual and reproductive behaviour crucially determines aggression in both humans and animals. Parents of many animal species are increasingly aggressive while experiencing hormonal changes, for example, during lactation and parturition as they strive to defend their offspring from enemies (Beach, 1979). The aim of this paper is to evaluate the study on hormones and aggressive behaviour in the evolutionary context. Nonetheless it is not intended to conceptualise this evolutionary context without relation to other domains such as the social or cognitive one as these domains are inextricably linked. â€Å"A developmental perspective of aggression thus is based on the assumption that aggressive behavior is multidetermined and dynamic over the life span, and a product of a complex continuous interaction of the multiple psycho-bio-social changes.† (Ramirez, 2003; p.622). Aggression The fact that multiple modulators for aggression seem to exist makes it more difficult to reach conclusions. An additional problem is that the usage of the word aggression is too broad and there is yet not consensus over how it can be actually defined (Kavoussi, Armstead, Coccaro, 1997). Aggression has been predominantly related to an emotional state that individuals frequently describe as involving a strong drive to inflict harm and emotions of disregard and hate. However, overt aggression comes, in contrast to the described inner feeling of hate, in different forms. Predatory aggression, for instance, refers to the feeding behaviour of animals and is represented by attacks directed at natural prey. It has been demonstrated that the majority of vertebrates display aggression between two males of the same species while only some animals display maternal aggression. Fear-induced aggression, on the other hand, appears when an animal is anxious and/or incapable to escape from a perceiv ed dangerous situation. Irritable aggression, however, comes frequently close to uncontrollable rage and is triggered by immense pain or frustration (Rosenzweig, Breedlove, Reiman, 2002). Nelson (1995) reported how male sex hormones play a significant role in various forms of aggressive behaviour like for example in within-species social interactions and encounters. As a consequence, aggressive behaviour between males increases on the verge to sexual maturity. Experiments with male mice have demonstrated that their aggressiveness levels rise significantly during puberty while immature mice display more violent behaviours against each other when they are treated with androgens (McKinney Desjardins, 1973). Puberty and Hormonal Change Given the dramatic changes that occur in endocrine physiology at puberty, it is not surprising that increases in testosterone are hypothesized to be related to increases in aggression. This explains why testosterone has been the most investigated hormone in its research. The wealth of evidence supporting the ability of testosterone to facilitate aggressive behaviour in a broad number of mammal species has led to wonder about its potential role in human aggression. Wingfield and colleagues (1987) were among those researches who successfully demonstrated that the amount of displayed aggression in many species is related to the amount of seasonal testosterone change. Yet experiments with youths experiencing puberty yielded equivocal results. Book and collaborators (2001) for instance conducted a meta-analysis on 45 independent studies and came to the conclusion that the mean weighted correlation of these studies was only weakly positive (r = 0.14). This finding was congruent with Archer’s (1991) meta-analyses as he had also found rather marginally significant positive relationships between testosterone levels in humans and aggression. Experiments investigating the on the effects of castration on subjects illustrated more convincingly how inextricably aggressive behaviour is linked to hormones. Conclusively, castrated males displayed less aggressive behaviour due to the decreased androgen production. If, in turn, testosterone is injected into these castrated species one can again observe an increase in inter-male violent behaviour. Females are less often studies by researchers with regard to hormonal affects on aggression. This is due to the fact that males engage significantly more often in aggressive behaviour than females (e.g. number of male murderers is five times higher in the United States). Thus the predominant viewpoint among scientists is that males of most species are the more aggressive and violent sex. Consistently, recent research has found more support for a link between androgens and aggressive affect for boys entering puberty (Olweus et al., 1988) but less strong associations for girls (Paikoff Br ooks-Gunn, 1990). Nevertheless some studies found that in some species like Hamsters the female sex is more aggressive. However, this was not anymore the case when the female Hamsters entered the estrus stage. As a matter of fact, not all studies have supported the notion that the amount of hormones, especially androgens, is negatively associated to aggression levels. Ehrenkranz and colleagues (1974) for example demonstrated that testosterone levels of humans were positively related to aggressiveness while Kreuz and Rose (1972) could not find a significant correlation between levels of testosterone and aggressiveness in prisoners. Nonetheless Dabbs and Morris (1990) maintained with the help of their study on military veterans that testosterone levels can be linked at least to violent antisocial behaviour. More recently Dabbs and Hargrove (1997) revealed that high testosterone levels are a remarkable characteristic and predictor of female prisoners who are convicted of self-initiated violent crimes. At least two confounding variables exist Research has also demonstrated the existence of at least two confounding variable which have a significant influence on the relationship between hormones and aggressive behaviour. Bernstein and Gordon (1971) showed that both monkeys and mice who come out as winners of an aggressive interaction display increased testosterone levels whereas the losers experience a decrease in androgens. Consequently, the winners become more aggressive while the losers are less prone to exhibiting aggressive behaviour towards their own and other species. One could conclude that it was more a consequence rather than a cause that the more aggressive prisoners in Dabbs and Hargroves (1997) experiment had higher testosterone levels. Surprisingly not only the winners of aggressive encounters but also the triumphant of sport competitions experience observable increases in their testosterone levels. It goes further that this increase is not only experienced by those who actively participate and win in the spor ting event but is even experienced by those who support and cheer up the winning side or individual (Bernhardt, 1997). As even chess players display after having lost chess matches lower levels and after having won higher levels of testosterone it was concluded that another confounding variable mediates between aggression and testosterone because chess players are hardly aggressive in their normal behaviour. Regardless of these confounding variables sexual assaulters, aggressors and criminals have been often castrated in the past in order to decrease both their sex and aggression drives. The results of these studies reported that criminals were less susceptible to aggressive behaviour after having experienced a decrease in sex hormones induced by their castration (Brain, 1994). Nowadays, however, ethical issues and concerns have become increasingly important and thus it is debatable and questionable whether these kind of forced surgical interventions are ethically justifiable and tenable. Serotonin and Aggressive Behaviour The synaptic transmitter serotonin seems to have as well a profound impact on aggressive behaviour in both humans and animals. In contrast to testosterone, however, a negative association between aggression and brain serotonin activity has been reported in past studies. Higley and collaborators (1992), for instance, investigated the activity of the neurotransmitter serotonin in around 30 monkeys in an observational study. The researchers ranked the monkeys according to their aggressive activities on the island where they were freely living and compared their ranks with the amount of serotonin brain activity. Their results demonstrated that serotonin levels are negatively correlated with aggression. Virkkunen and Linnoila (1993) supported these findings with their own study. They showed that individuals who consume alcohol excessively have comparatively lower serotonin metabolites concentrations (e.g. HIAA concentrations) in their cerebrospinal fluid. These applied also to animal tort uring children (Kruesi, 1979) and due to aggressive behaviour expelled American Marines (Brown et al., 1979). As a matter of fact, serotonin levels are affected by environmental context and stimuli. Dominant and high ranking primates for example who stand on the top of the hierarchical social status ladder display greater serotonin levels than primates who rank lower in the pecking order. If however the higher ranked primates loses his social status he analogously experiences a decrease in serotonin levels. Testosterone and Aggressive Behaviour Schaal and colleagues (1996) investigated more recently the association between physical violence and social dominance of pubescent male youths and their respective testosterone levels. It was shown that less socially dominant youths had lower levels of testosterone in comparison to socially more dominant peers who possess concurrently bigger amounts of testosterone amounts. Nevertheless, this finding could not be repeated with aggression levels as those pubescent youths who were perceived as more aggressively behaving had significantly lower testosterone concentrations than those males who had a low history of being physically aggressive and violent. Thus it was concluded that testosterone was related not so much to antisocial characteristics than to experienced social status. In other words, those who successfully achieve higher social dominance statuses experience an increase in testosterone while those who fail to gain high social status face a reduction in their testosterone pro duction. Experiments with younger children (e.g. 5-year-olds) it was found that boys with higher testosterone concentrations were more playfully aggressive in social interactions. However, this relationship could neither be established with girls nor in play contexts (Ahedo et al., 2002). This again implies that testosterone levels are not solely a modulator of aggressive behaviour but rather a mediator of any kind of social behaviour. Additionally, Ahedo and collaborators study demonstrated that sex differences in behaviour establish themselves already very early on in life. In another study (van Goozen et al., 1998) the androstenedione, testosterone, dehdroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) levels in prepubescent boys exhibiting antisocial conduct disorders was examined. Van Goozen and colleagues results revealed that antisocial conduct disordered infants’ aggressiveness was not significantly relatable to testosterone. However, the more antisocially behaving boys had significantly higher than average androstenedione levels and modestly higher than average DHEAS levels. Researchers like Ramirez (2003) believed that studies such as these have the power to shadow doubt on the validity of testosterone as a biological control system for aggressive behaviour in postnatal life. Even later on in life testosterone levels seem only to represent the consequence rather than a cause of aggression as testosterone does not immediately lead people to be physically aggressive but their aggression is solely a response to cognitive and social stimuli and triggers (Brain Su sman, 1996). Studies on observed changes in concentration levels of testosterone and cortisol during aggressive behaviour and social stress serve as support for those researchers maintaining that both the evolutionary and social contexts and experiences have an essential impact on hormonal levels in humans. Thus â€Å"gonadal hormones, besides being only one of the multiple processes -biological, social, and cognitive, to influence aggression in children and adolescents, might also be a signal of aggression, or even more precisely perhaps, of social success.† (Ramirez, 2003; p. 630). These findings about serotonin and testosterone are according to Ramirez (2003) of utmost importance as they demonstrate that that experiences made in life can alter both brain chemistry and hormonal production in fundamental ways. Thus it can be noted that social context and hormonal activities in the body and brain are inextricably linked. Past researches on abnormal (van Goozen et al., 2000) and normal (Nottelmann et al., 1987; Inoff-Germain et al., 1988) male and female children have revealed univocal associations between high hormone levels of adrenal origin like androstenedione or dehydroepiandrostenedione sulphate and aggression together with diverse other negative attributes such as antisocial behaviour, rebelliousness and anger. Furthermore, the fact that androstenedione which is a prevalent producer of androgens is linked to anger in females suggests that adrenal and not gonadal originated androgens play a fundamental part in determining the aggressive behaviour of the female sex. In addition to that, it has been found that serotonin is not the sole mediator of aggression but also noradrenergic, neuropeptides and GABA systems have been demonstrated to have an impact on aggressive behaviour. Additionally, estrogens, gonadotrophins, and prolactine have been identified as minor modulators. Thus, genetic and pharma cological experts have essentially extended the number of relevant hormones and neurotransmitters in the last couple of years (Nelson Chiavegatto, 2001). In conclusion, all the above findings fortify and support the currently predominant notion that aggression is not mediated by only one factor but by a network of many interplaying variables. References Ahedo, L., Cardas, J., Aizpiroz, A., Brain, P. F., Sanchez-Martin, J. R. (2002). Social behavior in male and female 5-year olds and its relation to salivary testosterone levels. The developmental origins of aggressive behavior (p. 53). Montreal: ISRA. Archer, J. (1991). The influence of testosterone on human aggression. British Journal of Psychology, 82, 1–28. Beach, F.A. (1979). Aggressive Behavior. Hormones and Aggression, 5(3), 313-316. Bernhardt, P. C. (1997). Influences of serotonin and testosterone in aggression and dominance: convergence with social psychology. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2(6), 44-48. Bernstein, I. S., and Gordon, T. P. (1974). The function of aggression in primate societies. American Scientist, 62, 304-311. Book, A. S., Starzyk, K. B., Quinsey, V. L. (2001). The relationship between testosterone and aggression: A meta-analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 6(6), 579–599. Brain, P. 1994. Hormonal aspects of aggression and violence. In A. Reiss, Jr., K. Miczek, and J. Roth (Eds.), Understanding and Preventing Violence, Volume 2., pp. 173-244 Washington DC: National Academy Press. Brain, P. F., Susman, E. J. (1996). Hormonal aspects of antisocial behavior and violence. In D. M. Stoff, J. Maser, J. Maser (Eds.), Handbook of antisocial behavior ( pp. 314–323). Hillsdale: Laurence Erlbaum. Brooks-Gunn, J. Graber, J.A., Paikoff R.L. (1994). Studying links between hormones and negative affect: models and measures. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 4(4), 469-486. Brown, G. L., Goodwin, F. K., Ballenger, J. C., Goyer, P. F., et al. (1979). Aggression in humans correlates with cerebrospinal fluid amine metabolites. Psychiatry Research, 1, 131-139. Dabbs, J. M., Jr., and Hargrove, M. F. (1997). Age, testosterone, and behaviour among female prison inmates. Psychosomatic Medicine, 59, 477-480. Dabbs, J. M., Jr., and Morris, R. (1990). Testosterone, social class and antisocial behavior in a sample of 4.462 men. Psychological Science, 1(3), 209-211. 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Biography of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson Essay -- American

Biography of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental army during the American Revolution and later became the first president of the United States serving from1789 until 1797. He symbolized qualities of discipline, aristocratic duty, military orthodoxy and persistence in adversity that his contemporaries valued as marked of mature political leadership George spent his early years on the family estate on Pope's Creek along the Potomac River. Although Washington had little or no formal schooling, his early notebooks indicate that he read in geography, military history, agriculture, deportment and composition. He showed an aptitude for surveying and simple mathematics. An early ambition to go to sea had been discouraged by George's mother. His father died in 1743, and soon thereafter George went to live with his half brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon, Lawrence's plantation on the Potomac. Lawrence became something of a substitute father for his brother. Upon the death of Lawrence in 1752, George inherited the Mount Vernon estate. Washington played an important role in the struggles preceding the outbreak of the French and Indian War. He was chosen by Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia to deliver an ultimatum calling on French forces to cease their encroachment in the Ohio River valley. Washington's diary account of the dangers and difficulties of his journey published on his return helped win him his ensuing promotion to lieutenant colonel. Although only 22 years of age and lacking experience, he was ordered to lead a militia force for the protection of workers who were building a fort at the Forks of the Ohio River. Discouraged by defeat, Washington resigned his commission in 1754. In May, 1755, he began service as a volunteer and aide-de-camp to British General Edward Braddock. Braddock was mortally wounded and Washington narrowly escaped death. He escaped injury although four bullets ripped his coat and two horses were shot from under him Braddock's troops were ambushed by a band of French soldiers and their Indian allies on the Monongahela River. At age of 23, he was promoted to colonel and appointed commander in chief of the Virginia militia. His responsibility was to defend the frontier. Washington left the army in 1758, assured that the Virginia frontier was safe from French ... ... strictly enforced they Operated as a check on the majority, and gave "shelter and protection to the minority against the attempts of power." Jefferson much enjoyed the office of vice president, partly from the interest he took in the art of legislation and partly because his presidency of the Philosophical society brought him into agreeable relations with the most able minds of the country. He took no part whatever in the administration of the government, as Mr. Adams ceased to consult him on political measures almost immediately after his inauguration. The administration of Adams, so turbulent and eventful, inflamed party spirit to an extreme degree. The reactionary policy of Hamilton and his friends had full scope, as is shown by the passage of the alien and sedition laws, and by the warlike preparations against France. During the first three years Jefferson endeavored in various ways to influence the public mind, and thus to neutralize in some degree the active and aggressive spirit of Hamilton. He was clearly of opinion that the alien and sedition laws were not merely unconstitutional, but were so subversive of fundamental human rights as to justify a nullification of them.

Internet vs traditional classrooms Essay

Computer and internet technologies have significantly altered the ways various tasks are carried out. These technologies have introduced alternatives in virtually all fields, which have brought about mixed reactions among stakeholders. Different reactions are usually expressed because these technologies bring about merits and demerits. The learning processes have not been spared by the advancements made in the fields of both internet and computer technologies. The traditional classrooms are gradually being replaced by the internet classrooms as more and more technological advancements are being achieved. There is however a ranging debate, among different stakeholders within the education sector allover the world. While some have welcomed the replacement of traditional classrooms by the internet ones, others have strongly opposed the move. Stakeholders supporting the internet classrooms argue that they offer students and teachers a more advanced learning environment. On the other hand, the opponents of internet classrooms argue that they are reducing the teacher-student interaction which is vital in any learning process. However, looking critically at the facts surrounding the internet and traditional classrooms, there are more benefits associated with the internet classrooms compared to the traditional classrooms and hence the development of these classrooms should be encouraged (Platt et al, para 2-3). Arguments in favor of internet classrooms Internet classrooms are not only convenient but they are also highly flexible to both the students and the instructors. This mode of learning permits students to easily access various materials and contents they are supposed to learn. Such contents can be accessed by students at any time and from any place. As a result, students are not limited to the learning materials and contents that are available from their schools. Internet classes thus increase the knowledge base of students, since they can access a wide range of learning materials. On the other hand, students learning from traditional classrooms are only limited to the learning materials available from their institutions. The students learning via internet classrooms are therefore better placed to learn more details and materials compared to their counterparts learning through the traditional classrooms (Linn, Davis, and Bell, pp 22). Internet based classrooms are much more efficient in terms of knowledge transfer to the students. Instructors teaching their students via the internet enjoy the flexibility of using several methods to pass information to their students. Therefore, students who are not comfortable in a certain method of teaching have the opportunity of paying attention to other methods used in internet classrooms. Such forms of flexibility have the effect of increasing the performance of students since the learning process is much more efficient. In well established internet classrooms instructors are more likely to use less amount of time in teaching a certain course and achieve high level performance as opposed to the traditional classroom learning. The traditional classrooms are less efficient and it is quite difficult for instructors teaching students in such learning environments to effectively use different teaching methods and accommodate the needs of all students in the classroom. Lack of variety in the traditional classrooms has the likelihood of affecting the performance of students. The most affected ones are those who are not favored by the rigid teaching methods adopted by their instructors (Bartini, para 4). Learning via the internet classes greatly eases the ability of instructors to receive feedbacks from their students. Feedbacks from students are very essential to instructors as it is one way through which they can assess and evaluate their performance. Without feedbacks from students it is quite difficult for the instructors to determine objectively whether they are effective in passing knowledge to the students. Instructors also get to learn the teaching methods that are favored by students and thus apply them more while teaching them. On the other hand, it is very difficult for the instructors teaching students using the traditional classrooms to get feedbacks from their students. Lack of such feedback essentially implies that instructors are not in a good position to objectively assess and evaluate their work. It is therefore difficult for such instructors to make any meaningful improvements within a short period of time. Lack of proper feedback mechanism in traditional classrooms is likely to affect the performance of the students (Bartini, para 6). It is possible for students being taught through either internet or traditional classrooms to perform well in their examinations. However, due to the high effective and efficient nature of internet classrooms, good results can be achieved with lower levels of input. Instructors do not have to spend a lot of time elaborating on various points to the class since the students can access a wide variety of materials which they can in turn compare with the ones they receive from their teachers. On the other hand, for students learning via the traditional classrooms to perform well, a lot of time is required since these classes are less effective and efficient. Internet classrooms are therefore much better compared to the traditional classrooms, since better results can be achieved with less inputs and efforts (Platt et al, para 8). Participation of students in various class activities is a very crucial element as far the learning process is concerned. Increased student participation does not only make the learning process more involving and enjoyable, but it also improves the whole learning experience. Internet classrooms are very good in facilitating increased participation of students in class activities. Students are compelled to research more on various issues they are learning in class as well as topics they come across in the internet. They can easily form discussion groups and other learning structures from which they can carryout some research to present to class in turn. Increased student participation in class activities ensures that all students are well involved in the crucial class activities and that no single student is left behind. Similar levels of participation among students are not possible within the traditional classroom set ups. It therefore means that students learning in traditional classrooms are not in a good position to participate effectively in class activities and thus add significant value to the learning process. Their main duty in class is listening and taking note from their instructors. Since increased participation of students in class activities reveals certain weaknesses possessed by students, such cannot easily be determined in traditional classrooms setups where student participation is minimal (Platt et al, para 9). Research projects are a very essential and integral part of the learning process of each student. Research endows students with the necessary skills and techniques of carrying out various studies. Even students learning via traditional classrooms can properly carryout research projects, they are significantly limited. Students learning via internet classes highly advantaged in carrying out their research projects other studies. It is easy for them to not only carryout the research but also be easily assisted by their instructors in case they come across any difficult while carrying out their studies. Students learning in internet based classrooms are likely to spend much less time in researching for their coursework projects, compared to students learning in traditional classroom set ups (Linn, Davis, and Bell, pp 34). Internet based classrooms, greatly exposes students to several technological facilities when they are still young and fresh. One of the greatest objectives of learning is to enable students to apply in future, various skills and techniques that have been learnt. Students are usually prepared by their institutions for the greater challenges ahead in their professional careers. In order for students to be better prepared for such challenges, they have to be well endowed with various technological skills. Internet based classrooms are highly efficient in impacting the necessary technological skills to the students (Schofield and Davidson pp 51). Arguments against internet classrooms At the initial stages of internet based classrooms, especially during the stages of design and development, significant time is consumed thus making these types of classes less efficient. Student as well as instructor’s time is wasted and such may be reflected in the poor performance of students in various examinations. A lot of time is consumed in accessing information online, downloading or uploading learning materials and also when developing and designing various learning messages for the students. If both the instructors and students are not in a position to quickly overcome various simple challenges brought about by the use of internet as a means of learning, this type of classrooms can in the end prove to be highly inefficient and ineffective (Bartini, para 11). Interaction between the students and their instructors is a very essential element in the learning process. However, internet based classrooms are highly efficient in eliminating this vital aspect of the learning process. The level of interaction and communication between the students and their instructors in internet classrooms is minimal and greatly affects the relationship between both sides. Effective learning process does not only involve impacting of knowledge to students. Developing a cordial working relationship between the students and their teachers is also very essential as it greatly facilitates the learning process. Traditional classrooms are the best placed for the development of a good relationship within the classroom environment. Therefore, in regard to the level of interaction between students and teachers, traditional classes are much better compared to the internet ones (Brown, para 13). Conclusion From the essay, it is quite clear that internet based classes are much better compared to the traditional classes. They improve the level of student participation in class activities thus making the learning process a good experience for both students and teachers. Through internet classes, it is much easier for feedback from students to be obtained and thus facilitate the evaluation process. Internet classes are very good in terms of effectiveness and efficiency in passing knowledge to the students. Due to this type of classroom setup, performance of students is highly enhanced. However, internet classrooms are associated with the detriment of increasing the gap between the students and their teachers, thus hurting the relationship between them. These two groups should maintain a good working relationship for good results to be achieved. Such a relationship can only be developed and nurtured properly under the traditional classroom setups. All in all, internet based classrooms are much better than the traditional ones and the few demerits of this type of classrooms can be ironed out through proper management of the learning facilities.

Aviation Expansion in the US

Aviation enplaments are soaring higher each year and they are deplaning into a system that is already saturated and bulging. The industry must expand and keep pace with this growth but this is being met with fierce opposition. This paper introduces the opposition coalitions and groups that are surmounting. It takes an in depth look at their number one concern, aircraft noise, and the effect it has on the health of those in the local airport communities. Several health studies are referenced and statistical information is offered throughout. Noise abatement is addressed and future growth figures are offered. John Q. Public wants to fly. He wants to fly in more numbers now than ever before. Forecasters explain that these numbers show no sign of decreasing in the near future. The only drawback to the industry is that the system is already saturated and bulging. As the demand to fly continues to ‘take-off', it is bringing with it serious delay, capacity, and environmental concerns. These issues must be addressed and answered before we can expand the aviation infrastructure. Airport planners have several attainable ways to accommodate and alleviate the major concerns to the system, but everyone of them are facing fierce opposition from those that feel they, and their communities, will be adversely affected. New runways, or extensions, have been proposed at 60 of the top 100 airports that lead in the number of annual enplanements. Studies for new airports have been conducted in New York, Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, and Miami, to name a few (Wells, 1996). For nearly every organization that is steadfast on building or expanding existing airports, there are a growing number of coalitions that oppose their ideas and are ready to challenge them. Most are local groups and communities that are confronting the governmental bodies in their own areas; but there are a number of national groups and even world-wide groups forming. With the availability of the World Wide Web, they are uniting in larger numbers and communicating their concerns with global reach. Pointing your web browser in the direction of any area proposing expansion and you will find numerous local groups and coalitions fighting to dismiss it. One such group is Sane Aviation For Everyone, Inc. (SAFE). This is a coalition of independent citizens groups and individuals in the New York City metropolitan area. SAFE is dedicated to stopping and reversing the environmental and health impacts of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Airports. Vocal on many of the environmental problems caused by airports, they are extremely upset about a recent decision to bring more aircraft through the airports in their area (SAFE Home Page, 1998). In January '98, airlines were given exemptions to slot limitations, adding 21 additional daily operations at the airport despite a federally enacted ‘High Density Rule' that places limits on the number of flights into and out of Kennedy, LaGuardia, and other major airports (Bertrand, 1998). SAFE is currently looking to expand their scope to deal nationally and internationally with the aircraft noise issue. Some groups are set up for a specific cause, like that of the Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) in Seattle, Washington. They are opposing a proposal to add a third runway to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). It was formed in 1993 because thousands of people living there claim that building a third runway would seriously diminish the quality of life in their communities and further pollute their air and water (ACC Home Page, 1998). The Seattle area also host the site of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA). The RCAA is a non-profit coalition of citizen groups and cities. They believe that further expansion of Sea-Tac Airport makes no sense, costs too much, and does too much damage to too many people. They favor demand management of the airport and support alternatives to expansion such as high speed rail. They also are addressing airport noise, air, and water pollution issues. The purpose of their Home Page is to provide citizens in King County, Washington State with the latest information on airport issues but, imperatively, they are providing citizens in airport impacted communities world-wide, with information and communication. They have an impressive supporting library and extensive links to other sites around the country (RCAA Home Page, 1998). One of the largest groups is the US-Citizens Aviation Watch (US-CAW). They are a national organization comprised of local airport groups, environmental organizations, and civic groups. They are concerned about noise, environment, public health and other quality of life issues related to aviation operations. While claiming to be a ‘national' association, they are linked with established organizations in 26 countries throughout the world. US-CAW's mission is to unite organizations and municipalities. Coalitions are forming from coast to coast. Their goal is to represent the interest of individual citizens (US-CAW Home Page, 1998). The focus of these coalitions is not limited to just opposing new airports or expansion issues. In areas where our military forces are drawing down, a viable option to building a new airport would be to convert a closing military airfield. Local residents have even put up resistance in this endeavor. One example is the growing concern over converting the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Orange County, California. The residents there have put up an impressive opposition Internet site to keep everyone informed on the issues. This Internet access affords the on-line populous, growing by millions each year, to be a key stroke away from getting involved. Their business and homeowner associations of the El Toro Coalition (ETC) favor non-aviation reuses for the field because there are at least eight airports with medium and long haul capability (five of which are international) within a 100 mile radius of El Toro (ETC Home Page, 1998). Another example is where the Department of Defense (DOD) is considering transferring what was once Homestead Air Reserve Base to Dade County, FL. County officials plan to develop an international â€Å"hub† airport serving South Florida and competing directly with Miami International Airport. In response to the proposed airport development project, a coalition of the country's top environmental advocacy organizations successfully mobilized in an effort to persuade the White House to save Everglades National Park and other unique ecological treasures in the area (Natural Resources Defense Council, 1998). The project is now on hold. It doesn't mater where, why, or who is opposing expanding aviation infrastructure, the issues are the same across their tally sheets. You don't have to be an environmental expert to understand there is an impact from aviation on a community. Air and water pollution, the impact on land values, health, and quality of life are all major issues. The most apparent environmental issue is that of noise and it appears to rank as the number one concern from opposition groups. No matter how well an airport serves its community, one of the most common complaints is the noise it produces. It has been the greatest barrier to building a new airport or its expansion (Wells, 1996). Opposition groups contend that airport noise is not just a minor annoyance that people living near airports should be ‘good sports' about and learn to ignore. Outside of the fact that it is a shear nuisance, aircraft noise may be posing more of a health problem than it suggest. In a study by the Health Subcommittee of the Environmental Impact Committee of the Regional Coalition on Airport Affairs, Dr. Dennis Hansen reported that airport noise results in a significant increase in community use of tranquilizers and sleeping pills. Airport communities have an increased rate of alcoholism, and admissions to psychiatric hospitals. He states airport related noise can literally drive people mad, has been positively associated with the development of hypertension, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, all of which place people at increased risk of heart disease and stroke (Hansen, 1992). Another study has been linked to aircraft noise and sleep depravation. It has been argued that suburban residents desire a noise level no higher than 30 decibels (dB) at night when they sleep. The maximum noise level from an aircraft taking off would be approximately 90 dB. A noise level of 90 dB is roughly equivalent to that of a power mower outdoors. At least 75 percent of sleeping people will be awakened if exposed to noise levels over 74 dB. More importantly, over 50 percent of people will not be able to go to sleep if exposed to noise levels higher than 74 dB. The resulting sleep deprivation would potentially affect over 100,000 to 700,000 people living in the communities surrounding a commercial airport (Walther, 1997). Chronic noise is also having a devastating effect on the academic performance of children in noisy homes and schools. Cornell University researchers have confirmed that children in schools bombarded by frequent aircraft noise don't learn to read as well as children in quiet schools. The one major reason they have discovered is that the kids tune out speech in the racket (Science Daily, 1998). Speech and communication are affected when noise levels exceed 60 decibels. Excessively noisy schools have been shown to adversely affect the ability to solve simple problems as well as to learn mathematics and reading (Lang, 1997). The Airport and Airways Development Act of 1970 established a requirement that airport sponsors must afford the opportunity for public hearings for projects involving the location of an airport, a new runway or extension (Wells, 1996). This Act legally affords opposition groups the opportunity to voice their concerns and be represented in the proper forum. Implementation of operational airport noise abatement strategies is the airport's responsibility. The DOD took an early lead in working toward airport compatibility in 1973 with policies concerning public and private land in the vicinity of military airfields. The military's Air Installation Compatible Land Use Zones program evolved into the government's program for Noise Control And Compatibility Planning For Airports (AC 150/5020-1), or what have become commonly known as ‘FAR Part 150 Studies.' (Gesell, 1992) These Noise and Land Use Compatibility Studies consider and evaluate programs to reduce the impact of airport noise on communities. Through fiscal year 1998, there are currently 235 airports participating in the program, 217 airports have received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants for Part 150 studies, and 193 have been approved for Noise Compatibility Programs (FAA, 1998). Aircraft noise is also being reduced through technological advances and procedural techniques. Engineers have designed quieter engines and made airframe modifications, but opposition groups feel a lot more needs to be done. Aircraft designers feel they are at a point where any further advances will be technically difficult, very costly, and degrade aircraft performance (Wells, 1996). With the growth of aviation at its current rate, numbers of flights are going to increase. This can only mean more noise, even if it is a little quieter. Deregulation of the airline industry has changed the way companies do business. The turning point was the Airline Deregulation Act, approved by Congress on Oct. 24, 1978 and signed into law by President Carter. Many of the benefits are positive, for instance lower fares and more choices. This has created a massive impact and dramatic increase in the number of passengers throughout the system. Domestic and international air travel have grown by staggering proportions over the last several decades, and that growth is expected to continue. Citing President Clinton's policies and the third longest economic expansion since World War II, Secretary of Transportation, Rodney E. Slater, announced that U.S. airlines have recorded a third straight year of strong growth; an encouraging sign that a continued upward trend is expected into the 21st Century. That announcement came on the heels of the release of the FAA's commercial aviation forecast, which revealed that an unprecedented 605 million people flew on the nation's air carriers in 1996 with enplanements expected to grow to nearly one billion by 2008 (Slater, 1997). Technological advances, developments in commerce and marketing and continuing changes in the airline industry are likely to fuel this growth. However, this projected growth will be impossible unless we adequately invest in the infrastructure to support it. The national airport system is the heart of that infrastructure. Failure to invest in needed capacity-enhancing projects, such as additional runways, runway extensions or new airport construction would severely hamper the growth of the industry and ultimately undermine the ability of our nation to compete in the global economy. Noise pollution affects millions of Americans, but citizens disturbed by aircraft noise constitute one of the most vocal groups speaking out against noise. Opposition groups like the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs and the US-Citizens Aviation Watch are growing in strength and have the potential of global reach through the World Wide Web. Airport noise can seriously affect the health and psychological well-being of those effected, especially when continued exposure is present. It has been the greatest barrier to building a new airport or its expansion. The government is not standing idly by. Many programs such as the Noise and Land Use Compatibility Studies have been put into action and are making funds available to help alleviate the problems in communities hardest hit. Aviation enplanements are growing. Forecasters are predicting that traffic shows no sign of decreasing well into the new century. This projected growth will be impossible unless we adequately invest in the infrastructure to support it.