Mediated Communication: Connected or Disconnected? Essay

Abstract: We all seem to live and breathe social media. Sending a message and staying connected is as easy as it can get. Technology is essentially transforming traditional methods and revolutionizing the way we communicate with one another. Today, we have to stay relevant, informed, and up-to-date on the newest communication channels and incorporate them into our range of daily activities. However to build meaningful connections between people, we need to let technology enhance our communication, rather than dictate it. As new communication technological advancements become available, our temptation is also to spend less time on face-to-face interactions at the risk of losing the critical context of our message. Of course, texts, e-mails and social media can dramatically impact the speed and volume of messages, but therein also lies the danger in allowing the subtle aspects of dialogue and personality to fall by the wayside Face-to-face discussions are the foundation of human communication; once established, it allows us to build trust, clearly articulate our ideas and minimize misunderstanding. However, for many of us, face-to-face communication seems to be a dying art – replaced by text messaging, e-mails, and social media. Human communication and interactions are getting shaped by available technologies. Thus we have to ask – in today’s tech-savvy world, are we really connected or essentially disconnected? Is social media sabotaging the art of personal communication? On a crisp Friday afternoon last October, Sharon Seline exchanged text messages with her daughter who was in college. They ‘chatted’ back and forth, mom asking how things were going and daughter answering with positive statements followed by emoticons showing smiles, b-i-gï Å  smiles and hearts(/). Happiness†¦. Later that night, her daughter attempted suicide. In the days that followed, it came to light that she’d been holed up in her hostel room, crying and showing signs of depression — a completely different reality from the one that she conveyed in texts, Facebook posts and tweets . (Courtesy; Forbes magazine, April2012) As human beings, our only real method of connection is through authentic communication. Studies show that only 7%  of communication is based on the written or verbal word. A whopping 93% is based on nonverbal body language. Indeed, it’s only when we can hear a tone of voice or look into someone’s eyes that we’re able to know when â€Å"I’m fine† doesn’t mean they’re fine at all†¦or when â€Å"I’m just sad† means they’re thoroughly depressed. Flooded in technology, anyone can hide behind the text, the e-mail, the Facebook post or the tweet, projecting any image they want and creating an illusion of their choice. They can be whoever they want to be and without the ability to see or feel, their audiences are none the wiser. Every relevant metric shows that we are interacting at breakneck speed and frequency through social media. But are we really communicating? With 93% of our communication context stripped away, we are now attempting to forge relationships and make decisions based on phrases, abbreviations, snippets, emoticons which may or may not be accurate representations of the truth. This presents an unprecedented paradox. With all the powerful social technologies at our fingertips, we are more connected – and potentially more disconnected – than ever before. This is where social media gets dicey. Communication Barriers: New Dimensions Social technologies have broken the barriers of space and time, enabling us to interact 24/7 with more people all over the world. The focus is now on communication quantity rather than quality and Superficiality against authenticity? But like any revolutionary concept, it has initiated a new set of barriers and threats. It is an ironic situation where social media has the potential to make us less social; a surrogate for the real thing. For it to be a truly effective communication vehicle, communicators bear a responsibility to be genuine, accurate, and not allow it to replace human contact altogether. In the workplace, the use of electronic communication has overtaken face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication by a wide margin. This major shift has been driven by two major forces: the speed/geographic dispersion of business, and the lack of comfort with traditional interpersonal communication among a growing segment of our employee population: Gen Y and Millennials. Studies show that these generations – which will comprise more than 50% of the workforce by 2020 – would prefer to use instant messaging or other social media than stop by and talk with someone. This new communication preference is one of the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"generational gaps† plaguing organizations as employers try to manage a new set of expectations and norms in their younger employees. The majority of the world’s largest businesses are using social media with little thought as to how it can contribute to the organization’s overall strategy and that its use is destroying the integrity of face-to-face conversations and replacing it with â€Å"hidden conversations†. This is arguably true to some extent with many companies confused as to the role it should play inside the corporate framework. Further, because most business communication is now done via e-mails, texts, instant messaging, intranets, blogs, websites and other technology enabled media, minus body language, the potential for misinterpretation is growing. Rushed and stressed, people often do not take the time to consider the nuances of their writing. Conflicts explode over a tone of an e-mail, or that all-important cc: list. When someone writes a text in all capital letters, does it mean they are â€Å"shouting†? Are one- or two-word responses a sign that the person doesn’t want to engage? On the flip side, does a smiley face or an abbreviated acknowledgement of agreement really mean they are all set and aligned? Unfortunately conclusions are drawn on frighteningly little information. Getting Real In this wired world when we have only abridged words and faceless chats instead of voice, face and body expression how then do we communicate effectively and build more authentic relationships? Leaders must consider the impact on business relationships and the ability to effectively collaborate, build trust, and create employee engagement and loyalty. Susan Tardanico, leadership and communications executive coach, consultant and professional speaker and CEO of the Authentic Leadership Alliance LLC suggests certain ways for keeping communication real Suggestions for Keeping E-Communication Real †¢Address your issues. If you are drawing a conclusion about experiencing a conflict based on an electronic exchange, then pick up the phone or have a face-to-face conversation to clear things up. †¢Me first. Make an effort to check your own communications to ensure you aren’t sending an inaccurate  message. Take steps to put forth an accurate picture of reality. †¢Bridging the gap. As employees and employers, there are chances of dealing with different generations who have noticeably different communication preferences. Talk with colleagues about this aspect and ask for input on the best way to keep communication flowing through the team. †¢Stay connected. Don’t fall prey to the comfort of sitting behind closed doors and doing all your work from behind a computer screen or the hand-held device. No doubt it takes the pressure off many of the complexities of management, but this also disconnects us from face to face connections. Find a way to stay connected with colleagues; employee relationship is one of the determining factors for level of engagement and loyalty to the organization. †¢Beware of the disconnect. An eloquent and motivating online communication is easy to write. But if our words are not consistent with our actions and reality, this disconnect will harm our credibility and impede our ability to work effectively. †¢Two-way communication. Communication is essentially a two-way process. Just because you’ve fired off an e-mail or text, it doesn’t mean communication has taken place. We must pay attention to the feedback to see if our message is understood and accepted. Considering that this trend is here to stay, we need to create cultures where managers, employees and stakeholders renew their efforts to get at the real messages and issues. When colleagues spend personal time we can expect better working abilities. Correlations between face-to-face relationship-building and employee engagement and loyalty are a concept that has been proven again and again over the years. This has also been excellently explored in the concept â€Å"Management by Walking Around† in Tom Peters’ groundbreaking book In Search of Excellence. As global citizens of a technologically-enabled world we must find a way to incorporate all the amazing benefits which mediated communication has to offer while ensuring that we aren’t losing the human touch with the most significant personal and professional relationships.

Hyperion Financial Management: Performance Tuning Guide

For comprehensive tuning information for the PM System, please refer to the [email  protected] Hyperfine PM, Fusion Edition Performance and Tuning Guide. Top of Document This document is written for people who monitor performance and tune the components in an PM/BI environment. It is assumed that readers know server administration and hardware performance tuning fundamentals, web servers, java application servers and database. Introduction to Oracle Hyperfine PM System Performance To maximize Oracle Hyperfine PM System performance, you need to monitor, analyze, and tune all the components.This guide describes the tools that you can use to monitor performance and the techniques for optimizing the performance of Oracle Hyperfine PM System components, for example Financial Management, Sybase, Reporting and Analysis and Planning. Performance Terminology This guide uses the following performance terms: Scalability The system's ability to perform within specification under increasing use r load, data load and hardware expansion. Latency The time between the issuing of a request and the time when the work actually begins on the request. Think time The time a real user pauses to think between actions.Resource utilization A consumption metric, for example, the percent of CPU usage. Response time A time metric, for example round-trip time it takes the server to deliver a Web page. Throughput A rate metric (requests per unit of time), for example, requests per second, bits per second. For example, if an application can handle 20 customer quests simultaneously and each request takes one second to process, this site has a potential throughput of 20 requests per second. Understanding Key Performance Drivers To optimize your deployment, you must understand the elements that influence performance and scalability.A factor that dictates performance is called a key performance driver. Knowing how the drivers behave in combination further enhances your ability to deploy Oracle Hy perfine PM system optimally, based on the unique requirements of each deployment. Hardware Capacity – Factors such as number of servers, quantity and speed of processors, available RAM, network speed etc. Technical Platforms Tuning – Fine tuning other third party software required for installing and running Oracle Hyperfine PM products; for example: relational databases, Java application servers, Web servers, Server / Client Operating System and browsers.Business Application Design – Application design is an important factor in system performance I. E. Structure, size, and use of product features in designing applications' databases, reports, Web data entry forms, calculations and consolidations. Business Process usage – Activities carried out by users in the normal flow of your business cycle. Business process usage has three components: User activity-?Activities available to users for data load or data entry, database processing (consolidations, copy, c lear, and so on), and reporting and analysis. Rate of user activity – A number of transactions executed by one user per one hour.User concurrency-?Number of users for each activity being carried out simultaneously. Tuning Recommendations for Financial Management Performance tuning Oracle Hyperfine Financial Management is a complex and iterative process. To ghetto started, this document includes recommendations to help you optimize your Oracle Hyperfine HEM system reference. Note: tuning has to be done for a particular production workload. Tuning can be conducted when workload is generated by load generation tools like Oracle Application Testing Suite (TATS) or Load Runner by HP.This document touches on several areas that provide a quick start for performance tuning Financial Management, including: Tune Operating Systems parameters Tune HTTP Server parameters Tune HTTP Server Compression / Caching 4 Tune Oracle Database Parameters Hyper-Threading / SMS Considerations Note: whi le the list in each of the above stated section is a useful tool in tarring your performance tuning, it is not meant to be comprehensive list of areas to tune. You must monitor and track specific performance issues within your implementation to understand where tuning can improve performance.Top Of Document Diagnosing Performance Problems When a performance issue arises, it is critical to first determine the cause prior to taking any corrective action. Oracle does not recommend changing performance-related parameter settings or taking other actions until an extensive analysis of the problem has been performed. Using Monitoring Tools Oracle strongly recommends using monitoring tools to collect performance ATA as part of the diagnostic process. Monitoring the WFM application server, web servers, database server(s) and network layers provide useful performance data.The recommended tool to monitor the WFM application process performance on the Windows server side is Microsoft Performanc e monitoring. Steps for configuring Performance Monitor to gather the counters specific for HEM application can be found here: HTTPS://support. Us. Oracle. Com/pop/faces/secure/km/ Documentation's. JSP? Id=953294. 1 Performance counters to monitor include: Us beseem Counter Guidance Memory Memory: Free System â€Å"Warning† when Free System Page Table Entries is Page Table Entries less than 8,000 â€Å"Critical† when Free System page Table Entries is less than 5,000.On WFM systems if you enable KGB without proper tuning as per recommendations stated in section â€Å"Tune Windows /KGB†, you will notice 5000 PET as initial value after the reboot. Memory: Available Should be no lower than 20% to 25% of Installed Maybes physical memory. In these cases, carefully monitor Paging activity. Memory: Page This counter should be below 1,000 at all times. Reads/sec Processor processor: % processor Total processor utilization should be lower than about Time Total to 80%. Pro cessor: % Processor Each processor instance should be lower than about 5 Disk 70% to 80% utilization.

Disease Trends and the Delivery of Healthcare Services Essay

Aging and obesity are two components of disease trends in the United States. Studies, reports, articles, and many other forms of information have been conducted or written to see just how these components of disease trends will influence the delivery of health care. If Americans keep indulging, we will be the largest country in the world, and that is not speaking geographically. Not since the beginning of man has the world had so many older people. There is a large percentage of elderly, more so than ever before. This has not always been the case. It is documented, in 1930, that America’s aged 45-64 numbered less than 5. % of the American population. This day and age if you had 8 people at least one of them is 65 or older. From 2000 to 2010 that age group grew to 26. 4 percent of the American population. By the 2030 there will be 72. 1 million older people in the U. S. This is caused because of the â€Å"Baby Boomers†, people born between 1946 and 1964, are coming of retirement age (Transgenerational, 2013). . Environmental factors of ageing play a large role in the majority of cases of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; two diseases that are closely related to ageing. Exposure to toxic chemicals and other pollutants, diet, exercise, and socioeconomic stress can also play a large role on how ageing can be affected. The coming of the millenniums the aging population has become a major demographic trend in the United Sates. Improved health and longevity and declining fertility have had a growth spurt in the older populations dramatically. Here are some interesting facts. A swelling Population (Transgenerational, 2013) * For the first time in history, people aged 65 and over will soon outnumber children under the age of 5. Throughout the world today, there are more people aged 65 and older than the entire populations of Russia, Japan, France, Germany and Australia—combined. * By 2030, 55 countries are expected to see their 65 and older populations at least 20 percent of their total. * By 2040, the global population is projected to number 1. 3 billion older people—accounting for 14 percent of the total. * By 2050, the U. N. estimates that the proportion of the world’s population age 65 and over will more than double, from 7. 6% today to 16. 2%. As the number of the elderly increases, public health challenges increase. At least 80% of people over 65 years of age have a chronic health condition and at least 50% have two chronic health issues. Diabetes, affects close to one out of five persons over the age of 65. Diabetes causes increased morbidity and health care cost is increased. Diabetes will intensify as the population ages; with more people over the age of 70 having the largest increase. By 2050 we are looking at least 8. 6 million men and women over the age of 70 with diabetes. Alzheimer is another disease affected by ageing. As adults live longer the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, also increases. Close to 10% of over 65 and close to 47% over 85 suffer from this degenerative and debilitating disease (Transgenerational, 2013). A chronic condition, such as arthritis, is another disease affected by ageing and is a huge cause of disability. As the elderly are living longer there are more complications related to health than most anything else related to ageing. Everyday new medications ad new technologies are being created and can be contributed to people living longer. However, what the body is like at 55 years is not the same as it is at 75 years. You do not heal as fast or as well, therefore the rehabilitation process will take longer and cost more. The most common condition touching those 65 and older is coronary heart disease, and then stroke, cancer, pneumonia and the flu (AgingCare, 2013). Hip fracture from falls is another common factor of health complication in the elderly. Many of the elderly have at least one of the following ailments not previously mentioned, and some with two or more: (AgingCare, 2013) * Breathing Problems * Depression * Incontinence (urine and stool) * Cancer * Eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, Macular Degeneration) As the body gets older, other things to be aware of are: (AgingCare, 2013) * A slower response time, which is really important when assessing if a person can drive handle a vehicle. * Thinner skin, which can lead to breakdowns and wounds that don’t heal quickly * A declining immune system, which can make warding off viruses, bacteria and diseases difficult * Reduced sense of taste or smell, which can lead to reduced appetite and dehydration Current and future trends of obesity are not looking too promising for Americans. Americans are fat, and we lie about it. Most women say they do not weigh as much as they really do and both men and women say they are taller than they really, so the body mass index are not true rates, either (insidermonkey, 2010) If we continue with the current trends of the past 30 years, we could be looking at 100% of an overweight population. By 2048, all African-American women could be obese and at least 90% of all Hispanic men could obese, too. 100% of the population overweight is another story. Here are some interesting facts: (insidermonkey, 2010) * Non-Hispanic black people have the highest obesity rate of 36. 8%. Hispanics have an obesity rate of 30. 7% Non-Hispanic white people have an obesity rate of 25. 2%. * Other races, such as Asians, have the lowest obesity rate of 16. 7%. * The obesity rate of people aged 18-29 is 20. 3%. * The rate is 27. 8% for 30-39 age group, 29. 4% for 40-49 age group, 31. 1% for 50-59 age groups. The obesity rate declines slightly to 30. 9% for the 60-69 age groups * Those who manage to stay alive past the age of 69 have an obesity rate of 20. 5%. Obesity is one of the factors causing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes (insidermonkey, 2010). A large portion of people that are obese are also diabetic. Environment, behavior and biology are the ntricate interactions from Obesities end result. The current obesity epidemic is caused more by the environmental factors, such as a sedentary lifestyle, setting and watching TV or playing games, eating fatty high calorie foods, than the actual biological factors. People watching televisions are flooded with commercials showing all the comfort foods craved by the public. The convenience of a drive through restaurant is more appealing to some than the grocery store and cooking a healthy meal. The fast food we buy is packed in portion sizes that are way out of line with the federal recommendations. Moreover, the imbalance if calorie intake and physical expenditure has decreased in today’s lifestyle. Fighting the obesity epidemic requires environmental and social policy changes, mainly in the portion sizes, making healthful foods more readily available and promoting physical activity. Obesity is known as the plague of the 21st century. Obesity is beginning to be one of the â€Å"sensitive† issue in the U. S. and people are afraid to discuss the issue because political correctness. Statistics do not tell the true story and are grossly underestimated. There are parts of the U. S. hat the obesity rates are highest and that is the Midwest and the South; the home of fried chicken and potatoes and gravy. The obesity rates are the lowest on the West coast and the Northeast; obviously, a fish eating population. A fun fact; the US is biggest Big Mac consumer in the world (insidermonkey, 2010). It is agreed by the healthcare professionals that the more overweight a person is, the more likely they are to have health problems. Overweight or obese people are at higher risk for chronic diseases (WebMD, 2012). If a person’s weight is at 20% over the maximum healthy weight considered for their height, they are thought to be obese. Those at greatest risks for overweight/obesity related conditions include: (WebMD, 2012) * People with a family history who have had heart disease or diabetes are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese. * High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels are all warning signs of some obesity-associated diseases. * â€Å"Apple† shaped. People whose weight is mostly around their stomachs may be at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or cancer than people of the same weight who are â€Å"pear-shaped† (they carry their weight in their hips nd buttocks) (WebMD, 2012). Obesity can cause your health to suffer tremendously. It is harder on your heart and all your organs. A few of the main health issues can be blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, high cholesterol and an over-all metabolic syndrome, this is a combination of a your blood sugars, blood pressure, high cholesterol and high triglycerides (agingc are,2013). Caring extra weight on your body frame also can be contributed to osteoarthritis. Sleep apnea is another health complication that can be linked to obesity (agingcare, 2013). You over-all quality of life may not be as good as it could be if you were not obese. Some of these issues may be, depression, discrimination, physical discomfort, shame, and even social isolation (Mayo Clinic, 2012). In 2030, it is estimated the older generation is be 20% of the American population. As people age in the future they will enjoy longer lives and better health. Older people will also be more active than in past generation; if the percentage of the elderly can stay below the obesity levels. Having the number of aged increased, there will be an increase in health-care cost, too. Many elderly will be independent and take care of themselves but many will also depend on the care of long-term facilities. The issue with this can be that the number of working tax payers may decreased in relativity to the number elderly increase. So, we might see inadequate public resources and less people being able to formally care for the elderly. The obese population already have a large medical costs of obesity are as high as $147 Billion. On average, obese people have medical costs that are $1429 more than medical costs of normal weight people (insidermonkey, 2010). Getting older is something we have no control of. We do have the control to prevent ourselves from becoming obese. We have control over what we put in our mouths. We have control over how we treat our bodies. If we are obese in our younger years, there is a possibility that we won’t make to our older years. It would be nice to know in 2030 we are not going to have a nation of old fat people. How we treat our bodies and how we teach our children to treat their bodies will tell how we are going to age and what quality of life we are going to have.

Dunns Emporium Experiences Growth Research Paper

Dunns Emporium Experiences Growth - Research Paper Example Leadership is the process of motivating, empowering, influencing and communicating with people to achieve organizational goals in a given situation. The role of a leader is to encourage the team to work towards the goal, define the task by providing a structure, classify the decorum, policies and the working methods for the team and evaluate the performance to enhance the individual development of the team. Therefore a leader motivates, encourages, guides creates followers, controls, negotiates and inspires the team for quality performance achievement. Joseph Dunn needs to act as a motivator and encourage the staff of Dunns Ski Emporium and The Deli to acknowledge his decision of the merger. He would act as a mediator to enable consensus among the employees. He must act as an initiator to promote innovation that can be brought in the strategic implementation of both the firm’s growth. His role as a strong leader is important to assure complete harmony among the employees of th e firm by integrating the departments. He must implement working methods and behavioral conduct as well as facilitate ideas from a team which was a problem being faced in The Deli due to the new ice-cream manager, John Levitz as his arrogant behavior towards his subordinates were inappropriate and was discouraging the team to perform and coordinate among themselves.On the other hand, John was young and enthusiastic about the expansion of the ice-cream business which would benefit from the merger of the two firms.

World of work silver- organisation awareness Coursework - 1

World of work silver- organisation awareness - Coursework Example However, soon after the 2008 activities, the demand for Land Rover cars declined by almost one-quarter. In 2009, for instance, 144,133 car sales were registered worldwide. Jaguar also recorded a slump in sales by almost 20 per cent to about 52,500 in 2010 (Grant, 2010). Regardless, Jaguar’s internal processes paint its image as an effective, innovation-driven organization (Batchelor, 2014). As a mechanical engineer I can attribute the innovation successes to unique car designs. In order to improve the quality of its products, JLR has reduced its product lines to two instead of the initial six (Raynal, 2012). The company allocates generous budgets for its R&D in order to support the creation of fine mechanical engineering qualities. Nonetheless, JLR demonstrates a higher level of balancing its innovation with the primary risk of cost overruns than its competitors (Batchelor, 2014). Regardless, Jaguar’s supply chain management is still poor, judging by the lower presence of the products in the developing economies than the units of its market rivals such as Mercedes Benz or General Motors (Harris, 2013). As a mechanical engineer, I think Jaguar should increase the quantity of its units at the dealers, because the strategy of cashing in on customers who associate with rare products keeps their consumer base smaller than that of their rivals with more units in the market. Owing to the fitness of the Land Rover for different purposes, the brand is apparently performing better than the Jaguar (Gomes et al, 2007). After the recent acquisition, the company has shifted major head office decisions to India in an attempt to strengthen its market presence across the two products. In India, the company enjoys the advantage of the cheap labour, reduced production expenses and low-cost of logistics (The Guardian, 2015). These important factors will likely increase the quantity of the brand

Business plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Business plan - Term Paper Example The Coffee Lounge would harness the closeness to the University of Colorado. The best tasting beverages in the Coffee Lounge will be prepared with ingredients of premium quality following stringent quality guidelines to ensure the satisfaction of the connoisseur. The store layout will reflect the ambience to the youth, who would throng during the day and in the evenings after the college. The menu and the advertisements will target customers for higher margin espresso drinks. Along with Espresso drinks, brewed coffee and teas will also be on offer. To go with these beverages, some snacks such as pastries, sandwiches and salads will also feature in the menu. These menu offerings could be savored while reading free books and magazines that are provided to the customers inside the Coffee Lounge. The menu of the Coffee Lounge will be developed around Espresso-based coffee drinks such as Lattes, Mochas, and Cappuccinos etc. These drinks will be on offer with skimmed, whole or soy milk. Each of these drinks is prepared with a ‘shot’ of espresso prepared in the machine by forcing hot water through ground coffee at high pressure. These ‘shots’ are combined with steamed milk with or without additives such as cocoa, caramel, etc. Our meticulous preparation techniques and trained personnel will ensure our competitive advantage. The promotion activity will begin in the University of Colorado campus, the malls and select buildings in the vicinity of the campus. The kick off for promotion would be two weeks prior to the opening of the Coffee Lounge. These will be accompanied by free post cards with endorsement of Coffee Lounge aimed at increasing the visibility of the coffee lounge. The Coffee Lounge will be close to the University of Colorado with a 2400 Sq.Ft. area. This accommodation will be acquired through a three year lease with a flexibility to extend. The hook

Website Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Website Review - Essay Example The next section discusses the various chronological events discussed in the life of E.E. Cummings with all dates included. It provides various links to his works and related materials like poems, essays, paintings, other forms of work. The following are the contents and its evaluation: It takes in as input the date of birth, a month of birth, year of birth, sex, mode, BMI, smoking status and then calculates one death day and date. It is a tool which works on primary inputs and makes sure that BMI can be calculated and also lets the user know to calculate the death date, thereby calling it the death clock. It demonstrates itself into â€Å"Obituaries† which mention that all the people may how beautiful and famous they are they would perish away from this earth one day. The page â€Å"Your Will† is a FAQ page which lists the very questions one may have or usually do on an average. All the probable answers are written here to let the users know what they are thinking. The page â€Å"Dead letter office’ would make sure that all the user comments and archives The page â€Å"Testament† details the likes and dislikes of the site owner in accordance to various topics like â€Å"A game†, â€Å"Death Clock 2†, â€Å"Planet of the Apes†, â€Å"911†, â€Å"I hate my Cd burner† and much more. The last page â€Å"Your Prayer† details out the various communication techniques to reach the site owner for ay communication. The website would make sure that all the various compliances are met for the site owner and all the objectives are achieved through the website.

Asbestos Contamination in Libby Montana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Asbestos Contamination in Libby Montana - Essay Example These diseases are incurable and terminal with mesothelioma directly and exclusively linked to asbestos dust exposure. (Peacock, 2003). The GAO (2003) acknowledged that its study was conducted as records showed that between 1979 and 1998, the number of deaths in Libby, Montana from lung disease asbestosis was 40 to 80 times higher all over the United States. In the investigation, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported contamination of asbestos in vermiculite ore processing in Libby. By year 2001, about 18 % of current and former Libby residents who received x-rays were identified having asbestos related lung abnormalities as per record of the Department of Health and Human Services (GAO, 2003). The business mining operations began in 1923. W.R. Grace operated vermiculite mine and dispensation mill in Libby from 1963 until the year of 1990 when it was closed. The mining company employed up to 200 people annually at its vermiculite mine and mill. Workers inhaled asbestos-contaminated dust during mining operations and moving the vermiculite ore and this contaminated dust remains in worker’s clothes and vehicles and it is brought to town. The product of the company is Zonolite ® Attic Insulation was used in resident’s homes and in new home construction in various locations around Libby. The vermiculite ore was distributed to extension plants throughout the country and processed into fireproofing materials and insulations, exposing many more workers. At its peak of mining operation, vermiculite mining production reached more than 200,000 tons annually. And W.R. Grace is believed to have 80% of vermiculite around the world. Sources In the early 1920s, initial mining operations began for vermiculite ore body seven miles northeast of Libby, Montana. Full-scale mining operation resumed a decade later under the Universal Zonolite Insulation Company (Zonolite). The vermiculite mined from Zonolite Mountain is contaminated with asbestos fibers, including tremolite and actinolite, and contains the related fibrous asbestiform minerals winchite, richterite, and ferro-edenite. Mining and processing operations, as well as home use of waste rock and products from the Zonolite mine, resulted in the spreading of asbestos throughout the town. Thousands of people in Libby, including former mine workers, their relatives, and other residents, have exhibited signs and symptoms of asbestos-related disease. Since 1999, in response to reports of extensive disease among Libby, Montana residents, EPA's Region 8 Emergency Response Branch has been conducting sampling and removals to tackle the most highly contaminated areas in the Libby valley (EPA, 2002). Exposure Pathways Occupational- miners were exposed to high levels of asbestos in the air at the mine, during convey and handling operations, and during processing operations. Household contact- families of workers were exposed to

Futuristic Design in Public Safety and Housing for an Ideal Imaginary Essay

Futuristic Design in Public Safety and Housing for an Ideal Imaginary City - Essay Example People can now live above the earth, and do not need to rely on it for any further for living, beside as a base for recourses. This also leads to a new mode of transportation, the closest thing we have seen so far would be shuttles and crafts seen in Star Wars movies. Using these floating vehicles, we are able to nimbly and swiftly commute from advanced city to advanced city. The new standard of living has also opened up new advancements in the living and safety of all people. All houses are now simple domes in the sky, and can only be entered by strict security clearance. A person must enter a chamber, where the person's retina is scanned, as well as their handprints analyzed. This offers maximum household security and has brought robbery rates down to practically zero. Many other household advancements have helped make life easier and more comfortable for many people. New climate control meters are installed in every home, which allows for complete control of the temperature, and even the weather inside the house dome. If a person wants it to rain for example, they must simply press a button on the weather control mechanism, which will make it rain. The same can be done for all weather and temperatures. This advancement lead to people not having to live in a certain location to benefit from the climate they wanted. New advancements in how policing systems work have led to a huge increase in pub

AP English Language and Composition-Timed Writting Essay

AP English Language and Composition-Timed Writting - Essay Example licy whose implementation was intended to save power usage and practiced by countries such as United States, Britain, France, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand and other countries (Source C). Its expanded use however believed to have other benefits in other areas such as traffic safety and crime reduction (Source A) According to a study made by U.S. Department of Transportation in the 1970s, DST reduces America’s electricity usage â€Å"by about one percent† daily when the DST is in effect for an eight month period (Source C). This result is replicated in other countries that also practice DST. It was also observed by the same study that crime rate was reduced by as much as 10 to 13 percent when DST was in effect attributing to the fact that the extended daylight decreases the opportunity for crimes against those people who are returning from work (Source C). Study also showed that traffic accidents were reduced when DST is in effect (Source C). Daily Savings Time policy intent of saving electricity consumption however is not without its share of detractors. There are also several sectors that opposed its implementation among them was the airline industry who believed that the extension of DST from a uniform six months to eight months would cause problems in airline’s schedules that would incur them millions of dollars in losses. The perceived benefit of saving electricty consumption through the implementation of DST was also challenged by another study that reported that contrary to the policy’s intent, DST in fact increases the use of electricy consumption for about one percent and there are even instances during fall that the increase rose between 2 and 4 percent (Source –Kotchen). The expanded benefit of DST of crime reduction and traffic safety was also attempted to be offset by the study that reported that DST can cause sleep disruptions and possibly other serious consequences (Source E). These findings however are not that conclusive

Latin america religious news Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Latin america religious news - Essay Example Cuba is also an interesting case, for the dominant Communist ideology embraced by the nation is antithetical to the doctrine of Christianity. Hence, when the key itinerary of the Pope unfolds over the coming days, it would lead to numerous talking points in news media and blogosphere. Scheduled to begin on Friday the 23th of this month, the visit could usher in a â€Å"forward-looking agenda with wiling and capable hemispheric partners.† (Farnsworth, 2012) The Huffington Post article titled The Latin American Spring, published 21st March 2012, goes on to say that â€Å"it is also an opportunity for countries in Latin America to show tangible leadership on a number of issues consistent with hemispheric expectations of representative democracy and open market economies.† (Farnsworth, 2012). This is an interesting observation, for it implies that the purported religious visit has ramifications in the realms of politics and democracy as well. It is also a measure of power w ielded by religious leaders in this region that something as sweeping as democratic and economic reforms are thought possible through directives from the Vatican. The same news item was discussed in the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune of 22 March, 2012. Here, author Nicole Winfield presents some interesting insights into the role of religion in the region. ... The following passage shows the opportunities and challenges in the Cuban leg of the tour. It also indicates the potential of religion to bring about progressive change: â€Å"Cuba's single-party, Communist government never outlawed religion, but it expelled priests and closed religious schools upon Fidel Castro's takeover of Cuba in 1959. Tensions eased in the early 1990s when the government removed references to atheism in the constitution and let believers of all faiths join the Communist Party... John Paul's 1998 visit further warmed relations. But after 14 years there's no doubt that the current visit of Pope Benedict XVI will help the process of development toward democracy and will open new spaces for the church's presence and activity† (Winfield, 2012) Coming to Mexico, religion is an important social denominator in the country, where an estimated 50,000 people were killed during last five years in connection with the war on drugs. The population of the country is over whelmingly Catholic (more than 80%) and members of the cartels that perpetrate violence and terror in the region are also claiming to be Catholics. In this situation, the pontiff will try to use his religious clout over the faithful and help tackle â€Å"what the Church sees as threats to family values, as well as the rise of rival religious movements.† (The Telegraph, 2012) Cuba, on the other hand poses an interesting juxtaposition, for the country’s political culture does not promote religion and only 10 % of the population are Catholics. Nevertheless, considering that part of social work in Cuba is carried out by Catholic institutions, the Pope’s address will highlight and encourage such cooperation between opposing ideological institutions. It will also draw upon historical Christian

Building an Ethical Organization Part 2 Essay Example for Free

Building an Ethical Organization Part 2 Essay Individual: Building an Ethical Organization Part 1 The name of my organization is Focus Mental Health and Developmental Agency Focus is an agency that provides help and compassion to people that are going through a mental health issue whether it is needing counseling, support, or medication treatment Focus is your path to peace of mind. Substance abuse is another issue that we address from helping to get assistance to go into inpatient treatment facility, or outpatient treatment, as well as Aftercare which is a support program for clients being fresh out of drug or alcohol treatment or stopping using on their own. Recovery program that can be provided through Focus for continued success at a productive life for clients. Recovery is a life altering event because the client will be drug or alcohol free for a certain amount of time but will constantly be on a mission to stay free from these addictions. We have case managers who do home visits as well as office visits to stay on top of our clients’ needs before they become a crisis. We promote medication therapy which assists clients in staying on a strict medication regiment for mental health and some substance abuse treatments as well when necessary. Groups for substance and alcohol abuse meet weekly, the meeting are separated in to one for teenagers and one for adults as well as one for narcotics and one for alcohol abuse. Focus also has a team that works in human services call the impact team which do such things as take the clients grocery shopping, or to appointments or out to functions in town and even to visit family members they a re up close and personal with the clients. The clientele for Focus will be children starting at age 10 and up through adulthood. The clients are high in number in male and female ratio, meaning we service high numbers of both genders. Clientele for Focus consist of primarily low income clients but is open to all residents of Richmond County. Children and adults that may be going through a turning point in their lives and need some assistance in adapting to the changes and probably have no other place  to turn are much of Focus clientele. Within our substance abuse programs many of our clients are repeaters they have had some type of counseling or treatment in the past, the clients are children as well as adults. Much of our clientele is involved in long term care phases with Focus they are in need of support in their lives, medications and usually involved in aftercare or recovery. Mental health issues brings many clients to Focus, they sometimes come straight from the hospital to the offices of Focus they are usually in great need of care. Our clientele is very diverse we have to be prepared for almost anything from getting someone to speak another language to clients to giving a child a hug. Focus is a non-profit organization, but we do bring in an income by charging for services, on a sliding fee scale, services maybe free for those who qualify, or clients can setup a payment plan, but the rates are according to income and ability to pay. Focus has to charge a small fee to cover their bills and overhead to stay in business and grow and continue to service the Richmond County area. Focus is not in business to get wealthy but to make a difference in the lives of our clients and the community. The issue of Focus is to support an issue of private or public interest that does not include a monetary value. Mission Statement: Focus gracefully and respectfully service adults and children that may be at a turning point in their life and are having mental health and/or substance abuse issues, as well as people in any phase of relapse. Focus particularly caters to low income people but all are welcome, we serve the county of Richmond. Our goal is to provide our clients with the knowledge, treatment and support so they can return to a life of independence, good health and wellbeing; and Focus encourages and support clients in their aftercare and recovery as needed. We do not discriminate against anyone needing service for any reason; we are made up of a diverse society at Focus. The mission statement supports the ethical system because Focus not only will treat the clients and bring them around to better health and not only that Focus will make sure that the clients learns the tools they need to stay healthy and recover, and continue on a path to independence again. The mission statement supports the ethical s ystem because it calls for diversity which is a big part of the clients that come to the agency and the staff. The  message the mission statement send to the community is that we are here for you, to help you, support you and see that your needs are met. Focus will be with you through your journey and for the long term until you are able to become more manageable in your life. That during your need for Focus services you can count on us and we will teach you how to take the best care of yourself with and without our assistance. Drohan William M, (June 2010) wrote a successful statement becomes a unifying force, a foundation on which to build, and a reference point for everything the association does. Its well worth the time to make sure it is written in such a way that it will serve as a guide and an inspiration for many years to come. Values statement: At Focus we value and treat everyone that comes through our doors with mutual respect and dignity. We will have acceptance of all people regardless if there is any kind of difference between us, we will always embrace diversity. Focus will respect each client’s privacy by protecting their medical records at all times, and allowing only staff directly involved with client care to view records. There will be no room for sexual harassment of clients or staff. Kernaghan, K. (2003) writes, A values statement expressing values that are shared at all organizational levels-combined with the dispersal of leadership roles throughout the organization-provides an especially strong foundation for integrating values into public service. These values will inspire action and influence behavior because it states that you will be treated with mutual respect, so clients will know to be on their best behavior and staff will know that also as well as being professional at all times. By accepting d iversity that lets all clients know that they are welcome, important and will be getting equal treatment. The clients will feel protected knowing their medical records are kept confidential and they will not be sexually harassed during their visit. They both call for treating the clients with mutual respect, regardless of any type of differences that maybe. Values and mission statements both state that they are for diversity so it includes people, make people want to come forward and get care. Knowledge and support for the clients is a part of the values statement as well as the mission statement. Long term care is part of each statement which would usually be necessary for Mental Health and Substance abuse treatment. The mission statement and the values  statement in different ways states that they want the best for the clients, want them to get the best service or treatment available at Focus, so they can be their best. Code of Ethics All employees will abide by these codes of ethics at all times (except when necessary not to), we will present good conduct ourselves at all times to be a credit to the organization and the community we serve. Yi-Hui, Haung, (2010) states, First, responding to the argument that ethics codes are not an effective indicator of professionalism, I believe that a code of ethics is part of the standards that must be fulfilled for an occupation to be a profession, especially for public relations. 1.All staff should attempt to meet the needs of their clients, including committing to and respecting client rights and maintaining confidentiality at all times, except in special cases. 2.Staff should be knowledgeable in a variety of areas and situations in order to be able to effectively perform their duties in human services. 3.All staff must work well with their peers and should show mutual respect for one another, and avoid negative criticism. 4.All staff must carry themselves in a professional manner at all times and must not let their personal lives interfere with being professional on the job. 5.All staff should work for the benefit of society and make sure that all clients equal rights are protected and have an opportunity for helpful services that meet their need. 6.Staff will not argue with clients or other staff if a situation should come up between either of the two it must be taken to the supervisor and dealt with directly if the situation cannot be handle in any other fashion 7.All staff must vow to speak up if they see or know of another employee that is violating the codes of ethics, the law, or a client these matters must be addressed with your immediate supervisor. 8.The use of drugs will not be tolerated, and the use of alcohol while on the clock will not be tolerated either, if you suspect another employee report it, it is for the safety and protection of the organization. 9.All employees should exercise their power to prevent mistakes or wrongdoing by ask ing questions at the right time. 10.All staff should respect the property of others, be honest and not take unfair advantage of other employees. The code of ethics inspires a tangible outcome from an employee because they will want to be the best example for the organization and their peers. The  code of ethics would cause the employee to check their work more carefully and make sure it is done correctly and by the law as well as dealing with the clients. The code also helps the employees feel protected, because it sets rules and guidelines for the employees and all must abide by them equally. The code of ethics is related to the mission and values of the organization because they are there to co-inside with each other for the direction of the organization, and the protection of the clients and staff. All three are necessary for the good of the organization, the focus and the goal to be effective. Our organization plans on having a relaxing, calm, approachable family oriented culture. The atmosphere will be calming, loud noise will be prevented as much as possible, and we tell our clients to invite a family member if possible to the appointments. Our staff will carry themselves in a professional, plight and clam manner in order to set an example for the clients, so they will not get excited. The culture will institutionalize the organizations values by having them mesh together. When the clients see how the environment of the organization is they will be more than willing to come to their appointments regularly and participate in their treatment and perhaps invite a family member. Even though this will be a change for the clients from an institution staff will do everything to help them adjust. Focus employees will treat everyone with dignity, respect, honest, and kindness this is the type of atmosphere we represent. Identifying my moral responsibility as a leader is of importance, because the workers will be watching and imitating the kind of behavior that I display, the leader sets the mood in the environment in the whole organization. I will be responsible for all action that I take part in, and be honest and truthful in all my actions. While trying to maintain the ethical standard I will be evaluating their performance in six month intervals and on their anniversary date. For the six month if no problems the employee will get a gift card to a store and for the anniversary day they get a raise. I will have a one on one meeting to talk about their performance evaluation and their strengths and weakness and how they can improve during their job. I will keep a record of all evaluation so I can assist workers in being the best employee they can be. I will lead by example. Part of my moral responsibility is to lead the worker to the best of my abilities. I wil l make sure that I set the same kind of ethical  standards that I would like for my workers to follow. Morals have to do with values and values relate to compassion, integrity, and dignity and these are things that I will display while I am in a leadership role. I will maintain Focus ethical standard while measuring the workers performance by treating all employees as individuals and as fair as possible. There will be an ethics committee which will consist of the me, my boss and one employee so the employees will have a voice. The ethics committee will review the evaluations to make sure all rule and guidelines have been followed and the committee will study different methods and organization policy to look for what is right and what is wrong. Other than me leading by example and the ethics committee the workers will follow suit and become loyal employees. The structures I would put in place for oversight is training for employees, evaluate new employees the first six months of em ployment. In conclusion the mission and value statements and the code of ethics form the core of Focus is something that clients and employees can value in the organization. They serve as a guiding tool for employees so they can give their clients the best service practically every time. Effective leadership is necessary for morale and production in the organization and that comes from a good leader. Performance evaluations will play an important role in the structure of the employee’s positions. Periodical performance evaluations are necessary in order to evaluate the performance of the employees and maintain an ethical standard. The Focus is a place where people with mental health issues and/or substance abuse issues can come for help and get their needs met and feel safe. References Drohan, W. M. (1999, January). Writing a mission statement. Association missions statement; writing, 51(1), 1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/229219642? Kernaghan, K. (2003). Integrating values in to public services: The value statement as a centerpiece. Public Administration Review, 63(6), 711-719. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy..apollolibrary.com/docview/197169756? Huang, Y. (2010, June). Should a public relations code of efforts be enforced.. Journal of Business Ethics, 31(3), 259-270. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.exproxy.apollolibrary

The Environmentally Sustainable Transport

The Environmentally Sustainable Transport Sustainable transport or green transport refers to any means of transport with low impact on the environment, and includes non-motorized transport, like walking and cycling, transit oriented development, green vehicles, car sharing, and building or protecting urban transport systems that are fuel-efficient, space-saving and promote healthy lifestyles. Sustainable transport systems make a positive contribution to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the communities they serve. Transport systems exist to provide social and economic connections, and people quickly take up the opportunities offered by increased mobility. The advantages of increased mobility need to be weighed against the environmental, social and economic costs that transport systems pose. Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment, accounting between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy using sector. Road transport is also a major contributor to local air pollution and smog. The social costs of transport include road crashes, air pollution, physical inactivity, time taken away from the family while commuting and vulnerability to fuel price increases. Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive cars. Traffic congestion imposes economic costs by wasting peoples time and by slowing the delivery of goods and services. Traditional transport planning aims to improve mobility, especially for vehicles, and may fail to adequately consider wider impacts. But the real purpose of transport is access to work, education, goods and services, friends and family and there are proven techniques to improve access while simultaneously reducing environmental and social impacts, and managing traffic congestion. Communities which are successfully improving the sustainability of their transport networks are doing so as part of a wider program of creating more vibrant, livable, sustainable cities. Definition: The term sustainable transport came into use as a logical follow-on from sustainable development, and is used to describe modes of transport, and systems of transport planning, which are consistent with wider concerns of sustainability. There are many definitions of the sustainable transport, and of the related terms sustainable transportation and sustainable mobility. One such definition, from the European Union Council of Ministers of Transport, defines a sustainable transportation system as one that: Allows the basic access and development needs of individuals, companies and society to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and promotes equity within and between successive generations. Is Affordable, operates fairly and efficiently, offers a choice of transport mode, and supports a competitive economy, as well as balanced regional development. Limits emissions and waste within the planets ability to absorb them, uses renewable resources at or below their rates of generation, and uses non-renewable resources at or below the rates of development of renewable substitutes, while minimizing the impact on the use of land and the generation of noise. Sustainability extends beyond just the operating efficiency and emissions. A Life-cycle assessment involves production and post-use considerations. A cradle-to-cradle design is more important than a focus on a single factor such as energy efficiency. History: Most of the tools and concepts of sustainable transport were developed before the phrase was coined. Walking, the first mode of transport is also the most sustainable. Public transport dates back at least as far as the invention of the public bus by Blasà © Pascal in 1662. The first passenger tram began operation in 1807 and the first passenger rail service in 1825. Pedal bicycles date from the 1860s. These were the only personal transport choices available to most people in Western countries prior to World War II, and remain the only options for most people in the developing world. Freight was moved by human power, animal power or rail. The post-war years brought increased wealth and a demand for much greater mobility for people and goods. The number of road vehicles in Britain increased fivefold between 1950 and 1979, with similar trends in other Western nations. Most affluent countries and cities invested heavily in bigger and better-designed roads and motorways, which were considered essential to underpin growth and prosperity. Transport planning became a branch of civil engineering and sought to design sufficient road capacity to provide for the projected level of traffic growth at acceptable levels of traffic congestion a technique called predict and provide. Public investment in transit, walking and cycling declined dramatically in the United States, Great Britain and Australasia, although this did not occur to the same extent in Canada or mainland Europe. Concerns about the sustainability of this approach became widespread during the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis. The high cost and limited availability of fuel led to a resurgence of interest in alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel. Transport innovations dating from this period include high-occupancy vehicle lanes, citywide carpool systems and transportation demand management. Singapore implemented congestion pricing in the late 1970s, and Curitiba began implementing its Bus Rapid Transit system in the early 1980s. Relatively low and stable oil prices during the 1980s and 1990s led to significant increases in vehicle travel from 1980-2000, both directly because people chose to travel by car more often and for greater distances, and indirectly because cities developed tracts of suburban housing, distant from shops and from workplaces, now referred to as urban sprawl. Trends in freight logistics, including a movement from rail and coastal shipping to road freight and a requirement for just in time deliveries, meant that freight traffic grew faster than general vehicle traffic. At the same time, the academic foundations of the predict and provide approach to transport were being questioned, notably by Peter Newman in a set of comparative studies of cities and their transport systems dating from the mid-1980s. The British Governments White Paper on Transport marked a change in direction for transport planning in the UK. In the introduction to the White Paper, Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that We recognize that we cannot simply build our way out of the problems we face. It would be environmentally irresponsible and would not work. A companion document to the White Paper called Smarter Choices researched the potential to scale up the small and scattered sustainable transport initiatives then occurring across Britain, and concluded that the comprehensive application of these techniques could reduce peak period car travel in urban areas by over 20%. A similar study by the United States Federal Highway Administration, was also released in 2004 and also concluded that a more proactive approach to transportation demand was an important component of overall national transport strategy. Environmentally sustainable transport: Transport systems are major emitters of greenhouse gases, responsible for 23% of world energy-related GHG emissions in 2004, with about three quarters coming from road vehicles. Currently 95% of transport energy comes from petroleum. Energy is consumed in the manufacture as well as the use of vehicles, and is embodied in transport infrastructure including roads, bridges and railways. New York City has an astonishing 5,900 buses with over 2.69 million riders every weekday (NYC Statistics). Lansing on the other has 90 percent of their people riding in personal vehicles. One bus of people is six times more efficient than a car with one person in it. (Weiner, Edward). Taking public transit saves an average household over $6,000 on automobile expenses per year (Victoria Transport Planning Institute). The Michigan Avenue Corridor can adopt this bus use idea very easily, and by doing so they also help lower the unemployment rate. U.S. fleet of light trucks and vehicles account for a little more than one-fifth of the total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions (National Research Council). By placing more bus stops along the Corridor and by offering a wide variety of riding plans, we can change the rising health problems that come from use of trucks, cars and vans. Traffic crashes continue to be one of the largest causes of deaths and disabilities for people aged 1-44 years (Comm ittee on Toxicological and Performance Aspects of Oxygenated Motor Vehicle Fuels, National Research Council). Public transportations are 170 times safer than riding in a vehicle (Driver Safety). Its reported in New York for every 10,000 commuters who leave their cars at home and commute on an existing public transportation service for one year, end up saving around 2.7 million gallons of gasoline (American Public Transportation Association). The continued use of buses as transportation in New York City has proven to help out in every standing aspect. If Lansing could establish a more rigid bus attitude and help to develop more situations where people could ride a bus instead of drive their own car, the changes would be enormous. The Michigan Avenue Corridor is the perfect place to apply this plan and help to cut back on the individual use of vehicles. When trying to fix urban transportation problems there are many possible solutions, but the biggest of which is Improving public tran sportation (Asmaa Ait Boubkr, Gaboune Brahim, and Avel-Li Blasco Esteve). New York City is giving us the numbers and the example, its now necessary to implement these views into the Michigan Avenue Corridor. The environmental impacts of transport can be reduced by improving the walking and cycling environment in cities, and by enhancing the role of public transport, especially electric rail. Green vehicles are intended to have less environmental impact than equivalent standard vehicles, although when the environmental impact of a vehicle is assessed over the whole of its life cycle this may not be the case. Electric vehicle technology has the potential to reduce transport CO2 emissions, depending on the embodied energy of the vehicle and the source of the electricity. Hybrid vehicles, which use an internal combustion engine combined with an electric engine to achieve better fuel efficiency than a regular combustion engine, are already common. Natural gas is also used as a transport fuel. Biofuels are a less common, and less promising, technology; Brazil met 17% of its transport fuel needs from bioethanol in 2007, but the OECD has warned that the success of biofuels in Brazil is due to specific local circumstances; internationally, biofuels are forecast to have little or no impact on greenhouse emissions, at significantly higher cost than energy efficiency measures. In practice there is a sliding scale of green transport depending on the sustainability of the option. Green vehicles are more fuel-efficient, but only in comparison with standard vehicles, and they still contribute to traffic congestion and road crashes. Well-patronized public transport networks based on traditional diesel buses use less fuel per passenger than private vehicles, and are generally safer and use less road space than private vehicles. Green public transport vehicles including electric trains, trams and electric buses combine the advantages of green vehicles with those of sustainable transport choices. Other transport choices with very low environmental impact are cycling and other human-powered vehicles, and animal powered transport. The most common green transport choice, with the least environmental impact is walking.

The Lies Told By People Everyday

The Lies Told By People Everyday Tad William once said We tell lies when we are afraid afraid of what we dont know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger. In relationships and marriages, dishonesty is a love buster. But sometimes honesty is worse, like the article dishonesty it says: When a wife first learns that her husband has been unfaithful, the pain is often so great that she wishes she had been left ignorant. When a husband discovers his wifes affair, its like a knife in his heart and he wonders if it would have better not known. In fact, many marriage counselors advise clients to avoid telling spouses about past infidelity, saying that its too painful for people to handle. Besides, if its over and done with, why dredge up the sewage of the past? (Harley, 1976) They look at it as just a mistake and want to be forgiven. People are dishonest because they believe that the others cant handle the truth, which for most cases its true because the truth most of the time is bitter. But i think that no matter how hard the truth is you should just be straight up and honest. Mark Twain once said If you tell the truth you dont have to remember anything. Just like Dishonesty article says: Its this sort of confusion that leads some of the most well-intentioned husbands and wives to lie to each other, or at least give each other false impressions. They feel that dishonesty will help them protect each others feelings. But what kind of a relationship is that? The lie is a wall that comes between the two partners, something hidden, a secret that cannot be mentioned, yet is right under the surface of every conversation. (Harley, 1976) If you think about it youre going to have to take a lie and keep adding on to it more and more and you cant even remember what you said in the beginning so even though telling the truth is difficult its the easiest. With a lie youre always going to get caught up. Just like karma- what goes around comes around. And depending on the lie you can be holding all this unnecessary weight on your shoulders and be stressing about it. A Russian proverb states With lies you may get ahead in the world but you can never go back. Just like the article Dishonesty states: Dishonesty strangles compatibility. To create and sustain compatibility, you must lay your cards on the table. You must be honest about your thoughts, feelings, habits, likes, dislikes, personal history, daily activities and plans for the future. When misinformation is part of the mix, you have little hope of making successful adjustments to each other. Dishonesty not only makes solutions hard to find, but it often leaves couples ignorant of the problems themselves. (Harley, 1976) So along with lying not only would you be feeling guilty and stress, you may even regret what you have lied about which makes it even more difficult to confess what you have lied about. A lie can take care of the present and solve what you are going through momentarily, but it does not have a good future. Bill Copeland once said: When you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback. Once you have become a liar, people cannot believe you no matter how hard you try. They will immediately develop an instinct to question the words that are coming out of your mouth. For instance, we have all heard of the tale The boy who cried wolf. The little boy would entertain himself by tricking villagers that a wolf is attacking his flock of sheep. When they came to help him, they found out that it was a false alarm and he just wasted their time. They thought he was just a little boy that was playing around. However, when the boy was actually confronted by the wolf and cried wolf, none of the villagers believed him. In other words, the moral of the story was even when liars tell the truth, they are never believed. Some people even lie because they feel desperate, like they steal because they are desperate and in need of money. They do not know where to turn to so they see this as their only way of getting away. Also another example is academic dishonesty. Some students feel really desperate to cheat or plagiarize because they want to pass or earn a decent grade. Other People basically lie sometimes just so they can get straight to what they want, like in the movie sisters keeper, the girl who had Leukemia told her 11 year old sister to lie to her mom saying that she didnt want to donate her kidney to her, but really it was because the girl with the Leukemia didnt want everyone to suffer with her. So it was a lie because the daughter didnt want to hurt her mother. Kids start learning to lie from their parents, especially when the kid is afraid of the parent. On Feb 10 2008, Po Bronson wrote an article in the New York Magazine it was a study that A doctor in a University made, this is what the article said: For a study to assess the extent of teenage dissembling, Dr. Nancy Darling, then at Penn State University, recruited a special research team of a dozen undergraduate students, all under the age of 21. Using gift certificates for free CDs as bait, Darlings Mod Squad persuaded high-school students to spend a few hours with them in the local pizzeria. Each student was handed a deck of 36 cards, and each card in this deck listed a topic teens sometimes lie about to their parents. Over a slice and a Coke, the teen and two researchers worked through the deck, learning what things the kid was lying to his parents about, and why. They began the interviews saying that parents give you everything and yes, you should tell them everything, Darling observes. By the end of the interview, the kids saw for the first time how much they were lying and how many of the familys rules they had broken. Darling says 98 percent of the teens reported lying to their parents. Out of the 36 topics, the average teen was lying to his parents about twelve of them. The teens lied about what they spent their allowances on, and whether theyd started dating, and what clothes they put on away from the house. They lied about what movie they went to, and whom they went with. They lied about alcohol and drug use, and they lied about whether they were hanging out with friends their parents disapproved of. They lied about how they spent their afternoons while their parents were at work. They lied about whether chaperones were in attendance at a party or whether they rode in cars driven by drunken teens. Most parents hear their child lie and assume hes too young to understand what lies are or that lyings wrong. They presume their child will stop when he gets older and learns those distinctions. Talwar has found the opposite to be true-kids who grasp early the nuances between lies and truth use this knowledge to their advantage, making them more prone to lie when given the chance. Although we think of truthfulness as a young childs paramount virtue, it turns out that lying is the more advanced skill. A child who is going to lie must recognize the truth, intellectually conceive of an alternate reality, and be able to convincingly sell that new reality to someone else. Therefore, lying demands both advanced cognitive development and social skills that honesty simply doesnt require. Its a developmental milestone, Talwar has concluded. (Bronson, 2008) Basically kids learn how to lie from fear. One lie that we will never stop having is, lying to ourselves. Lying to yourself maybe to build some confidence, or even maybe to understand something. The article The Human Thing to Do: Lying to Yourself by Vanessa Gilbert says: As humans, we perform a lot of acts we wish we had never done, and we spend a lot of our time on earth regretting what has already been done, something we cant change. Whether it was that bad breakup, or smoking for twenty years, or even wishing we would have gone out and exercised on those Sunday mornings, we all worry about them and we all lie to ourselves to pretend that it wasnt our fault, and that we couldnt have prevented it anymore than what we did. In fact, it seems we lie to ourselves so much we cant piece the truth apart from the false things we have told ourselves for months on end. If there is one fact I have learned in my thirteen years of life, it is that everything in this world is corrupt in one way or another. That certain aspect, religion, club, organization, or mindset didnt even start out pure because it was most likely made by humans, who are dirty, selfish, and continually seeking the solace they find in having a solution for everything. I guess you could say that lying to yourself has always been something we have done. You cant blame this one on popular culture, teenagers, or the failing economy. Humans have lived this way for thousands and thousands of years, and weve made it this far thinking the same exact way. Is it okay to be delusional and far from the truth? Is it worth knowing the truth just because it is the truth? Furthermore, would we be better off if we were up front with each other and ourselves? It may hurt to face the truth in the beginning, but in the long run, you are guaranteed to be happy. You will be happy with yourself, with the people you love, and with the cold, hard truth, and nothing else. In the process of opening your eyes, you see a lot more than just whats around you. You see what you missed, what is real, and what is to look forward to. Not everything that is true is harsh. If we do not come to realize what is real, we will continue to be let down, and we will always make the same mistakes. All our energy will all be put into something that is not helping us any. We will neither advance nor go backward. Instead of staying stagnate, why not move forward? (Gilbert, 2009) In conclusion, dishonesty isnt the best thing, and also sometimes it isnt the worse thing. Society is filled with liars and dishonest people. But there are also people that had only told a few lies. Baltasar Gracian once said A single lie destroys a whole reputation for integrity. A single lie might just ruin ones whole life. So one must watch out and think before talking or doing, so no one can get into lies. Resources: Harley, Dr. Dishonesty. Marriage Builders  ® Successful Marriage Advice. 1 Jan. 1976. Web. 30 July 2010. . Bronson, Po. Are Kids Copying Their Parents When They Lie? New York Magazine. New York Magazine NYC Guide to Restaurants, Fashion, Nightlife, Shopping, Politics, Movies. 10 Feb. 2008. Web. 31 July 2010. . Gilbert, Vanessa. The Human Thing to Do: Lying to Yourself DivineCaroline. DivineCaroline: Relationships, Health, Home, Style, Parenting, and Community for Women DivineCaroline. 07 June 2009. Web. 30 July 2010. .

Career Opportunities For Recipients Of Degrees In Mathematics :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

The Many Career Opportunities For Recipients Of Degrees In Mathematics I have chosen to do Possibility 7. It states that once a person decides to study mathematics they are limited to the possible fields of work that is available to them. According to this statement the only possible jobs are teaching jobs at the school, college, and university levels. It also talks about how this can be dull to some and how a person can't become a millionaire this way. I am in total opposition of this statement. I believe that if a person studies mathematics they have a world of options open to them. By no means does studying mathematics limit a person to the teaching profession alone. Mathematics majors are in demand in the work force. The jobs are out there if the perspective workers have good job search skills, which are essential. The teaching profession alone offers an assortment of different levels of teaching. One could teach at the elementary, middle school, high school, college, and university levels. There are also teacher's aids, research assistants, and student teachers, as well as substitute teachers. The demand for teachers is elevating at an alarming rate. This goes for teachers in general, but especially for teachers interested in teaching in the mathematics or science fields. Besides being a teacher, who technically is a mathematician, there is also the obvious profession of being a mathematician without being a teacher. There are also opportunities such as becoming an engineer, a research scientist, or a manager of a business. Mathematics majors work for such companies as IBM, AT&T Bell Labs, American Airlines, FedEx, L. L. Bean, and Perdue Farms Inc to name a few.(Source III) There are also mathematicians employed in such government agencies as The Bureau of the Census, Department of Agriculture, and NASA Goddard Space Center.(Sources III and IV) Mathematicians are needed in the fields of law and medicine as well as in the arts, such as sculpting, music, and television. The possibilities are seemingly endless. When you think about it, almost every job involves mathematics. It is true that not every job opening could be properly satisfied by a person who majored in mathematics, but for the most part that person would have an advantage over other applicants because of their knowledge in mathematics. I believe that a strong background in mathematics is an asset to a person looking into just about any field of work.

The Element: Chlorine Essay -- essays research papers

The Element: Chlorine General Information We researched the chemical element known as chlorine. Chlorine has an atomic number of 17 and an atomic weight of 35.453. It has a valence number of 3. The element has 3 energy levels. Chlorine exists as a greenish-yellow gas at normal temperatures and pressures. Chlorine is second in reactivity only to fluorine among the halogen elements. Chlorine is a nonmetal. It is estimated that 0.045% of the earth’s crust and 1.9% of sea water are chlorine. Chlorine combines with metals and nonmetals and organic materials to form hundreds of chlorine compounds. Chlorine is about 2.5 times as dense as air and moderately soluble in water, forming a pale yellowish green solution. Chlorine is so reactive that it never occurs free in nature. Chemical Properties Chlorine is in the halogen family, and like all the other halogen elements chlorine has a strong tendency to gain one electron and become a chloride ion. Chlorine readily reacts with metals to form chlorides, most of which are soluble in water. Chlorine also reacts directly with many nonmetals such as sulfur, phosphorus, and other halogens. Chlorine can support combustion; if a candle were to be thrown into a vessel of chlorine, it would continue to burn, releasing dense, black clouds of smoke, The chlorine combines with hydrogen of the paraffin, forming hydrogen chloride, and uncombined carbon is left in the form of soot. Soot is black residue from fuel. Chlorine replaces iodine and bromine from their salts. Dry chlorine is somewhat inert or not able to move, but moist chlorine unites directly with most of the elements. History Chlorine was discovered in 1774 by Karl Scheele. Humphry Davy proved that chlorine was an element. Extensive production began 100 years later. During the 20th Century. The amount of Chlorine used was considered a measure of industrial growth. In, 1975 chlorine productions ranked seventh on the list of largest-volume chemicals produced in the United States. The importance of chlorine has changed as new uses have been added. In 1925 paper and pulp used over one- half . The chlorine made and chemical products only 10%. By the 1960’s paper and pulp use accounted for only 15-17% and the chemical uses increased to 75-80%. Peoples uses have contributed to the growth of large cities, and new textiles, plastics, paints, and miscellaneous uses have raise... ...h chlorine. At the iron cathode or negatively charged electrode, sodium ions are reduced to sodium metal, which reacts immediately with water to form sodium hydroxide. Another method of preparing chlorine is by the electrolysis of molten salt. This process is used specifically to produce sodium, and the chlorine is a commercial by product. When large quantities of waste hydrochloric and are available. Chlorine may be recovered by oxidation of the acid. This method has the advantage of converting great quantities of waste acid to useful substances. No matter what process is used to prepare chlorine, the gas must be well dried. Dry chlorine is much less corrosive than moist chlorine gas. In the laboratory chlorine may be prepared by heating manganese oxide with hydrochloric acid. Conclusion In conclusion chlorine is a very wonderful element. Chlorine has hundreds of compounds. If we did not have these compounds we would not have clean water, we would have an insect problem, we could not make many important compounds that are used in medicine, and some of the battles in World War I might have been lost if it were not for chlorine. Our world would not be the same if not for chlorine.

Scene 5 Act 5 Commentary

Macbeth:She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in the petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle, Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing. 5. 5 17-28) Act 5, Scene 5 Commentary In act 5, scene 5 of Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses metaphors, diction, mood and tone to emphasize the concept that life is meaningless, in order to suggest the theme of ambition without moral constraints. Upon hearing of his wife’s death, Macbeth reflects on how pointless his own life has become. Shakespeare uses tone to declare Macbeth’s feelings toward life. Throughout this passage, the tone is very bitter and cold. â€Å"It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. (5. 5 26-28) After hearing a women’s cry, Macbeth realises his own mortality, and he speaks scornfully. While reflecting on how meaningless his life has become, an angry mood is established. Once realising his life is full of noise and melodrama, he sees that he really failed and his life does not signify anything. He quickly becomes enraged at how his life has turned out. Shakespeare has a very specific diction, and in this particular passage, he chooses to use repetition. â€Å"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow† (5. 18) BY repeating ‘tomorrow’ over and over, the boredom of life in general is stressed by dragging the word out. He also chooses to use â€Å"petty pace† (5. 5 19) and â€Å"dusty death† (5. 5 22), forming alliterations. The use of similar sounds put emphasis on the fact that the days are just dragging on dreadfully, which only lead to death. All through Macbeth’s solil oquy, Shakespeare incorporates various metaphors, one of which compares life to a bad actor who wanders and worries on stage. â€Å"Life’s but a walking shadow, a oor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. † (5. 5 23 -25) Macbeth believes that life is just an illusion, and once you are done wandering around, you just disappear and leave nothing important behind. He also compares life to a candle. â€Å"Out, out brief candle. † (5. 5 22) The brief candle is one that is dimly lit – that no one wants – and burns out quickly. The candle symbolizes how short and dull life is. By adding â€Å"Out, out† (5. 5 22) Macbeth shows how he wants the candle to burn out.He is contemplating suicide and does not want to live anymore because he is ashamed of his life. This entire passage is centred on the concept that life is insignificant, which exemplifies the theme of ambition without moral constraints. Due to Macb eth’s ambitions, he is in too deep to turn around. It is far too difficult to turn around and stop killing, so his choice is to just keep going. Up until this time, Macbeth had expected to win the battle between him, Malcolm and Macduff. He thought winning this war would finally bring him happiness again.Once Lady Macbeth died he realised that is not the case. His actions went unchecked by any morals, which just led to the destruction of his life. Lady Macbeth killed herself because she could handle the guilt anymore, and now that his wife is gone, he sees the damage and realises that he failed at making his life noteworthy. The theme of ambition without moral constraints is shown through Macbeths realization that life is futile, that is presented by Shakespeare’s use of metaphors, diction, mood and tone.

The Organization Kid

He feels that the students have been molded by their parents to act and dress in a certain manner. His article also concentrates on the idea that students go to college not to gain higher learning, but to get a good Job and make money. The students are being trained to be â€Å"The Organization Kid. † The Organization Kid is a generation of students who are extraordinarily bright, morally earnest and Incredibly industrious. During the Elementary School era, In the sass and sass schools assigned less and less homework, so that by 1981 the average six-to-eight-year-old was doing only fifty two minutes of homework a week.April 26, 1983, A Nation at Risk was reported. The problem, it said, was that schools had become too loose and free-flowing. Students faced a â€Å"cafeteria style curriculum† that gave them too many choices. Since then, the central focus of the school reform was on testing, accountability & medication which help reshape the minds of kids whose behavior de viates from the standard. So by 1997 the amount of homework assigned to the average child of the same age had doubled to more than two hours a week. For the period of Adolescence. It became ore organized, regulated and supervised with an emphasis on safety.Neo- romantics of the sass and sass believed that children should grow up freely and develop their own creative inclinations. Twenty nine years ago parents were advised to keep out of their kid's way. Let them grow into their own person. Now they're warned that If they aren't with their kids every single minute of their life, they'll grow up to be serial killers. For an example: people don't blame the actual shooters In the Columbine incident, two teen shooters killing 13 people at the Columbine High School, they blame their parents. Today parents do not hesitate to impose their authority.Parental authority nowadays rests on three pillars: science, safety and achievement. In the course of the Princeton Experience, the college admi nistrations tend to impose stricter regulations concerning students' behavior. As part of an effort they can go to amuse themselves without alcohol or drugs. Yet, students are increasingly supportive of universities regulation of private matters such as campus drinking. David Brooks describes the â€Å"typical Princeton student,† an impression he rives from interview sessions with students he notes are a few dozen, faculty- recommended, articulate leaders of tomorrow.Throughout his visit to Princeton, Brooks encountered clean-cut, cheerful scholars and citizens, respectful of their professors, too busy to involve themselves in national politics or social causes, too future-oriented for social life and too on-the-go to spark up intellectual conversations over a meal. To put it briefly, The Organization Kid alludes to an influential study by William H. White, called The Organization Man. The origins of â€Å"The Organization Kid† re to be found in their upbringing.Parent s relied on the achievements of medical and cognitive science to develop their children physically and intellectually. The Organization Kid is students of prestigious universities like Princeton. They appear to busy themselves with a variety of educational & extra-curriculum activities to the extent they do not have time to start a relationship or pay attention to national politics. Most of them are happy with their life, they accept high workload for the reasons of self-improvement, resume building and enrichment. They are described as optimistic, serious & conscientious.

Cognitive Skills in Baseball

Cognitive Skills in Baseball By Garrett Pape Lamar Community College The skills that people use on a daily basis are extraordinary, the way we use these skills can be extraordinary or disastrous. There are so many things that a human accomplishes with physical activity, yet these physical activities are started with a set of skills that most human beings have. These skills involve the brain and are called cognitive skills. The brain is where all activity starts; before a person does anything their brain tells them how to do it.For example, if a person wants to pick up a cup of water off of the table, their brain will order their hand to the right placement for you to be able to accomplish the task at hand. Cognitive skills, also known as cognition, are known to influence peoples lives daily. These influences will affect a person’s life in ways that are not understood by most. A person’s thoughts can be described as a use of cognition. This cognitive skill is very broad, but when one looks at their thoughts they will understand why things happen the way they do.Now we’re talking about something known as, â€Å"The Self-fulfilling Prophecy†. This prophecy is looked at in particular to negative thoughts, but the same consequences hold true for positive thoughts. Kenrick describes the Self-fulfilling Prophecy in his online book, Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction, (2011) 5th Edition, as when an initially inaccurate expectation leads to actions that cause the expectation to come true (Kenrick, Neuberg, and Cialdini pg. 79).When a person has thoughts about something they can easily change the outcome of the thought by changing their attitude about it. For example, in baseball cognitive skills are taught exclusively at times, allowing players to repeat simple tasks that can easily go wrong. In baseball, there are many aspects of the game that differ physically but have little difference mentally. During practice a pitcher on a baseball team practices his physical skills by throwing what is known as a â€Å"bullpen†. A bullpen is when the pitcher practices throwing all of his pitches for strikes.This consists of a pitcher and a catcher. It is easy for a pitcher to go into his bullpen and throw strikes because he does not have a high risk of failure, there is not a hitter there competing against him. So, he can easily succeed by throwing strikes. When a hitter steps into the batters box facing the pitcher there is physically only one difference in a game to the bullpen, the hitter. The pitcher must still throw the exact same strike as he did in the bullpen, now the use of cognition really affects the pitcher.With the hitter putting for risk for failure into play, the pitcher can either use his cognitive skills to help or hurt him. If the pitcher throws the exact same pitches that he practiced, the hitter would not have a very high chance of hitting the pitch. The way a pitcher can help himself through cognit ive skills are simple but affective. â€Å"When evaluations are positive, thoughts are completed rapidly, and you get right on with your thinking about the next pitch. When the evaluations are negative you have a difficult time forgetting the event.Many times you’re still thinking about what went wrong on the previous pitch or play, as you’re beginning to throw the next pitch†(Dorfman and Kuehl pg. 301). This can directly result in a repeat of the outcome, positive or negative. If something has gone wrong and a person is still thinking about it while trying to perform the next task, they are mentally preparing themselves to repeat the failure. Same holds true for positive outcomes, and the repetition of success. The key to using this set of skills is to master a positive outlook on whatever it is one is trying to accomplish.This sounds very easy, but if you have ever failed in your life, it is very easy to quit or say, â€Å"I can’t do it†. Childre n learning new things in school will tell themselves that they cannot do something after failing at it once, they will get frustrated and quit. Good teachers will pick them up and show them that they can do this, and they can do it on their own. With baseball the term â€Å"don’t† is used quite often. This term is actually frowned upon in baseball because of its meaning, or lack there of.There is really no definition for the word, â€Å"don’t†. An example of this term for a pitcher could be, â€Å"don’t give up a homerun†, if there is no definition for the word don’t, then what is really being said? If a person asked 100 pitchers, â€Å"what happened after you told yourself don’t give up a homerun? †, 100 pitchers would say they gave up a homerun. Keeping the positive outlook and picturing oneself succeed will result in success. One way to keeping the positive outlook is to picture the event taking place in your head, pi cture success.After picturing yourself succeed, you have already seen yourself accomplish the task. This makes it much easier and proves in your own head that you can do it. Seeing yourself in your head fail will also prove that you cannot do it and are incapable with that outlook. Gary Mack, the author of, Mind Gym, quoted Ty Cobb saying, â€Å" The most important part of a players game is above his shoulders. † Mind Gym is an athletes guide to inner excellence. This promotes positive thoughts and picturing yourself succeed before ever physically performing the task.Referring to baseball, Yogi Berra a famous catcher said, â€Å"90 percent of the game is half mental†. Yogi is known for saying bizarre things that somehow makes sense. This quote is hard to understand but is viewed as the majority of the game has to do with your mental approach. Thinking positive thoughts is easy, but how easy is it when somehow failure seems to take over. Athletes get into what is known as, â€Å"slumps†. Slumps are a period of time when the athlete is performing poorly, or below their ability.How can a person stay focused on thinking positive thoughts when they are in a slump? It is a hard thing to do, but Getting Focused, Staying Focused takes on an approach to keeping a positive head on your shoulders. â€Å"By studying the highly developed minds of the Yogis, Martial Artists, and Zen Masters of China, Japan, and India, the Soviets devised and instituted mental training techniques that enabled their athletes to perform under the most pressure-filled conditions with a clear, calm and controlled mind†(Jaeger pg. i). Further in the book explains that once competition starts, the game is purely mental. Practice and preparation will get you ready and prove you are able to physically perform the event, being confident and picturing success will let you use your physical skills to their full capability and the game becomes easy. Practice is meant for the game to become second nature, it is when we are not confident with ourselves that the game becomes a foreign language. Most mental flaws come from what is known as â€Å"dead time†.Dead time is a gap in performance that interrupts our performance. Athletes can get in the zone and success becomes effortless. Its when failures or dead time occur that athletes lose focus. This dead time can cause an athletes thought’s to wonder, this is not good for mental approaches. When minds wonder, thoughts creep in and take over. Most athletes can remember a time when they said, â€Å"what if? † or â€Å"I should have†, this is bringing up the past and thinking of things they did wrong, this is only bringing failure and negative thoughts to mind.A coach will say take out of the game the positives and dwell on those, not the bad things that may have happened. Shawn Green, a retired baseball player said, â€Å"There, I’d learned to separate my awareness from my m ind and move it into my body and ultimately into the present moment. There, I first began to understand what it means to chop wood and carry water†(McAlpine pg. 156). In, Introduction to Psychology, Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian describe something known as a cognitive map, a mental presentation in the brain of the layout of an environment and its features (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian pg. 23). This was first shown by rats learning to move through a maze with a reward at the end. Once the task has been accomplished, it is known that it can be done again, the mind barrier is a powerful thing. So powerful that once a mile was ran in under 4 minutes people realized it could be done, and now it is done daily by people everywhere. In baseball the reward is success, and the cognitive map is known as practice, and for pitchers, bullpens. References Dorgman, H. A. (2002). The mental game of baseball. 3rd ed. ). New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield. Jaeger , A. Getting focused, staying focused. Al an Jaeger. Mack, G. (2001). Mind gym. New York, NY: Stone/Robert Daly. McAlpine, G. (2011). The way of baseball. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Plotnik, R. (2008). Introduction to psychology. (9th ed. ). Canada: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Santrock, J. (2010). Children. (12th ed. ). McGraw Hill: Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction, (2011)5th  edition Kenrick, Nueberg, and Cialdin