Incident Response Essay

The emergency services (Police, Fire and Ambulance) have to respond to all emergency situations, but they have different roles and responsibilities and they have graded response policies. All emergencies are graded by the call handler according to the information from the caller and not by the way the incident is reported. If a caller dials 999 believing an incident is an emergency the call handler will assess the information and then decide whether it is top priority or if the incident does actually require an emergency response. Call handlers work under the supervision of team managers and incident managers. The standards of fire cover all fire services in the United Kingdom and were set originally in the 1930’s but were established in 1958 by the Home Office. They were more clearly defined and revised in 1974 and again in 1985. Fire risk assessment, until the current year, has been based upon this guidance, which consists of a prose description of the risk categories and a formula designed to determine a points rating or fire grading of premises. When the risk category of an area had been determined, the criteria set by the Home Office demanded that the fire service response to emergency calls, met minimum requirements in terms of speed and weight of attack. Grading of incidents by the Fire service is split into 5 categories: Category ‘A’ Built up areas in large cities containing large commercial and industrial premises or high rise property where there is a strong chance of fire spread. The recommended minimum first attendance was three pumps, two to attend within five minutes and one within eight minutes, to be achieved on at least 75% of occasions. Category ‘B’ Refers to large cities and towns with multi-storey buildings, including large areas of residential housing as well as industrial estates with high-risk occupants. The recommended minimum first attendance was two pumps, one to arrive within five minutes and the other within eight minutes, to be achieved on at least 75% of occasions. Category ‘C’ Refers to the outskirts of larger towns and the built-up areas of smaller towns and extensive areas of residential dwellings such as terraced houses  and semi-detached houses, blocks of flats as well as light industry/commercial properties. The recommended minimum first attendance was one pump within eight to ten minutes, to be achieved on at least 75% of occasions. Category ‘D’ Consisting of rural property, villages and farms and all areas that do not come under categories A-C. The recommended minimum first attendance was one pump within 20 minutes, to be achieved on 75% of occasions. Rural and remote is a separate category and has no pre-determined response time. The majority of Merseyside (91%) is classed as C or D risk. http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/foi/Information%20Classes/Policies/item11547.pdf Grading of incidents by the police in England and wales are graded as ‘emergency ‘or ‘non-emergency’ in four grades. Grade 1 is the emergency response. An emergency contact will result in immediate police response. It involves circumstances where an incident is reported to the police which is currently taking place and there is a risk of danger to life, the use or immediate threat or use of violence or serious injury to a person or property. Criminal conduct will be dealt with as an emergency if the crime is going to be serious and is in progress, an offender has just been disturbed at the scene or the offender has been detained and there is a high risk that he is a threat to the general public. When the incident involves traffic collision it will be classed as an emergency if it involves or is likely to involve serious personal injury and also if the road is blocked due to the collision and if there is a dangerous or excessive build up of traffic. Also if the call handler who takes the call feels strongly that the incident should be classed as an emergency. The urban response time for this Grade is 10 minutes and the rural response time is 17 minutes. Grade 2 is classed as a Priority response. The call handler feels that the incident is important or urgent but does not need an emergency response. This could include incidents such as a concern for someone’s welfare, an offender has been detained but is not a threat to anyone, a road traffic accident that has injuries or has caused a serious obstruction, a witness may be lost or a person is suffering distress and is believed to be vulnerable. Resourses for a Grade 2 incident should be sent as soon as is safely possible and  within 15 minutes. Grade 3 is classed as a scheduled response. This is when the needs of the caller can be best achieved by scheduling a response. This could be when the response time is not critical when apprehending offenders or a better quality of policing can be given if it is dealt with by a scheduled response by a police officer or even by that person attending the police station. Incidents should be resolved to satisfaction level of caller as soon as possible and must be within 48 hours of first call. Grade 4 is classed as Resolution without deployment. This is used when an incident can be re solved through telephone advice, help desk, frequently asked questions or other appropriate agencies or services. The caller is advised of an agreed call-back time and to be as soon as possible and within 24 hours. Grading of incidents by the Ambulance Service are placed in three categories, this grading also applies to urgent calls from GPs and other health professionals, as well as calls from the general public. Category A is Priority. This is when an incident is considered to be immediately life-threatening examples are when a person is suffering with chest pains/cardiac arrest, unconscious/fainting or has breathing problems. The response time for a category A is within 8 minutes or less. Category B is where an incident is serious but not immediately life-threatening, examples are when someone has fallen or has serious bleeding, a sick person with no priority symptoms or overdose/poisoning. The response time for category B is within 14 minutes in urban areas and within 19 minutes in rural areas. Category C is when an incident is not serious or life-threatening, examples when someone has fallen over and assistance is required, and a sick person with a range of non-serious conditions such as d iarrhoea or someone with abdominal/back pains. In 2000 the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) became responsible for assessing the training and standards of all drivers who drive emergency response vehicles which are fitted with blue lights and sirens. When talking to other agencies the DSA drew up the Blue Light Users Working Party Expectations Document. This document contained a list of the expectations that drivers of emergency response vehicles should meet before being allowed  to drive these vehicles. This document was accepted by the three main emergency services (police, fire and ambulance). This document includes performance criteria and knowledge and consists of these three elements. All emergency drivers need to be over the age of 18 and in good health also must not have any motoring convictions against their name and this is checked every three years. Element one is the ability to assess the need for an emergency response. Element two is the ability to drive the vehicle safely to emergencies and element three is the ability to show the correct attitude when responding to emergencies. Police Service Drivers have to meet the standards set by the DSA but the police service also have their own driving centres. At the driving centres police are trained and graded according to National Training Standards, which is then approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The type of driver training depends on the job role of that police officer. Police drivers can be graded as Standard response drivers, advanced drivers or pursuit drivers. Advanced drivers and pursuit drivers have intense training and they use high powered vehicles and advanced techniques for responding quickly and safely to emergencies. Fire Service Drivers The fire service also has its own driver training centres where drivers are trained to the standards met by their Fire Authority. To drive an Emergency Fire Appliance drivers must hold a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Licence and have received the necessary training and assessments. Only then can they be allowed to drive when responding to emergency situations provided the vehicle is fitted with audible/visual warning devices. Ambulance Service Drivers need to hold C1 (medium sized vehicle) and D1 (minibus) licences and receive the appropriate training by the DSA. Although some Ambulance Services especially in London state that ambulance drivers must hold a LGV licence. Ambulance driver training and assessments are usually carried out by independent driver training centres and not the Ambulance Service. Drivers of emergency vehicles also have to understand that bad driving can cause accidents. Drivers of emergency vehicles are not above the law even when attending emergencies they have to show that whilst going to an emergency they drove with care and attention and did not drive in a dangerous way, if they were foun d to have driven dangerously then they can be prosecuted in the same way as a member of the general public can. Also if the driver is convicted of a  serious traffic offence they may be disqualified from driving both emergency and privately owned vehicles. To reduce the danger to themselves and the general public the drivers of emergency vehicles must use their sirens and blue flashing lights to warn other road users as well as pedestrians and cyclists that their vehicle is responding to an emergency. Flashing blue lights and sirens should only be used when attending emergencies although police drivers can use flashing blue lights and sirens when attempting to stop another driver. Drivers of emergency vehicles have to follow the same traffic laws as everyone else, but when using flashing blue lights and sirens they are exempt from a number of motoring rules which means they can go through a red traffic light, pass to the right of a keep left sign, drive on a motorway hard shoulder even against the direction of the traffic and not follow the speed limit. The Highway Code is a book of rules which all drivers have to abide by the Highway Code makes no special rules for the emergency services other than for members of the general public to listen for the sirens and look for the blue flashing lights and to let them pass safely but still taking notice of all traffic signs. During unsociable hours consideration is given to the use of sirens especially around residential areas, unless conditions are bad and they need to use their siren. Blue lights would only be used as they are visible to road users at night. When there is an advantage to a silent approach then driving is altered and speed reduced. Members of the Public service are often judged harshly from the public, when it comes down to the pursuing of stolen vehicles. Although the public services do a good job when they pursuing stolen vehicles or on their way to an emergency incident there have been cases where their have been incidents where it has affected the public services. Example At 11.20 on the 19th of May 2008, Haley Adamson a 16 year old school girl was struck by a police car going 70mph whilst she was crossing a road in a residential area in Newcastle which had a 30mph speed limit. Hayley died immediately from the impact of the police car. The police car was being driven in pursuit of a vehicle that had just been registered on the police number plate recognition system. At the time of the incident the driver Pc

Definition Of Friendship Example Essay Essay

Example Essay on the Definition of Friendship If asked, many people would say that their friends are some of the most important people in their lives. However, sometimes it is hard to recognize the value of a friend and see exactly how much they do for us and make our lives better. Charles Caleb Colton once said, â€Å"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.† Colton points out the high value of a good friend, but more importantly he suggests that friendship itself is ambiguous and hard to define: something that can be taken for granted and go unnoticed until it is gone. If you asked those same people to define their friendships, you would probably receive a wide variety of answers, with some common threads. For most people, friends are people who know you inside and out, can tell you things that you cannot tell yourself, and most importantly, they support and care for you even in the roughest times of your life. True friends are those people from whom you never want to be apart, who know you so well that they can practically read your thoughts. Growing up, there was a girl named Anita who lived a couple streets down from me, and we had that kind of friendship. We could spend the entire day together, talking, playing softball, and simply enjoying hanging out with each other. After such a full day, we could then go home and call each other, because we still  had more to say. We told each other our deepest, darkest secrets, and it was okay, because we understood each other. True friendship simply cannot last without building this type of affection and trust. However, friendship is not always so bright and happy. Sometimes, the most important thing that a friend can do for you is to make you see things that you don’t want to see, even if it means risking your anger. For example, in the movie The Wedding Singer, Adam Sandler’s character, Robbie Hart becomes a good friend to a waitress, Julia, helping her to plan her wedding. However, when Robbie finds out that Julia’s fiancà © is a creep who is cheating on her, he decides that he needs to tell her and stop her from making a really poor life decision. Even though he knows that Julia will be extremely hurt by this knowledge, Robbie knows that she will be much better off by knowing the truth. Robbie is an example of a great friend because he refused to let her make such a bad decision, even if it meant risking his own friendship with her. While taking a stand and refusing to let you make decisions is indeed an important part of being a good friend, friendship isn’t always quite so dramatic. Simply by being there, caring and supporting you no matter what, friends can show you just how important you are to them. My friend, Sharon, showed me the depth of our friendship when she refused to let me push her away. When I was a freshman in high school, my grandfather became very ill with cancer and died in January. It was an extremely hard time in my life, and rather than deal with the pain, I began shutting down, not talking to any one. I lost a lot of friends that year, but Sharon refused to leave. She would come over to my house everyday simply to listen when I felt like talking and to give me a hug when I didn’t. On the night that my grandfather died, I called Sharon, weeping uncontrollably, and asked her to talk to me about anything so that I could take my mind off of the situation. I am not sure that I would have made it through my grandfather’s death without the love and support that I received from my friend Sharon. Beautiful, dangerous, and heart-wrenching, friendship is not something that can be easily defined. It is something that must be seen, lived, and  experienced.. Poets can write about it, musicians and sing about it, but until you make a true friend, and become one in return, the definition of friendship will always be a bit slippery and hard to hold onto. From my experience, this much I know is true: friends are those people who love you for who you are, and who you want to be. They know your deepest secrets and understand because they have the same secrets. They are not afraid to tell you the truth when you really need to hear it, and most importantly, they will always be there for you. Albert Schweitzer once said â€Å"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.† So, to my friends who have rekindled my light, I thank you. Example Essay Questions: These questions will help you to look for the things that make essays really excellent. Read the essay on the backside of this sheet and then do the following things: (1) Circle the attention grabber. (2) Find and highlight the thesis. (3) Find and highlight topic sentence of each support paragraph. (4) Find and highlight the concluding sentence of each support paragraph. (5) List the main idea of each support paragraph. Support paragraph 1 – Support paragraph 2 – Support paragraph 3 – (6) Underline the transition between each of the support paragraphs. (It may be the same as the as the topic sentence or it may come before the topic sentence.) (7) Looking at how the author transitions from one body paragraph to the  next, explain why he or she organized his or her ideas in this order. In other words, how does the main idea of each support paragraph lead to or relate to the main idea of the next paragraph? (8) Circle transition words within paragraphs. (9) Circle the essay’s concluding thought. Is it a quote, thought provoking question, or dramatic statement? (10) What is one specific thing about this essay that you want to try in your own writing? Use examples. (Do NOT just say: â€Å"I like the attention grabber!† Instead, say, â€Å"I like how the author uses marriage vows as an attention grabber because everyone is familiar with marriage vows and readers will be intrigued to find out how the essay will relate marriage and loyalty. It also connects to the third support paragraph!)

Fourteen Amendment

The fourteenth amendment provides a definition of a citizen of The United States. The fourteenth amendment was adopted on July 9, 1868 shortly after the Union victory in the American Civil War. It was adopted as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. It has many different clauses. The fourteenth amendment was adopted as one of the longest amendments to the Constitution with a total of five different parts. The Citizenship clause, Due Process Clause, and the Equal Protection Clause are some of the clauses. The Citizenship clause is the first section in the fourteenth amendment.The Due Process Clause prohibits state and local governments from depriving people of life, liberty, or property without certain steps being taken to ensure fairness. This clause has been used to make most of the Bill of Rights applicable to the states, as well as to recognize substantive and procedural rights. The Equal Protection Clause requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to all people within its jurisdiction. The fourteenth amendment states that all people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.The fourteenth amendment provides that all state will provide equal protection to everyone within their jurisdiction. In addition, the fourteenth amendment gave people of different minorities a whole new sense of hope and inspired them in many different ways. Congress passed the fourteenth amendment not knowing how it would affect people of different minorities. In 1868, when the amendment was passed, people of different minorities were treated with disrespect and incivility from the white culture.The Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution was passed by both houses of congress. The stated purpose of the fourteenth amendment was to grant citizenship and to protect and define the civil rights of freed slaves. The Amendment was designed to prohib it state governments from curtailing the rights of former slaves after the Civil War; however it has been used to grant all of the personal liberties and rights conveyed in the Bill of Rights. Moreover, section one defines citizenship and protects a person civil and political rights from being denied by any state.Section one was formed in response to the â€Å"Black Code† that southern starts had passed in the beginning of the thirteenth amendment, which removed slavery from the United States. The Citizenship Clause can also be known as the Naturalization Clause. The Citizenship Clause refers the first sentence of section one in the fourteenth amendment. The clause showed how congress decided to reverse it so that African Americans could then vote, become citizens of the United States, and also enjoy any of the other privileges that citizens got.Although, the fourteenth amendment does not provide any procedures from removing someone privileges as being a citizen of The United States. The citizenship clause is what overruled the Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling stating that blacks could not be citizens. Loss of citizenship can happen when there is fraud in the naturalization process. Also, decades after the adoption of the fourteenth amendment, the Supreme Court got rid of laws saying that blacks could not be in juries. The Supreme Court found the laws to be a violation of the Equal Protection Clause.Its Equal Protection Clause requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to all people within its jurisdiction. The Due Process Clause prohibits state and local governments from depriving people of life, liberty, or property without certain steps being taken to ensure fairness. The Due Process Clause has been used to make most of the Bill of Rights applicable to the states. Furthermore, the first section of the amendment includes four main parts. First, anyone born in American is guaranteed full American citizenship.Second, no state can take aw ay any of its residents of the full privileges of American citizenship. Third, all citizens are guaranteed â€Å"due process of law,† which means that states cannot pass unfair laws. Fourth, all citizens are guaranteed equal protection of the laws, which means that states cannot discriminate against any citizens. The second section says, â€Å"Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed.But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of rep resentation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the umber of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. † The second section of the Fourteenth Amendment repealed the three-fifths clause (Article I, Section 2, Clause 3) of the original Constitution. This section also guaranteed that all male citizens over age 21, no matter their race, had a right to vote.In the third section of the Fourteenth Amendment made it impossible for the president to allow the former leaders of the Confederacy to regain power within the United States government after regaining full citizenship rights. The fourth section banned any form of payment to former slaveholders for the loss of their slaves. The fifth section states that congress will have the power to enforce all the provisions of the article.

What characterizes Calicut in the 14th and 15th centuries and how did Essay

What characterizes Calicut in the 14th and 15th centuries and how did it interact with other parts of the world at that time - Essay Example It was open to Europeans by the invasion of Vasco Da Gama in May 1498 that put Kerala on the map of the modern world. The experiences of Da Gama’s voyage to India mentioned in Roteiro characterized Calicut as a city rich in spices, which had a great demand in the East and the West. The valuable natural resources of Calicut are mentioned by Ibn Battuta, a traveler, in his memoir, ‘A Gift to those who contemplate the wonders of cities and the marvels encountered in travel’. Battuta, in his experiences in Calicut, is amused by the quantity of trade carried out by the merchants from the Arab and the China with large number of ships resting at the shore. The Roteiro illustrates why the Portuguese wish direct overseas access to the rich markets of India and beyond. It was mainly because of the numerous duties and profit margin placed on spices. The invasion through sea by Vasco Da Gama was because of the closure of land routes and expected to make more than 600,000 cruz ados per year that the Sultan of Egypt enjoyed. Calicut was a commercial emporium; it was also an important centre of gemstone production. The richness in its resources bought merchants from most of the Islamic world and China which were observed by Ibn Battuta and Ma Huan. The city was largely connected to different parts of the world due its gained recognition as rich in spices and gems (Andrea and Overfield, 8). Apart from its commercial activity, Battuta mentions about the hospitality of Samudri Raja, honor accorded to the agents in charge of the Chinese ships who came for the purpose of trade and whose ships were resting at harbor. It can be understood from the experiences of Battuta, the Chinese invested heavily in commerce with Calicut not only because of its resources but for the kind of protection it received from the King of Calicut. Customer

Self-reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-reflection - Essay Example A patient can easily cajole a therapist to an extent a therapist assumes the role of a parent for the patient. In this case, the process is unconscious given that the therapist is a social being and does not realize that she has given into the patient’s nagging behavior. Broadly, this is one of the negative effects of counter-transference. The other negative effect of the counter-transference especially during HIV/AIDS patient counseling is compromise of the counselor. The concept helps in counseling because it enhances patient-counselor communication. Counter-transference enables the HIV/AIDS patient to be open to the counselor because of the development of trust and faith upon the counselor. The counselor also automatically listens to the challenges facing the patients because he assumes a friend role. Therefore, counter-transference is vital in counseling of HIV patients. However, counter-transference negatively influences the performance of a counselor because of the subjectivity of the counselors. The film Endgame: AIDS in Black America, AIDS statistics reveal the disparity caused by the scourge on the Black community. The most appalling thing is that half of AIDS victims are Blacks. The film covers the personal stories of the Black AIDS victims. One of the interviewees endured stigma, drugs, prejudice and prostitution. The interviewees confirm that the HIV is a human virus as opposed to the common perception that the virus was only associated with white gay men. The difference in the HIV cases in San Francisco and Oakland reveals that HIV cases are higher in Francisco than Oakland. As a result, the HIV cases in San Francisco receive adequate medical attention compared to Oakland. The creation of awareness is critical in the alleviation of the scourge. Creation of awareness on HIV made many people to be aware of their HIV status in San Francisco. One can transmit the virus to another. In this regard, Nel Davis was at crossroads with regard to

Keeping Momentum Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Keeping Momentum - Assignment Example That is, people who feel their inputs, contributions and ideas are not needed as part of the implementation process are very likely to sit back and watch others do things. In effect, centering the change or implementation process round only few people is a major cause for the momentum to fizzle out. After all such a situation means that there will be only few people bringing their momentum together and so it will not be long when the apathy of others catches up with them. Sustained momentum for the implementation of any change process can be likened to sustained motivation among the people involved with the change process. This is to mean that even when enough people are included as stakeholders of change these people need additional motivation that can be sustained if the sustainability of momentum for the change process can be guaranteed (Shapiro, 2010). In any organization, the types of motivation needed by employees or stakeholders of change could be either intrinsic or extrinsic (Denton, 1996). When these types of motivation are absent, the expected levels of momentum cannot be guaranteed. It is important for the change or its implementation to be coiled around the collective culture of the organization. As the organizational culture defines the ideology, philosophies and ways of doing things, any change implemented with the culture can be assured to be permanent since the organizational culture is relatively permanent. It is therefore important that the implementation of change will not be done in a manner that is contrary or sidelines the organizational culture. The effect of including few people in the change implementation has already been outlined above. For a typical organization, it is important for managers to know that people are the pivot that make the change run. When the implementation is done in a manner that is included in

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Political science - Essay Example Another cause of political violence is the need to control rich resource areas and racial discrimination. During the Second World War Germany demonstrated this by invasion and subsequent conquer of Poland. The massacre of unknown number of Jews also referred to as the ‘holocaust† by Hitler was racial motivated political violence. Differing ideologies between sects can lead to political violence as it did during the great American civil war (Eickelmann, A., Nelson, E., & Lansford, 2005). While political violence is common in many countries, there are ways governments can limit it. In tribal, racially or religious motivated violence, promoting exchange between groups can be an effective means of limiting political violence among groups. The more two or three more groups interact the less likely the groups are going to engage in deadly violence. States can also concentrate on protecting individual freedom and rights to avoid the rise of rebels and insurgencies within the states. Perhaps the most important of all is for states to respect and ensure that justice and reconciliation prevail (Eickelmann et al., 2005). This is demonstrated by the impact the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Nelson Mandela formed at the end of apartheid in South Africa. For a long time people have been debating on the importance of the electoral systems designed to promote democracy and their invaluable roles in the states that apply them as their electoral systems. While most people agree and differ on their preferred electoral system, it is no secret of the importance of the existence of electoral system in democratic governments. Proportional representation and a single member district are two varying electoral systems, used in different states to select a body of members of an assembly or a legislature A single member district is an electoral area that elects one office holder through

Congestive heart failure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Congestive heart failure - Research Paper Example Diseases and agents that weaken heart muscle contraction, especially ventricular muscle, for example, heart attacks, infections of heart muscle (myocarditis), toxins, chronic alcohol abuse and some chemotherapeutic agents (systolic dysfunction). They vary amongst many patients depending on the type (whether it is systolic or diastolic) and the organs affected. Fatigue is the earliest symptom of CHF due to inadequacy of the heart to perform its function. The diagnosis of CHF entails; having noteworthy knowledge about the medical history of the patient; carefully taking a proper history concerning the present condition of the patient; carefully conducting a physical examination and conducting the necessary laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis. This will assist the health care expert identify signs that are consistent with CHF. Treatment should start immediately CHF is diagnosed in a patient. For one, lifestyle modification should be used so that no further fluid is retained in the body. This is done through regulation of sodium intake in food, since sodium increases fluid in the body. Restriction of alcohol intake and monitoring fluid intake also manages the

What Can Affect the Availability of Food Research Paper - 57

What Can Affect the Availability of Food - Research Paper Example Availability of natural resources like water, land, and energy affects the current food system. Food producers are competing for scarce natural resources to produce food, which can satisfy the growing population. About 90% of the food supply is coming from the land which becoming scarcer as time goes. The land has been affected by factors like soil erosion and mining making it unproductive leading to little availability of food to the people. The increased infection of diseases and malnutrition has affected most people making them migrate to urban areas where they can get access to medical facilities. This people in urban areas will rely on food systems for the supply of food thereby exerting pressure to the current food system. Energy is another resource used for food production; energy is used to production of pesticides, irrigation, fertilizers and machines to replace human labour. Technical constraints are another factor affecting food systems. This is because the farmers cannot get accessed to skills and knowledge which are necessary to increase food production. This makes them incur more expenses when producing food, which will discourage them from participating in food production as the costs incurred, is more than the returns. Transport and market infrastructure are another factor that affects food systems. This is because when the infrastructure is poor, and it is hard to get market for the products, producers will have to incur an additional cost of storing the goods in the warehouse when looking for a market. In addition, poor road network will increase transport costs. This will discourage the production of enough food that satisfies the population, hence, affect the food systems.

Potential Malicious Attacks in ACME Inc Assignment

Potential Malicious Attacks in ACME Inc - Assignment Example One rational motive that managers will use with people who might resist is that the info they supply can facilitate confirm what quantity ought to be spent on defensive measures so as to cut back the likelihood of future attacks. Adopting a diverse computing atmosphere offers important security worth for a few enterprises. Include the impact of recent worm attacks on the concerns of desktop software package decisions. a straightforward way to begin this method is to maneuver the setting organization that doesn't directly support the operating system desktops which don't need applications that area unit solely supported on OS onto an alternate software package or systems. Therefore, in case a malicious-code attack strikes, the desktops that run the choice systems will perform and may scale back the scope and period of the attack. Hackers will access networks that don't seem to be properly secured, thieves may gain entry to the workplace and steal instrumentality or employees may carry the information out of the workplace on movable media. External threats by hackers are expected and also the risks may be reduced through the safety measures mentioned on this website. Internal threats are harder to anticipate however may be equally devastating to your business. Employees could take away information unwittingly or deliberately for gain or revenge. Data can be taken out of the workplace in USB drives, writable CDs or DVDs, mobile phones or MP3 players. These devices can all hold giant amounts of data that may be a discreet means within which unauthorized persons may copy data.

Assessment and Feedback Essay Example for Free

Assessment and Feedback Essay Assessment drives the choices students make about their learning. It is widely recognised that assessment and feedback contain the strongest potential to change how, and what, students do to succeed in their learning (Ramsden, 2003). This Effective Teaching Guide on Assessment provides practical suggestions on assessment and feedback. Assessment of Learning and Assessment for Learning David Boud, a recognised researcher and scholar of assessment in higher education, suggests that assessment has many purposes, but particularly to help students to improve their learning and certify students’ learning. These two purposes lead to different ways of thinking about what, how, and when to assess students: According to Boud and Associate’s Seven Propositions for Assessment Reform in Higher Education (2010), assessment has most effect when: 1. Assessment is used to engage students in learning that is productive (including the need for assessment to be designed to focus students on learning); 2. Feedback is used to actively improve student learning; 3. Students and teachers become responsible partners in learning and assessment; 4. Students are inducted into the assessment practices and cultures of higher education; 5. Assessment for learning is placed at the centre of subject and project design; 6. Assessment for learning is a focus for staff and institutional development; and, 7. Assessment provides inclusive and trustworthy representation of student achievement. The power of feedback Feedback plays an important role in improving students’ learning. A useful summary is that provided by Gibbs and Simpson’s (2004). In their meta-study of the research about how assessment and feedback support student learning, 7 of their 10 identified conditions relate to feedback, and students’ understanding of feedback. These are: †¢ Sufficient feedback is provided, both often enough and in enough detail; †¢ Feedback focuses on students’ performance, on their learning and on actions under the students’ control, rather than on the students themselves and on their characteristics; †¢ Feedback is timely in that it is received by students while it still matters to them, and in time for them to pay attention to further learning or receive further assistance; †¢ Feedback is appropriate to the purpose of the assignment and to its criteria for success; †¢ Feedback is appropriate, in relation to students’ understanding of what they are supposed to be doing; †¢ Feedback is received and attended to; and, †¢ Feedback is acted on by the student. Hounsell (2004) also makes the following points about feedback: †¢ It can be extrinsic (assessment-focused) or intrinsic (activity and  practice-based); †¢ It can be immediate and verbal (in order to address the potential lack of engagement when it arrives after an assessment); †¢ It can be provided to be a whole class; †¢ It can be many to many where students are involved in identifying the strengths and weaknesses (peer feedback); and, †¢ Feedback can be a loop – it can be offered on unfinished work. Another useful idea is feed-forward. Feed-forward encourages students to use something like a marking rubric (also captured by the idea of criteria and standards) to help plan their approach to an assessment. While a marking rubric is routinely used by university teachers to mark/grade students’ work (as an expression of what a student needs to demonstrate (and the level they need to achieve) to receive a particular grade), the idea of feed-forward is about encouraging students to use that same information in the rubric to plan their work, and perhaps even, to self-assess it before submitting it for formal feedback. In summary: Feedback example: Develop a marking rubric as a cover sheet. The rubric identifies the elements of the assignment, together with a breakdown of marks for each element or a description of the standard for an A, B, C, D, P etc. Feed-forward example: Provide the marking rubric to students before the assignment is due so that they clearly understand what’s expected, the levels of achievement, and can plan their approach accordingly. In marking student work, you’ll need a suite of feedback techniques. Remember, if you’re going to be spending a lot of time providing feedback, you want to make sure that students read, use and engage with your feedback to improve their next assignment. The best way to do that is to have a range of techniques that you can draw on, when you need to. The table below describes some feedback techniques. One observation you might make about each of these techniques is that they are focused on: (i) engaging students with the criteria and standards, and (ii) with what the student does with the feedback they receive. If you’d like to read more about these two ideas (and others like them), two articles may be especially useful to you: Rust, Price O’Donovan (2003) and Price, O’Donovan Rust (2004). Consistency and fairness in marking and feedback Consistency in marking, or moderation, is aimed at ensuring fairness in marking, and requires finding or establishing agreement between markers. Making sure that assignments contain criteria and standards is a good start because the expectations involved are clear to the student and clear to the marker. Although this does not absolve the marker from interpreting students’ work, without criteria or standards, the job of marking ends up being much harder. The procedures for marking are set out in the University’s Assessment Procedures (an excerpt of the principles is below): Where there is more than one marker, selected pieces of work from each assessment task should be reviewed by the subject coordinator to verify the level and consistency of the marks allocated by the marker. This process, called moderation, increases the reliability of the assessment process and application of standards, promotes consistency, supports objectivity and establishes a shared understanding of standards and fairness in assessment. The university also has a grading schema with a range of Pass grades. Graduate capabilities Alongside the conventional grading schema, from 2012, all commencing first year students will receive a result on the achievement of the university’s six graduate capabilities at the end of the year: †¢ Writing †¢ Speaking †¢ Inquiry/Research †¢ Critical thinking †¢ Creative Problem-solving †¢ Teamwork There are some subjects which have been designated cornerstone, mid-point and capstone status. This means that their curriculum has been designed to teach, assess, provide feedback and report specifically on these graduate capabilities. For each graduate capability, students will receive one of three results: exceeded expectations, met expectations or did not meet expectations. Each faculty has carefully crafted a description of what these standards look like. It may be the case that you will be asked to provide feedback to students about their graduate capability achievement as well. Because faculties will have already done substantial work outlining those standards, it is likely you will be asked to offer students that feedback. Summary When considered together, assessment and feedback are incredibly powerful levers for influencing the direction of students’ efforts, and their learning. For many students, the assessment in the subject is the actual curriculum. It is largely students’ reading and perception of what the assessment demands of them which is a key determinant in how they spend their time in a subject. Therefore, the messages that students take away about assessment from the documents; the Subject Guide; from interaction with other students, are important considerations. In the second week, you will discover just how crucial feedback is to this process and how the  adoption of standards and criteria will help you mark and grade more efficiently and effectively. References Gibbs, G. and Simpson, C. (2004). Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports Student Learning. Learning and Teaching, Issue 1, pp: 3-31. Hattie, J. Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112. Hounsell, D. (2004). Reinventing Feedback in the Contemporary Scottish University. Scottish Quality Enhancement Workshop on Assessment, University of Glasgow [available online at: www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/documents/events/20040604/Hounsellpaper.pdf]. O’Donovan, B., Price, M., Rust, C. (2004). Know what I mean? Enhancing student understanding of assessment standards and criteria. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(3), 325-335. Orrell, J. (2006). Assessment beyond intuition. Central Queensland University [available online at: http://www.learning.cq.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do?page=8896, accessed Feb 2011]. Price, M., O’Donovan, B., Rust, C. (2004).Know what I mean? Enhancing student understanding of assessment standards and criteria. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(3), 325-335. Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education. (2nd edition). Routledge, NY London. Rust, C., Price, M., O’Donovan, B. (2003). Improving Students’ Learning by Developing their Understanding of Assessment Criteria and Processes. Assessment Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(2), 147-164. Taylor, J. (2008). Assessment in First Year University: A model to manage transition. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 5(1).

Psychological Portraiture Essay Example for Free

Psychological Portraiture Essay Another distingished legacy that Halsman left behind was essentially a product of a probing psychologist in him who could treat his subjects with a deep insight and empathy and could make them reveal their characters in profound and extraordinary shades, which he eventually employed superbly in his works of photography. Also, with courteous manners, sauve witticism and stylish European accents, Halsman could establish an immediate connect with his American subjects (who, incidentally, dealt with psychology with an amused cynicism, of sorts) which greatly facilitated him to extricate the very best out of his subjects with rare aplomb and liveliness. In fact, he employed an extremely innovative technique, when he worked on a photography session with Marilyn Monroe, on an important assignment from Life. He made her stand in a corner and took around 40 –50 snapshots, as encircled by few admiring men, Monroe could put her spontaneous and effortless best as she ‘smiled, flirted, giggled and wriggled with delight† and enjoyed herself superbly, there-by, almost unknowingly, giving a large number of photo-opportunities to Halsman, who utilised the same to rare perfection. (Jones, 2001) While Halsman could craftily avoid any livid or lurid references of any â€Å"physical assests† of his character (an off-shoot of his somewhat traditional disposition? ), he was a modernist enough in his approach to employ all his subtle finery and sophistication to provoke his subjects into actually emoting the best reactions which, in effect, constituted the very staple of his subject of portraiture photography, bringing him world-wide recognition and acclaim.

The Future Of The American Dream Sociology Essay

The Future Of The American Dream Sociology Essay As Franklin Roosevelt understood, Americans will postpone immediate gratification and endure hard sacrificesif they mustso long as they are convinced the future can be better than the past. But we face a far more difficult problem at our moment in history. What do you promise people who have been told they can have anything they want, who are repeatedly congratulated for living in the best of all possible circumstances? How do you tell them the good times, as we have known them, are not coming back? Americans need a new vision that helps them deal with reality, a promising story of the future that helps them let go of the past. Here is the grand vision I suggest Americans can pursue: the right of all citizens to larger lives. Not to get richer than the next guy or necessarily to accumulate more and more stuff but the right to live life more fully and engage more expansively the elemental possibilities of human existence. That is the essence of what so many now seem to yearn for in their lives. Peopleeven successful and affluent peopleare frustrated because the intangible dimensions of life have been held back or displaced in large and small ways, pushed aside by the economic systems relentless demands to maximize yields of profit and wealth. Our common moral verities have been trashed in the name of greater returns. The softer aspects of mortal experience are diminished because life itself is not tabulated in the economic systems accounting. The political order mistakenly accepts these life-limiting trade-offs as normal, as necessary to achieve good times. At earlier periods of our history, the sacrifices demanded by the engine of American capitalism were widely tolerated because the nation was young and underdeveloped. The engine promised to generate higher levels of abundance, and it did. But what is the justification now, when the nation is already quite rich and the engine keeps demanding larger chunks of our lives? What families, even those who are prosperous, typically lose in the exchange are the small grace notes of everyday life, like the ritual of having a daily dinner with everyone present. The more substantial thing we sacrifice is time to experience the joys and mysteries of nurturing the children, the small pleasures of idle curiosity, of learning to craft things by ones own hand, and the satisfactions of friendships and social cooperation. These are made to seem trivial alongside wealth accumulation, but many people know they have given up something more important and mourn the loss. Some decide they will make up for it later in life, after they are financially stable. Still others dream of dropping out of the system. If we could somehow add up all the private pain and loss caused by the pursuit of unbounded material prosperity, the result might look like a major political grievance of our time. More important than all the other losses is that people are also denied another great intangiblethe dignity of self-directed lives. At work, at home and in the public sphere, most people lack the right to exercise much of a voice in the decisions governing their daily lives. Most people (not all) are subject to a system of command and control over their destinies. They know the risks of ignoring the orders from above. Not surprisingly, many citizens are resigned to this condition and accept subservience as the way things are, and their lives are smaller as a result. Many find it hard to imagine that these confinements could be lessened, even substantially removed, if economic organizations were informed by democratic principles. Whats needed in American life is a redefinition of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Given the nations great wealth, the ancient threats of scarcity and deprivation have been eliminated. Yet people remain yoked to economic demands despite wanting something more from lifefreedom to explore the mysteries and bring forth all that is within them. Collectively, Americans need to take a deep breath and reconsider what it means to be rich. Greider, William. The Future of the American Dream. The Nation [The Nation] 6 May 2009, May 25, 2009 edition ed.: n. pag. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. greider>. What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession? Pollsters for The New York Times and CBS News set out last month to try to answer that question. And the results seemed somewhat contradictory. Although the nation has plunged into its deepest recession since the Great Depression, 72 percent of Americans in this nationwide survey said they believed it is possible to start out poor in the United States, work hard and become rich a classic definition of the American dream. And yet only 44 percent said they had actually achieved the American dream, although 31 percent said they expect to attain it within their lifetime. Only 20 percent have given up on ever reaching it. Those 44 percent might not sound like much, but it is an increase over the 32 percent who said they had achieved the American dream four years ago, when the economy was in much better shape. Compared with four years ago, fewer people now say they are better off than their parents were at their age or that their children will be better off than they are. So even though their economic outlook is worse, more people are saying they have either achieved the dream or expect to do so. What gives? We asked Barry Glassner, who is a professor of sociology at the University of Southern California and studies contemporary culture and beliefs. You want to hold on to your dream even more when times are hard, he said. And if you want to hold on to it, then you better define it differently. In other words, people are shifting their definition of the American dream. And the poll conducted on April 1 to 5 with 998 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points- indicated just that. The Times and CBS News asked this same open-ended question four years ago and again last month: What does the phrase The American dream mean to you? Four years ago, 19 percent of those surveyed supplied answers that related to financial security and a steady job, and 20 percent gave answers that related to freedom and opportunity. Now, fewer people are pegging their dream to material success and more are pegging it to abstract values. Those citing financial security dropped to 11 percent, and those citing freedom and opportunity expanded to 27 percent. Heres some respondents answers that were put in the category of freedom and opportunity: Freedom to live our own life. Created equal. Someone could start from nothing. That everybody has a fair chance to succeed. To become whatever I want to be. To be healthy and have nice family and friends. More like Huck Finn; escape to the unknown; follow your dreams. Those who responded in material terms were hardly lavish. Heres a sampling: Basically, have a roof over your head and put food on the table. Working at a secure job, being able to have a home and live as happily as you can not spending too much money. Just financial stability. Owning own home, having civil liberties. Mr. Glassner said, For the vast majority of Americans at every point in history, the prospect of achieving the American dream has been slim but the promise has been huge. At its core, this notion that anyone can be president or anyone can be a billionaire is absurd, he said. A lot of Americans work hard, but they dont become president and they dont become billionaires. Still, he said, Americans have always believed in possibilities. And they have consistently said over time that they can start poor in this country and become rich, regardless of the economy or their circumstances. The 72 percent who feel that way today is down from the 81 percent who felt that way in 2007, but 72 percent is still a very high percentage, especially given the downward economy. It would be hard to find another country where its as high, Mr. Glassner said. The percentage of people who say the American dream does not exist or is only an illusion has remained low 3 percent today and 2 percent four years ago. As one such person put it to our pollsters last month: A bunch of hooey. By the way, the phrase the American dream is generally agreed to have been coined first in 1931, in the midst of the Depression. In his book, The Epic of America, the historian James Truslow Adams wrote, It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the fullest stature of which they are innately capable. Seelye, Katharine Q. What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession. The New York Times [e.g. New York Times] 7 May 2009: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. . The American Dream Goes On By Mortimer B. Zuckerman Posted June 13, 2008 Is the American middle class an endangered species? The majority of Americans have long shared one state of mind: that they are in some central way members of the middle class and hold a passport to the good life. Click here to find out more! Its true that theres been a contraction of the number of middle-tier households earning between $45,000 and $90,000. And its true they are having a tough time. Six in 10 testify to incomes falling behind the cost of living; six in 10 find it hard to pay for gasoline; and five in 10 say they cant afford healthcare. More than a quarter say they have trouble even affording food. To maintain their lifestyle-including those fancy cable TV packages, broadband Internet connections, and travel-theyve sent more family members to work, taken on more debt, and borrowed through home equity loans, though the housing slump has undermined that asset. At the other end of the income spectrum, the well heeled keep doing better. The number of millionaires has shot up, and the wealthiest 1 percent of U.S. families have pushed their share of total national income to levels-21 percent-unseen since the Gilded Age. Yet growing inequality has had little traction thus far as a political issue. Why is this? Partly because some have moved up, as economist Stephen Rose points out. There are 12 percent more households earning in excess of $100,000 than 20 or so years ago. And those making less than $30,000 have not increased. So virtually the entire decline of the middle-class group has come from people moving up the income ladder, not down. Higher standards. Those in the middle, and below, are also living better. As William Robert Fogel, the Nobel Prize-winning economic historian, put it, In every measure that we have bearing on the standard of livingthe gains of the lower classes have been far greater than those experienced by the population as a whole. Among the inequalities that have narrowed: The quality of goods at the more moderate price levels has improved faster than at higher price tags; rich and poor are less apart in life expectancy, height, and leisure. Its the attitude of Americans that explains the low combustibility (at the moment!) of income inequality. Most Americans tend to believe that people bear primary responsibility for supporting themselves and that market forces are immune to public policy. Theres a reflection here of the optimism and confidence characteristic of American life. In one study by Roland Benabou, more than half of Americans think they will be above the median income in the future (e ven though that is mathematically impossible). Americans, quite simply, believe that plenty of opportunities exist to get ahead, and, indeed, 82 percent of those born into poverty are much better off than their parents and more than a third of them have made it into the middle class or higher. Education is another great American success story. There has been a dramatic increase in the percentage of adults completing high school and college. Nearly 90 percent of all adults get high school diplomas today compared with 33 percent in 1947; college graduates have soared from 5.4 percent in 1947 to almost 30 percent today. More than two thirds of Americans concur with the statement that people are rewarded for intelligence and skill-the largest percentage across 27 countries taking part in an international survey of social attitudes. This reflects the widespread belief in the ability to get ahead and helps explain why Americans are more accepting of economic inequality than peoples in other countries and why Americans are less likely to believe their government should take responsibility for reducing income disparity. For all that, reaction is gathering force in at least two areas. One is an increasing distrust of free trade. There is a widespread conviction that globalization-seen by economists as a boon-holds down earnings for millions of Americans who compete with workers overseas. Free trade has become a political albatross. Secondly, the level of wealth in the stratosphere of incomes has gotten so extreme that it is provoking a considerable majority to support the notion that wealth should be more evenly distributed through higher taxes. Zuckerman, Mortimer B. The American Dream Goes On. www.usnews.com. US News and World Report, 2010. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. the-american-dream-goes-on.html>. Is the American Dream Still Possible? By David Wallechinsky published: 04/23/2006 To be middle class in America once meant living well and having financial security. But today that comfortable and contented lifestyle is harder to achieve and maintain. PARADE commissioned Mark Clements Research Inc. to survey Americans nationwide about their finances and outlook for the future. Contributing Editor David Wallechinsky-author of recent articles on where your tax dollars go and on pork-barrel spending-interprets the results. The traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can better their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire. But many average Americans are struggling-squeezed by rising costs, declining wages, credit-card debt and diminished benefits, with little left over to save for retirement. (See statistics below.) Does the dream survive? Do most Americans still believe they can forge better lives for themselves? PARADE surveyed more than 2,200 Americans, of whom fully 84% described themselves as belonging to the middle class, regardless of where they live (living costs are higher in some regions) or the size of their household. For this report, we focused on U.S. households earning between $30,000 and $99,000 a year. Most of those surveyed describe themselves as married and having a family. More than 64% say they are employed full-time or part-time. Most say they are in reasonably good health and have a satisfying religious or spiritual life. They own a home and at least two cars, and they are able to take vacations. By international standards, they live a life of prosperity. Yet behind this prosperity is a growing unease. Half of the employed respondents say that theyve experienced either increased health-care costs or a cut in health benefits over the last three years, and 39% have had cuts in their overtime, raises or bonuses. Almost two-thirds say they live from paycheck to paycheck, and 47% say that no matter how hard they work, they cannot get ahead. More than a third worry about job loss. Richard Oden of Conyers, Ga.-married, with five children-worked in the beer industry for 23 years. Last year, he developed pneumonia and required major surgery. When he was unable to return to work by a given date, he says, his company terminated him at age 54-even though he had a perfect attendance record and no performance problems. To help support his family, Oden had to dip into his 401(k) fund, paying a penalty for premature withdrawal. This was very stressful, he says. Everything had gone up-except wages. Oden has since started his own business, a leadership and personal development consulting firm. His wife, Josett, works as a representative in the health-care field. I do believe I will recover financially, Oden says, and that I will realize a decent retirement. But the traditional American Dream? For most Americans, its still a dream-a pipe dream. Having drawn on his own retirement fund, Oden knows that saving can be a big problem. In the survey, nearly 83% say that there is not much left to save after theyve paid their bills. Statistics from the Commerce Department bear this out: The savings rate for Americans is the lowest it has been in 73 years. Self-reliance and sacrifice. Most of those interviewed display qualities common to American success stories: determination, flexibility, pragmatism, willingness to work hard and especially self-reliance. Almost three-quarters of the middle-class respondents surveyed say they take responsibility for their own financial destiny and believe that they will succeed or fail based on their own efforts. Still, many are downsizing their dreams. Shelly Comer, 43, of Dos Palos, Calif., is a divorced mother of three who also takes care of a friend of her oldest child, Michelle. She is going into debt so that Michelle can go to college. Shelly has worked her whole life-as a receptionist, janitor, preschool teacher and activities director at a hospital. Recently, she became a registered nurse and now works the night shift in obstetrics at another hospital. Her annual income is $70,377. Michelle, 19, is a freshman at the University of California at Merced. She says she is concerned about the financial burden her education is placing on her family: In order to meet our expected family contribution, my mother had to borrow the entire amount of her share. For her part, Michelle earned six small scholarships, two of which are renewable for next year, and took out a federal loan. She also works 16 hours a week in the financial-aid office at the university. Shelly has a retirement plan through the hospital. But I have nothing saved for me, she says. Im putting it all into the kids, so that they can succeed in school. Our parents did everything for us, and I hope to do the same for my kids. I dont count on anyone else to help us get to where we want to go. Its all up to me and my family. And I trust in God to help us. Who is responsible? One of the most intriguing results of the Parade survey is that 89% of the middle class believes that businesses have a social responsibility to their employees and to the community. Yet 81% believe that, in fact, American businesses make decisions based on what is best for their shareholders and investors, not whats best for their employees. Randy Omark, 55, and Cherie Morris, 58, of Stroudsburg, Pa., husband and wife, are former flight attendants for TWA. Cherie took a buyout in the late 1990s-before American Airlines bought TWA in 2001. After the acquisition, Randy was put on furlough (as were about 4,000 other former TWA flight attendants) and never rehired. After 26 years with the two airlines, his pension was frozen and then taken over by the government. Now he gets $324 a month in payments. Today, despite having a college education, Randy works for $9 an hour finding community jobs for mentally challenged adults. Cherie works for a greeting-card company for $7.25 an hour. It used to be that if you stayed with your job, you would be rewarded, says Cherie. Now there is no guarantee. As for retirement, Randy says, Eventually, we will just downsize everything, sell our house and move into a smaller one. Is the dream changing? Simone Luevano, 46, and Miguel Gutierrez, 44, run a garage-door installation and repair business in Albuquerque, N.M. While the business grossed $453,000 last year, they took home just $50,000 net to live on. They have a daughter-Marilyn, age 7-who is deaf in one ear and goes to a private school that costs $3600 a year. Simone says that financial stress is part of their lives: It comes from the maybe, could be, should be nature of our business. When the economy is down, people dont buy a new garage-door system. The cost of gas at the pump is a major factor, she adds: When the price of gasoline goes down, business goes up. Have they prepared for retirement? Simone laughs, then replies, The words retirement and vacation are not in our vocabulary. You know that old Tennessee Ernie Ford song: I owe my soul to the company store? We dont think about retirement. Theyll have to take me out of here with my high-top tennies on. The American Dream is a bygone thing, she adds. Its not the way life is anymore. I used to believe I was responsible for my own destiny. But its not that simple. Now its faith and fortitude. The Stressed Middle Class National statistics show the increasing pressures on middle-income Americans: The real median household income declined 3% from 2000 to 2004. The percentage of households earning $25,000 to $99,999 (roughly middle-income range) shrank 1.5% from 2000 to 2004. Last year, real average weekly earnings actually fell 0.4%. The savings rate for Americans is the lowest it has been in 73 years. Credit-card debt is at an all-time high, averaging $9,312 per household. The average cost per year of a public college (in state) is $12,127, a 25% increase since 2001. A private university costs $29,026. Heres What Americans Say Our survey of middle-income Americans about their financial outlooks showed both skepticism and hope. More than 52% of middle-class Americans think that theyre better off than their parents were, but 56% think things will be worse for their own children or for future generations. Nearly 57% say they believe that the middle class in America is decreasing. 51% of employed members of the middle class have experienced either increased health-care costs or a cut in health benefits, and 39% have experienced cuts in overtime, raises or bonuses. 66% say they tend to live from paycheck to paycheck. 47% say that no matter how hard they work, they cannot get ahead. Nearly 83% say that there is not much money left to save after they have paid their bills. 89% of the respondents believe that businesses have a social responsibility to their employees and to the community, but 81% believe that American businesses make decisions based on what is best for their shareholders and investors-not what is best for their employees. 74% of the middle class say they take responsibility for their own financial success or failure. 80% say they believe it is still possible to achieve the American Dream. Wallechinsky, David. Is the American Dream Still Possible? Parade [Parade] 23 Apr. 2006, Final ed.: n. pag. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. edition_04-23-2006/Middle_Class_feature>.

Herland :: essays research papers

Are men seen as the problem with our society in Herland? The novel is described as a feminist novel. Yet, this is not exactly acurate. The absence of men in the utopian society may seem extreme to some, and it is. This is how Gilman makes her point. She does not create a world without men because men are terrible creatures who have corrupted the world. The utopia which lacks men is a clean peaceful place, which surpasses in almost every way the competitive societies that we live in. But, it is neither the absence of men nor the presence of women that makes this to be the case. Gender, in this novel, is symbolic for the most part. Gilman does separate the two genders to destroy stereo types, but also to establish a concrete difference between the two worlds. The male world is not bad, and the female good is not good. The world in which people are defined by others and limited is bad, while the world in which people are free to grow without being defined or compared to others, and are able to see the unity of all people is good. Comparing He rland to the real world, Gilman begins destroying gender based stereotypes. Because there are no distinctions of gender in Herland, nor any superficial characteristics which accompany gender, Herland women take on the roles of all people without considering any limitations. These women are strong, agile, nurturing, intelligent, cooperative, and able to rely on themselves. They are not "typical" females. As Gilman explains through the male character Van, "Those 'feminine charms' we are so fond of are not feminine at all, but mere reflected masculinity developed to please us because they had to please us, and in no way essential to the real fulfillment of their great process" (p59). In the same way, stereotypes about men can be thrown up as well. Gilman shows the reader that if people stop basing their identities on what others want, they will no longer be slaves to limitations. They will be free to discover their true selves and will allow others to do the same. G ilman shows readers that men and women are distinct people, but reminds us that they are people first. This can be seen when one of women of Herland named Somel, questions the men by saying, "But surely there are characteristics enough which belong to People, aren't there?

The Contribution of Social, Cultural, and Family Environment to the Dev

Analyse the extent to which the social, cultural and family environment may contribute to the development of eating disorders. Eating disorders have been found through centuries of doctors records. Some as far back as the seventeenth century through Morton (1694) descriptions of the symptoms of eating disorders during this period in time. Despite this eating disorders were only formally known as a disorder until 1980 when it was published in the DSM and more recent editions have shown that there are two different forms of eating disorders which are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. This assignment will discuss how social, cultural and family environment can contribute to the development of these eating disorders and why these factors greatly contribute to the development of these illnesses. The DSM V criteria of anorexia nervosa are refusal to maintain body weight, intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, disturbance in the way in which one sees their true body weight or shape, or denial of the seriousness of weight loss. The criteria for bulimia nervosa are, according to the DSM V, recurrent episodes of binge eating, recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors to avoid weight again, a minimum average of two episodes of binge eating and two inappropriate compensatory behaviours a week, self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight. Davis and Neale (2001) discovered that anorexia nervosa usually begins in the early to late teens and is ten times more frequent in women than men.According to Stirling and Hellewell (1999) In the UK it is believed that the disorder affects up to 1 percent of adolescent girls. However, the Eating Disorders Association (2000) reviewed that there... ...tween family members and the individual. Although some evidence suggests that individuals feel that they are not understood by their family members and also that their family do not understand why they took the measures they did to develop the disorder can aggravate the disorder. However, not enough evidence is provided to show whether the breakdown in communication was before, during or after the development of the eating disorder and therefore it is unclear whether the family environment can fully contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Works Cited Atkinson, R.L., Atkinson, R.C., Smith, E.E., Bem, D.J. (1990) Introduction to Psychology. 10th edition. HBJ. Gross, R. (2001) Psychology the Science of Mind and Behaviour. 4th edition. Hodder & Stoughton. Turner, L. (2003) Advanced Psychology: Atypical Behaviour.Hodder & Stoughton.

Free Essay on Macbeth - The Guilt of Lady Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

The Guilt of Lady Macbeth Everyone is influenced by other people, including leaders or authority, to make the wrong decisions at some point in their lives. In the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is responsible for the evil doings of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is responsible for this by using his love for her to persuade him into killing King Duncan. Because Macbeth loved and trusted his wife, he was vulnerable to her opinions and suggestions. We also know that she is responsible for these heartless things because she has so much guilt that she commits suicide. Macbeth would never have done any of those horrible things if it were not for the murder of King Duncan, which was forced on by Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a trusted soldier, who is honest and noble. Unfortunately, he meets three witches who tell him three prophecies; that he will become thane of Cawdor, that he will become king and that Banquo’s sons will become kings. These three prophecies slowly change his opinions on life and turn him into a greedy, dishonest, tyrant, full of ambition. Lady Macbeth’s thoughts change as well when she is told about the three prophecies that were told to Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is ambitious, controlling and domineering. She is the one who encourages him to kill the king, she not only encourages him, she makes all the plans herself, which shows her determination and persistence."Yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’th milk of human kindness. To catch the nearest way thou wouldst be great. Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it." (Act 1, scene 5). Lady Macbeth is the force behind M acbeth’s sudden ambition and she tries to manipulate him into feeling guilty and unmanly for not following through with the murder, by using her husbands emotions, she manages to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan. After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth becomes the more controlling one, and Lady Macbeth’s guilt eventually becomes too much for her to handle which leads to her death. Lady Macbeth is in fact the one that performs the preparations for the murder of King Duncan, but still shows some signs of humanity by not committing the murder herself because he resembles "My father as he slept". After the murder has been committed, she also shows signs of being a strong person because she calms Macbeth down in order to keep him from going insane.

Science Laboratory Report

>The results of the lab were very accurate because the r action of the enzymes in hot water were actually very quick and in cold water the enzyme mess seemed to react very slow. Background: So far from what we have learned from 3. 2. 1 about enzymes is that they are substances that produce a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring a SP specific biochemical reaction. Enzymes are very important because they control the s peed of chemical reactions in the body, but also enzymes are made out of amino acid s and have a lock and key basics.What this does is that it lock the enzymes and the key substance and the only way it will react is by inducing the correct substrate, which plays a role in determining the final shape of the enzyme and so the enzyme partially flexible. Chemical digestion is a process in which food is being broken down by chemic in our bodies like saliva and enzymes. Besides their being enzymes there are also consumes which support the functions of enzymes, they loosely bind to enzyme mess to help them complete their activities, they are nonprofit, and they are organic molecules.Our goal in the experiment was to see the different reaction that happen to enzymes while being at different temperatures. For an example when we did the lab we saw that the pressure in warm water was high which lets us know that enzyme nature at a warm temperature, and we placed some ice on the beaker the temperature began to decrease and when we took the pressure, the result SSH owed that the enzymes reacted very slow which seems to give us a very obvious result. When enzymes are in a cold temperature they tend to have less energy and have a I ate reaction.Hypothesis: My hypothesis on this experiment was that enzymes would move very fast in warm temperature and that in a cold temperature the enzymes would be MO vying slow or like being stiff and that their reaction would decrease from what it would reach at a high temperature. Materials and Methods: 1. Use a 600 m l beaker and fill it up with warm water up 250 ml. 2. Use a thermometer that measures in Celsius, take the temperature of the water, results should be around 19 co 3. SE a hot plate and heat it up to a low temperature and then place the beaker with the thermometer on the hot plate and let it sit their for 5 minutes 4. After 5 minutes have passed remove the beaker from the hot plate take a look at your experiment, the temperature of the water should've gone up unlike the group, their results were chic 5. Avian the beaker removed from the hot plate, make sure you get a flask that is 125 ml. 6. Fill the flask with 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide and place it inside the 600 ml beaker. 7. Once you have done that use the fernier to measure the gas pressure 8. You need to connect the USB cable to your computer and the other end of the cable connect it to the labiates box and connect the cable to channel 1 9. After connecting the gas pressure sensor open the program on your computer and make sur e you're starting off with a blank graph 10. Then grab the gas pressure sensor and connect it to labiates box with a lack cable. After doing that grab the valve and the rubber stopper. 11. Once you have everything connected the fernier use a microcomputer that measures 2020041 12. SE a pipette and put it on the microcomputer and absorb 10041 of catalyst 13. Poor the amount of catalyst in the in the flask and quickly and cover the flask with the rubber stopper. 14. Make sure you put pressure on the rubber stopper and click the green button on the computer which begins to graph. 15. You should only do this for 200 seconds and wants you're done you click on the red icon which means stop and then print out your results. 16. You Should now do a cold water bath and to be able to do this you need ice and fresh new enzymes and hydrogen peroxide.Make sure you dump out all the liquids you used and get fresh ones. 17. Remember thou should fill the beaker with 250 ml of cold water and pour 50 m l of hydrogen peroxide in the flask. You should have some ice and put some in the beaker and take the temperature of the cold ice water, you should NOT use the hydrogen peroxide yet. 18. After 5 minutes the temperature that the group recorded at first, was ICC Make sure you record your results 20. After taking the temperature of the water. Owe you should take the hydrogen peroxide and get it close to the temperature of the water. 1 . 19. Get the flask that contains the hydrogen peroxide and place it back In the beaker, let it sit there for about 10 minutes. 22. When 10 minutes have passed you should now use the fernier and repeat steps 715 again. Rest Its: The results of this experiment was that the enzymes react very slow in cold w eater and that in hot water the enzymes have more energy and are able to move m such faster. The slope in the graph for hot water was y=0. 0119 and so that was the change e for every second and the slope for cold water was 0. 03 which lets you know that the c hanger in both slopes was decreased from what you can see, Results of the different temperatures in Celsius cold water coco hot water coco cold ice water cold ice water beaker/flask Discussion: We already know that enzymes denature do to the type of temperature there at The results of the graph for hot and cold water show that the pressure thee r is when the enzyme is found at a hot or cold temperature. The important liquids that we used in this experiment was O 2 ( hydrogen peroxide) and the catalyst. The enzymes destroy hydrogen peroxide by breaking it down.

The Lady from Lucknow

Stereotypes and racism are all around us, many times affecting what we do and how we act. Quite often however, we do not realize the impact that they have on others and even ourselves. Bharati Mukherjee's short story, â€Å"The Lady From Lucknow† is about Nafeesa Hafeez, a young woman who moves from Lucknow, a city in India, to America with her husband and family. Although they are well off, Nafeesa struggles to enjoy her life and fit in with the world around her. Nafeesa then meets James Beamish, an older, married man, and the two have an affair.I will argue that Nafessa's suicide is caused by the varying degrees of racism that she experiences through her numerous attempts to assimilate in this new country and be recognized as an equal to others. Nafeesa first encountered James Beamish and his wife, Kate, at a reception for foreign students where both the Beamishs and the Hafeezs would play host to an international student. While the Beamishs were trying to find the student t o whom they would host, Nafeesa decided to strike up a conversation with them.Kate however mistakes Nafeesa as just another student and says to her, â€Å"I hope you'll be very happy here. Is this your first time abroad? † (Mukherjee 323). Each host wears a blue name tag to differentiate them from the students, and Kate could clearly see this, yet she still assumed that because Nafeesa was Indian that she was just a student. Kate continued to talk down to Nafeesa, and refused to accept her as an equal. After this initial meeting, Nafeesa and James continue to meet in secrecy, engaging in an affair.While at James' house one day, she was looking at pictures of his daughters and realized that she was more worried and afraid about what they would think about her than, â€Å"any violence in my [Nafeesa] husband's heart† (Mukherjee 326). The woman is so desperate to find belonging that she is more worried about what complete strangers will think of her, than how her husband will feel when he discovers what she is doing. One day while Nafeesa and James are together, Kate comes home unexpectedly and catches the two of them together.Instead of getting mad or yelling, Kate instead sits on the bed next to Nafessa. The look that Kate gives Nafeesa is what hurts her most, for it made her feel like she was, â€Å"a shadow without dept or colour, a shadow temptress who would float back to a city of teeming millions when the affair with James had ended† (Mukherjee 327). Nafeesa feels absolutely invisible to Kate. Despite having just caught the woman sleeping with her husband, Kate still looks down on Nafeesa as though she will never be her equal.Nafessa eventually is unable to deal with the pain she feels from living in this invisible state any longer and hangs herself. Her constant attempts to be viewed as equal, and the racism she battles in society while wanting nothing more than to fit in, push her over the limit and lead to her taking her own life. W orks Cited Mukherjee, Bharati. â€Å"The Lady from Lucknow. † 1985. Elements of Literature. Fourth Canadian Edition, Eds Robert Scholes et al. Don Mills: OU Press, 2010. 321- 327. Print.

Science Lab

Purpose: To find out the densities and to find out the name of the unknown metals. (Based on the extensive and intensive properties) Check up the words mass, volume, density, extensive properties, and intensive properties. Where do the units for mass and volume) come from and what do they mean? What is the density of distilled water? What is Archimedes principle? Does temperature affect the density of a solid? Liquid? Gas? Materials: Safety glasses, 10, 25 or 50 mL graduated cylindersDistilled water Metal Samples W, X,Y & Z Procedure: 1. Class split into 5 groups. Every group will get data for four metals and tell it to the class 2. Choose a metal sample for every group then pass it around between groups. 3. Set a number of your metal sample and record the mass in the table. 4. Get a gradated cylinder with distilled water, but not to much to make it over flow when sample is put in. Record the amount of water in the cylinder accurately 5.Then tip the cylinder to about 45 degrees t hen put sample into it slowly, DON’T spill any water or have to restart. Make sure no air bubbles are clinging. Then take down final volume of water cylinder. 6. Dump the water out, then dry sample off. 7. Repeat this over with the other metal samples. * Hypothesis: * My hypothesis is that even though I will find the densities and names of the unknown metals its not going to be accurate because some water will spill out.Many people are going to come up with the different names because they aren’t care full enough. Mass of metal | | | | | | Initial volume of water | | | | | | Final volume | | | | | | Volume of metal | | | | | | ExperimentalDensity of metal | | | | | | Group Data| | | | | | | Metal W| Metal X| Metal Y| Metal Z| | Class Data: Mass and Volumes of each groups’ metal samples| Lab Group| Metal W| Metal X| Metal Y| Metal Z| 1| | | | | | | | | 2| | | | | | | | | 3| | | | | | | | | 4| | | | | | | | | 5| | | | | | | | | Total *| | | | | | | | | Class Exp.D ensity *| | | | | * 1. Show an example of how your group calculated the experimental densities of your group samples and the class samples. 1. Graph the class data using mass as the x axis and volume as the y axis, (title the graph and make a legend or key for the various metal samples). 1. Compare your group’s experimental density to that of the class’s experimental density from the graph and make comment as to their relative accuracies. 1.Research the possible identities of the metals based on their extensive properties (density, radioactivity, heat capacity, conductivity, lethal exposure/dosage, etc. ) and intensive properties (color, texture, luster, magnetism, reactivity, etc. ). 1. Make a claim as to the identity of the various metals based on their extensive and intensive properties. Calculate the % error for each of your claims for both your group’s experimental values and the class’s. Show an example of each type of calculation and make a table r epresenting the organized results. *

Denotation of the Word “Character”

According to Webster's dictionary, character is defined as: a person in a play or novel; distinctive trait; behavior typical of a person or group; moral strength; reputation; status; individual being†. It is this last denotation of the word â€Å"Character† that this chapter deals with: the concept of â€Å"individuality† or â€Å"individual being† and how that in turn builds a person i.e. the Self. This chapter focuses on the strong characteristics possessed by Blanche Haggard and Princess Sasha from Absent in the Spring and Grannie and Peter Maitland from Unfinished Portrait to study the aspect of the Self which builds. A person's individuality can come out through various positive aspects but this chapter analytically studies the characters under four major aspects of self-actualization, the striving towards health, the quest for identity and autonomy, the yearning for excellence by finding success in their own terms rather than being defined by the society. There's so much more to creating a real character than choosing physical attributes and personality traits. The most memorable characters stay in the reader's mind because they have touched the emotions of the reader and become real people. While molding such a character, the author never stops at the stereotypical basics- but goes a step ahead. That is exactly what Christie has done to her characters chosen for this study. These characters do not fall under the general standard which the reader can so often predict or expect. The first character, Blanche Haggard stands as an analogy to strengthen the claim that the Self is built as by way of finding success in one's own terms rather than being defined by the society. Blanche Haggard, Joan's old school friend whom she hasn't seen for over 15 years, is a well-bred, high-spirited woman, who has changed a lot over the years. Joan looks at Blanche as someone who has had a pathetic life. However, Joan's perspective of Blanche is biased. This also highlights the fact that not all narrations are â€Å"likeable† or honest. In the case of Blanche Haggard, her true character is revealed from a little bit of truth from Joan's perspective but mostly through her own dialogues. Joan's way of looking at Blanche is always with the adjective â€Å"Poor† as a prefix to her name, which is a false notion that she has painted of Blanche. In her personal prayers that night after her encounter with Blanche, Joan prays, â€Å"God-thank thee-poor Blanche-thank thee that I am not like that- great mercies- all my blessings- especially not like Poor Blanche- Poor Blanche-really dreadful-all her own fault- of course dreadful- quite a shock- thank God- I am different- Poor Blanche† Blanche, however, is an optimist. She has had three husbands, and married to the fourth at present. She is seen to be someone who takes life as it comes, learns to let go and accepts what's negatively thrown at her and use it as a stepping stone to build her Self. To further prove this, one can observe that throughout her dialogue with Joan, Blanche's confidence is something that constantly comes to the forefront. According to Joan, Blanche presented a deplorable appearance but Blanche does not seem to mind. To her, external appearances don't matter for she has defined success in her own terms. To her, an attractive appearance is the least of her worries for she has a man who loves her for who she is and if he doesn't (in the case of her previous marriages) she moves on and doesn't dwell in the shambles of a broken relationship. Her looks needn't affect her anymore, for to her, success is living a happy life. She says from experience,â€Å"Oh well, that's the way of the world. You quit when you ought to stick, and you take on a thing that you'd better leave alone; one minute life's so lovely you can hardly believe it's true – and immediately after that you're going through a hell of misery and suffering! When things are going well you think they'll last forever- and they never do- and when you're down under you think you'll never come up and breathe again. That's what life is, isn't it?†It is quite evident that Blanche says this out of familiarity. She starts by saying that this is the way of world for she has been through the many ups and downs in life. She had quit once, but fought back up to her feet, started to let of go of things that hurt her if she kept holding on to them (her broken marriages for instance). She describes how people picture life to be perfect and blissful only to be faced by hardship and suffering that makes them hit rock bottom. This shows that Blanche is someone who isn't afraid of reality. She faces the actuality of her life and doesn't flee from the truth. She has had her share of bitter experiences from the past when she narrates and describes the many other men in her life. There's Harry, a bad lot yet good looking; Tom, who didn't amount to much; Johnnie, who was good while it lasted (which means she keeps changing her men when she knows it's time to move on- happy go lucky) and Gerald, who wasn't good either, but that's what made her fond of him. A woman seeks for a man who is her equal; someone who can challenge her and be a rebel at times. Blanche's inclination towards such men is proof that she herself is one. She does not regret any of her life choices for she has already done so and now knows what to look out for. She is only attracted to men, who are different like herself. They aren't up to any good, but that's what makes her fond of them. All this comes as a shock to Joan. She feels that it was â€Å"an unsavory catalogue of men†. But Joan's way of defining success is narrow when compared to Blanche who is very much broad-minded and independent. In one such instance, she asks a rhetoric question, to make a statement rather than to get an answer: â€Å"And when you're down under you think you'll never come up and breathe again. That's what life is, isn't it?† Blanche doesn't stay stagnant in the pitfalls of life but she comes back up more matured than ever to tackle any situation at hand. She had assumed that one could never come up and breathe, but it isn't the case for her and her life stands testimony to that. In one instance, Joan describes Blanche saying, â€Å"looks years older†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦could be more than 48†. However, this does not indicate her physical appearance of being old but it metaphorically indicates her level of maturity through the years. The fact that she doesn't look her actual age but looks much older than she really is comes here as a sign of mellowness, rather than being old. She has experienced much in life that she doesn't look her age, at present. Even when Joan feels sorry for her (as society does) she immediately says that she shouldn't waste her sympathy on her. She is not one to settle in her â€Å"misfortunes† as Joan would put it, but moves on and takes life as it comes again stressing the fact that she defines success in her own terms rather than how society sees it. â€Å"Don't waste your sympathies on me. I've had lots of fun† she says. Her self-assurance does not only make her carry herself differently but it also sticks to those around. For instance when, Blanche brings up the topic of Rodney â€Å"having a roving eye† or Joan's daughter, Barbara, not having a happy time at home and hence decided to be married off and gone, Joan is immediately influenced by this for she gives a second thought to the same. This clearly indicates Blanche's sureness in her opinions not only stays with her but also impacts those around her too. In one instance Joan thinks to herself, â€Å"What was it that Blanche had said?† Even if Joan sees Blanche differently, she still is impacted by what Blanche had to say. Blanche also doesn't worry about the way in which she is judged by others. Her self is built on the strong foundation of the truth she believes in about herself. She is appreciative in nature for she applauds Joan for how well she has brought up her family. This does not however mean that she doesn't have a satisfying life, but shows that she's learnt to see the good in others; their other side. She's seen it all and thus has a positive take on life. She is of the idea that â€Å"Come what may, I shall face it and come out successful†. Thus, Blanche Haggard, is a character whose ability to define success on her own terms, brings out her individuality which in turn builds her Self. Peter Maitland from Unfinished Portrait also falls under this category. Peter, who is Celia's best friend's brother, has a liking towards Celia and they eventually fall in love but do not get married. However, from what the reader deciphers, Peter is of an extraordinary character. He doesn't rush or hurry and takes everything in a sportive attitude. His motto is â€Å"Well, why spend your life rushing? Take it easy- enjoy yourself.† Peter's ability to calm himself down in a fast phased world is highly indicative of his character. In Celia's own words, Peter was â€Å"dear, easy going and sweet-tempered†. Like Blanche, he takes life as it comes and doesn't expect much in return either. Being a soldier in the army, Peter knows that life's full of unexpected circumstances; he knows what would be Celia's fate if she did marry him but he lets her be open-minded when it comes to moving on and finding someone else. Despite being the patriarch, he doesn't restrict Celia but let's her be independent in her choices. In his letter to Celia, he says, â€Å"I'd like you to live like a queen.† To him, letting people bloom in their own spaces and watching them grow is considered to be his true contentment. When Celia falls for Dermot (her husband), Peter takes it sportively. He congratulates Celia on her choice and wishes her well. To Peter, he defines success by not only being the reason for someone's happiness, but his happiness is also seeing those he loves be happy even if he is not the reason either. His Self is built to such an extent that he is able to face the loss of something that he holds dear. Thus both Blanche and Peter are striking examples of the Self which builds as a result of the positive traits which they possess. The second aspect to be studied to further strengthen the claim that the Self builds is the positive trait of Self-Actualization. The Oxford Dictionary defines Self-Actualization as, â€Å"the realization or fulfilment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone†. And that brings this study to the next character: Princess Sasha. Sasha's positive trait, is what makes her the apt example to fortify the claim that the Self builds. Studies show that if sociology is taken into play, then the character will influence not only the message but also the view the analysis must take of the message, particularly of messages which connote such meanings as ‘power' and ‘quality'. Sasha, who is clearly in a position of power has the upper hand in convincing the reader as well as Joan, that what she says is equal to the power she possesses. The way she carries herself, talks to others and treats her fellow passengers shows the Self which has built as a result of the positive trait of Self-Actualization. Just her opening lines indicate what sort of a person she is.â€Å"I apologize for this early morning intrusion. It is an iniquitously uncivilized hour for a train to leave, and I disturb your repose†¦..we shall not get on too badly on each other's nerves. It is but two days to Stamboul, and I am not difficult to live with. And if I smoke too much, you will tell me. But now I leave you to sleep†¦..again I say how sorry I am you have been disturbed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦I see you are sympathetic- good- we shall get on together famously†In Sasha, one can see the realization of true potential and her talents have been well-groomed when further down in the n ovel, it is revealed that she can speak in more than eight languages. She is well-accomplished clearly denoting that she has imbibed an affirmative living. Despite being a princess, she has also practiced the art of humility. She doesn't think too high of herself in spite of her many accomplishments. She apologizes for intruding. She lets Joan know that if there is anything that makes Joan uncomfortable (Sasha's smoking for instance) she shouldn't keep it to herself but let Sasha know. This also indicates that Sasha is open to criticism and is sensitive to those around her. Someone who is Royal by birth, needn't stoop so low, let alone adopt for a public mode of transport. Sasha does not let pride take over her and that is seen as one of her positive traits and this reflects in the way she treats others. Her character results in the building up of another. This kind of thought about human behavior, which emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual, the importance of values and meaning, and the potential for self-direction and personal growth are what sums up the character of Sasha thus making her yet another example of the Self which builds. Grannie, the third most prominent entity from Unfinished Portrait is a striking example of the Self which builds. Determination, independence despite her age, the aspect of striving towards health and the strong will to live are the positive traits observed in this character. Introduced to the reader as an eighty year old woman, Grannie is astonishingly brisk and sharp that the activities she does and her age don't correlate. One of the very first reasons to validate this is the fact that Grannie being eighty still has authority over her household. She walks with her â€Å"large bunch of keys clanking† and this immediately paints a picture of a woman who is in control over things. She is in possession of the keys which also stresses her power. In Celia's description about Grannie she says,â€Å"Grannie was a very handsome lady†¦in figure she was majestically stout with a pronounced bosom and stately hips. She wore dresses of velvet.†Grannie's appearance also adds to her character. Despite her age, she is still strong built and this gives her an added air of confidence. Something about her description sounds royal, with words like â€Å"majestic† and â€Å"dresses of velvet†. The Self in her has built through the ages and this is obviously proved when Celia looks up to her grandmother more than she does to her own mother. The absence of the male entity in Grannie's life (i.e her husband) also adds to the independence which she portrays. Like Blanche, she has had three husbands previously, all of them dead now. This indicates that she has not only seen her share of men but also had to go through mourning not once or twice but thrice. Yet, it was just a phase and she has sailed through life and keeps pushing despite her physical deterioration (her failing sight). Celia's grandmother plays a major role in both the life of Celia and her mother. Her constant presence even when she is physically absent is seen whenever Celia thinks of what Grannie had to say if faced by a situation clearly highlighting that Celia's upbringing into a woman is influenced by Grannie in a positive way. Grannie's will to live also gives a glimpse of her mental make-up. Studies show that most sicknesses occur in the psyche even before it takes root in the human body. Here, Grannie is seen as an exception since even her ailing health as a result of age is hardly a barrier. She is as active as ever, that even her death occurs while she is busy knitting mittens for Celia's baby. People who have been through hardships at a very early age show signs of strength as the years progress. Grannie, having lost her parents at the age of fourteen with twelve younger siblings to look after is seen to be someone who has taken up the role of a parent when she herself was a child. This reflects in the stories she tells to Celia where the characters always end up dead. Christie could've also added this instance to slightly stress the fact that while there are people meeting their end, here is Grannie, who has been defying age and lives to be a ninety. Thus, the aspect of the Self being built as a result of positive traits such as determination, independence, the aspect of striving towards health and the strong will to live is reflected through the character of Grannie. Many people realize their selves much later in life. But the sooner one becomes aware of this essence within, the sooner the change happens. This chapter is thus brought to a conclusion, as one critically looked at the characters with positive traits by grouping them under the categories of Self-Actualization, defining success in their own terms and the striving towards health.