Writing and Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing and Environment - Essay Example Jared Diamond’s article titled The Last Americans: Environmental Collapse and the End of Civilization issues a warning to those living in advanced economies (including the United States) that great civilizations of the past inevitably decline and perish after hitting their peak. He suggests that being complacent currently can lead to irreparable ecological catastrophes in the near future. The article Am I Blue by Alice Walker touches upon an allied concern, namely the issue of animal rights. She suggests that human have for too long exploited animals for their own selfish ends and that this is a symbol of human conflict too. So in order for humans to flourish, they have to start treating animals ethically. All three authors discussed above raise several valid points and their observations validate each other’s arguments. Rachel Carson’s article titled The Obligation to Endure is gives an in-depth analysis of the state of chemical pollution in our environment. Carson asserts that the rate at which new synthetic pollutants are let out into our environment is too fast for life-forms to adopt to and evolve accordingly. As a result our planet is now at a cusp of a fatal disaster. Given the gravity of the issue, Carson does not employ humor or sarcasm. Instead, her prose is of a serious tone, infused with dark irony and earnest imploration. Her appeal to the reader is quite powerful, for it comes at the back of a detailed and factual analytical presentation. One chemical problem that Rachel Carson focuses on is that of the insecticide. This seemingly beneficial device to keep insect pests has caused unforeseen consequences of vast proportions. Insecticides such as DDT, while providing immediate improvement in agricultural productivity, have caused severe collateral damage. For this reason, Carson asserts that

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Essay Example for Free

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Essay Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (ni e Godwin; 1797-1851), English novelist, daughter of the British philosopher and novelist William Godwin and the British author and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary was born in London. Her mother died ten days after her birth. Her father had many literary friends, and Marys childhood was populated by such figures as William Hazlitt, Charles Lamb, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In 1812, Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Harriet joined their circle. Before Mary was 17, she and Shelley were meeting secretly by her mothers grave in St Pancras churchyard. After Shelleys separation from Harriet in 1814, he and Mary eloped to the Continent. In the eight years before the poets death, the couple lived an unconventional life, moving between Italy, England, and Switzerland, part of a bohemian set that included the poets John Keats and Lord Byron. Harriet Shelleys suicide in December 1816 allowed Mary and Percy to marry. They had four children together, but only one, Percy Florence, survived his parents. The loss of their first child affected Mary profoundly, and seems to have shaped the themes of her first novel, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (1818). Mary Shelley conceived this story in 1816, while staying on Lake Geneva as the guest of Byron. According to her introduction to the novel, their host challenged his guests to write a ghost story, and Frankenstein was the product of its authors unusually vivid nightmare. In combining Gothic terrors with extreme physical realism and a basis in the sciences of biology and electricity, Shelley founded the genre of science fiction. The novel is the story of Victor Frankenstein, a medical student who constructs a living being from the remains of dissecting-room corpses. Victors experiments dramatize the morality of the act of creation itself. He explains: I collected bones from charnel- houses; and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame. Horrified by the result of his project, Frankenstein abandons the Creature, who wanders the countryside, tormented by his total isolation from humanity. The Creature persuades his creator to construct a second, female being, but Victor dismembers this before it can be brought to life. In revenge, the Creature murders Frankensteins bride. A chase across the world then ensues, Victor determining to pursue the di mon who caused this misery until he or I shall perish in mortal conflict. The Creature, despite his monstrosity, is an intensely tragic figure, and Shelley effects an uncanny merging of its personality with that of Victor, who considers it my own vampire, my own spirit let loose from the grave. A critical and popular success, the book was dedicated to William Godwin. After her husbands death in 1822, Shelley returned to England, where she settled with her son. She was granted a small allowance by her father-in-law, Sir Timothy Shelley, but this was temporarily withdrawn when she published Percy Bysshe Shelleys Posthumous Poems (1824). She spent much time editing and annotating her late husbands work, but, owing to Sir Timothys opposition, she was unable to publish the Poetical Works until 1839. Shelley published five other novels. Valperga (1823) is a romance of 14th-century Italy. The Last Man (1826) is an apocalyptic fantasy in which humanity is destroyed by plague. Set in a republican Britain of the year 2073, it traces the effects of global catastrophe on a small group of characters and their wider environment. The final section of the book sees its narrator, Lionel Verney, living in the ruins of a decimated Rome. The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (1830) is a historical drama much influenced by the novels of Sir Walter Scott. Lodore (1835) and Falkner (1837) are domestic stories with strongly autobiographical elements. Another novel, Mathilda (1819), which tells the story of an incestuous relationship between a father and daughter, remained unpublished until 1959. Financing her sons private education, Mary Shelley continued to write essays and short fiction for periodicals such as the Keepsake. Between 1835 and 1838 she produced a series of scholarly biographies for the Lardners Cabinet Cyclopi dia series. The death of Sir Timothy Shelley in 1844 brought a new-found security to her life, but her closing years were troubled by threats of blackmail from embittered members of the Shelley and Byron families. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

The multiple emulsions

The multiple emulsions Introduction: Seifriz started his pioneering work about multiple emulsions since 1925, which is regarded as the fundamental knowledge in the later research. Multiple emulsions are complicated systems which are considered as emulsions of emulsions (Garti, 1996).In the outer continues phase, the droplets of the dispersed phase named as globules which contain even smaller dispersed droplets ,the globules are separated from each other in external continues phase by a layer of oil phase film. In the inner phase, the droplets are departed from each other by oil phase (Benichou et al. 2006). It is widely believed that there exist two primary types of multiple emulsions, one is water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) emulsions that an w/o emulsion is dispersed in another aqueous phase (W2) and the other is oil-in-water-in-oil (O1/W/O2) emulsions that an o/w emulsion is dispersed in another oil phase(O2). In the previous study, water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) multiple emulsions have accounted for a vital role in t he research of multiple emulsions , because the applications of W1/O/W2 multiple emulsions plays an important role in the food industry and it is also easier for us to select various of hydrophilic emulsifiers which are safe to health as stabilizers in preparation of multiple emulsions (Pays et al., 2002). As shown in Fig. 1, take water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) double emulsions as an example, which are composed of three distinct phases : an internal aqueous phase (W1), which containing many aqueous soluble ingredients. Various internal aqueous droplets are encapsulated in an oil phase (O), which is included in external aqueous phase (W2) (Garti, 1996). Applications of multiple emulsions It is widely believed that the potential applications so numerous that the research in such promising area can bring beneficial effects, especially in products areas ,such as drug-delivery systems, cosmetics, and foods . Water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) emulsions allow the encapsulation of active ingredients which have the ability to be soluble in the internal aqueous phase, thus it is possible to hide smell of some matter; remove toxic substance; or select appropriate conditions to realize controlled release of the active ingredients under certain process of emulsification. (Kanouni et al. 2002) On the basic of slow and sustained release of active ingredients from an internal reservoir into the external aqueous phase, the main function of double emulsions is regarded as an internal reservoir to entrap ingredients whatever you choose into the inner confined space, in order to protect against oxidation, light and enzymatic degradation. As a result, sensitive and active molecules can be protected from the external phase by the function of internal reservoir. In addition, because of the phenomenon of release of water or ingredients which can be observed in the experiments, the active ingredients will exist partly in the internal aqueous phase, partly in the oil phase and occasionally in the external phase(Benichou et al. 2004) .In the food industry, double emulsions provide some advantages because of their capability to encapsulate some water-soluble substances, such as flavours or active ingredients which are then slowly released from the internal compartments. Additionally, we should select food-grade additives which is soluble in the internal aqueous phase because the consumer products in food industry will be applied in our daily lives. Furthermore, as the development of needs in food quality, the production of low calorie and reduced fat products come into food market. (Muschiolik, 2007; Van der Graaf et al., 2005). In agrochemical industry, it has become incr easingly difficult for scientists to produce products, such as pesticides which are effectively and simultaneously friendly to the environment. According to ElShafei et al. (2009), the idea of multiple emulsions has been successfully applied to the agriculture products and the multiple emulsions are relatively stable even on storage at room temperature and 4 ?for 30 days. As government increasingly pay attention to the safe and environmentally friendly products, the research in this orientation has draw publics attention. Till now, no pharmaceutical multiple emulsions have been brought to the market, because potential emulsifiers used in multiple emulsions are only available in cosmetic grade but not be applied in pharmaceutical grade. (Schmidts et al., 2009 ) In cosmetic area, the possibility of combining incompatible substances in products in order to offer more favorable functions. (Vasiljevic et al., 2005) multiple emulsions also have the potential to change the commonly oily feel of hand-cream to aqueous texture. The advance of products of cosmetics has brought out more space to develop in order to get more profits. (Kanouni et al., 2002) Methods of preparation: Scientists have done some research in multiple emulsions as the applications provide us more convenience and bring better consumer products in many areas. Because double emulsions have more complex structure and are even more thermodynamically unstable than single emulsions, they prone to be difficult to prepare, especially on an industrial scale. The difficulties of preparation of multiple emulsions have draw scientists attention, so many research have been pour into this area. In general, there exist single -step and two -step emulsification methods to prepare multiple emulsions (Allouche et al., 2003). Due to a multiple emulsion is considered as a mesophase between O/W and W/O emulsion, the one-step method of preparation means a combination of the two different types of emulsions and surfactant phase, which is very difficult to control. So, such method will not be chosen in the preparation (Matsumoto, 1987; Mulley and marland, 1980). On the basic of previous study, the two-step emulsification process is considered as the most common and better controlled method. First of all, W1/O emulsions are much easier to prepare and it is also easy to control various characteristics in these emulsions as the parameters in them are relatively limited . Secondly, in the second step, it is widely believed that the complex structure and variable quantities result in relatively difficult to control or regulate. Many methods have been commonly used to improve the preparation of multiple emulsions, adding suitable emulsifiers is regarded as one of the most significant one. In general, two kinds of emulsifiers are introduced to add in the preparation of multiple emulsions as the difference of their functions. Because of the different affinity of the emulsifiers, hydrophobic emulsifier Emulsifier I which is used in the oil phase and hydrophilic emulsifier Emulsifier II which is used in the external aqueous phase (Garti, 1996). The hydrophobic emulsifier is designed to stabilize the interface of the W1/O internal emulsion and the hydrophilic emulsifier acts as stabilizer at the external interface of W1/O/W2 emulsion. The main function of emulsifiers is enhancing the stability of multiple emulsions in the preparation and even the long-time storage. The process of two-step preparation is shown in Fig.2. In the first step, the primary W/O emulsion is prepared under high-shear conditions (homogenization) to obtain small droplets, whereas the second step is carried out with less shear in order to avoid rupturing the internal droplets because the second step i s much difficult to control than the first step (van der Graaf et al., 2004). On the basic of Kanouni et al., (2002)s earlier work, in the first step, they usually use an Ultra-Turrax mixer with a relatively high speed to prepare a W1/O emulsion which is a combination of internal aqueous phase and an appropriate oil phase with suitable low HLB emulsifier; in the second step, the W1/O/W2 multiple emulsions will be produced by adding proper high HLB emulsifiers using Ultra-Turrax mixer or mechanical agitator with relatively smaller rotation speed. In the previous study, stirring apparatuses, rotor-stator systems and high pressure homogenizers are considered as the most commonly and conventional emulsification devices (Schubert and Armbruster, 1992).As shown in table 1. the functions and disadvantages has been tabulated. There are several drawbacks in such existing methods of production ( Williams et al.,1998). First of all, it is not easy for us to control the droplet size and droplet size distribution of the final multiple emulsions products. Secondly, it is difficult to scale up because different classes of the products are generated per batch on the same manufacture conditions, which contribute to one of the main factors why such products can not be applied in the industry. Moreover,van der Graaf et al. (2005) illustrate that conventional methods are not feasible in preparation of double emulsions, because high-shear stresses can result in rupture of the internal emulsions which should be avoided in the secondary emulsification (van der Graaf et al., 2005) Different kinds of emulsification devices can generate various multiple emulsions with different conditions, such as droplet size, encapsulation efficiency, release rate, and so on. What has interested the scientists most recently is researching novel approaches to improve the emulsification equipment in order to generate more stable and ideal multiple emulsions. Much attention has been put in the improvement of the second step by using various pieces of equipment and novel method. Nakashima et al. (1991) points out that membrane emulsification is widely accepted as one of the new method for the production of emulsions recently( Nakashima et al., 1991). This technique is increasingly attracted because of its low energy consumption, the better control of droplet size and droplet size distribution and especially the mildness of the process, especially suitable to be used in the second step to prevent rupture of the double emulsion droplets (van der Graaf et al., 2005). Joscelyne and Tragardh (1998) demonstrate that it is favourable to prepare small droplets when the conditions are higher concentrations of emulsifiers, high wall shear stress through a membrane with small pore size. As shown in Fig.3. because of the mild conditions in the process of membrane emulsification, it is easier to produce small size droplets and protect the multiple emulsions from membrane rupture, especially useful in the second step of emulsification. The system chosen ceramic membranes of different average pore size to prepare relative small droplets in multiple emulsions because such kinds of emulsions more stable. Membrane technology can be applied to the many productions, such as oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions t, UHT products and so on (Joscelyne and Tragardh 1998) .However, low flux of the dispersed phase is the main and visible drawback of membrane emulsification (Charcosset et al., 2004),which is caused by the properties of membranes with a low hydraulic . In general, two methods are commonly introduced in membrane emulsification: cross-flow membrane emulsification and pre-mix membrane emulsification (Suzuki et al., 1998). Take pre-mix membrane emulsification as an example, as shown in Fig.4. the most significant advantages of such method is it can provide high flux, which can improve the membrane emulsification process. Various novel methods have been reported to improve the disadvantage of membrane emulsification. (Gijsbertsen-Abrahamse et al., 2004) for example, with the advance in nano- and micro engineering, it is possible to produce membranes with a low hydraulic resistance named microsieves. (Van Rijn et al., 2005) Microsieves, inorganic membranes, which can offer a very thin selective layer, high controlled pore size and shape, and smooth surfaces. As shown in Fig.5., SEM images of pore morphology of a silicon nitride microsieve surface. Microsieve membranes contribute to flux decline in crossflow filtration of bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions. (Giron`es et al.,2006) According to Shnji Sugiura et al., (2003), monodispersed multiple emulsions which are good at providing relatively stable conditions are regularly applied in industries and basic studies, on the basic of easier observation, monodispersed emulsions are regarded as an effective approach in determining the resistance to coalescence of an emulsion, and in observing how the active matter go through the oil film by diffusion. (Sugiura et al., 2003) Furthermore, a microfabricated channel array has been pointed out as a promising method for preparing monodisperse emulsion droplets (Kawakatsu et al., 1997). This type of emulsification technique is called microchannel (MC) emulsification, which is regarded as a novel method for preparing monodisperse emulsions. Owning to the advantages of this technique, it is a promising technique to improve the stability of multiple emulsions. (Kawakatsu et al., 2001; Sugiura et al., 2001 ). Nakagawa et al.(2004) suggest that monodisperse surfactant-free mic rocapsules can be produced by MC emulsification using gelatin. Of course, this technique need further study to improve its low production rate. Improvements in stability of multiple emulsions In practice, significant problems may arise, not only the thermodynamic instability of emulsions, but also many destabilization phenomenon, such as flocculation, coalescence and creaming, have contribute to the unstable emulsions (Vasiljevic et al., 2005). In order to protect the emulsions from the formation of flocculation or coalescence, two methods have been introduced to protect the droplets from each other, one is increasing viscosity of the external phase, the other is energy barrier. The DLVO theory is commonly applied to explain colloidal stability. when the distance between two colloid particles is increasing from small to large, the resulting potential is rage from negative to positive because the existence of attraction potential and repulsion potential ( Friberg, 1997). Various factors may have an effect on the stability of multiple emulsions, including the method of preparation, the oil type, type and concentration of the emulsifier and so on (Vasiljevic et ,al. 2005). On the basic of fundamentally experimental data, we choose the relatively suitable and effective conditions to prepare multiple emulsions. Many research have been put into how to improve the stability of multiple emulsions because thermodynamically unstable multiple emulsions not only exist in the process of preparation ,but also occur during storage or on exposure to environmental stresses such as mechanical forces, thermal processing, freezing or dehydration. On the basic of developed techniques, we can observe or measure the leakage of the inner aqueous phase(W1) in the outer phase and destabilization properties of the emulsions. There are four mechanisms explaining the instability of W1/O/W2 multiple emulsions: (1) the instability comes from the inner aqueous droplets because of coalescence; (2) the instability comes from the oil droplets because of coalescence; (3) rupture of the oil film (4) transport of water and ingredients through the oil layer (Appelqvist et al., 2007,; Florence and Whithill,1981; der Graaf et al., 2005). In the real conditions, there may exist more than one mechanism in the multiple emulsions, different results to different situations. The determining of primary mechanisms exist in certain multiple emulsions should dependent on the experimental data and convincing analysis. What should we do is research more reasonable methods to solve the problem of thermodynamically unstablity in multiple emulsions. Three kinds of approach aiming at improving stabilization and slow solute release have been list as follows (Davis et al., 1985) : (1) stabilization of the inner W1/O emulsion, for example, the addition of various emulsifier combinations (Apenten and Zhu, 1996; Shima et al., 2004; Su et al., 2006); (2) stabilization of oil phase by choosing suitable oil type and the addition of proper carriers, complexants and viscosity builders, for instance, the solidification of the oil phase and the modification of the solubility and polarity of the oil phase to make it less water soluble (Tedajo et al., 2001); (3) stabilization of the external aqueous phase, such as increasing the viscosity of the outer aqueous phase (-zer, et al., 2000). Although many strategies have been categorized above, a majority of them are not suitable to apply in food industry because they are not easily scaled up in industry or they include not food- grade ingredients entrapped in multiple emulsions, which may make a bad influence on human health. So, there exists numerous space for us to research in the methods of improving the stability of multiple emulsions. (ORegan and Mulvihill, 2009) In general, many factors contribute to the improvement of stability of multiple emulsions as some research have deeply determined the main causes of thermal unstable phenomenon and flocculation, coalescence and creaming phenomenon. The nature and internal properties of surfactants or emulsifiers play a vital role in solving problem. Stability of multiple (Opawale, et al., 1998) emulsions has been shown to be dependent on emulsifier interfacial film strength, ionic strength, various additives, and concentration. According to Vasiljevic et al. (2005), when the concentration of emulsifier in oil phase is higher, the multiple emulsions will have lower droplet size, higher viscosity and elastic characteristics. Moreover, changing the concentration of surfactants, results in the difference of the amount of retinol released from silica particles. In addition, different polymers which are added into the aqueous phase, the encapsulation efficiency of retinol was also changed (Hwang et al., 2005). The process of multiple emulsion formation and various destabilization processes can be determined by video microscopy (Ficheux et al., 1998). A unique dimpled structure is a signal to show the deformation of the multiple droplets and coalescence of the internal dispersed phase by coverslip pressure. If the multiple emulsions po ssess relatively high stability, then such structure come out for long-time observed in the presence of adequate concentrations of surfactants and additives. So, Formation of the dimple structure is linked with interfacial film strength and long-term multiple emulsion stability (Jiao et al., 2002). The long-term stability of the double emulsion requires a balance between the Laplace and osmotic pressures among droplets in W1, because a stable W1/O emulsion is a fundamental and significant step in order to prepare a stable W1/O/W2 double emulsion. Garti (1996) illustrate the concept of weighted hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) is important because the value is linked with the droplet size, the number of W1 dispersed in inner phase and the stability of the W/O/W multiple emulsions. Such properties are so significant in preparing relatively stable multiple emulsions that the weighted HLB value is considered as a potential reference to select the optimal type of emulsifiers in forming multiple emulsions. In the first step of preparation, HLB(I) stands for the HLB value of the hydrophobic emulsifier, CI means the weight percentage of the hydrophobic emulsifier in the fundamental W1/O emulsion, In the second step of preparation, HLB(II) stands for the HLB value of the hydrophilic emulsifier, and CII means the weight percentage of the hydrophilic emulsifier in the W1/O/W2 multiple emulsion It was observed that using a combination of an amphoteric high HLB surfactant and an anionic surfactant can prepare a stable system(Kanouni et al., 2002). The inner phase is demonstrated to be better stabilized by minimizing the size of droplets and forming microemulsion droplets or microsphere particles, or applying more potential surfactants in order to seal the active ingredients in the interface (ORegan and Mulvihill, 2009). Choosing of optimal surfactants has made a positive effect on controlling particle size in multiple emulsions. Sepideh Khoee and Morteza Yaghoobian (2008) propose that the mean diameters of nanocapsules containing penicillin-G are linked with the properties of surfactants. that is to say, the different types or content of surfactant used in formation of multiple emulsions can result in different droplets size. N. Heldt et al. (2000) point put that changing the ratio of lecithin/SXS make an effect on the average size of the corresponding vesicles in the oil-wa ter emulsion. In addition, egg lecithin considered as hydrophobic substance, sodium xylenesulfonate (SXS) acts as the hydrophilic matter. As the ratio goes up, the average vesicle size increases correspondingly. Stability can be improved by offering suitable stabilizer because the surfactants act as film former and barrier to the release at internal interface(Khoee and Yaghoobian, 2008). Two charged biopolymers, whey protein isolate (WPI) and enzymatic modified pectins, interacted in aqueous solution to form a charge-charge complex which acts as a hydrophilic polymeric steric stabilizer improving the multiple emulsion stability .Regulating the conditions to get the result of most relatively stable condition. For example, as pH can determin the size of the complex ,when pH =6, the most stable double emulsion are gained because of the smallest droplet size, the lowest creaming, highest yield, and minimized water transport(Lutz et al., 2009). Henry et al. (2009) have studied six emulsifiers in their experiments, it is shown that as the amount of emulsifier increased, the phenomenon of coalescence occurs go down. Furthermore, droplet size is dependent on both break-up and re-coalescence events in emulsification, for example, when the surfactant concentration is lower, the droplet size is prone to a result of multiple break-up events. It is shown in the results of experiments that the frequency of droplet coalescence is decreased to a minimum as the process of preparation is under an optimal surfactant concentration, which balances the formation of the smaller possible droplets and relatively stable in preparation and long time storage. On the basic of experimental results which is analyzed by equilibrium phase diagram as well as observed through polarization microscopy, Yihan Liu et al. (2009) have got the conclusion that certain type of multiple emulsions which a liquid crystal can be formed by the surfactant with water are more stable compared to counterparts with no liquid crystals exist in the surfactant but prepared in the same condition(Liu and Friberg, 2009). Garti and Aserin (1996) propose that macromolecules together with monomeric surfactants can be served as steric stabilizers to improve the stability of multiple emulsions. The synthetic polymeric surfactants are ideal interfacial barrier to improve thermodynamic stability and entrapment, which is very helpful in reducing release rate of entrapped additives,and preparing smaller double emulsions with long-time stability. Take WPI-polysaccharide conjugates as an example, compared with monomeric surfactants used only, the application of polymeric emulsifiers results in better encapsulation and controlled release of addenda (Benichou et al., 2006). Transport mechanism in multiple emulsions Various kinds of possible mechanisms have been illustrated to interpret how the substances transport through the oil phase. Oil soluble substances just transport through the oil phase by diffusion which is served as controlled mechanism. Many factors contribute to the transport rate, such as the properties of oil phase, the nature of ingredients, and the conditions of aqueous phase (Chang et al., 1987) .In the previous study, it is found that water and water soluble substance can easily migrate through the oil phase. Kita et al. (1977) demonstrate that two possible mechanism can be applied to interpret the phenomenon of transportation: (1) reverse micelle transport; (2) diffusion across a very thin lamella. Cheng et al. (2006) demonstrate that both Cl- and Ag+ can transport through a thick oil film through observing and measuring the formation of AgCl precipitate in the W1/O/W2 multiple emulsion. Ions can not transport through the oil film which is very thin (

Health Issues of Indigenous Australians Essay -- Sociology

As health professionals, we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. This is why we need to explore in further detail what events could have created such inequities in Aboriginal health. Other details that we should consider are the historical and cultural factors such as, ‘terra nullius’, dispossession and social Darwinism, early attempts of genocide towards Indigenous Australians, segregation and the ‘protection’ legislation, the assimilation policy, self-determination and â€Å"the emergence of Indigenous protest† (Psych ology and Indigenous Australians, Foundations of Cultural Competence, 2009, pp.84) as well as the limiting factors of being part of a low socioeconomic status group and statistical health differences between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians compared to other countries Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. By encompassing all of these details, we can begin to establish why Aboriginal’s tend to have more health issues and what can be done to improve these health inequities. When the English settlers arrived on Australian shores in 1776 (The Story of the Australian People, 2010), they didn’t see anything that represented that the land was owned, so they claimed it as their own under ‘terra nullius’ in 1776. â€Å"In International Law 'terra nullius' describes territory that n... ...=33 Australian Museum. (2011). Indigenous Australia Timeline - 1901 to 1969. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://australianmuseum.net.au/Indigenous-Australia-Timeline-1901-to-1969 Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. (2008). Wave Hill Walk-Off Route more information. Retrieved May 6, 2012, from http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/wave-hill/information.html Australia Bureau of Statistics. (2010). ADULT HEALTH: RISK FACTORS AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. Retrieved May 6, 2012, from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/lookup/4704.0Chapter750Oct+2010 Australia Bureau of Statistics. . (2010). ACCESS TO HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES: ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES. Retrieved May 6, 2012, from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/lookup/4704.0Chapter955Oct+2010 Indigenous Health Lecture, Slide 8.

Google Inc. in China Essay

PROBLEM Tom Maclean is in dilemma of identifying the possible appropriate course of action he would take, acknowledging all negative attention of Google, Inc. entering the Chinese territory through the development of Google.cn, a search engine residing in China. OBJECTIVES * To provide the best possible course of action that is appropriate for Tom Maclean to communicate in the meeting with supervisor and his peer group. * To assess thoroughly the factors and courses of action concerning Google.cn that may affect the company. AREAS OF CONSIDERATION 1. Google had adopted the informal corporate motto â€Å"Don’t be evil† from the founders’ letter and also developed an ethical code of conduct for both internal and external audiences. 2. Google’s mission is â€Å"to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.† 3. China’s well-documented abuses of human rights are in violation of internationally recognized norms, stemming both from the authorities’ intolerance of dissent and the inadequacy of legal safeguards for basic freedoms. In 2005, China stepped up monitoring, harassment, intimidation, and arrest of journalists, Internet writers, defense lawyers, religious activists, and political dissidents. 4. China took a two-pronged approach to censoring the Internet. First, authorities restricted the production, development, and dissemination of improper content. Second, authorities monitored the perusal of content or receipt of information. â€Å"Harmful† content included material concerning democracy (e.g., freedom), religious cults (e.g., Falun Gong), or antigovernment protests (e.g., Tiananmen Square). 5. Google, Inc. first entered the Chinese market in early 2000 by creating a Chinese-language version of its home page. Google’s approach was to maintain a Chinese-language version of Google.com that was housed in the United States but could handle search requests originating within China. 6. In September 2002, Google.com was inaccessible for two weeks. When reinstated, it was slow and temperamental for all Chinese users and completely inaccessible for Chinese colleges and universities. According to Elliot Schrage, Google’s vice president of Global Communications and Public Affairs, â€Å"The average time to download a Google Web page was more than seven times slower than for Baidu, the leading Chinese search engine.† 7. In 2004, Google realized that its approach in China was not sustainable. Google was losing market share to Baidu, and others, including Yahoo! and Microsoft, were gaining ground through their local presence. 8. Tom MacLean, director of International Business at Google, Inc. managed the decision to physically enter Chinese territory through the development of Google.cn—a search engine residing in China. This product was â€Å"faster and more reliable, and provide more and better search results for all but a handful of politically sensitive subjects.† 9. The search results of Google.cn were subject to Chinese filtering and monitoring, which drew ire from nongovernmental organizations, academics, press, and the general public, culminating in a U.S. congressional hearing on February 15, 2005. Critics blamed Google for supporting a country with a totalitarian regime, known for its numerous human-rights violations. 10. Andrew McLaughlin, an attorney for Google, stated: â€Å"While removing search results is inconsistent with Google’s mission, providing no information †¦ is more inconsistent with our mission.† ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION 1. Remain in China through Google.cn and comply with Chinese laws and regulations that require the search results to be censored. Advantages * There will be more global connections. * The need for information across all borders. * They will expand their market share. Disadvantages * It does not conform to their mission. * Criticisms of the society will continue to arise. * Diminishing of free speech due to censorship. 2. Discontinue Google.cn and withdraw their stay in China Advantages * It would give good impression to the public by not supporting a country with a totalitarian regime. * Criticisms will diminish. Disadvantages * They would be missing out one of the largest economies. * Losing the Chinese market would hurt global strategy. * It would decrease their market share. * It will be more inconsistent to their mission. RECOMMENDATION After judging the internal and external factors, and considering Google’s stated commitment to organize and make information universally accessible and useful on the internet, I have come to the conclusion that Tom MacLean and Google, Inc. should choose to stay in China and respect the country’s custom and tradition. Google’s presence in China would undoubtedly have had  a liberalizing influence in the country, while being a huge investment for its shareholders. The company would make more money, and keep the business and employees. It will make meaningful contributions to the overall expansion of access to information in China, though imperfect. As what Andrew McLaughlin said, while removing search results is inconsistent with Google’s mission, providing no information is more inconsistent with our mission.

Hurricane Katrina Reaction Paper †Political Science

Hurricane Katrina Reaction Paper – Political Science Free Online Research Papers Hurricane Katrina Reaction Paper Political Science Hurricane Katrina was without a doubt the most devastating national disaster the United States has experienced since 9/11. The lost of life and the destruction of a majority of the infrastructure of southern Louisiana, including Louisiana’s largest city New Orleans put the entire state into an economic panic. The economy has gone stagnant, especially since tourism creates a great deal of revenue in the state, particularly in New Orleans. A large portion of those people who were unfortunate enough to have lived in Katrina’s path became homeless. New Orleans also has one of the highest poverty rates in all of the United States; several people who either didn’t have private transportation or couldn’t access public transportation were stranded. After the hurricane all the stagnant water that remained was a breeding ground for disease. Those people that were left behind were susceptible to illness, and there was little chance they would be able to receive healthcare needed. The Bush administration and the different levels of government in the state of Louisiana have faced a great deal of criticism following that of the hurricane. News of the Hurricane had come weeks prior to it actually hitting Louisiana, but no evacuation plans of any kind were even mentioned until days/hours, before Katrina hit. Emergency assistance was simply too late. Not only were evacuation efforts poor at best, the Bush Administration had supposedly been diverting funds from hurricane protection efforts to the war effort in Iraq, most notably those to the Army Corps of Engineers. There last minute efforts to reinforce the levees in Louisiana, but they could almost be considered a waste of time. They collapsed and didn’t do the least bit of good. The question I have is that if Louisiana had properly prepared for this Hurricane could all of this destruction and loss of life been avoided? I personally think it could have. What is most alarming to me is that there were failures at several levels; nothing seemed to have gone right. Those people who were in the path of Katrina should have been properly evacuated weeks before the storm hit. Proper precautions should have been taken reinforcing the levee; if the levee had not failed the damage done would have been much less devastating. Hopefully Katrina will serve as an example for future generations, or even those people currently holding political office in the United States. The next time a disaster of this magnitude is threatening the country action should be taken without hesitation. Research Papers on Hurricane Katrina Reaction Paper - Political ScienceHip-Hop is ArtNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationLifes What IfsAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAW19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andQuebec and Canada

Satire Essays

Satire Essays How to Write a Satire Essay A Satire Essay involves a form of writing in which satire is used to make fun of a subject. Devices such as hyperbole and irony are used by writers of such essays to get their point across. These essays are normally aimed at celebrities, politicians or absurd situations. A writer of satirical essays usually aims to provide interesting, informative and eye opening information relevant to his essay. It is easy to write satirically once you get the hang of the techniques used for this kind of writing. Satirical papers can be written as a 250 word essay or even as a long essay. Take a look at how to write this kind of essay: 1. Select a topic Keep an eye open for subject matter that is originally silly or ironic. The aim is to use satire to enhance the absurdity of your topic. This is similar to the manner in which caricature artists use their techniques and the way that satirical cartoons are created. Looking at these satirical examples is a good way for learning the style of Satire Essay writing. Begin by identifying a goal. Once you have a goal in mind, proceed by using hyperbole, irony and humour to achieve the goal. 2. Use hyperbole Emphasize your point with the help of hyperbole. Hyperbole is a device used for satirical writing that exaggerates the information provided by you. However be wary when you use this device. Exaggeration does not mean lying. You must provide correct, factual information with a dash of hyperbole to creatively highlight the absurdity behind the facts. An example of hyperbole would be ‘my friend uses so much make up she broke a chisel trying to take it off!’ 3. Incorporate irony The content of Satire Essays should also contain irony. Irony means using phrases or words to convey the opposite of what you actually mean. An easy to understand example of irony usage would be, ‘she was kind enough to steal from a beggar to stuff her pockets.’ In this sentence the word ‘kind’ conveys the irony of the statement. Irony is a great device to use in satirical essays. It is used alongside sarcasm to criticize. 4. Add humor When you write your satirical essay, try to include humor in your essay. All instances of satire are not humorous; however, by highlighting the silly parts of the event or person that you are describing, you can usually make people see things the way you are seeing them. Humor also helps people understand the point you are trying to make a lot more easily. Also, most people respond more quickly to humorous writing, especially if you are successful in getting them to understand the point you are trying to make. Satire Essays can be written on any essay length. Always remember to be cautious when you write such an essay as there is a fine line between satire and rude commentary. If you find it difficult to write a satire, you can buy an essay or even look at some free essay samples online for a better idea on how to write it.

Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionism

Throughout Ray & Simons study a clear symbolic interactionst perspective arises as the focus on the individual account of events are examined. These are looked at not only within the microcosmic world, but also the larger macrocosmic order and how it is implicit in the process of self-labeling. Of particular interest was the vocabulary employed by the participants in defining their motives. Interviews were conducted with twenty-four individuals of differing backgrounds all deriving from largely rural communities in mid west United States, and all of whom share a homicide or manslaughter conviction. Six of the participants gave reasons that they felt justified their behavior while the vast majority, 18 out of the 24 gave accounts that they felt partially excused their violent action, such as intoxication and ‘sad stories’. Ray & Simons argue the individuals who cited self defense as a cause for their violent behavior are clearly demonstrating a commitment to conventio nal behavior rather than the norms of a violent subculture. By employing this language, they have imagined themselves in other social roles, which therefore are dependant on the actor’s capacity for internal conversation. These internal conversations are an important part of the self-labeling process, not only for those individuals who claimed self-defence but also the remaining participants who felt they could not be held fully responsible due to substance abuse or emotional issues. If the actor can imagine that others would excuse or deem they’re behavior less criminal in certain circumstances, then through a process of internal conversation and by taking on the role of others, a rationalization is reached. This is clearly a symbolic interactionist perspective as the vocabulary adopted for motive is consistent with the social meaning, which derives from a constant process of symbolic communication between actors. Therefore, the actors self per... Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionism Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionism Throughout Ray & Simons study a clear symbolic interactionst perspective arises as the focus on the individual account of events are examined. These are looked at not only within the microcosmic world, but also the larger macrocosmic order and how it is implicit in the process of self-labeling. Of particular interest was the vocabulary employed by the participants in defining their motives. Interviews were conducted with twenty-four individuals of differing backgrounds all deriving from largely rural communities in mid west United States, and all of whom share a homicide or manslaughter conviction. Six of the participants gave reasons that they felt justified their behavior while the vast majority, 18 out of the 24 gave accounts that they felt partially excused their violent action, such as intoxication and ‘sad stories’. Ray & Simons argue the individuals who cited self defense as a cause for their violent behavior are clearly demonstrating a commitment to conventio nal behavior rather than the norms of a violent subculture. By employing this language, they have imagined themselves in other social roles, which therefore are dependant on the actor’s capacity for internal conversation. These internal conversations are an important part of the self-labeling process, not only for those individuals who claimed self-defence but also the remaining participants who felt they could not be held fully responsible due to substance abuse or emotional issues. If the actor can imagine that others would excuse or deem they’re behavior less criminal in certain circumstances, then through a process of internal conversation and by taking on the role of others, a rationalization is reached. This is clearly a symbolic interactionist perspective as the vocabulary adopted for motive is consistent with the social meaning, which derives from a constant process of symbolic communication between actors. Therefore, the actors self per...

Case study based assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Based assignment - Case Study Example Sudden herniation through the foramen magnum (back of the skull) is fatal (Kennedy, 2001). Increased ICP is defined as a sustained elevation in pressure above 20mm of Hg/cm of H20. The craniospinal cavity may be considered as a balloon. During slow increase in volume in a continuous mode, the ICP raises to a plateau level at which the increase level of CSF absorption keeps pace with the increase in volume. Intermittent expansion causes only a transient rise in ICP at first. When sufficient CSF has been absorbed to accommodate the volume the ICP returns to normal. Expansion to a critical volume does however cause persistent raise in ICP, which thereafter increases logarithmically with increasing volume. The ICP finally rises to the level of arterial pressure, which it self begins to increase (Thamburaj, 2004). Raised ICP causes arterial hypertension, bradycardia (Cushing's response) and respiratory changes. It is traditionally accepted that hypertension and bradycardia are due to ischaemia or pressure on the brainstem. There is also a suggestion that they could be due to removal of supratentorial inhibition of brainstem vasopressor centers due to cerebral ischaemia and that bradycardia is independent of the rise in blood pressure. The respiratory changes depend on the level of brainstem involved. The midbrain involvement results in Chyne-Stokes respiration. When midbrain and pons are involved, there is sustained hyperventilation. There is rapid and shallow respiration when upper medulla involvement with ataxic breathing in the final stages. Pulmonary edema seems to be due to increased sympathetic activity as a result of the effects of raised ICP on the hypothalamus, medulla or cervical spinal cord (Thamburaj, 2004). There are observable signs that point out that Joyce is indeed suffering from increased intracranial pressure. The most significant of which was the dilation of the left eye. It was revealed in the assessment data that Joyce's pupil in the left eye is greater than her right eye. This only shows that there is malfunctioning in her internal head part or within the brain, particularly in the right side of her brain. it should be noted that dilation of the eyes must be equal on both sides as a result of normal functioning inside the brain. And because the left eye's pupil is dilated more than the right eye, it can only be assumed that there is a very strong pressure inside the brain, forcing the left eye's pupil to be dilated heavily. Another significant data that shows that the patient is suffering from raised intracranial pressure is her abnormal blood pressure, body temperature and intracranial pressure rates. All of these three aspects are beyond and/or under the normal limit of an average person. Joyce's blood pressure is very low (the normal blood pressure is 110/70 - 120/80). This could only mean that there is something wrong in her blood circulation which can be affected by the electrolytes and or malfunctioning of some of her body organs, nerves and systems. Her body temperature is beyond the normal limit which is 37 degree Celsius to 37.5 degree Celsius (Dunn, 2002). Abnormal blood pressure also shows that her blood circulation and body organs are not working properly thereby affecting the production of body heat. Joyce's intracranial pressure is also high and over the limit of the normal rate. This reflects that there is an increased intracr

Women Empowerment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women Empowerment - Research Paper Example Because of the stated situation, it appears that the research industry also gives a lesser amount of attention towards the said field in relation to back injuries, specifically in the South African region. It is in this light that this paper attempts to analyze and understand the condition of female gymnasts in South Africa in association with the common back injuries they usually encounter. Age of the gymnast is an important element in this study since the physique of the body varies depending on the maturation period of an individual. For instance, the built of the body of an infant is not the same from the structure of the body of a person who is already on his or her childhood, adolescence or adulthood. Gender also plays a significant role in this research because, similar with age, it determines the body type in certain stages of development as described by Marshal and Tanner (2000). During the puberty stage of development, boys and girls have differences and similarities in terms of the changes that they experience with regards to their bodies. In this developmental stage Piaget (2000) mentioned that it is the perfect moment where an athlete realizes his or her importance in sport or the perceptual-cognitive approach to the role the athlete has in sport. The body structure as determined by age and gender is one of the important factors in gymnastics since the whole body is involved in this kind of sports. Intensity of training depends on the age and growth of the person which automatically involves the general health condition. Even though the whole body works in gymnastics, it is the lower extremities that are given due value. It is because of the reason that the lower extremities are the ones responsible for the skill necessary for balance in the course of landings from dismounts and tumbling. Aside from this, the lower extremities also grant the locomotive power and speed for the whole body. These are few of the causes why lower back injuries occur. Relative to the results of the study, most of the participants were in the puberty stage, age ranging from 12 years old to 14 years old. This means that the changes in the body, as provided by the natural development brought by the puberty stage of an individual, were also in its peak. Rogol, et al., (2000) mentioned that puberty largely affect the structure of the body, including some proportions of water, muscle, fat, and bone. Equally relative with the age of the majority of the gymnast respondents

Financial Markets and Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Financial Markets and Institutions - Essay Example The interest can either be fixed or variable. Fixed-rate pays interest irrespective of the institution making enough money to pay, but variable rates can vary depending on the market conditions prevailing. The bonds which interest rate are expected to reduce can either be attractive or not depending on the view of the investor. A reducing rate bond will earn less hence unattractive, but on the other side it can be a tax haven vehicle as corporate bonds are subject to federal taxes in mark up. Low-rate bond will either be tax exempt or attract low taxes hence it can be attractive from this viewpoint. To a firm a reducing rate bond is attractive as it will cost less to issue and service the bond. Conversely, a firm expecting the rates to increase has to consider other cheaper sources of financing like bank loan if it has less interest rate than what they will pay on bonds (Zacks ETF Research,2012). 14. Bond Downgrade. . Explain how the downgrading of bonds for a particular corporation affects the prices of those bonds, the return to investors that currently hold these bonds, and the potential return to other investors who may invest in the bonds in the near future. Downgrading a bond would mean that the price of the bond will reduce significantly to market equilibrium set by sentiment about the company’s ability to service the bond. Downgrading arises from the ability of the company to service the bond which can be observed from the financial status of the company. If the company is facing financial difficulties, it might be able to pay the bonds when they mature or service current interest rates. Current investor will lose the value of their investment hence can offload the bond which can further reduce the price because of the low demand. When the price will have fallen to the least possible, it can be attractive to new investors who think that the price will rise in future. 15. Junk Bonds. Merrito Inc. is a

Short articles about sex, gender and society Essay - 2

Short articles about sex, gender and society - Essay Example Vampirism, as a category akin to femininity, continues to assert itself in what underpins relationships between the main characters, focusing on understanding and sympathy that is most often attributed to the female persona. This same feminine-like persona is also illustrated in a situation where Sonny and Eric have a physical altercation when Sonny describes Eric’s love interest as a woman with big tits. For showing this type of disrespect for women, Sonny receives a quick blow and a reprimand for his insensitivity and callous actions. Furthermore, when Sookie and Bill are having a sexual experience, Sookie compares the love-making activity to I am woman, hear me roar, illustrating that the vampires are sensitive to their needs of their sexual partners, another attribute mostly attributed to female personality. There is a type of communal obligation to ensure that any member of vampire cliques do not maintain emotional distress and that their needs are fulfilled. This, to me, should be viewed as being more attributable to feminine characteristics and this gender is exemplified in the closeness and intimacy that underpins all relationships, something much different than masculinity as it is perceived in the stereotypical sense. Riker’s relationship with the androgynous alien shows that the bonds of legitimate love transcend gender stereotypes. When Riker confides to his ex-lover, Deanna, that he is falling for the alien, he receives ample emotional support, though advised to proceed cautiously. Riker is willing to explore sexual relationships with this androgynous being because he feels a deep emotional love for the creature, which illustrates that love and sex, under traditional views of romance and relationships, go hand-in-hand and are absolute necessities to ensure intimacy and closeness. Sex as a component of romantic love assists in our understanding of

Financial overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial overview - Essay Example For this purpose, the raw material will be collected on a donation basis from the general public through online and off line advertisement, and designers and artists would be recruited from the target customers to convert that raw material into products. Therefore, the initial investment on the collection of raw material would be negligible, and most of the investment would be spent on the setting up of retail and flag shops, and the development of websites and other online platforms for interaction between the customers and the business owner. The business is aimed to be launched in three cities simultaneously. The overall budget is estimated to be around $50,000. The following is the chart representing the breakdown of the budget for the venture: The fluctuation in the exchange rate of the currency as regards foreign currency is a major determinant when choosing international markets for the launch and operation of businesses. The Japanese market is quite volatile in this regard (Reuters, 2011); it is determined that the Japanese Yen has gone from  ¥76 to  ¥84 in relation to U.S. dollar in the past six months this year (Reuters, 2011). This is a great increase on the price of the dollar, of more than ten percent (Reuters, 2011), and is testament of a relatively unstable business environment. Multi national companies hesitate to invest in a market with currency values fluctuating in the values of more than one percent (Reuters, 2011). To counter this risk of business failure, GAAFE would wait till the launch time coincides with the highest currency value so that maximum profits could be attained. If a low value

BUSINESS GLOBALISATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

BUSINESS GLOBALISATION - Essay Example Trading Blocs A trading bloc refers to the agreement between certain countries to reduce trade restrictions, tariffs and other trade barriers for each other while imposing strict trade barriers with other nonmember nations. Without any doubts, trade blocs like ‘European Economic Community’ (ECC) and ‘North American Free Trade Agreement’ (NAFTA) exist because they provide great advantages to the member nations (Prempeh, Mensah & Adjibolosoo, pp. 98-99, 2004). First, large markets created through trading blocs allow production to take place in bulk, which in turn means that firms can take advantage of economies of scale. Second, companies within the trading blocs come closer to each other, which lead to greater competition (Wiarda, pp. 93-98, 2007). Quite understandably, greater competition leads to higher level of efficiency. Third, when tariffs decrease due to trade blocs, the cost of imports goes down and consumers can purchase products with lower prices. F ourth, an individual country may not enjoy that political and economic authority over the globe but a group of countries certainly can have their voice heard (Rossi, pp. 304-305, 2007). In fact, this remains the biggest possible advantage of trade blocs that they allow the members to become interdependent on each other thus making them less vulnerable to the external shocks. Fifth, trade blocs reduce the transactions costs for all the members thus allowing the trade the trade to happen with lesser monetary and time costs (Ervin & Smith, pp. 185-186, 2008). Changes in the Balance of Trade in during 20th century Without any doubts, the world is a completely changed place as compared to what it was a century ago. The world has undergone a complete transformation in the 20th century and the same is true for world trade. The balance of trade refers to the total value of exports minus the value of imports of a country during the given year. The balance of world trade in the past century h as changed largely. During the early days of the 20th century, most of the countries at that time used to avoid trade deficits and considered it as bad for the economy. The process of Globalisation was slow and most economies comparatively were closed economies. However, as of the data of CIA for the year 2010, out of the 191 countries on their list, only 61 countries or 32 percent of the countries had a trade surplus and the rest of the them were showing trade deficits. Quite understandably, this refers to the fact that the balance of the world trade in totality is in negative giving a trade deficit. The biggest trade deficit was for the economic superpower United States of America with 561 billion US dollars (Steger, pp. 74-78, 2010). Furthermore, even economic powers like United Kingdom, India, France, Brazil, Canada, and Australia had deficits of more than 35 billion US dollars (Steger, pp. 74-78, 2010). However, upcoming Asian giants China, Japan, and Germany remain at the top of list with trade surpluses of 272, 166, and 162 billion US dollars (Steger, pp. 74-78, 2010). Economies of Scale With Globalisation and increasing international trade, economies of scale have emerged as an extremely important factor in expansion and production of various industries. Economies of scale refer to ‘the phenomenon where the cost per unit decreases with increasing production’ (Rossi, pp. 304-305, 2007). It allows the firm to lower its costs and gain greater market share or the firm may decide to maintain the

Short articles about sex, gender and society Essay - 2

Short articles about sex, gender and society - Essay Example Vampirism, as a category akin to femininity, continues to assert itself in what underpins relationships between the main characters, focusing on understanding and sympathy that is most often attributed to the female persona. This same feminine-like persona is also illustrated in a situation where Sonny and Eric have a physical altercation when Sonny describes Eric’s love interest as a woman with big tits. For showing this type of disrespect for women, Sonny receives a quick blow and a reprimand for his insensitivity and callous actions. Furthermore, when Sookie and Bill are having a sexual experience, Sookie compares the love-making activity to I am woman, hear me roar, illustrating that the vampires are sensitive to their needs of their sexual partners, another attribute mostly attributed to female personality. There is a type of communal obligation to ensure that any member of vampire cliques do not maintain emotional distress and that their needs are fulfilled. This, to me, should be viewed as being more attributable to feminine characteristics and this gender is exemplified in the closeness and intimacy that underpins all relationships, something much different than masculinity as it is perceived in the stereotypical sense. Riker’s relationship with the androgynous alien shows that the bonds of legitimate love transcend gender stereotypes. When Riker confides to his ex-lover, Deanna, that he is falling for the alien, he receives ample emotional support, though advised to proceed cautiously. Riker is willing to explore sexual relationships with this androgynous being because he feels a deep emotional love for the creature, which illustrates that love and sex, under traditional views of romance and relationships, go hand-in-hand and are absolute necessities to ensure intimacy and closeness. Sex as a component of romantic love assists in our understanding of

BUSINESS GLOBALISATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

BUSINESS GLOBALISATION - Essay Example Trading Blocs A trading bloc refers to the agreement between certain countries to reduce trade restrictions, tariffs and other trade barriers for each other while imposing strict trade barriers with other nonmember nations. Without any doubts, trade blocs like ‘European Economic Community’ (ECC) and ‘North American Free Trade Agreement’ (NAFTA) exist because they provide great advantages to the member nations (Prempeh, Mensah & Adjibolosoo, pp. 98-99, 2004). First, large markets created through trading blocs allow production to take place in bulk, which in turn means that firms can take advantage of economies of scale. Second, companies within the trading blocs come closer to each other, which lead to greater competition (Wiarda, pp. 93-98, 2007). Quite understandably, greater competition leads to higher level of efficiency. Third, when tariffs decrease due to trade blocs, the cost of imports goes down and consumers can purchase products with lower prices. F ourth, an individual country may not enjoy that political and economic authority over the globe but a group of countries certainly can have their voice heard (Rossi, pp. 304-305, 2007). In fact, this remains the biggest possible advantage of trade blocs that they allow the members to become interdependent on each other thus making them less vulnerable to the external shocks. Fifth, trade blocs reduce the transactions costs for all the members thus allowing the trade the trade to happen with lesser monetary and time costs (Ervin & Smith, pp. 185-186, 2008). Changes in the Balance of Trade in during 20th century Without any doubts, the world is a completely changed place as compared to what it was a century ago. The world has undergone a complete transformation in the 20th century and the same is true for world trade. The balance of trade refers to the total value of exports minus the value of imports of a country during the given year. The balance of world trade in the past century h as changed largely. During the early days of the 20th century, most of the countries at that time used to avoid trade deficits and considered it as bad for the economy. The process of Globalisation was slow and most economies comparatively were closed economies. However, as of the data of CIA for the year 2010, out of the 191 countries on their list, only 61 countries or 32 percent of the countries had a trade surplus and the rest of the them were showing trade deficits. Quite understandably, this refers to the fact that the balance of the world trade in totality is in negative giving a trade deficit. The biggest trade deficit was for the economic superpower United States of America with 561 billion US dollars (Steger, pp. 74-78, 2010). Furthermore, even economic powers like United Kingdom, India, France, Brazil, Canada, and Australia had deficits of more than 35 billion US dollars (Steger, pp. 74-78, 2010). However, upcoming Asian giants China, Japan, and Germany remain at the top of list with trade surpluses of 272, 166, and 162 billion US dollars (Steger, pp. 74-78, 2010). Economies of Scale With Globalisation and increasing international trade, economies of scale have emerged as an extremely important factor in expansion and production of various industries. Economies of scale refer to ‘the phenomenon where the cost per unit decreases with increasing production’ (Rossi, pp. 304-305, 2007). It allows the firm to lower its costs and gain greater market share or the firm may decide to maintain the

Rizal in Macao Essay Example for Free

Rizal in Macao Essay Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for a second time in February 1888. He was then a full- grown man of 27 years of age, a practicing physician, and a recognized man-of-letters. The first time he went aboard in June 1882, he was a mere lad of 21, a youthful student in search of wisdom in the Old World, a romantic idealist with beautiful dreams of emancipating his people from bondage by the magic power of his pen. Times had changed. Rizal at 27 was an embittered victim of human iniquities, a disillusioned dreamer, a flustrated reformer. The Trip to Hong Kong. On February 3, 1888, after a short stay of six months in his beloved Calamba, Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong on board the Zafiro. He was sick and sad during the crossing of the choppy China Sea. He did not get off his ship when it made brief stopover at Amoy on February 7. for three reasons: (1) he was not feeling well, (2) it was raining hard, and (3) he heard that the city was dirty. He arrived in Hong Kong on February 8. During his stay in Hong Kong, a British colony, Rizal wrote a letter to Blumentritt, dated February 16, 1888, expressing his bitterness. In Hong Kong, Rizal stayed at Victoria Hotel. He was welcomed by the Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte, (son of Francisco Yriarte, alcalde mayor of Laguna). A Spaniard, Jose Sainz de Varanda, who was a former secretary of Governor General Terrero, shadowed Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong. It is believed that he was commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on Rizal. Hong Kong, wrote Rizal to Blumentritt on February 16, 1888, is a small, but very clean city. Many Portuguese, Hindus, English, Chinese, and Jews live in it. There are some Filipinos, the majority of whom being those who had been exiled to the Marianas Islands in 1872. They are poor, gentle, and timid. Formerly they were rich mechanics, industrialists, and financiers. Visit to Macao. On Feb 18, Rizal, accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer. Kiu-kiang for Macao. Macao is a Portuguese colony near Hong Kong. â€Å"the city of Macao,† wrote Rizal, in his diary, â€Å"is small, low, and gloomy. There are many junks, sampans, but few steamers. It looks sad and is almost dead. † In Macao, Rizal and Basa stayed at the home of Don Juan. Francisco Lecaros, a Filipino gentleman married to a Portuguese lady. He was rich and spent his days cultivating plants and flowers, many of which came from Philippines. During his two-day sojourn in Macao, Rizal visited the theatre, casino, cathedral and churches, pagodas, botanical garden, and bazaars. He also saw the famous Grotto of Camoens, Portugal’s national poet. In the evening of February 19, he witnessed a Catholic, in which the devotees were dressed in blue and purple dresses and were carrying unlighted candles.

Nuclear Power Versus Renewable Energy

Nuclear Power Versus Renewable Energy One of the biggest problems that we face in todays modern power hungry times is the decision on a single source of power. As we continue to consume as a society we are very quickly burning through our supplies of fossil fuels to the point at which in a couple of decades we will have all but exhausted existing supplies. It is for this reason that decisions need to be made on what source will generate future generations electricity. The future of energy production will lie with the criteria set out by fossil fuel energy production and how well they fit these criteria. Any new fuel source will have to be readily available and provide a constant supply of energy; it will need to be cheap and safe to produce; the same or fewer emissions than that of fossil fuels, although with todays current eco standards the later will probably need to be true. One particular source of energy seems the logical choice for the main replacement for fossil fuels and that is nuclear power, but how do other more renewable sources of energy compare to nuclear power? In 2002 it was reported by an MIT study that nuclear power supplied 17% of the worlds electricity consumption [1] and if this is compared to renewable sources such as wind power, geothermal and biomass generators which accounts for just 19% as calculated in 2008 [2]. The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast the viability of different energy sources for the future. What is nuclear power? Nuclear power in its current state is the controlled fission of radioactive material for the generation of electricity. Nuclear power uses Uranium primarily as a fissible material, the first safety issues come from obtaining a source of uranium that is viable to use for energy generation. Uranium occurs naturally in a compound ore form, comprised of 99.3% U238 and 0.7% U235 [3]. Uranium 238 is not a suitable isotope for fission, infact in its natural ore it prevents the uranium from sustaining any sort of nuclear reaction. This can be explained by the energy of absorbed neutrons in the nuclear material, U235 will undergo fission at all energies of neutrons, but U238 will not. To overcome this problem, uranium ore needs to be enriched with a higher percentage of U235 (usually so that U235 comprises 3% to 5% of the ore [3]). The enrichment process introduces safety issues that are not present in other forms of energy production, the process produces uranium hexafluoride that is a highly toxic chemical that is difficult to store due to its corrosive nature. The main waste product is depleted uranium that the radioactive waste from extracting U235 from natural Uranium ore. There has been much controversy over Depleted uraniums use as a weapon and its difficulty in being stored due to its radioactive nature, current estimates put global stockpiles of depleted uranium at 1.5 million tonnes [3]. The generation of power from radioactive sources makes use of a compound nuclear reaction. Neutrons are absorbed by enriched uranium, usually a uranium ore composed of mainly U235, which forms an excited compound nucleus. A compound nucleus will be inherently unstable and result in the fission of the excited compound nucleus and emission of two new nuclei and neutrons. Figure 1 illustrates a possible nuclear reaction inside a nuclear reactor: Figure 1- Example of nuclear reaction. n+U235 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ U*236 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Xe139 +Sr95 + 2n As can be seen from figure 1 the example fission reactions require a single neutron to induce fission of U235 but the final products of the reaction include 2 neutrons which allows the reaction to become self perpetuating, this neutron feeding process is known as a chain reaction. This chain reaction will only occur in enriched uranium. Nuclear power is generated using two different types of reactor that both have their merits and faults with regard to safety: The fast reactor is a reactor based on an equal mix of Uranium 235 and 238 that can sustain the chain reaction required to generate energy. Fast neutrons, hence the name, sustain the reaction, in the case of the fast reactor neutrons interact with U238 whicch forms a nucleaus that does not under go fission but forms plutonium 239 instead. Although Pu 239 is able to undergo fission, it does not do so at the speed required to sustain the chain reaction and infact most of it becomes unused waste in the form of spent fuel. The fast reactor is designed to navigate around this by using the fast neutrons to produce more fissile Pu239 than spent Pu239 by not using a moderator to slow neutrons down this reduces the problem of producing lots of unused fuel as waste. Because this type of reactor does not use a moderator to control neutrons and due to the highly fissile material in the reactor core, it does require an efficient cooling system which does introduce certain safety issues. Fast reac tors require a liquid sodium coolant, chosen due to its highly conductive nature, to remove heat from the core. The use of sodium though has its associated risks because its highly reactive and becomes corrosive when reacting with air which is obviously a problem when surrounding a radioactive core. Thermal reactors use enriched uranium to produce energy instead of an equal mix and the enrichment produces the waste products as discussed earlier. Unlike fast reactors which do not use moderators thermal reactors, and the ones in question use a moderator and coolant. In the case of Pressurised water reactors and boiling water reactors they both use water as a coolant and moderator due to waters inherent property that it is a good neutron absorber. The water based thermal reactors are one of the most widely used nuclear reactors due to the availability and safety of the coolant and moderator. There are contamination risks with the boiling water reactor, as water is pumped through the reactor and boils it will pick up fragments of radioactive contaminants which could be released into the atmosphere via the cooling towers. For note the worlds largest nuclear power plant uses 7 different boiling water reactors to generate electricity and is capable of generating a total of 8,212MW and a typical fossil fuel turbine is capable of generating 1000MW so a typical fossil fuel plant can be compared to outputting a similar amount of energy to that of a nuclear power plant [3b]. Safety of Nuclear Power With the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the recent meltdown risks of the Fukushima reactors safety concerns are always inherent when discussing nuclear power. Meltdowns are often a buzz word when associated with nuclear power plants and is often the biggest safety concern when considering nuclear power, but what exactly is a nuclear meltdown? A nuclear meltdown is not as serious as the word suggests or as the world media have suggested. A meltdown will occur when there is more heat inside the reactor core than that being removed by any coolant mechanism that are put in place. If this does happen then the nuclear fuel will literally melt causing it to melt through the reactor. This will result in damage to the reactor core and a possibility of the fuel escaping the reactor, but nuclear reactors are contained within a containment structure that is designed to prevent any radioactive material from contaminating the atmosphere and allowing coolant to be pumped into the structure. This only becomes an issue when the containment structure is damaged as was the case during the Fukushima earthquakes, with the exception of natural disasters modern nuclear power plants are designed with the up most safety in mind and have many different precautions in place to prevent and exposure and risk to the general public. Control rods are one of the best designed safety features within a nuclear reactor, they are designed to avoid any rapid increase in reactor core temperatures. When fuel temperatures rise to a temperature at which coolant will be contaminated and need to be ejected, the control rod safety mechanism kicks in. They are designed to slow the neutron flux with in the reactor, much like the moderator does, and hence slow down the rate of energy generation so that coolant can carry heat away without the risk of contamination. Systems are in place so that this precaution is activated immediately when any reactor threat is detected. This safety measure reduces the risk of any radioactive material being ejected via cooling systems. In fact studies suggest that exposure to radioactive sources due to nuclear power stations and nuclear fuel plants are less than 0.1% of human annual exposure to radiation, this can be seen from figure 1. So although there is a high chance of radioactive contamination the safety mechanism that are in place prevent this risks from occurring and keeping exposure down to a minimum. Figure 2- Figures showing annual sources of radiation exposure [4] With this in mind although there are danger risks when considering nuclear fuel as a replacement for fossil fuels, the number of design features installed to prevent this is more than adequate to ensure the safety of the technology. Proliferation concerns One concern with Nuclear power is not the safety risks of the power station or the waste they produce but instead that enrichment facilities can produce Uranium that is enriched for use in nuclear weapons. This is much a concern in the developing world where governments are not as stable and it would not take long for a fuel enrichment facility to start producing weapons grade uranium. Renewable energy sources So far we have looked at some of the pros and cons of nuclear power and it seems like a viable alternative to fossil fuels, but technological advances have allowed renewable energy sources to become a viable option for industrial production of energy. Renewable sources of energy cant produce energy on the scales that nuclear power plants can but they do not suffer from the contamination complications that nuclear power does. Solar power Solar power exploits natures biggest source of energy the sun, which outputs a massive 3.8410^26W [5] of which we receive 1.7410^17 W or 1.366kW/m^2 [6]. This is a huge amount of energy to exploit and an obvious choice for renewable energy because the sun is expected to remain in the sky for the next four and a half billion years. This seemingly perfect candidate for energy production seems relatively unused as solar power accounts for just 0.9% [7] of worlds energy production. One of the main issues with solar technology is the photovoltaic cell, this being the standard solar panel technology, it has a relatively low efficiency and as a result the amount of energy outputted does not represent the full potential from the energy put in, also with the sun being an intermittent energy source, the only way photovoltaic cells can produce energy at nights is with the use of large banks of batteries, which are expensive and an environmental hazard. There are seemingly new technologies creeping into the solar market, much simpler than the photovoltaic cell and much more efficient. One such technology is the solar tower. The solar tower uses a large field of heliostats which are mirrors that track the sun to focus the suns light on a single point which is a central tower. The central tower uses the heat supplied to drive a steam turbine capable of generating between 10 and 100 MW (dependant on the number of mirrors), for example the PS10 solar power plant in Spain uses 624 heliostats to generate 11MW and is still being constructed[8]. This may seem like a small amount of energy but a larger area solar power tower could provide much more energy, by increasing the area of the plant, by increasing the number of heliostats. One such project is currently under way in the Mojave desert which covers 4000 acres and aims to generate enough electricity to power the city of San Francisco [9]. Unlike Photovoltaic cells solar power towers hav e the capability of producing energy at night. When the suns energy is focused on the central tower some of the heat which is used to drive the turbines is also used to heat salts to molten temperatures in excess of 200 C, molten salts can keep their temperature very well if insulated properly, and when required can be pumped through the turbine to generate steam to generate electricity [10]. Given enough time Solar power could become a replacement for fossil fuel energy production, but in the meantime it suffers from high initial costs, a large carbon footprint and a lack of backing. Currently Spain appears to be the pioneers of this technology and have already constructed numerous solar power towers including PS10 as discussed earlier. Wind power One by-product of the suns energy that has yet to be mentioned is that it supplies energy into the atmosphere causing temperature and pressure differences, this produces a bulk movement of air molecules resulting in the wind. The wind is a much more exploited energy source compared to solar power, with wind power producing 2.5% of the worlds electricity[11]. Wind power generates electricity in a very similar manner to a conventional power generator, but instead of using water as a fluid to turn a turbine, the wind is the fluid that turns the turbine. Although there is a significant amount of power available in the wind not all of it can be extracted and a theoretical limit has been calculated for the amount of energy that can be [12]. This limit means that 59.3% of energy in the wind can be used for energy generation. In reality much less than this is extracted because wind is not a uniform medium and as such suffers from intermittency issues similar to solar power, in that wind is not a constantly accessible resource. Hydroelectric Power One already established form of renewable energy is Hydroelectricity, the generation of energy using the conversion of gravitational potential energy of falling water through a turbine. Its currently the 4th largest form of power generation behind coal, gas and nuclear power producing 20% of the worlds current electricity demands [13]. Interestingly though Hydroelectricity has been exploited in the 1st world, with almost all possible sites being developed for hydroelectricity, its only in the developing world where hydroelectricity could be utilized to improve renewable energy generation, this would explain why it is the 4th largest energy provider [13]. Unlike wind power and solar power, hydroelectric power does not suffer from intermittency issues. The idea behind a hydroelectric dam is that it uses the water at a higher gravitational potential to fall through a turbine generating electricity. When there is a smaller demand for electricity the flow rate can be reduced and the reservoir can be used to store excess water, this provides the dam with water on demand, which is a unique feature of hydroelectric power. Three gorges dam in china is a fantastic example of a 21st century hydroelectric plant, for reference it is capable of producing 22500MW [14] this is greater than 100 times the amount of energy produced by a solar power tower, and 5 times more energy than the largest nuclear power stations, so obviously hydroelectric dams are useful and utilizable replacement for fossil fuels. Hydroelectricity does have its environmental faults, and is probably the most hazardous of the renewable power sources. In order to construct a hydroelectric plan a large enough volume of water is required with a big enough drop for potential energy conversion to warrant building a hydroelectric plant. To do this a river must be dammed which upriver will flood a large area of land, this causes huge amounts of destruction to natural habitats, downriver there is a chance that drinking water is contaminated which has obvious human impacts. Conclusion on energy types We have discussed the different aspects of nuclear power and many different types of renewable energy sources. It is my opinion that despite certain renewable already being established they have still not reached their potential to replace fossil fuels, especially with certain intermittent issues and as a result are not ready to replace fossil fuels. On the other hand, while renewable sources develop into a more viable energy source nuclear power is ready to replace fossil fuels in the interim. If we compare energy production it would appear as if hydroelectric dams are the best option, but as discussed all sites in the developed world have been exploited and for comparison nuclear power stations are still being built as many possible sites still exist. Despite its safety issues and the non-renewable nature of nuclear fuel, nuclear power is capable of producing a steady supply of power that will meet demands upon request. In reality there is no one replacement for fossil fuels, as a society we have created a huge dependence on them and it is going to require a mixture of different power sources in order to develop a secure energy future and as a result our future probably lies with renewable energies and nuclear energies working in conjunction with each other. References 1. Deutch J.M et al, Future of Nuclear Power, An interdisciplinary MIT study, 2009, page 1. 2. El-Asjry M. et al, Renewable energy policy network for the 21st century, REN21, 2010, page 9. 3. Falk J. Bodman R.,Uranium Enrichment, Energy Science, November 2006, page 2. 3b. Power and technology, Full statistics of turbine energy generation, http://www.power-technology.com/projects/kashiwazaki/, accessed 16 April 2011. 4. Nuclear safety, The institution of engineering and technology, 2006, page 3. 5. Zeilik M. et al, Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics, Saunders college publications, 1992, page G-11. 6. Wilson R. C., and Mordvinov A. V., Secular total solar irradiance trend during cycles 21-23, Geophys. Res. Lett, 2003, page 1199. 7. Wirman C., Electrical power annual: generation, US energy information administration, 2009, page 3. 8. Garcia-Sobrinos G., Tower of Power, Civil engineering, 2009, page 42-49. 9. Zook D., County supervisor concerned by Brightsource Mega Solar Project Impacts calls for a full review, Best Syndication News, 2011. 10. Barth D., Development of a High Temperature, Long-Shafted, Molten-Salt Pump for Power Tower Applications, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 2002 11. Ragheb M., Wind Power Systems:Harvesting the Wind, College of Engineering University of Illinois, 2011. 12. Gijs A.M. van Kuik, The Lanchester-Betz-Joukowsky Limit, Wind Energy Journals, 2007, 10:289-291 13. Hydropower and the Worlds Energy Future, International energy agency publication, 2000, update 2009. 14. Fabian A., Taming the Yangtze, IET publications, 2009.

Kadohatas The Story Devils: An Overview :: essays research papers

Kadohata's The Story Devils: An Overview   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Story Devils, by Cynthia Kadohata is a look into the life of a young girl looking to protect her family in any way possible. The story is based on a real life experience of the author and shows how we can, at times, let the devil in ourselves come out and play. The author, now living in Los Angeles, writes this as almost a warning; but the reader gets the feeling that she would do what she did again, in a second.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story takes place after World War II in the town of Chesterville, Arkansas. It was a small town with small town problems, and had a Japanese community living within it. The story was written in 1989 and reflect the uncertainties of the post World War II period. Within the small community there lived a woman that had been through a recent divorce, and was raising three children, Kate, the author, and her brother Sean. Because the mother is having a problem making ends meet, she begins to go to church and meets the antagonist, Mr. Mason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story is told by the author in the body and mind of an eight year old. It is a first-person narration and she is playing the part of the protagonist. The point of view remains constant throughout the story, which gives you only the viewpoint of the author to get facts from. Although this may be a possibly unreliable perspective, due to selective memory, the story is told in a straightforward manner suggesting truth and honesty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the story the author realizes that Mr. Mason is a violent man. This is learned through several instances, such as when he forced the mother into a crying fit in her bedroom in the beginning of the story. He was also violent when he threw a rock at a young boy that had wandered over to the yard to play. These incidents forced the author to do something that she did not relish, but deemed necessary in order to save her family from this man; since she new her mother was planning on marrying him. She lied to her mother and told her that Mr. Mason had hit her. At first it wasn't believed, but when her quiet sister Kate backed up her story, the mother sought to separate herself from this man. The family moved to Chicago and the author never saw Mr. Mason again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As was stated before, the story was believable because of the author's almost relenting of a story that she had kept inside for a long time.

Indian Boarding School Essay -- essays research papers

"Compressed emotions," that is the explanation a teacher once gave to the ongoing question, "What is poetry?" He said it was someone's deepest emotions, as if you were reading them right out of that person's mind, which in that case would not consist of any words at all. If someone tells you a story, it is usually like a shell. Rarely are all of the deepest and most personal emotions revealed effectively. A poem of that story would be like the inside of the shell. It personifies situations, and symbolizes and compares emotions with other things in life. Louise Erdrich's poem Indian Boarding School puts the emotions of a person or group of people in a setting around a railroad track. The feelings experienced are compared to things from the setting, which takes on human characteristics. Louise Erdrich was born part German, part American Indian. Since the title and other references in the poem refer to Indian people, it is most likely that this poem was very personal to her. The boarding school may have been a real place she went to, or where mistreatment of her people was not uncommon, or it could simply be a tool she used to express racism towards them in general. With that fact, the reader must remember that although the words are from the runaways' point of view, there are not necessarily any real runaways. From the point of view at which this is told, the runaways are eager to find their way home. They do not necessarily really try to runaway, it may just be in their fantasies, "Home's the place we head for in our sleep." (line 1). The first use of personification is in the line, "The rails, old lacerations that we love,"(line 4). It is not yet quite clear why Erdrich would compare the train tracks with old lacerations until the lines, "shoot parallel across the face and break just under the Turtle Mountains." (lines 5-6). Mountains are definite things that are physical in nature. Train tracks on a face are hard to imagine, so it leads us to believe it has some deeper meaning. This reveals that the children want to run away from the boarding school for more serious matters than just good old home-sickness. The "old lacerations" may represent wounds on their own faces, internal or external. Visually, train tracks look like wounds that were stitche d and scarred. The Turtle Mountains must relate ... ...d when it dried. That was the time when they remembered "delicate" injuries. Injuries that a child gets while playing or falling, not from bigotry or violence. Now those things are only memories. It is very likely that Louise Erdrich experienced some kind of racism or prejudice in her lifetime. Segregation laws were still in use while she was growing up in the fifties, and in the sixties, many of the same people still felt racist, with or without the laws. Boarding schools were not an exception to this fact either. School authorities probably did take advantage of the fact that boarding schools are away from home and not under the watchful eye of any parent. This poem demonstrates the truth of what it really felt and feels like to have lived through such bad treatment. It is disturbing to think that instead of just learning at school, Louise Erdrich, amongst other children, may have learned what it felt like to be hated. At such early ages, they taught these children that the way they were treated was how the world was supposed to be. It displays the painful scars embedded so deeply into a child, from a time that should have been the most nurturing part of his/her life. Indian Boarding School Essay -- essays research papers "Compressed emotions," that is the explanation a teacher once gave to the ongoing question, "What is poetry?" He said it was someone's deepest emotions, as if you were reading them right out of that person's mind, which in that case would not consist of any words at all. If someone tells you a story, it is usually like a shell. Rarely are all of the deepest and most personal emotions revealed effectively. A poem of that story would be like the inside of the shell. It personifies situations, and symbolizes and compares emotions with other things in life. Louise Erdrich's poem Indian Boarding School puts the emotions of a person or group of people in a setting around a railroad track. The feelings experienced are compared to things from the setting, which takes on human characteristics. Louise Erdrich was born part German, part American Indian. Since the title and other references in the poem refer to Indian people, it is most likely that this poem was very personal to her. The boarding school may have been a real place she went to, or where mistreatment of her people was not uncommon, or it could simply be a tool she used to express racism towards them in general. With that fact, the reader must remember that although the words are from the runaways' point of view, there are not necessarily any real runaways. From the point of view at which this is told, the runaways are eager to find their way home. They do not necessarily really try to runaway, it may just be in their fantasies, "Home's the place we head for in our sleep." (line 1). The first use of personification is in the line, "The rails, old lacerations that we love,"(line 4). It is not yet quite clear why Erdrich would compare the train tracks with old lacerations until the lines, "shoot parallel across the face and break just under the Turtle Mountains." (lines 5-6). Mountains are definite things that are physical in nature. Train tracks on a face are hard to imagine, so it leads us to believe it has some deeper meaning. This reveals that the children want to run away from the boarding school for more serious matters than just good old home-sickness. The "old lacerations" may represent wounds on their own faces, internal or external. Visually, train tracks look like wounds that were stitche d and scarred. The Turtle Mountains must relate ... ...d when it dried. That was the time when they remembered "delicate" injuries. Injuries that a child gets while playing or falling, not from bigotry or violence. Now those things are only memories. It is very likely that Louise Erdrich experienced some kind of racism or prejudice in her lifetime. Segregation laws were still in use while she was growing up in the fifties, and in the sixties, many of the same people still felt racist, with or without the laws. Boarding schools were not an exception to this fact either. School authorities probably did take advantage of the fact that boarding schools are away from home and not under the watchful eye of any parent. This poem demonstrates the truth of what it really felt and feels like to have lived through such bad treatment. It is disturbing to think that instead of just learning at school, Louise Erdrich, amongst other children, may have learned what it felt like to be hated. At such early ages, they taught these children that the way they were treated was how the world was supposed to be. It displays the painful scars embedded so deeply into a child, from a time that should have been the most nurturing part of his/her life.