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Rotary Rock Tumbler Instructions

Rotational Rock Tumbler Instructions The most widely recognized kind of rock tumbler is a revolving drum tumbler. It shines shakes by mim...

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Rotary Rock Tumbler Instructions

Rotational Rock Tumbler Instructions The most widely recognized kind of rock tumbler is a revolving drum tumbler. It shines shakes by mimicking the activity of the sea waves. Rotational tumblers clean shakes significantly more rapidly than the sea, however it despite everything requires some investment to go from unpleasant rocks to cleaned stones! Anticipate that the procedure should take at any rate a month all the way. Utilize these guidelines as a beginning stage for your tumbling. Track the sort and amount of rock and coarseness/clean, and span of each progression. Utilize this data to refine your strategy for the best outcomes. Rock Tumbler Materials List Revolving tumblerRocks (no different estimated hardness in a load)Plastic PelletsSilicon Carbide Grits (You may include a 400 work SiC step, whenever wanted, before polishing)Polishing Compounds (for example alumina, cerium oxide)Lots of Water The most effective method to Use a Rock Tumbler Fill the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 loaded with rocks. In the event that you dont have enough shakes, you can add plastic pellets to compensate for any shortfall. Simply try to utilize those pellets just for coarse cleaning and utilize new pellets for the cleaning stages. Remember that some plastic pellets coast, so ensure you add them to the correct volume beforeâ adding water.Add water so you can see it between the stones however don't totally cover the stones.Add coarseness (see graph below).Make sure your charged barrel falls inside the weight recompense for the rotor to be used.Each step runs for at any rate seven days. For the initial step, expel the barrel following 12-24 hours and open it to discharge any gas development. Resume tumbling. Dont be hesitant to open the barrel occasionally to ensure a slurry is shaping and to check the advancement of the procedure. The tumbler ought to have a uniform tumbling sound, not sound like sneakers in a dryer. On the off chance that the tumbling isn't uniform, check the degree of the heap, arrangement of slurry, or blend of rock sizes, to ensure these things are ideal. Keep notes and have some good times! Allow the unpleasant to granulate (60/90 work for hard stones, start with the 120/220 for delicate stones) run until the entirety of the sharp edges have been knocked off the stones and they are quite smooth. You can hope to lose about 30% of each stone during the tumbling procedure, with practically the entirety of the misfortune during this initial step. On the off chance that the stones are not smoothed following 10 days, you should rehash the progression with new grit.After a stage has been finished, flush the stones and the barrel completely to expel all hints of the coarseness. I utilize an old toothbrush to get into the difficult to-arrive at zones. Put aside any stones that are broken or have pits or splits. You can add them to the initial step of the following cluster of stones, however they will lessen the nature of the entirety of your stones on the off chance that you leave them in for the following step.For the subsequent stage, you again need the stones to fill the barr el 2/3 to 3/4 full. Add plastic pellets to compensate for any shortfall. Include water and coarseness/clean and continue. The keys to progress are making sure there is no sullying of steps with coarseness from the past advance and evading the compulsion to proceed onward to the following stage too soon. Barrel Coarseness Mesh 60/90 120/220 Prepolish Clean 1.5# 4 T 4 T 6 T 6 T 3# 4 T 4 T 6 T 6 T 4.5# 8 T 8 T 10 T 10 T 6# 10 T 12 T 12 T 12 T 12# 20 T 20 T 25 T 25 T Accommodating Tips for Perfectly Polished Rocks Try not to over-burden your tumbler! This is a main source of belt breakage and engine wear out. If all else fails, gauge your barrel. A barrel for a 3-lb engine ought not surpass a load of 3 pounds when accused of rocks, coarseness, and water.Oil the tumbler bushings with a solitary drop of oil, however don't try too hard! You don't need oil on the belt, as this will make it slip and break.Resist the impulse to tumble rocks with splits or pits. Coarseness will get into these pits and pollute ensuing advances, destroying the clean of the whole burden. No measure of scouring with a toothbrush will evacuate the entirety of the coarseness inside a pit!Use a reasonable burden that incorporates both enormous and little shakes. This will improve the tumbling action.Make sure all stones in a heap are of the equivalent inexact hardness. Something else, the milder stones will be eroded during the cleaning procedure. A special case to this is the point at which you are intentionally utilizing milder stones to fill/pad a load.Dont wash coarseness down the channel! It will make a stop up that is impenetrable to deplete more clean. I wash the coarseness ventures outside utilizing a nursery hose. Another alternative is to flush the coarseness into a pail, for later removal some place other than your pipes. Dont reuse coarseness. Silicon carbide loses its sharp edges after about a weeks tumbling time and gets futile for grinding.You can reuse plastic pellets, yet take care to abstain from polluting the cleaning stages with coarseness. Utilize separate plastic pellets for these stages!You can include heating pop, Alka-Seltzer, or a Tums to a heap to forestall gas construct up.For smooth waterway rocks or for any gentler stones (for example sodalite, fluorite, apatite), you may preclude the principal coarse coarseness step.For gentler stones (particularly obsidian or apache tears), you need to slow the tumbling activity and keep the stones from affecting each other during cleaning. A few people have achievement including corn syrup or sugar (twice as much as the measure of prepolish and cleaning operator) to thicken the slurry. Another choice is to clean the stones dry (as in no water) with cerium oxide and cereal. It is safe to say that you are keen on utilizing a vibratory tumbler to clean shakes? At that point attempt these guidelines.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Incompatibilism V. Compatibilism free essay sample

There are two winning incompatibilist sees concerning choice, hard Determinism or Libertarianism. The previous states that in the event that determinism is valid, at that point through and through freedom is nonexistent and people are basically robots following a way decided for us from quite a while ago and characteristic laws. The last denies that determinism is valid and in this manner seems to acquaint irregularity as a clarification with represent through and through freedom. Compatibilists guarantee that through and through freedom and determinism can exist together. For the extent of this paper I will consider the three winning contentions for the presence of through and through freedom or scarcity in that department and contend that a compatibilist see conceivable view for the presence of unrestrained choice. First I will endeavor to show that determinism and through and through freedom can coincide, along these lines dismissing the Hard Determinism contention. Next I will guarantee that Libertarianism doesn't successfully preclude determinism, by concentrating on the Quantum Mechanics reaction. At last I will endeavor to call attention to a connection among obligation and compatibilism. We will compose a custom article test on Incompatibilism V. Compatibilism or on the other hand any comparative subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Determinism and Compatibilism The proposal of causal determinism expresses that each occasion has a reason and that human, an occasion, is no special case to the standard. Completely put, on the off chance that we know the entirety of the physical realities and causal laws about a circumstance, we can figure out what will happen straightaway. Implying that convictions and activities cause our activities, and our past causes our convictions and wants (I. e. guardians/grandparents). The Hard Determinist contention, which streams from the theory of causal assurance, expresses the accompanying : 1)Everything we do is brought about by powers over which we have no control. 2)If our activities are causes by powers which we have no control, we don't act openly. )In this way, we never act openly. The Hard Determinist contention seems, by all accounts, to be in struggle with whether we act openly instead of â€Å"free will† or our capacity to settle on decisions. Utilizing a psychological study I will endeavor to cl arify the distinctive between acting openly and unrestrained choice. Late investigations show that liquor addiction is a multifaceted issue brought about by a lot of qualities, which increment one’s inclination to turning into a heavy drinker, and natural variables . James is a College Park understudy that goes to The Thirsty Turtle day by day since he appreciates the flavor of liquor and the impression of being smashed. It unquestionably appears that James is free in deciding to drink each day, yet his choice to drink is caused be past components. James’ guardians were heavy drinkers who drank openly before James when he was more youthful, hence notwithstanding adding to his hereditary inclination; his folks gave a liquor advancing condition. One night while drinking, James and Billy leave the bar amazingly inebriated. Nor is fit to drive, however James takes the haggle inevitably associated with a deadly mishap which executes his companion Billy. James falls into despondency after Billy’s passing, holds a firearm to his head, and pulls the trigger. The significant inquiry is whether James acted openly? One can concur that James ended it all of his own â€Å"free will† or decision at the same time, from determinism one can say that James didn't act openly. In the event that we glance back at Billy’s interminable causal course of events, it becomes obvious that James didn't act uninhibitedly: He was the child of drunkards and brought up in a heavy drinker condition, his granddad was a drunkard, and his predecessor from Columbus’ revelation, a Native American, turned into a heavy drinker after the pioneers acquainted him with liquor. Characterizing â€Å"free will† as one’s capacity to pick isn't in strife with determinism. Determinism despite everything wins in light of the fact that, similarly as with the model with James, one doesn't act unreservedly because of their foreordained reasons for his liquor abuse. Up until now, I have endeavored to show that choice, under the definition expressed above, and determinism can exist together. Compatibilism gives a superior record of through and through freedom contrasted with Hard Determinism since it shows that unrestrained choice can exist and along these lines outlines that Hard Determinism is right now mistaken on the grounds that it doesn't represent choice. Libertarianism †Is Randomness and Answer? While compatibilism dismisses the second reason of the Hard Determinist contention, Libertarianism dismisses the main reason †the possibility that determinism exists to the extent that it applies to people. There are three general libertarian reactions that endeavor to dismiss determinism: experience/contemplation, responsibility, and quantum hypothesis. For this paper, I will cover what has all the earmarks of being the most convincing reaction, quantum hypothesis. â€Å"According to quantum mechanics, a foundation of present-day material science, the principles that administer the conduct of subatomic articles are unchangeably probabilistic. † For instance, if one somehow managed to shoot a photon shaft through a X-beam film as per quantum mechanics, best case scenario, we can just decide the likelihood of a solitary photon’s capacity to infiltrate the film, however not which specific photon endures . Quantum hypothe sis brings haphazardness into the universe, yet does the irregular movement of subatomic particles invalidate determinism and permit us to drop the thought of determinism for each fiber of the universe? I don’t accept so. As Rachels would state, Randomness and opportunity are totally unique. My concern with quantum mechanics is that it doesn't preclude determinism. Take the accompanying model; we dispatch a shot inside a vacuum (no air obstruction). We know, from Newtonian Physics, the way the shot will take, the speed at the highest point of its flight, and the hour of its flight. These factors are continually verified in material science labs, and the occasion is causally decided as in we can follow gravity (the fundamental impact on shot movement) back to the development of the universe and earth. Since we can decide shot movement I don't perceive how from quantum mechanics, it follows that determinism doesn't exist. Obligation under Compatibilism Determining whether we are liable for an activity relies upon whether the activity is merits fault or recognition. Through and through freedom is an important part of obligation, on the off chance that we affirm that unrestrained choice doesn't exists, likewise with the Hard Determinist contention, at that point duty would be futile since one can't pick an activity. James Rachels gives a record of obligation dependent on three conditions : 1. You more likely than not done the demonstration being referred to 2. The demonstration should in some sense have been off-base 3. You should have no reason having done the demonstration. *Viable reasons: botches, mishaps, compulsion, numbness and craziness. The inverse applies for admirableness, yet pardons are replaces with conditions practically equivalent to pardons. So I'm not catching this' meaning for compatibilism? Since we do have through and through freedom agreeing compatibilism, we are answerable for our activities insofar as these activities are excellent or reprehensible under the Rachels record of duty. With this paper, I trust that I have endeavored to clarify that hard determinism’s imperfection is that it doesn't represent through and through freedom. Libertarianism’s well known reaction, quantum mechanics, neglects to expose clearly decided occasions (shot in a vacuum). Hence leaving compatibilism, with the reconsidered meaning of through and through freedom, as the best record with the expectation of complimentary will.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Tips on How to Reduce Your Anxiety

Tips on How to Reduce Your Anxiety GAD Coping Print Strategies to Reduce Your Anxiety By William Meek Updated on February 24, 2020 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Hero Images / Getty Images Everyone worries about things sometimes. But people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) experience an exaggerated amount of worry, which can become debilitating. Why We Worry Worrying is a cognitive symptom of anxiety. ?At a moderate level, anxiety can be helpful. It motivates a person to take something seriously, to solve a problem, to consider the implications of his or her actions, or to search for reassurance. Is Anxiety Ever Helpful? Sometimes, a person can become stuck in a state of worry that isnt helpful. Here are six strategies to reduce worry and ease anxiety. Make a Plan One thing people often worry about is unforeseen circumstances. Sometimes there are things happening in our lives that are out of our control, such as getting hired for a job. One way to cope with situations like these is to make plans for different possible outcomes. Make a plan as detailed as you need to determine your course of action if you do or do not get the job, which hopefully will take away some of the worry. Do You Have Work Anxiety? Rehearse People also often worry about performances and presentations in front of peers. For school, jobs, and our social lives, we frequently have to make presentations, speak publicly, or talk to friends about something difficult. One way to reduce worry in these situations is to rehearse exactly what you are going to say and do as many times as you need to feel comfortable. Attend to Your Physical Health When our bodies are in optimal health, we have more mental resources available to cope with stress, solve problems, and control our worrying. Health Habits That Can Increase Anxiety Achieve optimal physical health by eating a healthier diet, sleeping more, and being more physically active. It can have dramatic effects on your mood and your ability to cope. Discover the Real Source of Anxiety Sometimes a person worries about things that are a distraction from the things that are really bothering him or her. For example, worrying about an outfit to wear the next day, which provides a distraction from worrying about what is really bothering them, such as a quarrel with a loved one. Being able to trace the source of your anxiety and worry can help you regain control of the situation and take steps to address what is really troubling you. Put Anxiety in The Proper Context A hallmark sign of generalized anxiety disorder is magnifying and worrying about small things, making them more important than they really are. Taking a step back to put your worries into their proper context can be a quick way to reduce their intensity. Break Your Worries Down Worrying tends to make us build a giant mountain of fear and anxiety in our minds, and eventually, we lose sight of what is actually part of the mountain. Taking some time to break down and list the things that are troubling you is a great way to get a handle on things and allows you to make several smaller plans of action, rather than being crippled by having to climb a mountain. How to Reduce Anxiety Attacks

Saturday, May 23, 2020

B. Write an Essay in Which You Analyze and Interpret Polly...

Not all marriages have happy endings, not all marriages last forever and moving on can be difficult. That is what the short story Reconciliation, written by Polly Clark, is trying to tell us. The story is written in 1st person because we are able to read what she is thinking and feeling – even when she doesn’t know it: â€Å"It’s my first day, I cycled here† etc. It all starts â€Å"in medias res†, where the reader is thrown into the events and quickly forced to understand everything that is happening. The fact that it’s the narrator who tells the story gives a very good insight into her world and what she is thinking and that is very important when you have to characterize her. The story takes place in an office and we follow the narrator and†¦show more content†¦Vernon has moved on and Laura is still stuck. And with Laura being positive that Vernon has a new girl, Janny, the numbers show that perfectly. Laura is the single number with no match and Vernon is the one with the match. That is also a reason she really wants to find the specific numbers match: â€Å"I want its story. When I know its story I can let it go.† That really shows that Laura can’t move on unless she knows the whole story. Her marriage with Vernon is a big part of the story. As said earlier, they’ve been married for a long time and a lot has changed since they first met. When they first met eachother they talked a lot: â€Å"..It was always what was special about me and Vernon, the talks, the chatting.† But now that has changed: â€Å"..We regard eachother over months of frozen silence†. It’s very easy to notice that she is afflicted with the silence between Vernon and her. She mentions it with following sentence: â€Å"We began our relationship in a bar, and those were our best times, telling each other the truth of our lives in the warm light† and â€Å"News and questions bubble up in my throat, but I cannot speak†. This unfortunately is a very common day nowadays. Sometimes people grow apart and it seems to be the case here. Vernon seems to have accepted that while Laura is in a state of sorrow. Vernon seems to be the one who has the most control over himself and his life. He doesn’t seem as affected as her and she notices: â€Å"He looks so

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Double Consciousness in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

The Theme of Double Consciousness in the Novel Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison 11/15/2011 Ralph Ellison is one of the few figures in American literature that has the ability to properly place the struggles of his characters fluidly on paper. His dedication to properly depict the true plight of African Americans in this exclusionary society gave birth to one of the greatest novels in American history. Invisible Man is a novel which tells the story of an African American man, and his journey through a society which continuously refused to see him for who he truly was. In the novel Ellison gives us a main character without a name, this at first may shock any average reader but once one falls into the enchantments of the novel,†¦show more content†¦In this journey our main character also see’s the many faces of the black man, and how all of these faces where created in response to the actions of the white man never in response to one’s own actions. Towards the end of the novel the main character finds himself in a difficult predicament as he is being hounded by men who want him dead. Despite this, he manages to find a pair of glasses and a huge hat which he believes would disguise him just enough so that he can escape his potential murderers. As he walks around Harlem in his new guise, many begin to confuse him for someone called Rinehart who seems to be bookie, a pimp, and a preacher all at once. The ability to be so many things is at first attractive to the main character as he slowly begins to sink into the role of Rinehart, however he soon realizes that Rinehart’s multiple identities are merely a reflection of his inauthenthicity. Rinehart has no true self-consciousness and has allowed for others to create his image for him; Rinehart is only identified in the novel by others, never by himself. Rinehart’s character is representative of the notion of Double Consciousness as it shows the black men without the ability or better yet the privilege of self identity. Invisible Man is much more than just a novel about a man who lacks an identity, it is about a society which has continuously failed to give anShow MoreRelatedEssay on Impact of Rasicm on Idenity in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man1293 Words   |  6 Pageselaborate that it almost seems nonexistent on a systematic level. Hence, this is why many people do not think it exists anymore. Racism is pervasive in society and remains a silent code which has a profound effect society. Ralph Ellison author of the award ¬-winning novel, Invisible Man deals with racism and how it effect an individual . I would analyze racism and display how it effect ones identity . Vocabulary, defines identity as an individual characteristic by which a thing or personRead MoreIdenity Affected by Racism Essay1202 Words   |  5 Pagesoften see them self as invisible because of media which is a cause racial prejudice. Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man displays Racism and how ones identity( black identity ) is affected by it. Ellison wrote his novel from the perspective of a black man living through the civil rights movement. Ralph Ellison shows through the narrator, the obstacles of a young black man living under the system of Western society and how race was reinforced in America in the 1950s. Ellison is cogent in depictingRead MoreLiterary Analysis : `` Invisible Man `` Essay1905 Words   |  8 Pageswritings as well. The theories of Du Bois’ â€Å"Double Consciousness† made its way into Ralph Ellison s novel Invisible Man, and Langston Hughes series of poems. All of these authors wrote about Double Consciousness in there own way but never changed the real meaning of it being, it describes the individual sensation of feeling as though your identity is divided into several parts, making it difficult or impossible to have one unified identity. Double Consciousness, had two pe rceptions that anyone couldRead MoreAnalysis Of Double Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston And Invisible Man1335 Words   |  6 PagesDouble Consciousness in a Bildungsroman Self discovery is at the root of many stories. It is easily limited by external and internal factors. Tales about self discovery are often called a bildungsroman. A bildungsroman, essentially, is a coming of age novel. Both Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison are considered a bildungsroman. In the case of those two novels, there is one unique concept that contributes to their examples of self discovery. DoubleRead MoreDouble Consciousness : Invisible Man And The Bluest Eye1821 Words   |  8 PagesDouble-Consciousness in Invisible Man and The Bluest Eye W.E.B DuBois was a well-known civil rights activists, Pan-Africanist, and a co-founder of the NAACP. Double-consciousness is a phrase coined by DuBois in his novel The Souls of Black Folks in 1903, which describes the idea of double-consciousness as a state of affairs in which an individual is both representative of and immersed in two distinct ways of life. When DuBois introduced this phrase, he was specifically talking about black AmericansRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Invisible Man 1570 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 16, 2015 Literary Analysis of Invisible Man The idea of double consciousness, termed by W.E.B. Du Bois, for African Americans deals with the notion that one’s self has duality in being black and American. It is the attempt to reconcile two cultures that make up the identity of black men and women. One can only see through the eyes of another. A veil exists in this idea, where one has limits in how he or she can see or be seen. This individual is invisible to the onlookers of the veil, andRead MoreThe And Invisible Man By Toni Morrison And Ralph Ellison1726 Words   |  7 Pagesequal justice. For many black individuals, their identity was non-existent, stripped away, leaving them powerless due to white power. Race, class, and economic standing are all social issues that are prominent in both Beloved and Invisible Man. Toni Morrison and Ralph Ellison are both American novelists who have created emotional stories based on raw and authentic black history. African-American individuals were immobilized, forced to be isolat ed while searching for an identity in a world that choseRead MoreLong Division, The Ideal Man Essay1456 Words   |  6 Pagessame rules. Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man explores the intersections of race and power, where this seemingly ideal black male is one that can outwit the white men. In Kiese Laymon’s novel Long Division, the ideal man is one that can survive white oppression by not coinciding with racial stereotypes. Although these novels introduce the same idea of the us-versus-them mentality, both have vastly differently interpretations on it and ways of fulfilling it. Dr. Bledsoe berating Invisible about notRead MoreThe Souls Of Black Folk By. B. Dubois1936 Words   |  8 PagesDouble consciousness is a term coined by W.E.B. DuBois in his 1903 book, entitled The Souls of Black Folk, that describes the cognitive dissonance that arises from being both black and American. DuBois describes the duality felt by African-Americans as always â€Å"measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity† and that the black man â€Å"simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American without being cursed and spit upon by his fellowsRead MoreInvisible Man Speech1408 Words   |  6 Pages In Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison the narrator recalls the dying words of his grandfather, â€Å"I want you to overcome’em with yeses, undermine’em with grins, agree’em to death and destruction, let’em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open.† (Ellison 264) These words haunt the narrator throughout his life and especially as he gains success as a student and approval from whites. The narrator’s graduation speech about humbleness embodies some understanding of his grandfather’s words. This need

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Deception Point Page 27 Free Essays

The gaping hole in the ice now looked like a small swimming pool in the middle of the habisphere. The surface of the two-hundred-foot-deep pool of melted water sloshed for a while against the icy walls of the shaft and then finally grew calm. The waterline in the shaft was a good four feet beneath the glacier’s surface, the discrepancy caused by both the removal of the meteorite’s mass and ice’s property of shrinking as it melts. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 27 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Norah Mangor immediately set up SHABA pylons all around the hole. Although the hole was clearly visible, any curious soul who ventured too close and accidentally slipped in would be in dire jeopardy. The walls of the shaft were solid ice, with no footholds, and climbing out unassisted would be impossible. Lawrence Ekstrom came padding across the ice toward them. He moved directly to Norah Mangor and shook her hand firmly. â€Å"Well done, Dr. Mangor.† â€Å"I’ll expect lots of praise in print,† Norah replied. â€Å"You’ll get it.† The administrator turned now to Rachel. He looked happier, relieved. â€Å"So, Ms. Sexton, is the professional skeptic convinced?† Rachel couldn’t help but smile. â€Å"Stunned is more like it.† â€Å"Good. Then follow me.† Rachel followed the administrator across the habisphere to a large metal box that resembled an industrial shipping container. The box was painted with military camouflage patterns and stenciled letters: P-S-C. â€Å"You’ll call the President from in here,† Ekstrom said. Portable Secure Comm, Rachel thought. These mobile communications booths were standard battlefield installations, although Rachel had never expected to see one used as part of a peacetime NASA mission. Then again, Administrator Ekstrom’s background was the Pentagon, so he certainly had access to toys like this. From the stern faces on the two armed guards watching over the PSC, Rachel got the distinct impression that contact with the outside world was made only with express consent from Administrator Ekstrom. Looks like I’m not the only one who is off-the-grid. Ekstrom spoke briefly with one of the guards outside the trailer and then returned to Rachel. â€Å"Good luck,† he said. Then he left. A guard rapped on the trailer door, and it opened from within. A technician emerged and motioned for Rachel to enter. She followed him in. The inside of the PSC was dark and stuffy. In the bluish glow of the lone computer monitor, Rachel could make out racks of telephone gear, radios, and satellite telecommunications devices. She already felt claustrophobic. The air inside was bitter, like a basement in winter. â€Å"Sit here, please, Ms. Sexton.† The technician produced a rolling stool and positioned Rachel in front of a flat-screen monitor. He arranged a microphone in front of her and placed a bulky pair of AKG headphones on her head. Checking a logbook of encryption passwords, the technician typed a long series of keys on a nearby device. A timer materialized on the screen in front of Rachel. 00:60 SECONDS The technician gave a satisfied nod as the timer began to count down. â€Å"One minute until connection.† He turned and left, slamming the door behind him. Rachel could hear the bolt lock outside. Great. As she waited in the dark, watching the sixty-second clock slowly count down, she realized that this was the first moment of privacy she’d had since early that morning. She’d woken up today without the slightest inkling of what lay ahead. Extraterrestrial life. As of today, the most popular modern myth of all time was no longer a myth. Rachel was just now starting to sense how truly devastating this meteorite would be to her father’s campaign. Although NASA funding had no business being on a political par with abortion rights, welfare, and health care, her father had made it an issue. Now it was going to blow up in his face. Within hours, Americans would feel the thrill of a NASA triumph all over again. There would be teary-eyed dreamers. Slack-jawed scientists. Children’s imaginations running free. Issues of dollars and cents would fade away as petty, overshadowed by this monumental moment. The President would emerge like a phoenix, transforming himself into a hero, while in the midst of the celebration, the businesslike senator would suddenly appear small-minded, a penny-pinching Scrooge with no American sense of adventure. The computer beeped, and Rachel glanced up. 00:05 SECONDS The screen in front of her flickered suddenly, and a blurry image of the White House seal materialized on-screen. After a moment, the image dissolved into the face of President Herney. â€Å"Hello, Rachel,† he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. â€Å"I trust you’ve had an interesting afternoon?† 29 The office of Senator Sedgewick Sexton was located in the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building on C Street to the northeast of the Capitol. The building was a neo-modern grid of white rectangles that critics claimed looked more like a prison than an office building. Many who worked there felt the same. On the third floor, Gabrielle Ashe’s long legs paced briskly back and forth in front of her computer terminal. On the screen was a new e-mail message. She was not sure what to make of it. The first two lines read: SEDGEWICK WAS IMPRESSIVE ON CNN. I HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU. Gabrielle had been receiving messages like this for the last couple of weeks. The return address was bogus, although she’d been able to track it to a â€Å"whitehouse.gov† domain. It seemed her mysterious informant was a White House insider, and whoever it was had become Gabrielle’s source for all kinds of valuable political information recently, including the news of a covert meeting between the NASA administrator and the President. Gabrielle had been leery of the e-mails at first, but when she checked out the tips, she was amazed to find the information consistently accurate and helpful-classified information on NASA overexpenditures, costly upcoming missions, data showing that NASA’s search for extraterrestrial life was grossly overfunded and pathetically unproductive, even internal opinion polls warning that NASA was the issue turning voters away from the President. To enhance her perceived value to the senator, Gabrielle had not informed him she was receiving unsolicited e-mail help from inside the White House. Instead, she simply passed the information to him as coming from â€Å"one of her sources.† Sexton was always appreciative and seemed to know better than to ask who her source was. She could tell he suspected Gabrielle was doing sexual favors. Troublingly, it didn’t seem to bother him in the least. Gabrielle stopped pacing and looked again at the newly arrived message. The connotations of all the e-mails were clear: Someone inside the White House wanted Senator Sexton to win this election and was helping him do it by aiding his attack against NASA. But who? And why? A rat from a sinking ship, Gabrielle decided. In Washington it was not at all uncommon for a White House employee, fearing his President was about to be ousted from office, to offer quiet favors to the apparent successor in hopes of securing power or another position after the changeover. It seemed someone smelled Sexton victory and was buying stock early. The message currently on Gabrielle’s screen made her nervous. It was like none other she had ever received. The first two lines didn’t bother her so much. It was the last two: EAST APPOINTMENT GATE, 4:30 P.M. COME ALONE. Her informant had never before asked to meet in person. Even so, Gabrielle would have expected a more subtle location for a face-to-face meeting. East Appointment Gate? Only one East Appointment Gate existed in Washington, as far as she knew. Outside the White House? Is this some kind of joke? Gabrielle knew she could not respond via e-mail; her messages were always bounced back as undeliverable. Her correspondent’s account was anonymous. Not surprising. How to cite Deception Point Page 27, Essay examples

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Accident Investigation free essay sample

In this uncertain world in which we live in today, all types of accidents happen when we very least expect it. Accidents are events which are totally unexpected and also in which may cause injury to people or cause property damage.(business dictionary). When accidents occur, it is of utmost importance that proper investigation on it be conducted. This is so that the same accident could be avoided as well as to prevent accidents of similar nature happen in the future. There are many main causes of accidents; some accidents may be caused by general factors which may include poorly trained employees, inadequate property and equipment maintenance, weak equipment design and many more. Accidents may also be caused by direct causes such as impairment of the chemicals being used. Accidents may as well be caused by Indirect causes which may include conditions such as unsafe working conditions and unsafe acts performed by employees. We will write a custom essay sample on Accident Investigation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These may be indirect causes of improper training given to employees. Lack of motivation and fatigue on the part of employees may also be considered as indirect causes of accidents. When employees are unmotivated or over fatigued they become careless in work which may lead to accidents/ (Eckhardt, B.) Accidents may be caused by several different factors. Which is why being able to understand what caused these accidents is exceptionally important. This is so that we could be able to prevent them from happening again in the future .There are several techniques in order to determine the main cause of an accident. One such method is the change analysis method. The main idea of change analysis is to study what changes in the work chain have caused the accident. The first step in change analysis is to be able to determine first what the main cause of the accident is. The next step is to find out what happened in the accident and compare it to what should really have happened. After this you should be able to identify the differences between the two and you could now evaluate these changes. After doing this, the last step would then be identifying the things that have been affected and those that have not been affected and identify the features or differences of these changes. After all this, make a list of all the probable causes of the accident and identify the most probable cause. (united states coast guard). Another Technique to determine the cause of an accident is by using the job safety analysis technique. This method is mainly used to study the different processes involved in performing a job. This technique could be used as well as to examine the safety as well as the potential health hazards involved in each job step. This technique is already widely used in many accident investigations worldwide. The process would involve first identifying the hazard that may have occurred in each step of a job. After doing this, the next step would be to try to suggest ways to prevent such hazards from happening again. If job safety analysis has been practiced before then one could try to review it and see if why the accident still happened. If no job safety analysis was made then it would be wise to create a new one for the job. (Maricopa County). One last technique that could be used in accident investigations is by applying the root cause analysis technique. Root cause analysis is a problem solving technique wherein the main goal is in being able to identify the main cause of a problem. When using root cause analysis in accident investigations, the entire chain of events that happened in the accident is studied in order to find the â€Å"root cause† of the accident. Usually the root causes of accidents are inadequacies in the safety system being used. Other usual factors that may be the root cause of accidents may include mental illness of employees, lack of skills and knowledge of the employees, as well as equipment malfunction and hazardous workplace environment. (12manage). As discussed earlier, the process of investigating accidents may involve identifying the cause of the accident as well as determining the damage cost caused by the accident. Several factors need to be considered when conducting accident investigations. First it is important that all accidents must be investigated without exceptions and accidents that may cause death or serious injury should be more thoroughly investigated than ordinary accidents. It is also important that accidents should be investigated immediately. It does not matter whether the accidents may be minor or major, all accidents should be answered with a quick response. Other factors that need to be investigated in accidents include factors like the identities of the injured, the place where the accident occurred, the time when the accident happened, the probable causes of the accident and most importantly ways on how to prevent a similar accident from happening again. The techniques in investigating these things would also differ depending on the nature of the accident as well as the damage the accident may have caused. This is why it is important to first determine the investigation’s scope. It is also important that a team be formed. Each investigator of the team should also be assigned with a task to perform. Some investigators would be assigned to investigate the production procedures, while others would be assigned to investigating the engineering of the equipment which caused the accident, etc. conducting a briefing to your investigative team to explain to them the facts of the accident is also important. Before taking on their assigned tasks, it is first important that they are aware about the accident like the description of the accident and the damage it had caused. (Utah University).   After the briefing, the investigative team should now start gathering facts. This would mean that they should start interviewing witnesses that may be around the accident when it occurred. When interviewing people, it is of utmost important that preliminary statements be gathered quickly. The location of each witness during the accident should also be charted. They should also hastily investigate the site of the accident before any changes to it happen. Pictures of the accident scene should also be taken or sketches of it be drawn, try to gather also all available reports. An example of accident photography is a technique that is often used in aircraft accidents. In aircraft accidents, it is important that all photographs are accurate and not hide any details of the scene of the accident. Photographs should include the accident itself as well as its surroundings and even the underneath of the aircraft. Pictures should also be taken immediately upon the arrival at the scene of the accident. In aircraft accidents details before extensive fire damage may be lost if pictures are not taken immediately. Among the first photos that need to be taken are those of the rescue operations like the rescuing of the occupants from the aircraft, as well as the medical treatment being given to the survivors of the accident. The purpose of this is to check if any human failure has caused the accident. Pictures of casualties should show the position of the body in relation to the wreckage. If faced with reporters be sure to not give out information that is unnecessary. All these techniques are not only applicable to aircraft accidents but also other accidents. (integrated publishing).

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

The Researcher’s Guide to Screenshots - The Writers For Hire

THE RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO SCREENSHOTS As writers, we often need to capture information from sources: online, print, and interviews to name a few. When you are on the computer, you can record your findings in your favorite word processor; for print, youve got the good old copy machine, with OCR if youre lucky. And for interviews, of course, we have our trusty recorders. But when it comes to capturing research on your phone, its easy to get stumped. You can share a link with yourself and email it, but sometimes what you really want is a simple screenshot. Taking a screenshot on your phone can often be â€Å"easier said than done,† though. Different makes and models can be very different in terms of their functionality, too. Just as soon as you figure out how to take a screenshot your current devise, you upgrade to a newer device and find yourself back to square one. And if you are switching from an Android device to an Apple device, it gets even trickier. Luckily, we have found the solution! This great article from Lifehacker provides instructions for how to take a screenshot on any Android device. Or, if you are an iPhone/iPad user, check out the great tips in this article from Apple.

Friday, March 6, 2020

How to Write a Statistical Report on Psychology Studies

How to Write a Statistical Report on Psychology Studies Knowing how to write a statistical report on psychology studies is very important especially when you are soon to complete a psychology study on your own. Part of the reason it is imperative that you understand the different aspects contained in a statistical report is so that you can use psychology studies in the future not only as references but as a potential career possibility. In order to study psychology in school you will be required to complete psychology studies yourself. Knowing the general layout is important. So what is included in a statistical report on psychology studies? Well the first thing you need is a great topic. This topic has to be something that isnt explored yet. You have to be able to add something new to psychology. Some people might explore how children enrolled in private school do better compared to children enrolled in public school. But you might want to take that apart and see if they do better because they have fewer problems at home or because parents are more involved or perhaps because the different socioeconomic status compared between public school and private school affords children greater access to resources. One key aspect to any psychology study is to not only have the hypothesis, but the way you will test that hypothesis. You have to present a literature review where you explain to the reader what reports and studies which relate to your topic have already been completed, and how your topic is different from everything else already published. Once this is done you have to explain the message you used, the participants, the materials, and what you did. Once you gather your results you have to share them using a statistical analysis and then have a discussion about what your results mean to the bigger picture. It is important to note that: In order to make it a statistical report you have to be able to quantify your results. In order for your results to be quantified you need to work with numbers. In order to work with numbers you need to set up a quantitative methodology. In order to use quantitative methodology you need to create a way to test your theory using numbers. If you want to determine whether students perform better taking tests with music playing in the background versus no music playing in the background a quantitative methodology would compare two different groups of students, those with music in the background and those without, and compare the average test score. It might also compare how long it took to complete the score. A more qualitative examination would review perhaps the emotional state or anxiety levels of students in the room with music versus the room without music. Statistical analysis is necessary to look over the results and compare the data. There are specific programs designed to help analyze data, especially large amounts of data in an automatic fashion. Using t-tests or ANOVA tests, or simply searching for medians or statistical averages can be used to present the results of your study. Different statistical analyses are reserved for different types of statistical reports on psychology studies. This was our complete guide on how to write a statistical analysis on psychology studies. You will also benefit from our 10 facts on psychology studies for statistical as well as 20 narrow subtopics that you can explore and 1 sample essay. So be sure to check them.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Has America become a culture of entitlement, where people expect Essay

Has America become a culture of entitlement, where people expect society--parents, teachers, governmentto provide for them regardless of their own efforts - Essay Example Research has it that this culture is more prevalent among men and women of the present day generation than those of the past generations. It is quickly gaining ground and could even be more established in the years to come. Many people have in the earlier generations pursued the dream of America through commitment and inventiveness. They achieved success through strife and serious enthusiasm for their courses. In case they became successful, they counted themselves to be very lucky (Arguelles Web). The trend and mentality are quite different today. Most students today tend to think that they have an entitlement to success, and they do not have to work for it. Students in the present generations tend to focus on what the society should give to them instead of concentrating on how they can make the society better. Their sense of ability and skills is kind of inflated in comparison with that of the students of the older generations. One Jean Twenge, a popular American Psychologist with her team, has in the past gathered information on the subject of entitlement. She notes that in the last four decades, there was an interesting increase in the number of young people who take themselves to be ‘above average’ in certain fields. Such fields include; academic potential; their motivation to success, arithmetic prowess as well as self-confidence. Upon evaluating some of the traits that are taken to be more individualistic, the statistics either lowered or remained constant for the same period. Such traits may include; spirituality, personal cooperativeness and getting to know others (Arguelles Web). The opinions of these people (mostly students) and their actual potential have been found to be incongruent. The situation is known as ‘ambition inflation.’ It means they talk or think big about themselves but perform miserably on the actual

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

The struggle for equality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The struggle for equality - Essay Example Civil rights are freedoms and rights guaranteed to a member of a community, state, or nation. Freedom of speech, of the press, religion, and of fair and equal treatment are the basic civil rights. The constitution of the United States contains a Bill of Rights that describes simple liberties and rights insured to every person in the United States. Although the Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution, civil rights were not always respected to all human beings, especially blacks. When the Constitution was first written, many Americans understood the meaning of the famous inscripture â€Å"all men are created equal† to mean that all white males were created equal, likewise with other civil rights guarantees as well. As a result, blacks were enslaved and persecuted throughout the late 1700's and early 1800's.After the end of Civil War the Constitution was amended to give former slaves freedom and the rights of citizens. This passing of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to Constitution were supposed to give the African-Americans equal protection under the law. They were also intended to give the new citizens the right to vote. During the 1850's abolitionists in the North questioned the morality of southern slavery by writing and preaching about the rights blacks were denied. Abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison, Fredrick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth, paved the way for the first civil rights movement that occurred after the Civil War, during Reconstruction. ... segregated societies, separating themselves from blacks in every humanly way possible. The old Jim Crow laws governed all aspects of their existence, from the schoolroom to the restroom. Southern blacks faced new discrimination every day whether it be economically, socially, or politically. America was destined for another, more far- reaching civil rights movement. The civil rights movement during the late 1800's and early 1900's provided the foundations for the current civil rights laws achieved throughout the 1960's. Black Americans made significant gains in their struggle for equal rights during Reconstruction, the 12-year period after the Civil War. In 1868, after southern president Andrew Johnson vetoed a Civil Rights bill, the radically republican influenced congress transported the principals of the Civil Rights bill to the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment conferred civil rights and citizenship for all former slaves, and was incorporated into the requirements for a southern state to regain its statehood. After the 14th Amendment was passed; however, the radical faction of congress was disappointed that it did not grant blacks the right to vote. When the fear that southern states might amend their constitutions so as to withdraw blacks from the ballot was recognized by moderate Republicans, Congress formally placed the ballot in the hands of blacks with the 15th Amendment, passed in 1869. With the passing of breakthrough legislation, several leaders emerged to lead this new civil rights movement. Ex-slave, Booker T. Washington put his newly acquired freedom to use when he started a black industrial school at Tuskegee, Alabama. He taught his students useful trades so they could

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Pathological Explanations of Poverty

Pathological Explanations of Poverty Discuss the pathological and structural explanations of poverty. Poverty was first identified by Sir William Beveridge in 1942, as a major social evil in society. It is a highly contested and multi-dimensional social problem that has no single agreed definition. Kilty et al defines poverty as ‘an overall condition of inadequacy, lacking and scarcity’. She further claims, ‘it is destitution and deficiency of economic, political and social resources’ (Kilty et al, 1997: 30 cited in Kane Kirby, 2003: 52). Social scientists have established two main representations of poverty. These are absolute and relative poverty. Absolute poverty denotes a lack of access to a minimum level of subsistence that is required to live a healthy lifestyle. This includes basic life necessities such as food, water, clothing and shelter. In contrast, sociologist Peter Townsend defines relative poverty in terms of relative deprivation which means that the living standards of the poor are considered far too removed from the rest of society (Holman, 1978; Pantazis et al, 2006). Sociologists have identified numerous explanations for the existence and persistence of poverty. These include unemployment, homelessness, ill health, old age, lack of access to education and an underprivileged socio-economic position in society. In this essay, I will discuss two major sociological/political theories of poverty, one known as the pathological explanation and the other as the structural explanation. As part of the pathological perspective I will explore individualistic, familial and subcultural understandings of poverty. In contrast within structural accounts, I will examine class, agency and inequality approaches to poverty. In doing so, I will discover their solutions to help tackle poverty and will also evaluate the relevance of both pathological and structural explanations in the contemporary world (ibid). Pathological explanations of poverty are favoured by those on the right of the political spectrum. Firstly, according to the individualistic viewpoint social problems like poverty, unemployment and crime stem from individual deficiencies and limitations. For instance, it is argued that the poor have a character defect. They are deliberately indolent individuals who have made bad choices in life. Therefore, they are held responsible for their own plight. Individualistic explanations also attribute poverty to the biology of the poor. In support of this, Charles Murray (2000) claims that ‘by choosing to be poor people pass on inferior genes to their offspring’ and ‘over time, there is a deterioration in the genome of the poor’ (Fitzpatrick, 2011: 101). Nevertheless, it must be noted that there is no scientific evidence to prove that poverty is an innate problem (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978). Successive governments have adopted different policy approaches to tackle poverty. A historic example is of the 19th century Poor Law Amendment Act which was introduced in 1834. The act took into consideration the widely accepted individualistic ideology of its time, which believed poverty to be a moral failure of the individual. As a result, workhouses were introduced to instil discipline in poor citizens. The conditions of a workhouse were deliberately terrible in order to discourage people from applying for state assistance and instead, provide them with the incentive to find work. Later, the act was heavily criticised for purely treating the symptoms of poverty rather than the actual disease itself. Alternatively, familial explanations of poverty blame the individual’s family circumstances for shaping their disadvantaged lifestyle. For example, if a child lives in a family environment that is characterised by laziness, poor educational attainment, unemployment, delinquency and dependence on the welfare state, then the child is more likely to grow up dysfunctional (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Kane Kirby, 2003; Townsend, 1979). Familial explanations also attribute poverty to the child rearing practices of lower class families. It is argued that these families encounter multiple deprivations in life and are thus, unable to provide their children with a decent upbringing. This has a negative impact on the child’s life opportunities. According to the cycle of deprivation theory, family pathology is responsible for transmitting social deprivation intergenerationally. This is due to the belief that poverty runs in families. Furthermore, in an attempt to end the generational cycle of poverty, in 1998 the New Labour government introduced Sure Start programmes which are a form of educational intervention in the lives of children. They were set up with the aim of improving deprived children’s life chances, so that they do not face disadvantage in the school life (Kane Kirby, 2003; Shuffelton, 2013). The third well-known pathological explanation is the subculture of poverty theory which was coined by the American anthropologist Oscar Lewis. Lewis claimed that poor families exist within a subculture which is made up of unique behaviour patterns and characteristics. These are distinct from mainstream society and include: long-term unemployment, substance abuse and welfare dependency. Subcultural explanations claim that groups who share these negative characteristics are destined to remain within a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty. They begin viewing poverty as an accepted lifestyle and make little effort to improve their circumstances. However, this is not necessarily true as an individual’s changing economic circumstances can lift them out of poverty. Additionally, many people do make an effort to improve their situation through work and the education system. Overall, subcultural explanations have proven beneficial in explaining the persistence of poverty in the contempor ary world (Holman, 1978; Kane Kirby, 2003; Waxman, 1977). Pathological explanations of poverty have received considerable support from New Right theorists, the Conservative Party and other Right Wing academics like Charles Murray (1984), who is highly critical of the welfare state. Murray asserts that welfare benefits have gave birth to an underclass in society and a generation of the unemployed. He argues the welfare system is a poverty-perpetuating system, as over-generous welfare benefits have encouraged recipients’ to become dependent upon them throughout their entire lives. Nevertheless, Murray has been criticised for underestimating the desire of the underclass to be free from state assistance. Likewise, his ideological position has meant that he has also lacked focus in explaining how wider structural factors may also cause poverty (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978; Niskanen, 1996). Murray’s underclass theory has influenced contemporary government approaches to tackle welfare dependency. For instance, the current UK coalition government has adopted radical policies that involve cutbacks in benefits and the introduction of disciplinary workfare programmes, where welfare claimants are obliged to undertake voluntary work or training in return for their benefits. The coalition government has also expanded apprenticeships. The aim of such policies is to help welfare dependents regain the incentive to work. This is by teaching them the skills needed for a decent paid job. Overall, pathological explanations of poverty have numerous strengths and weaknesses. For instance, the political scientist Michael Harrington asserts that, ‘the real explanation of why the poor are where they are is that they made the mistake of being born to the wrong parents in the wrong section of the country in the wrong industry or in the wrong racial or ethnic group. There are two important ways of saying this: the poor are caught up in a vicious circle; or the poor live in a culture of poverty’ (Harrington, 1962: 12 cited in Kane Kirby, 2003: 98). Here, Harrington illustrates his support for the pathological explanation by highlighting the importance of familial and subcultural explanations in understanding poverty (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978; Niskanen, 1996). Pathological explanations have also been criticised for ignoring how wider societal and situational factors cause poverty. For example, circumstances where an individual loses their job, partner or experiences ill health may push an individual into a poverty lifestyle. In addition, the theory does not explain why particular groups like ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to poverty. For example, the structural perspective of poverty would argue that ethnic minorities experience discrimination and social exclusion in all areas of life. This is often attributed to their race, religion or culture. Within the workplace, they are treated as a source of cheap expendable labour, are provided with menial tasks and are paid well below the minimum wage. This example illustrates how social injustices can create poverty in society (ibid). In opposition to the pathological perspective, structural accounts of poverty are favoured by those on the left of the political spectrum. Firstly, according to the Marxist explanation by Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), poverty is a key ingredient of capitalist societies. All capitalist societies are characterised by class conflict between the bourgeoisies, who are the owners of the means of production and the proletariat or working class who sell their labour power in return for wages. Marxists argue that the proletariat experience marginalisation, exploitation and alienation at the hands of the bourgeoisie. This is clearly evident in the labour market where they are treated as a reserve army of labour, are made to work for long hours and are paid low wages in return. Although this enables the capitalist system to thrive, it creates inequalities in wealth and income and keeps the proletariat located at the very bottom of the social hierarchy (Fitzpatrick, 201 1; Kane Kirby, 2003) Karl Marx anticipated a revolution to occur where the proletariat collectively unite for radical social change. He argued that this revolution will give rise to a communist society which is based on equal distribution of wealth and thereby, will ensure the entire elimination of social problems. Nevertheless, Marx has been criticised for overestimating a revolution which has failed to occur. Therefore, the Marxist theory failed to come up with an adequate solution to the problem of poverty and instead, it continues to blames poverty on the evils of capitalism. Overall, Marxists argue that class conflict is an inevitable feature of every capitalist society and therefore, social class is the main socio-economic determinant of whether people experience poverty in the contemporary world (ibid). Secondly according to the agency perspective, poverty is caused by the failure of public services and inadequate welfare benefits. Although, social services play a vital role in alleviating social and material deprivation, this theory argues that they have proven inefficient in tackling poverty. Also, government policies and institutions that have been set up to eradicate poverty have not performed their duties and have failed to serve the needs of the poor. Consequently, it is argued that there is a need to improve both the access and administration of welfare services. Alternatively, advocates of the pathological explanation criticise structural explanations for advocating a hand-out approach to welfare, which they believe fosters a dependency culture and serves to perpetuate poverty in society. They argue that policy solutions should focus on making individuals self-reliant and not providing them with a cradle to grave welfare state (Holman, 1978; Pantazis et al, 2006). In response, advocates of the structural interpretation criticise pathological accounts for ignoring the rise in the number of the working poor who are also reliant on state assistance. This rise in the number of the working poor provides evidence against the pathological view that work is the best route out of poverty. Structural accounts of poverty have blamed the rise of the working poor on the retrenchment of welfare provisions by the New Right, which they argue provided people with an additional support mechanism. On the other hand, the third well-known structural perspective is based on an inequality approach and argues that poverty is attributed to inequalities in society in terms of race, gender, age, ethnicity and social class. Generally, it is argued that there is more poverty where there is economic inequality. For instance, Britain is an unequal society in terms of wealth and income. There is a huge gap between the rich and poor which demonstrated by the clear north/south divide in the country (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978) In order to tackle income inequality, structural viewpoints argue for a redistribution of wealth in society and the need for governments to implement inclusive policies that help integrate the poor back into society. This includes people with disabilities who face social exclusion in the labour market. Structural explanations also advocate for a change to the structure of society, and a redistributive taxation system and also greater economic growth which will create more jobs and help alleviate economic inequality. On the other hand, Unwin 2007 argues that because ‘people are both: individuals and social creatures. it is impossible to tackle poverty from just one or the other perspective’ (cited in Bourassa, 2009: online edition). Unwin argues a more effective solution would involve a combination of both structural and pathological understanding of poverty in explaining poverty in the contemporary world (Harrop, 2015: Online; Gooby, 2015: Online; Luebker, 2014). In conclusion, poverty has proven to be a highly complex and difficult challenge for all contemporary governments. Social scientists have established two compelling accounts of poverty. These are pathological and structural explanations of poverty. Pathological explanations of poverty are favoured by those on the right of the political perspective. According to the political right, poverty is blamed on individual, familial and subcultural factors. In contrast, structural explanations are favoured by those on the left wing of the political spectrum. According to the political left, poverty is a consequence of structural and societal factors. These include an individual’s social class, an inadequate agency and societal inequality which all help explain the cause of poverty in society. Research has shown that both perspectives have numerous strengths and weaknesses. One solution would involve a combination of the two perspectives, as it will offer a more holistic approach in unde rstanding and tackling poverty in the contemporary world.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Foreign Intervention Essay

Developing nations are usually countries that lack stability, whether politically or financially. Intervention in such nations may prove to be helpful in such cases, as it may ensure an increased stability within the country. This is much needed in developing nations, as stability is key to economic prosperity. However, intervention in the internal affairs of another nation may undermine the country’s sovereignty, rendering foreign intervention undesirable, as it does more harm than good from the standpoint of the developing nation. Foreign intervention in the form of humanitarian aid does more good than harm, as it hastens the restoration of infrastructure and provides the citizens with the necessities to tide over difficult times. Natural disasters cause substantial damage to a country, with homes destroyed and lives lost. The people involved are often rendered helpless. Developing nations in particular, may not be able to help much due to the lack of financial reserves. Humanitarian aid given in such times is desired and will be of great help to the people, due to the relief provided in times of distress. An example would be Haiti, which was badly hit by an earthquake. International organizations such as the United Nations and Red Cross Foundation provided food and medical care, alleviating the situation in Haiti. Hence, humanitarian aid brings about many benefits, doing more good than harm. Developing nations embattled in internal turmoil may require foreign intervention to restore political stability in the nation. Repressive regimes such as that in Libya have resulted in brutality and oppression. The people are unable to stand up for themselves to lead a change. The people desire intervention, as they wish to be freed from tyrant rulers. Foreign intervention will aid the citizens in effecting a change that will improve their lives drastically. Furthermore, the political stability that results may restore economic prosperity in the nation, which was not achievable previously due to uncertainty and fear for the future by businesses. Political stability will reduce those fears and create a better environment for the economy to flourish. These benefits are far-reaching and long-term, and are essential to the development of the nation. Hence, foreign  intervention in a developing nation does more good than harm. The intervention in another nation’s internal affairs may undermine national sovereignty, which is an important attribute of modern states today. Sovereignty is of great significance, and no country will willingly allow foreign nations to infringe on their sovereignty. Foreign intervention may result in negative repercussions, such as the strain on international relations. This is seen by Greece’s anger over perceived intervention in their internal affairs by Germany during the Eurozone crisis. Strained relations between countries undesirable for both countries as it may lead to restricted trade, and in turn the loss of economic opportunities. Foreign intervention may lead to long lasting harmful impacts if relations do not improve, hence it does a significant amount of harm. Foreign intervention may serve as a tool in correcting the infringement of human rights, which will do good and justice to the people subjected to unfair treatment. The 1994 Rwanda genocide was an instance where human rights were compromised. The Hutus persecuted the Tutsis, and a coalition of states was prepared to put a stop to that. The intervention will help the Tutsi population escape such brutality and violence. The Tutsis will be able to live a life free of brutality, which will improve their physical well being and be able to lead a more peaceful life. Human rights should never be infringed as it is the basic rights that every human being should possess. Therefore, in cases where human rights are compromised, foreign intervention is warranted and it will bring about more good than harm. In principle, it may seem that the harm outweighs the good if sovereignty, a crucial aspect of every nation, is infringed. However, it depends on the circumstances. The dire need for humanitarian aid, fulfillment of basic human rights and freedom from repressive regimes may surpass the need for sovereignty. It will not be harmful to have foreign intervention. Rather, the people in developing nations will experience many positive impacts, and the country may be able to develop further and prosper, hence foreign intervention does not do more harm than good.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Exploring the Universality and Diversity of Human Language Essay

Language is an all-important tool of mankind for expression. We think, speak and write in languages. Indeed, our use of sophisticated mode of expression such as language is what distinguishes us from animals. Language is already very much a part of us, but we often take it for granted. We do not give it much thought and probably quite a few attempt to make sense out of its nature and its complexities. Distinguished authorities in psychology, philosophy and linguistics support the concept of language as a universal human faculty. If it is not, why is it that despite little knowledge of language and its correct usage, children as young as two years, of any race or ethnicity, quickly learn to speak and understand any language they are exposed to? It is astonishing how thousands of various languages and dialects have evolved since the confusion at Babel in Genesis. The Ethnologue has listed more than six thousand (6,000) languages from all over the world (Grimes, 2001). Note that we do not only refer to civilized languages, and there could probably be more that have not been documented yet, or, have not even been heard of by the civilized population (i. e. tribal languages). Now, with the innumerable modes of pronunciation and styles of language use, we can probably come up with a million varieties of languages. If language is a universal human faculty, why are human languages so different? Universality of Language Even the scriptures provided some evidence to substantiate the concept that language is universal. Before the Tower of Babel incident, as cited in the book of Genesis, remember that mankind had one language. Ever since God intervened to cause confusion at Babel and men dispersed to various parts of the earth, human language have evolved into various kinds. Still, however, human languages are astoundingly similar! In what way are human languages the same, and why? Kumar (1997) cited that children could learn almost any language with the right timing. Children learn at a remarkable rate if they are immersed in the language during their critical period for language development, which is usually between the age of two to five years. Such that at the age of six, they would have â€Å"learned to use and understand about thirteen thousand (13,000) words† (Dunbar, 1996). Further, children of average intellectual capacity learn about ten (10) new words a day by the time they reach their first birthday. If we have to do our math, this is the â€Å"equivalent of a new word every 90 minutes of (their) waking life† (Dunbar, 1996). It is amazing how children learn a language in such a short time and, only by hearing a few words and short sentences from their parents and others, they are able to come up with virtually many others, most of which even follow correct grammatical principles. There are no set rules or systems of teaching children their first language. Just by the mere exposure to the language in their natural environment, they begin to mimic what they hear, experiment on words and phrases, then adults correct them at one point, and quite easily, they learn to speak the language despite its complexities. This is referred to as the â€Å"environmental input† in the article of Nowak and his colleagues (2002), that appeared in the 6 June 2002 of the Nature. Because of this environmental input, â€Å"children construct an internal representation of the underlying grammar. Children are not told of the grammatical rules. Neither children nor adults are ever aware of the grammatical rules that specify their own language† (p. 614). Wilhelm von Humboldt (as cited in Chomsky, 1968) believes that: â€Å"underlying any human language we will find a system that is universal, that simply expresses man’s unique intellectual attributes. For this reason, it was possible for him to maintain the rationalist view that language is not really learned – certainly not taught – but rather develops from within, in an essentially predetermined way, when the appropriate environmental conditions exist. One cannot really teach a first language, he argued, but can only provide the thread along which it will develop of its own accord, by processes more like maturation than learning† (Chomsky, 1968). Moreover, it does seem that languages transcend cultural boundaries. A good evidence of this would be how children learn in the same way regardless of cultural background. We can only wonder why when a family moves to another community with a different dialect for instance, children are the quickest to adapt and learn the new language. Do humans have the innate ability and mechanism for acquiring language within the brain? Lee (1997 ) looked into this innateness of language from a neurobiological standpoint. He asserted that there is â€Å"certain preexisting universal biological order in the brain. If they did not preexist, how would the many brains build synaptic connections that were similar to one another, even the brains of people that speak different languages? † Certain parts (such as Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas) of the brain are responsible for specialized linguistic functions, which means, â€Å"there are innate physical structure of the brain which govern our learning of language. † Chomsky (1975), a noted linguist, believes that we are â€Å"specifically designed† to learn language. As Biehler (1976) puts it, there are â€Å"striking uniformities† in languages of other cultures that follow grammatical patterns (universal grammar). Even Farrel (1978) agrees that there is â€Å"an underlying design original to all languages. † For all of them, language is simply a part of our genetic endowment, or as the evolutionist Haugen (1973) would say it, we have the â€Å"gift of language,† or the â€Å"universal gift of tongues. † Chomsky and other linguists believe that there are system of principles, conditions, and rules that are elements of all human languages. Human languages contain structure, which means they are composed of several words grouped basically by function (verbs, nouns, etc. ) and this is referred to in linguistic literatures as innate universal grammar. â€Å"The human brain is equipped with a learning algorithm, which enables us to learn certain languages. This algorithm can learn each of the existing 6,000 human languages and presumably many more, but it is impossible that algorithm could learn every computable language† (Nowak, Komarova and Niyogi, p. 615). What are the implications of all these? Regardless of cultural background, whatever language we know or use now, we are all innately predisposed to comprehend design in languages and we can easily grasp and work around grammatical rules, however complex or elaborate they are. Although of course, young children are at an advantage in using this gift, as timing in acquiring a language is important as well. Nonetheless, as a general statement, regardless of cultural or ethnic background, man’s remarkable ability to communicate through language, in itself, is already a good proof of the universality of language as a human faculty. As mentioned in the Atlas of Languages (1996), there is no known society or community in the world that is language-less. From the evolutionists’ point of view, language is essentially a human trait and this is a powerful evidence on the universality of language. While animals of the same kind have their own way of communicating, only humans had â€Å"the power of recursion to create an open-ended and limitless system of communication† Hauser, Chomsky and Fitch, 2002, p. 1578). Why and how humans acquired the faculty of language and managed to â€Å"spread from human to human and from culture to culture,† (Knezek, 1997) are often the usual subjects of discussion of scholars. Evolutionists would agree that â€Å"the faculty meditating human communication appears remarkably different from that of other living creatures†¦. that the human faculty of language appears to be organized like the genetic code with respect to its scope of expression. † Animals have been â€Å"designed on the basis of highly conserved developmental systems that read an almost universal language coded in DNA base pairs,† however, â€Å"they lack a common universal code of communication† (Hauser, Chomsky and Fitch, 2002, p. 1569).

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Comparing Digital And Textbooks And Their Effects On...

Comparison of Digital and Print textbooks and their effects on helping university students study efficiently Joyce J. Lam University of California, Irvine Author Note Joyce Josephine Lam University of California, Irvine jjlam@uci.edu SS3A HW ID: 104 Abstract This paper explores the pros and cons of using digital formats verses print formats of textbooks, particularly e-textbooks and traditional textbooks, and seeks to ask how effective these textbook formats are for university students and their studies. The purpose of this paper is to examine these different textbook formats is to see which has the potential and ability to help students in the best capacity possible. There are clear reasons on how digital textbooks and†¦show more content†¦Because we live in a modern age of much technological advancements, many students in universities are looking to see if it is still worth buying physical textbooks or to utilize digital formats like e-textbooks as a means of efficiency or even as a way to cut costs of paying for expensive textbooks. To understand which format is more effective, we need to study the different formats and see what are the strengths and weaknesses found in the two different formats. This paper will examine resea rch done by multiple researchers and use their research to help find the format that best helps students to study and retain material learned from their textbook Defining E-textbooks and Traditional Textbooks E-textbooks are often defined as texts that are able to be accessed on electronic devices. Most research has defined them as texts that are digital and accessed via electronic screens (Rockinson-Szapkiw, Courdoff, Carter, Bennett, 2012), in which there two formats that exist. The first format is the page fidelity e-textbook and second is the reflowable digital e-textbook. The page fidelity e-textbook is a simple scanned picture of the print version of a book, which can usually come in the form of a PDF (Rockinson-Szapkiw, Courdoff, Carter, Bennett, 2012). The page fidelity e-textbook has no