EMT/Paramedic Essay

People’s lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics. EMTs and paramedics provide this vital service as they care for and transport the sick or injured to a medical facility. In an emergency, EMTs and paramedics are typically dispatched by a 911 operator to the scene, where they often work with police and firefighters. while assessing the nature of the patients condition, they try to determine whether the patient has any pre-existing medical conditions. EMT workers work in a group such like one make sures the patient is okay while another drives and etc. At the medical facility, EMTs and paramedics help transfer patients to the emergency department, report their observations and actions to emergency department staff, and may provide additional emergency treatment. After each medical run, they have to document trip, replace used supplies, and check the equipment. EMTs and paramedics also provide transportation for patients from one medical facility to another, particularly if they work for private ambulance services Training: A high school diploma is usually required to enter an emergency medical technician training program Training is offered at progressive levels: EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, and Paramedic. At the EMT-Basic level, coursework emphasizes emergency skills, such as managing respiratory, trauma, and cardiac emergencies, and patient assessment. Graduates of approved EMT-Basic training programs must pass a written and practical examination administered by the State licensing agency or the NREMT. He program provides instruction and practice in dealing with bleeding, fractures, airway obstruction, cardiac arrest, and emergency childbirth. Students learn how to use and maintain common emergency equipment, such as backboards, suction devices, splints, oxygen delivery systems, and stretchers. At the EMT-Intermediate level, training requirements vary by State. The nationally defined levels, EMT-Intermediate 1985 and EMT-Intermediate 1999, typically require 30 to 350 hours of training based on scope of practice. Students learn advanced skills such the use of advanced airway devices, intravenous fluids, and some medications. The most advanced level of training for this occupation is Paramedic. caregiver  receives training in anatomy and physiology as well as advanced medical skills. Most commonly, the training is conducted in community colleges and technical schools and may result in an associate’s degree. Employment Most career EMTs and paramedics work in metropolitan areas. Volunteer EMTs and paramedics are more common in small cities, towns, and rural areas. About 45 percent worked as employees of ambulance services. About 29 percent worked in local government. Another 20 percent worked in hospitals. Job Outlook Employment of emergency medical technicians and paramedics is expected to grow 9 percent between 2008 and 2018 which is average. As a large segment of the population—aging members of the baby boom generation—becomes more likely to have medical emergencies, demand will increase for EMTs and paramedics. employment of EMTs and paramedics is expected to grow by 33 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. Earnings Earnings of EMTs and Paramedics depend on the employment setting and geographic location of their jobs, as well as their training and experience. EMT average salary: $31,061 Paramedic average salary: $38,902 Schooling A High School diploma and completion of a training program is required. Employment Benefits: Choice of wide variety of health plans with family coverage, as well as prescription, dental and eyecare benefits 3 weeks vacation to start *(increases to 5 weeks after 8 years) Excellent pension benefits which include: 5 year pension vesting & full pension benefits after 25 years of service, regardless of age Excellent promotional opportunities Deferred compensation/401K and flexible spending plans.

Business Analysis – International Strategy and Competitive Advantages

Introduction According to Iliev et al (2004, p. 133), Apple Inc. was selling its products exclusively in America, initially. Nowadays, Apple has expanded significantly beyond domestic market. Apple has so far succeeded to become a multinational organization, selling products and resourcing law materials globally. To minimize the impact of the existing rivalry in the PC industry at the global edge and to maintain competitive advantage, Apple applies non-competition strategies, (Yoffie, 2004).This section examines the strategies adopted Apple Inc to penetrate and to manage rivalry in the global market. Further, this part looks into the competitive advantages of Apple Inc, which enable it to maintain competitive edge In the PC industry globally. In addition, paper briefly highlights the benefits and shortcomings of the strategies adopted by Apple Inc, giving potential solutions and strategies based on the available data. International strategy According to Iliev et al (2004, p. 133), Ap ple Inc. ses a combination of product development and product proliferation strategies to achieve and maintain its international competitiveness. Iliev et al notes that, product proliferation strategy is similar to the approaches used in creating barriers to entry. In such an approach, if new niches develop, the leader in a given industry benefits most. For example, Apple got the first mover advantage in the digital music market where it was the first company to provide online music through iTunes and the iPod.The other companies in the industry started to move into the niche, competition was raised and rivalry decreased Product development on the other hand refers to the process of innovation of new or better products so as to replace the old ones. Apple has managed to lead in the PC industry in innovation and design hence, it has been able to exploit available opportunities and to gain significant market share in the international market. For example, in 2002 and 2003, iTunes and the iPod were made available by Apple at windows version.As a result, demand for the products skyrocketed and helped to propel revenues for Apple to record high. In fact, today, iTunes account for 70% for global market for digital music downloads, (Jones, 2011). The combination of product development and product proliferation strategies is beneficial to Apple since the perceived value of the products of Apple Inc. generated through innovation and superior design proves to be inimitable competency. Thus, as much as this advantage exists, Apple will continue to lead in the PC industry.However, the product proliferation strategy adopted by Apple Inc. a major shortcoming. According to Iliev et al (2004, p. 133), this tactic leads to high pressure for cost reduction and for local responsiveness. This makes this approach the most difficult to realize, but if a company succeeds, it can obtain a low cost structure and also considerable level of customer acceptance. According to Iliev et al (2004, p. 133), Apple applies this approach, but, it has not yet attained the optimal point.As a result, the majority of computer owners in the global market do not know much about Apple’s technology. For Apple to attain appropriately low cost situation, it has to come up with ways to persuade PC users in the global market from the very entry of their innovative and technological superiority. Competitive advantage Apple Inc faces great competition form other companies in the PC industry such as Dell, Compaq and Gateway. This forces Apple to come up with competitive strategies which best fits generic business level strategy in the industry life cycle (Lubeck et al, 2009, p. ). According Lubeck et al, Apple is keen to constantly watch the other players and tries to predict the step that each of them is likely to take in the future in order to be ahead of them. Further, Apple possesses competitive advantage in specific areas resulting from its distinctive competencies. First, Ap ple enhances the quality of its products through improved product design, (Iliev et al (2004, p. 135). According to Besanko et al, (2009, p. 362) this helps in creating value through functionality and better product quality, thus leading to more pricing options and differentiation.Moreover, the Human Resource Department of Apple Inc facilitates it to reach superior quality since it recruits high skilled workforce that ultimately leads to better product quality, thereby also leading to more pricing options and differentiation. Also, the Research and Development department of Apple Inc plays an important role as a source of superior innovation and comes up with new brands of products that create more value to the customers and enhances usability. As well, this factor results in more pricing options and to differentiation. Finally, the information systems in Apple Inc enhances internal communication and also, xternal coordination which in turn, optimizes business processes. This helps to reduce costs due to increased efficiency. According to Iliev et al (2004, p. p. 135). Apple adopts a model which acknowledges these distinctive competencies and sets a business model which facilitates it to enforce and to organize its competitive advantage. Therefore, all these above competencies enable Apple Inc to achieve superior level of innovation, enhance quality of its products and increase efficiency in production, hence provide Apple with a competitive advantage.Conclusion In conclusion, Apple uses product a both product development and product proliferation strategies to achieve and maintain competitiveness in the global market. This approach is beneficial since the perceived value of the products of Apple Inc. generated through innovation and superior design proves to be inimitable competency. However, this approach leads to high pressure for cost reduction and for local responsiveness and hence, it becomes the most difficult approach to realize. As demonstrated in thi s part, Apple Inc. eeds to come up with ways to persuade PC users in the global market from the very entry of their innovative and technological superiority so as to attain the benefits of the strategy of cost reduction. As noted in the essay, Apple Inc. possesses various competencies including; product design, branding, usability and internal communication and external coordination. These competencies enable Apple to attain a competitive advantage against the competitors. References Besanko, D. , Dranove, D. , Shanley, M. & Schaefer, S. (2009), Economics of Strategy, John Wiley and Sons, New York Iliev V. , Lindinger, A. & Poettler G. , (2004), â€Å"Apple Coputer Inc. Strategic audit,† Retrieved from, http://www. andreaslindinger. net/downloads/strategicmgmts-lindingeretal. pdf Jones D. , (2011), â€Å"Apple strives for global markets,† Retrieved from, http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052748703302604575294530119152528. html Lubeck, B. , Niltz J. , Danforth, J. & Brannon J. , (2009), Apple Inc. : creating and sustaining a competitive advantage, retrieved from,

Disco Demolition Night

On the eve July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, the double-header game was about to begin between the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. However, it was not the baseball game that took the limelight that evening as along with the said baseball game was a promotional event dubbed, â€Å"Disco Demolition Night† spearheaded by WDAI Disk Jockeys Steve Dahl and Garry Meier who were both against the proliferation of Disco music which was then considered to be minority music as promoted by the blacks.Other than this, the two jockeys also reasoned out that disco was causing the demise of rock and roll and consequently, the cancellation of the rock and roll show of both of these jockeys from the airwaves. The event was meant to jack up ticket sales for the baseball game as well as make a statement against disco music as it promised tickets to the game for only 98 cents if the spectators brought with them old disco records in exchange.The management of the White sox felt that the event would be successful in bringing in a big crowd for the game and just as expected, instead of the initial estimates, the crowd swelled up to 90,000, quite too much for the 52,000 seat capacity of the stadium. (Wikipedia) So, the event did not only have the propulsion of the two disk jockeys but the support of the owner of the Red sox himself, Mike Veeck. The event began to become uncontrollable when after the first baseball game; the proponents of the said Disco Demolition Night took to the field and destroyed a huge pile of disco records using explosives.From this point on the crowd became unruly and people from the bleachers went to the field to destroy certain equipment and even steal chunks of the field itself. Television commentators later explained that even before the event began, the air reeked with the smell of marijuana and many people were just walking around as if they were not within themselves. The ruckus broke out into an uncontrollable riot even when t he proponents tried to use the PA system to implore the crowd to settle down.In the end, riot police had to intervene as six people were taken to the hospital for injuries and thirty-nine other were ‘arrested for disorderly conduct. ’ The officials of the Detroit Tigers refused to continue with the second game which was shortly forfeited in their favor on the grounds that the White Sox was not able to provide a suitable venue for the games. (Wikipedia) Bill Veeck, the father of Mike consequently had to face public reaction to the event; Mike was also eventually banned from Major League baseball because as a consequence of the event.Viewing the video of the event on YouTube is a validation of what was initially written in the Wikipedia article. However, the Wikipedia article did not include such details as the interview with Veeck, Dahl and Meier. These interviews revealed the intentions of these individuals in relation to the event gone haywire. Veeck simply said that t he event was a promotional activity which was organized to increase sales for the game while. Dahl, speaking for himself and in behalf of his partner Meier admitted that his purposes for the event stemmed from his dislike of disco music.However, if earlier circumstances are taken into consideration, it has to be argued that even prior to the event; Dahl had lost his rock and roll program because of the growing demand for disco music which was then emerging during that time. Disco music was then associated with the blacks and the underground which all the more made people curious about it. Dahl, in his interview with a television news program explained what he hated about disco music and although he did not directly admit that it had something to do with black culture, it was obvious that the disco patrons that he was describing at the moment were typical of the blacks.(YouTube) The mere fact that Dahl lost his radio show is reason enough for him to develop a grudge for disco music, notwithstanding racist issues that may have been left unspoken as disco, is, as mentioned, originally from the blacks. Another feature that is noticeable in the Wikipedia article when compared to the YouTube video is the fact that in the article injuries were reported. These injuries were not mentioned in the video; in fact the reporter kept on saying that there were no injuries. (YouTube)Obviously, the persons to blame for this particular event are the proponents, but when circumstances are considered, Mike Veeck should get more of the blame because over and above everybody else, he had the power to prevent it as the owner of the White Sox. Dahl was mere instrumental as the event’s organizer and besides, if profit is considered, Veeck would have had profited the most from the event. Nevertheless, all things considered, the people at the stadium were also partly to blame because of the lack of discipline on their part.However, if the claim of the Wikipedia article stating tha t there was a scent of marijuana in the air is considered, then it is possible that the crowd was not in their right mind during the event. In the case of the stadium and its management, such could have been prevented, possibly, if the management ensured that only a number representing the venue’s capacity was allowed into the venue. Since the crowd swelled up to thousands beyond the capacity, then it would have been impossible to control the crowd. The riot police was there when they were needed and need not have been there to begin with if not for the chaotic situation that ensued.All things considered, it is easy to lay the blame on certain individuals but it cannot be denied that such catastrophes cannot just result from a singular source; rather, it is a conglomeration of certain things happening all at the same time, at the right time, and with the right circumstances. Of course, the pointed finger will always single out the proponents, but in any case, they just organi zed the event, perhaps, the only mistake that they committed was their obvious negligence of what could happen, which, by the way, could not be accurately predicted as the facts would show.

Analysis of the National Preparedness System Assignment

Analysis of the National Preparedness System - Assignment Example As a result, they are in a better position to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to as well as recover from different hazards and threats.   In addition to providing the security to the citizens, the US government is focused at creating strong positive relationship among the federal, state, and local government as well as other bodies in order to ensure disasters are properly handled. One of the key themes that have been adopted in order to deal with the core capabilities as stipulated in the National Preparedness Goal is engaged partnership with the whole community (Jaffin, 2008). This theme indicates that culturally effective communication among all the agencies, international partners as well as the whole community is vital. Scalable, flexibility and adaptability is another theme that is adopted by the core capabilities in order to make them executable. The national prevention framework as one of the frameworks, overviews roles that the whole community should do upon discovery of a threat to the homeland security. Notably, the framework provides guidance to the practitioners as well as the leaders at all the levels of government on how to avoid or stop a threat. First, it aligns roles and responsibilities to create a prevention capability in conditions that are time sensitive. Secondly, it describes coordinating structures that ensure all the stakeholders work as a team. By creating a strong connection between the national-level coordinating structures, for example, the National Operations Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with Field coordinating structures such as Field Intelligence Groups the country is able to handle  imminent acts of terrorism.  

Critical sumamries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical sumamries - Essay Example The kings ruled the dynasty with the principles of All-Under-Heaven, which implied a common civilized world. It is evident that people could acquire cultures. The Confucian teachings have several assertions on the ability of an individual to transform to a civilized being. The section provides a brief history to illustrate the idea of state identity as well as ethnicity. It explains that Zhou and other kings used to rule the dynasty and overcome state and ethnic boundaries. The section relates to others by describing one of the ancient Chinese territories. The Zhou dynasty is similar to other territories in the chapter such as the Tang dynasty (Ebrey, 55). The section corresponds to the main concept of the chapter by explaining practices of the ancient Chinese. The concept of state and ethnic identity in the ancient Chinese territories relates to the current ethnic classifications of the Chinese. It is common for the Chinese as well as other people to identify with their ethnic groups and regional

Theories in Criminal Justice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Theories in Criminal Justice - Research Paper Example Since these studies started a long time ago, there has been the development of several theories among the criminologists to answer these questions. On the other hand, there are likely to be multidisciplinary causes of criminal behavior (Lawrence, 2011). Criminology theory gives a scientific explanation of the reasons why people commit crimes. Although criminology theory has different elements, which try to stand alone to expound on criminal behavior, there has to be an interrelation of factors to give the true explanation. Among the four different elements of criminology theory are biological factors, psychological factors, sociological factors, and rational choice. It is necessary to understand each element for better understanding on a true explanation of criminal behavior (Strider, 2011). Conversely, the theories depend on logic to explain whether the criminal act is the result of a rational decision, internal predisposition or external aspects and why a person commits a crime. Co nsequently, it is through these theories that the judicial and law system is structured (Divico, 2011). The study of the relationships between societal influences and crime depicts sociological Positivism. A study of social structures within an offenders environment, for example, peer groups, socioeconomic status, subculture, family and education level that cause his criminality is under sociological theory. Moreover, the theory tries to explain how an offender sticks to his environs, becoming a product of his environment and social learning. According to this concept, under certain circumstances like strain including poverty, a breakdown in the family or moral values and family.

Reading the paper and answer question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reading the paper and answer question - Essay Example Traditional methods and materials have been replaced by modern means of nail connections and light wood frames. He further sees today’s carpenters as finishers of houses, rather than builders of houses. He begins by telling the readers about Henry Mitchell, his neighbor who has lived in the same house for 85 years. Henry Mitchell watches the writer renovate his house often. Each renovation watched by his neighbor reminds the writer of the original builder of his house one and a half centuries ago (Invention & Technology, 1999). The writer notes that before the 19th century, frame houses were built using large timbers. The constructors believed that sawing was a waste of materials and labor, so, through experienced workers, they only squared off logs to facilitate connection. This gave rise to the balloon frame. They introduced nails and lumber in mass production, giving further advantage to the balloon frame. The results were savings in man hours, less requirements in skills a nd a complete change in ways of building. The writer also notes that balloon frames are structurally and materially more efficient. Since no joint is of more significance than another, then the connection between each wood is efficient. This exemplifies modification of building practices progressively. Although the practices called for less labor, simplified connections and used light weight materials, they were limited because construction of houses never reached a fully automated level. Therefore, in as much as it was an innovation, it has remained resistant to change, to the surprise of many (Invention & Technology, 1999). The writer also believes that the American style of construction of houses was influenced by the Midwest, made up of the French, Amerindians, Europeans and Spaniards (Invention & Technology, 1999). The 19th century saw new houses rise in demand, occasioned by a change in wood technologies, and American settlers around the Mississippi at that time found new cult ures in building. The settlers built sawmills as one of their new enterprises, contributing to the millions of feet of lumber produced in the region. This denotes a change towards the new culture, because if the settlers had been close to a river, they would have used saw planks instead. The writer also believes the invention of balloon frame lies with the Chicagoans. This is because the balloon frame is among the City’s founding myths. It has also been mentioned as a contributing factor to the 1872 Chicago fire. It is believed that in 1833 when Chicago was a year old, Augustine Taylor, a carpenter from Connecticut, was requested to build many houses but his response was to invent balloon frames (Invention & Technology, 1999). In that year, wood was of variable quality and dimension. In the structure of a balloon frame, one joint may collapse due to poor quality wood, but the main structure will remain stable because of many redundant joints. Nevertheless, the openings left b y the collapsed joints would let in cold in cold weather. It was, therefore, suggested by Taylor that dimension lumber, since it reacts in different ways than wood plunks and timber, be selected by experienced carpenters. It would then be assembled into a building leaving allowance for contraction and expansion. With all the displayed experience, observers noted that Taylor must have worked with balloon frames before his arrival in

History of the Modernity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

History of the Modernity - Essay Example These ideologies were given names suffixed with 'ism' to the principle governing theory; like, Radicalism (Radical-ism), Republicanism, Socialism, Nationalism, Conservatism, and Classical Liberalism. They had their origination in the Enlightenment era which had like thinkers Rene Descartes, Voltaire and Jean Jacques-Rousseau. Rousseau argued for liberty, and demand for equality of men. In The Social Contract he states, "the human race would perish unless it changed its manner of life." (p. 34) This brief essay shall try to answer some questions associated with the above period of European history, such as: the impact of the changes in European cities between 1815 and 1850, the impact of Industrial Revolution on the urban landscape, the appraisal of problems of by contemporaries regarding the social cost of the Industrial Revolution and the interpretation of modern historians interpret those costs. In the process it shall envisage an understanding of the subject, in terms of the impact of technological revolution that drove industrial revolution, and ideological changes that effected political changes in countries like France, Britain and indeed whole of Europe. In Britain, M Changes in the European Cities (years 1815-50) In Britain, Manchester had more than about "four hundred thousand inhabitants" (Engels p. 39) and gives a vivid picture of industrial pollution already making the river water "narrow, coal-black, foul-smelling stream, full of debris and refuse" (p.41). His record indicates that a railway line was already established between Leeds and Liverpool. The industrial boom in Manchester is further indicated by his record that there were "tanneries, bone mills and gas-works" (p.41) Manchester, had all the water, railway connection to carry raw materials and its cotton-manufacture-conducive climate, made it and important industrial town. Richard Guest records of the cotton manufacturing activities in Manchester and other cities of England, "In 1818, there were in Manchester, Stockport, Middleton, Hyde, Stayley Bridge, and their vicinities, fourteen factories, containing about two thousand Looms" the same increased to 32 in 1821, with 5732 looms; and since then it only steadily increased. Coal was also mined and at collieries in some places like Yorkshire and Lancashire, East of Scotland and South Wales, women workers were also engaged (Parliamentary Papers, 1842, Vol XVI, pp. 24, 196). 'Chartism' or the radical movement of the English working class, came out with a "People's Charter" (1837) with six points, which was submitted to the British Parliament in the year 1838. The development in Russia/Poland was more political in nature, with Poland declaring independence from Russia in St. Petersburg, in the year 1932, in order ensure "the continuance of all the essential requisites for the happiness of individuals, and of the country in general, namely, security of persons and property, liberty of conscience, and all the laws and privileges of towns and communes" (Hordynacki pp. 424-428) Vienna and the rest of Europe in general seem to be more under the influence of

London Guide Book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

London Guide Book - Essay Example You can get pretty much any drink from a giant skull head filled with punch to a volcano that erupts with your favorite drink of choice. Also a restaurant, Tonteria really has it all. A phenomenal DJ, a good crowd, great drinks and food. Sounds like the perfect Monday to me. A gentlemen’s club? A speak easy? A place for happy endings? To most passersby, La Bodega Negra can mislead anyone. The exterior’s effervescent neon signage displays â€Å"Adult Video† and â€Å"Peep Show†, concealing the exciting restaurant within. With its Mexican street cuisine and the provocative feel of the interiors, the place caters to all your senses. A perfect place for after-work drinks or a full-fledged feast with friends, La Bodega Negra never fails to bring the fun atmosphere, no matter what day of the week it may be. With its impressive menu of cocktails, with special emphasis on its array of specialty tequilas, it may be in your best interest to also peruse the impressive list of tapas and

Sophies World Outline Essay Example for Free

Sophies World Outline Essay The idea that nothing can come from nothing is introduced. Sophie questions whether all things come from a basic element. She learned that things in nature are in a constant state of transformation. Is there a beginning of everything? What do you believe it to be?introduction: The idea that nothing can come from nothing is introduced. Sophie questions whether all things come from a basic element. She learned that things in nature are in a constant state of transformation. Is there a beginning of everything? What do you believe it to be? Yanotan Zelink I. event one A. Sophie receives a letter containing three new questions. Which she contemplates an entire day before getting another packet with a letter explaining to her that the philosophy course will be going from ancient Greek philosophy up to present day philosophy. B. She learns that the ancient Greeks believed the world was eternal. â€Å"The earliest Greek Philosophers are sometimes called natural philosophers because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes† (30). So, they never asked about where it came from. Instead they were interested in the question of change. C. The Tao of Physics. II.event two A. The debate â€Å"what are we made of?† is raised. Early philosophers shared a belief that there had to be a certain basic substance at the root of all change. B. While some natural philosophers believed that everything was made of water, others believed they were made of air. â€Å"Earth, air, and fire were all necessary the creation of life† (33). C. Human-Aesthetic Perfection Song Lyrics. III.event three A. All Things Flow- â€Å"Everything is in constant flux and movement, nothing is abiding. Therefore we ‘cannot step twice into the river.’†(34)- Heraclitus B. Heraclitus states the world is made of opposites- we would not appreciate one thing if we did not experience the other. C. A Healthy Transformation by Dr. Jeffery McCombs. IV.conclusion A. As Sophie thinks about all of this, she concludes that one cannot learn philosophy. They can only learn how to think like a philosopher. V.journal questions A. If you were to come up with your own philosophy about life and what we’re made of, what would it be? Explain your philosophy. B. Other than physical aspects of a human, such as bones or basic elements, what would you say humans are made of emotionally or philosophically? Why? C. If there was only good in the world and no bad, how would it be and how would the outcome affect the world?

Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP) Research Plan

Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP) Research Plan MOHAMMAD FAISAL Collection of Data A.1. What were the objectives of the study? What was the association of interest? The objectives of the study were to examine the association of the prevalence of coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) in the USA and different contributing factors such as level of dust exposure, mine size, low seam mining and other factors. Also the regional differences in CWP were compared. The association of interest is between CWP and various contributing factors and also between different MSHA district regions. It was a cross-sectional study. A.2. What was the primary outcome (usually a disease, health condition, or other dependent variable) of interest? Briefly explain how the outcome was measured. The primary outcomes were observed and predicted prevalence in CWP prevalence in miners who participated in this study. Attfield and Morring Exposure response model was utilized to measure the predicted prevalence in CWP and the Chi-square test was used to compare the predicted and observed prevalences in CWP in miners. Radiographs were used to determine the presence of lung parenchymal abnormalities that are consistent with pneumoconiosis obtained from CWHSP. A.3. What was the primary exposure (actual exposure such as chemical, other risk factor, or other independent variable) of interest? Briefly explain how exposure was measured. The primary exposures were level of dust exposure concentration, mine size, tenure, seam height. These data were collected from CWHSP, approved by the NIOSH Human Subjects Review Board. Coal mine dust concentration and seam height data were obtained from MSIS. A.4. What type of study was conducted (study design)? This was a cross sectional study, which was done with a large number of participants from survey data. A.5. Describe the process of subject selection.   Define the source population for this study, if possible. The study participants were 12,408 underground coal miners from the MSHA districts. Participation in this CWHSP study were voluntary and study participants were 16 years and older. Due to small number of participants and different type of coal type (anthracite rather than bituminous), MSHA district 1 participants were excluded. The source population was all the underground coal miners in MSHA districts in USA. A.6. Selection bias: What are possible sources in this study? Examples: in a case-control study, how were the study subjects included? In a cohort study, is there loss to follow-up?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study participants (underground coal miners) in this CWHSP study were stratified by MSHA districts. Since stratified analyses are important in this study, the probability of being selected in a specific stratum might be different from another stratum and thus a selection bias might have happened. A.7. Information bias: What are some of the sources of information (measurement) error, for either the exposure or outcome measurement? Are these differential with respect to the exposure or outcome of interest? For exposure measurement, the investigators analyzed the self reported tenure in mining to derive the cumulative exposures. Also current exposures were examined for CWP which may not establish temporal relationship due to lack of allowance for lag time. A.8. Confounding: Did the authors consider potential confounders in the design of the study? The authors considered the following confounders: miner age and coal rank because the effect of respirable coal mine dust can be modified by the rank of the coal.   Ã‚  Ã‚   B. Analysis of Data B.1. What methods were used to control confounding? Were these sufficient (as far as you can tell)? As mentioned in the report the investigators incorporated all of the above mentioned covariates in their exposure-response statistical models to control for confounding. No detailed description is found about controlling the confounders. B.2. What measure of association (e.g. odds ratio, risk ratio, rate difference, etc.) was reported in the study? Was this appropriate? The authors reported the prevalence of the CWP and prevalence ratio between different MSHA district regions in this study. Since this is a survey based study, prevalence ratio is appropriate. B.3. How was the uncertainty of the measure of association (effect of random error or statistical significance) reported in this study? Are the conclusions of the study consistent with the uncertainty of the measure of association? The authors did not report 95% confidence intervals to report the uncertainty of the measure. However they reported the range of measured dust concentration level, worked hours per miners and tenure median. The prevalence ratio was statistically significant (p

Use Of Steel In Building Design Construction Essay

Use Of Steel In Building Design Construction Essay Steel is a mixer from alloy which consists a lot of iron and around 0.2 % of carbon. Grade will affect the weight of it but normally it is 2.1% by weight. For iron, carbon is the most common alloying material, but it also uses other elements such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten. Carbon and other alloying elements likes what I mentioned just now are acting as a hardening agent. From doing so, it can prevent dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from sliding past one another. By control the amount of alloying elements, it can indirectly control the hardness, ductility and the tensile strength of the resulting steel. By increasing the carbon content, it can be made harder and stronger than iron, but such steel is also less ductile than iron. Steel also called as a versatile material because the composition and internal structure to tailor its properties can be adjusted by us. Due to this reason, we can produce steel for paperclips, steel bridges, thin strips of st eel for razor blades and large beam for column. Properties of steel Steel more or less is a linear elastic material, it has a strong tensile strength which made it can be bend into whatever shape that you like, and it also have the same compressive as the tensile strength . It different from concrete, as we know that concrete is very low in tensile strength but it has a strong compressive strength. However, with enough applied force, steel and other metals will cease to behave elastically and begin to behave plastically. When a material is linearly elastic, its deformation, or strain, will be directly proportional to the applied force and it will return to its original shape when the force is removed. A plastic material ,on the other hand, will permanently deform without breaking. In real life, we cant found such thing as perfectly elastic or plastic material. Material likes steel, the tensile strength and the compressive strength are concerned by structural engineers. When steel reaches its yield strength, It started to stretch and transition from elastic to plastic behavior. When there is more force that applied on steel, it will made it reaches its ultimate tensile strength and eventually it will break. Due to the high tensile strength that steel has, structural engineers take this advantage in their design. In some Natural disasters likes earthquake or major structural failure, the properties which steel has is very useful because it allows the structure to absorb extra load. For those material that too brittle, it will shatter instead of stretch, it possibly will cause the structure to crash down, but for material likes steel, when the structure is ruined, but its plastic behavior allows time for escape. Advantage of steel As all engineers know, steel is very useful in construction. There are a lot of advantages of using steel in construction. That is why so many construction in the world use steel as main material. 1. Recycling Use steel in construction only will generate a small amount of waste. For all those light gauge steel construction is 100 percent recyclable. In one year, over a trillion pound of steel was recycled. According from a trustable data, it shows steel industry annually saves energy up to 18 million households for a year. 2. Strong and Durability Compare with use wood for framing work, steel is significantly stronger than wood. Other than carbon fiber, there is no other material can match steels superior strength and durability. The reason we never apply carbon fiber in our building is because carbon fiber is much more expensive compare with steel. Building that uses steel will enable the building to resist earthquake, hurricanes and other natural disease. 3. Climate and Condition As we know, steel made from strong iron and carbon, so it will never crack, shrink, splinter, creep, split, or swell. Individual members of a wood-framed building react differently to climate changes. This wood movement may include expansion, contraction, warping, twisting, etc. 4. Weigh Steels weigh is 60 percent lesser than wood. 6 tons of steel can supports 2000 square foot home, but for lumber, it needs around 20 tons to support 2000 Sf home. Although steel is light but it is very strong. Use steel for foundations can make it be lighter; transportation and site handling are easier. Problem of steel There is no perfect material in this world; each material has their strong point and week point. For steel, the most serious problem is corrosion. Due to the moisture of the air, those steel that exposed to air will get rush easily. Owner of the house have to spend a lot of money to remove those rush steel and replace it with new steel. So rather than waste a lot of money to replace after it rush, engineer had found out some way to prevent it before get rush. 1. Materials resistant to Corrosion In real life, we cant find a material that can totally immune to corrosion in all environments. To prevent corrosion, we have to know the environment factor that causes them to rush. Corrosion Resistance Date are used to assess the suitability of material in an environment. 2. Protective coating For prevent steel from corrosion, protective coatings are the most widely used technique. Protective coatings separate the surfaces of the matter that will corrode from the factors in the environment which cause corrosion to occur. Even protective coating is a common way of corrosion control technique, but it doesnt mean it can 100 percent the surface. 3. Catholic Protection There is another way to prevent corrosion from using electricity. Catholic protection interferes with the natural action of the electrochemical cells that are responsible for corrosion. For those materials which always exposed to air or water, using Catholic protection method is a very good technique. Other than the corrosion problem, steel cant resist heat as well. So when in applied in column, it needs a thick layer of cement to resist fire. From doing this, when the building is in fire, people got a lot of time to run from the building before it collapse. Uses of steel in construction work The number of building keeps increasing nowadays with help of steel components all over the world. The engineer found out that steel that is very useful in the construction work due to the ability of tensile and compressive strength. Cost of steel also affordable by client. In a building, steel parts are the most strong, most solid and reliable type of all building material that can stand the test of time. Due to the reason which is steels are firm, and cheaper compare with other material, aesthetic, fire resist, do not require further treatment and it is environmentally friendly. Advantage of steel is enough to draw attention to metal and steel components; the only issue that needs even more elaboration is their elasticity and reliability. Nowadays people do not want to be scared anymore because of their firbeboard-house or pvc houses will be sweep away by storm, tornados and other natural disasters. Reliable, solid and firm components will brings trust to user. Corrosion is one of the biggest disadvantages of metal parts used for construction though nowadays most of the manufacturers heat-treat metal parts in order they become stainless and stone-like. Heat conductivity is another problem of metal structures that is why houses are not equipped with them in full scale. Structural-Steel Columns The method of securing the ends of a column greatly influences its strength. While wooden and cast-iron columns usually occur in building construction with flat or square ends, structural-steel columns are often used, having either hinged, flat or square, and fixed ends. Where the ends are securely fixed, so that the column is likely to fail in the shaft, before the end connections are ruptured, greater strength is developed than with columns having hinged or pinned ends. Columns having flat or square ends are somewhat stronger than hinged-end columns, but not so strong as those having their ends firmly secured. Light steel framing Thin sheets of galvanized steel can be formed into steel studs used as a building material for rough-framing in commercial or residential construction (pictured), and many other applications. The dimension of the room is established with horizontal track that is anchored to the floor and ceiling to outline each room. The vertical studs are arranged in the tracks, usually spaced 16 apart, and fastened at the top and bottom. Rectangular steel frame, or perimeter frame of the Willis building (at right) contrasted against the diagrid frame at 30 St Mary Axe, London, UK. The primary shapes used in residential construction are the C-shape stud and the U-shaped track, and a variety of other shapes. Framing members are generally produced in a thickness of 12 to 25 gauge. The wall finish is anchored to the two flange sides of the stud, which varies from 1-1/4 to 3 thick, and the width of web ranges from 1-5/8 to 14. Rectangular sections are removed from the web to provide access for electrical wiring. Steel mills produce galvanized sheet steel, the base material for light-gauge steel. Sheet steel is then roll-formed into the final profiles used for framing. The sheets are zinc coated (galvanized) to prevent oxidation and corrosion. Steel framing provides excellent design flexibility due to the inherent strength of steel, which allows it to span over a longer distance than wood, and also resist wind and earthquake loads. Light Steel Framing has been extensively used in cold climate countries due to its good thermal and structural behaviour. Heat loss reduction and tenement thermal comfort have been the main driving forces defining the design of these frames. The main issue to be addressed is how striving for thermal efficiency can lead to structural weakening and poor fire performance. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_frame) Summary Steel is a very important character in construction work. It can apply in concrete, farming work, beam, column, etc. Steel strong in tensile and compressive, so when apply in column, it can help column to easily crack or damage. Compare with wood make building, steel make building allow people run away from the building when it was in fire. Steel can be totally recycled, and it will not produce any waste when it apply in construction. Talk about the advantage, steel is strong and it can last longer than any material. Carbon fiber has same properties as steel, but cost of carbon fiber is extremely expensive compare with steel. There is no perfect material in the world, even steel is good, but it can corrode anytime when I expose to air or water. Client or owner spent a lot of money for the further treatment. So rather to spend money on the further treatment, they choose to do something on it before it install. Such way like coating, material resist, and catholic protection. Conclusion Initially I choose wood as the material of the assignment, but eventually I found out that steel is more common use and its properties is very unique. Steel much more stronger than wood, lighter than wood and talk about the further treatment, woods are easily spoil, so it will waste more money. But nowadays steels are getting lesser, we have to find another material to replace it, Carbon fiber has the same properties with steel but the problem is it is very expensive compare with steel. Recycle is the best way to solve this problem. Steel can be cycle easily, we can get the source from tin, old car, old buildings beam. From doing this, we can make sure

The Power of Baseball and Role Models in Latin America Essay -- Sociol

The Power of Baseball and Role Models in Latin America In many countries around the world, the socioeconomic problem is so bad that they are granted the title of a Third World country. Countries that are not quite as bad, such as most Latin American countries like Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, often have trouble, on a smaller level, of creating jobs and job security for its people to inspire work ethic and incentive to raise the socioeconomic bar that has been set below average. Sometimes, all it takes is a role model; a person who is from that respective country who has made a name for themself of continental proportion to inspire the rest of the country to fight against the low standard that has been acquired. This paper will discuss how in Latin America, the people of these countries have found hope and incentive to work through the hardship and hard work of certain professional baseball players that had either defected or were lucky enough to work their way into the American professional baseball system. Because these players have struck gold on such an enormous level, a global level, they have given the poorer and disadvantaged people of their country a reason to fight to make their situation better. These players have given back considerably to their communities and their countries which makes them the role models they are today. Puerto Rico â€Å"Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth of the United States and is not subject to the imposition of tax levies by the continental United States except for Social Security, workman’s compensation and several additional labor benefits† (Sennholz). So, the apparent question is, why is Puerto Rico such a poor country? To be perfectly honest, their lack of... ...it to the U.S. and pursue a career in baseball and then even further on to jobs that even entail coaching and managing, are the kind of role models who stand out in these Latin American countries and are the reason baseball is continually embraced there today. These role models send the right message back home and have and will continue to be role models to not only their home country, but to many others throughout the world for their dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Works Cited Ender, Eric. â€Å"Cuban Baseball: The Road to the Majors,† www.espn.com. 2 Feb. 2000. Accessed site: 30 May 2003. Paese, Gabriella. â€Å"Injuries Sideline 5 Puerto Ricans in the Major Leagues,† Puerto Rican Herald. 19 Apr. 2002. Accessed site: 1 June 2003. Sennholz, Hanz. â€Å"El Pasatiempo Nacional,† www.puertoricobaseball.com/baseballnotes/. 3 July 2001. Accessed site: 2 June 2003.

Essay --

As a part of my endeavor to pursue higher studies I humbly submit the Statement of Purpose. This statement would succinctly recapitulate my ambitions and credibility as a promising zealous student in your institution. First of all, I would like to introduce myself as Mr. Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi, an undergraduate B. tech Engineer with Electronics and Communication Engineering specialization from Koneru Lakshmiah University, one of the very distinguished and esteemed universities in our country. Right from my school, I was always fascinated by Mathematics, Science and Research in general. And then again in high school, it was this propensity which led me to take up Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as my major subjects. This passion eventually made me to opt for Electronics and Communication Engineering as my field of expertise. I would like to present my past performance as the bona fides for my success in my future endeavors. My innate strength has always been my quantitative and analytical abilities, which instilled me with a penchant for Mathematics and Physics. I opted for the same in my 12th grade and secured a score of around 96% in core subjects. I was placed in the top 3% of five hundred thousand aspirants who took entrance examination for IITs. This performance helped me in getting admission into Koneru Lakshamiah University, Vijayawada, India. During the course of my preparation for this exam, I had realized that my interests lay in the broad principles of scienc e and its basic fundamentals and I ascertained Electronics and Communication Engineering to be the apt subject, catering my taste. It was the time when technology had slowly begun to repose the lives of the people. Electronics and Communication Engi... ...of academic excellence accompanied by proficient Faculty and research facilities. Moreover, your institution being the confluence of people from every race, religion and nationality provides the right kind of exposure needed for upbringing of one’s natural skill. I especially thank you for giving me the opportunity to express about myself. Hailing from an educated family, I am confident that I possess the required perseverance and commitment and am sure that I’ll cope with your expectations. It would be a great honor to my family and my country if I could attain remarkable achievements in my field. I assure you that I would keep up my diligence and good demeanor during the course. I hope you find my purpose definitive and I fit in to your image of a promising research student. I look forward to prove myself. ( Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi) Essay -- As a part of my endeavor to pursue higher studies I humbly submit the Statement of Purpose. This statement would succinctly recapitulate my ambitions and credibility as a promising zealous student in your institution. First of all, I would like to introduce myself as Mr. Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi, an undergraduate B. tech Engineer with Electronics and Communication Engineering specialization from Koneru Lakshmiah University, one of the very distinguished and esteemed universities in our country. Right from my school, I was always fascinated by Mathematics, Science and Research in general. And then again in high school, it was this propensity which led me to take up Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as my major subjects. This passion eventually made me to opt for Electronics and Communication Engineering as my field of expertise. I would like to present my past performance as the bona fides for my success in my future endeavors. My innate strength has always been my quantitative and analytical abilities, which instilled me with a penchant for Mathematics and Physics. I opted for the same in my 12th grade and secured a score of around 96% in core subjects. I was placed in the top 3% of five hundred thousand aspirants who took entrance examination for IITs. This performance helped me in getting admission into Koneru Lakshamiah University, Vijayawada, India. During the course of my preparation for this exam, I had realized that my interests lay in the broad principles of scienc e and its basic fundamentals and I ascertained Electronics and Communication Engineering to be the apt subject, catering my taste. It was the time when technology had slowly begun to repose the lives of the people. Electronics and Communication Engi... ...of academic excellence accompanied by proficient Faculty and research facilities. Moreover, your institution being the confluence of people from every race, religion and nationality provides the right kind of exposure needed for upbringing of one’s natural skill. I especially thank you for giving me the opportunity to express about myself. Hailing from an educated family, I am confident that I possess the required perseverance and commitment and am sure that I’ll cope with your expectations. It would be a great honor to my family and my country if I could attain remarkable achievements in my field. I assure you that I would keep up my diligence and good demeanor during the course. I hope you find my purpose definitive and I fit in to your image of a promising research student. I look forward to prove myself. ( Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi)

Little Enough Or Too Much Essay Essay

The case â€Å"Little Enough or Too Much† describes a company which produces a new industrial lubricant by the name of Chemical X. With approval from the government, the company dumps all excess chemical waste into a nearby river, commonly used by other producers, and in the production process chooses eliminate an addition step which would have led to reduced dumping of chemical waste. This is done in order to ensure cost efficiencies and competitiveness, however, a worker by the name of Bryan believes action should be taken in order to protect the environment and live up to the company’s promise of environmental consciousness, with the potential pollution and harm posed by this current process. Having already expressed his concerns to plant supervisor Bill Gates, it is clear that altering the current plan is not of any concern to the company (Heist, 1992). This case brings light to a very important moral issue: Does Bryan have any obligation or responsibility for takin g action and informing others in order to ensure that this issue is resolved? Seeing as the company currently perceives no reason to make adjustments to the production process, with their investment currently thriving, this puts Bryan in a very difficult position. However, there are possible solutions. Bryan could try and gather enough data from the engineers and chemists involved in the production process which would provide evidence to Bryan’s concerns and reproach Bill Gates with his findings. Alternatively, he could approach individuals outside of the organization, such as the government, to see that action is taken to solve the problem (â€Å"Little Enough or†, 1992). Based on the ethical theory of virtue ethics, which emphasizes decisions to be made based upon one’s own moral character, Bryan does indeed have an obligation to inform others of the necessity of this issue to be resolved and therefor, should take action. Virtue ethics teaches us that individuals should make decisions based on their own character and personal beliefs, â€Å"rather than relying on external laws and customs of [a] person’s culture† (Gowdy, 2013). It is made clear that Bryan is extremely uncomfortable with the decisions being made by the company and does not believe they are right. With the government’s authorisation for additional waste discarding and the evident approval among supervisors and co-workers, benefiting from the increase in profits through the firm’s profit-sharing program, Bryan’s current business culture seems to contradict his inner beliefs. However, according to virtue ethics, these  factors should not influence his final decision and therefor it would be logical for him to pursue this issue. Similarly, this theory places great emphasis on directing an individual’s attention away from popular belief and focusing on one’s own opinion and thoughts (Gowdy, 2013). Bryan should then not let his own judgement be clouded, merely because others do not view the situation from his perspective, and listen to his instincts which appear to be telling him that the company is making a huge mistake. Referring back to Greek thinkers Plato and Aristotle, it is said that individuals should ultimately make decisions which rein force key virtues such as courage, justice and honesty, and that through consistent application, individuals are able to acquire good habits of character. Ultimately, this will cause them to be able to better regulate their emotions and make morally correct decisions when faced with difficulties (Cline, n.d.). Based on this, in order to ensure that Bryan continues to make moral decisions throughout the rest of his life and is able to truly live virtuously, he should make an attempt to have the additional step implemented into the production process, thus reducing the amount of pollution. This is because such a decision would display the characteristic of courage on Bryan’s behalf, given that he is being faced with peers only interested in the current benefits being presented to them: money and short-term organizational success. These motives of greed would then fall under the category of bad habits, or â€Å"vices†, which Bryan should avoid in order to make moral decisions (Cline, n.d.). While Bryan is able to see the benefits of this product, as perceived by his peers, he cannot ignore the fact that excess pollution will most likely cause more problems for the company in the future. With the river being located so closely to the factory, if evidence does prove that excess chemical waste will have extremely harmful health effects, this not only puts the local environment and wildlife in danger, but also the lives of the factory’s workers if the landfill continues to grow. Therefore, attempting to minimize these effects would satisfy the virtue of justice. Other ethical theories such as Utilitarianism may argue that since the current production process is causing an increase in profits, quite substantial when compared to the past few mediocre quarters, choosing to leave the current process as it is will benefit the greatest number of people (â€Å"Utilitarianism†, 2007). However, as Bryan identifies, this is merely a short term projection of  benefits. The company has not taken into consideration the costs of implementing this additional step, as well as the potential harm from pollution in their analysis. Not to mention the fact that the company is technically lying to the public. While the company publicly states that all actions are taken in order to minimize harmful environmental effects, Chemical X proves this statement to be false. If some consumer’s purchased this product because they believed they were doing good for the environ ment, as apparently advertised, they would be deceived entirely. Essentially, it is as if the consumers are being â€Å"greenwashed† by being fed false information in for hopes of organizational benefits, although no extensive marketing campaign has been executed (Furlow, 2010).While the company believes that slowing down production in order to implement this additional step will only draw attention to themselves and cause suspicion from environmental groups, would it not be worse if they were to discover this dishonesty down the road, only after the lie had snowballed over many years? At least if they were to correct this mistake now, they would be able to sustain this image of ecological concern by actively solving problems and admitting to their own errors in judgement. In order to satisfy the issues presented in this case, the ethical solution would be for Bryan to reproach Bill Gates and convince him that the additional phase in production must be implemented. This would be achieved by contacting the engineers and chemists involved in the production of Chemical X in order to derive concrete evidence that the current plan will be harmful and support Bryan’s claim (â€Å"Little Enough or†, 1992). Considering the amount of safety precautions taken and training requirement on behalf of employees within chemical factories, there surely must be some sort of evidence to prove the damaging effects of their current process in order to draw attention to change. If it was then agreed upon to proceed with this plan, it would help to minimize the harmful effects on the environment and factory in general. In addition to Bryan being able to make a moral decision which will help him maintain a virtuous character in future difficulties, this would potentially have a positive effect on the character of other employees. Previously, the company was being dishonest to the public regarding their ecological motives which over time could have reinforced the concept that dishonesty in the workplace is acceptable and feed into greed, both vices for which no employer should  encourage. By living up to the company’s initial claim, this would potentially help reverse these effects. In conclusion, Bryan should follow his own beliefs and personal character and take action towards having the company implement an additional step in the production process of Chemical X. Thus, enabling him to make proper moral decisions in the future, sustain key virtues and minimize potential harmful effects on the environment and health of factory workers. Despite being a new employee and the idea that Bryan should avoid being a â€Å"troublemaker†, it cannot be simply denied that there is some form of injustice in this case and simply ignoring such injustice would stain one’s own moral character. References Cline, A. (n.d.). Virtue Ethics: Morality and Character. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://atheism.about.com/od/ethicalsystems/a/virtueethics.htm Furlow, N. (2010). Greenwashing in the New Millennium. The Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 10(6), 22-25. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from ABI/INFORM Global. Gowdy, L. (2013, October 15). Virtue Ethics. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://www.ethicsmorals.com/ethicsvirtue.html Heist, E. (1992, January 1). Little Enough or Too Much. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from https://learn.humber.ca/bbcswebdav/pid-1288113-dt-content-rid-6008416_1/courses/5773.201470/227_case1.pdf Little Enough or Too Much Teaching Notes. (1992). Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://wpweb2.tepper.cmu.edu/ethics/AA/mgmt04-notes.pdf Utilitarianism. (2007). In Political philosophy A-Z. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com.rap.ocls.ca/content/entry/edinburghppaz/utilitarianism/0

Piaget’s theory Essay

Donaldson also found that children pay great attention to the social context of a task. As they are in the process of developing a vocabulary, they rely on contextual clues to enhance their understanding of verbal communications. Piaget devised a task to study children’s understanding of the conservation of liquid. He asked whether the amount of liquid had changed after being poured from one shape vessel to another. Unable to sense a purpose in the activity, the children gave an answer based on the variable that has changed, i. e. the shape of the vessel. Making sense of the conservation task, putting it in a socially understandable context, achieved better results. A study by Light, Buckingham & Robbins (1979) involved 2 groups of 6 year olds. The first group were shown some pasta shells poured from the first breaker to a wider one and 95 per cent of the children confirmed Piaget’s finding as being non-conservers. The second group of children were told that the shells were to be used in a game and the reason for the transference of shells was a chip on the rim of the first beaker. This time only 30 per cent of the children gave non-conserving answers. It would seem that the task must make human sense to the child, not just to the investigator. Even though Donaldson’s approach highlights the way in which Piaget underestimated children’s abilities, it made no criticism of the theoretical framework. The lasting aspects of Piaget’s admirable body of work include the concept of a progression through developmental stages. There is a general agreement that the changes involved in the progression are of a qualitative nature, and, as Piaget explained, they come about as a result of constructive activity. Developmental psychology will continue to evolve, grateful for the solid foundation

What Can African Americans Do to Become More Marketable?

What can African Americans do to become more marketable in this economy? The average African Americans have by far been significantly unmarketable in comparison to their Average Caucasian counterparts. However, it should be mentioned that there are some African Americans who are also very marketable in our society. These few successful and marketable African Americans know and apply key principles in marketing themselves. This is the difference that separates the unmarketable and marketable African American.However, there are ways for the unmarketable African Americans to become more marketable in the global economy. In this essay, I will only be discussing seven of those major ways. African Americans can become more marketable if they: develop a highly impressive resume; prepare to participate in the global economy; become technologically savvy; are flexible in job expectations; improve on interview skills; network wisely; and improve on his or her interview skills.The first thing t hat African Americans who want to become more marketable should do is attend college or university and study a challenging major. This is because it is important to have at least a Bachelors degree in order to get a meaningful job that will bring any kind of success to ones life. After attending University; one should develop a highly impressive resume. An impressive resume that documents evidence of academic excellence, demonstrated leadership, well developed social skills, and personal initiative will definitely get the attention of corporate recruiters and hiring managers.It is also important to participate in the global economy. One can do this by becoming familiar with another language. Becoming familiar with at least one of the major languages that are involved in international commerce such as: Japanese, Spanish, or Chinese; is enough to put one head and shoulders above his or her peers. One should also try to become more technologically savvy because the advancements in Info rmation Technology affect almost every academic and occupational profession.In order to become more technologically savvy, one should try to take a few computer or internet-related courses and also read professional journals in his or her field that has a technological slant. African Americans should also try not to limit him or herself by having predetermined notions about the size of the company that they want to work for or their exact job title or starting salary.This is because in doing so employers may not be very welcoming. To be as marketable as possible an African American should indicate to prospective employers that they are flexible to employment and career advancement. In order to be marketable African Americans should also improve on interviewing skills. This can be done by reading books and articles on interviewing and also by attending career placement office tutorials and work shops on interviewing.Another way to work on interviewing skills is to role play with some one and have them videotape the session. It is also of utmost importance for African Americans who want to become more marketable network wisely and mentor with someone successful in his or her career field. Professional networking can afford an individual to meet successful professionals in his or her field that can alert him or her to what’s available in the hidden job market of which he or she may not have otherwise known about.Networking is also important because the more people who know about ones career interest and can speak favorably of him or her, the more desirable he or she will be to other prospective employers. African Americans should mentor with someone successful in his or her field, this is because it is career enhancing to mentor with someone who has achieved distinction in the African American’s academic/occupational field and is willing to offer career guidance and support. A well connected mentor can sponsor his or her membership in one or more pre stigious organizations.Listing these associations on ones resume can enhance his or her written credentials and give him or her a bit of a competitive edge in job hunting. In conclusion, the average African American can become more marketable if he or she is willing to learn and practice the ways that the marketable use to become more marketable. These ways/principles are quite easy to follow and anyone can implement them. However, one needs to be dedicated, ambitious, and hard-working in his or her endeavors.

Managerial Decision Making in the Aerospace Industry Case Study

As in many other industries, the IT has changed the way of performing management process. For example, the cost management process went from hand-written and mainframe computers to sophisticated software applications that help reducing the workload, headcount, and expedite the job completion. Also, this helps improving the outcome quality and increase productivity. The managerial accounting process in the aerospace industries follows a certain steps.The success of each of the steps depends heavily on the previous step, any break of inefficiency of one or more of the steps will collapse the whole process. Organizations have to chose between operating a commercial-of-the-shelf software of invest in designing a special software. The companies that chose to operate the commercial software will be able to use it in for operations such as cost estimating, analysis, and proposal pricing.While the special designed software allows more specific operations, it requires a substantial investment to create and operate. Accurate estimation is critical for the financial success and it allows the organization to successfully propose price decision, source of investment. The Department of Defense requires contractor to have an â€Å"acceptable† estimating system. There are different estimate methods such as round table, comparison, detailed, and parametric. A combination of the four methods could be used based of the needs and timing.The pricing proposal step is one of the complexes and demanding functions that requires an analysis for alternative program plans and schedule, prospective cash flow and return on investment, satisfy internal management views, and respond to the costumers’ expectations. The project cost has been depending on applications that were designed internally to help account manager to analyze the cost. After that, some companies created software that targeted the aerospace industry to help them with project scheduling and earned value.The con tinuous change of requirement made by DOD forces the aerospace industry to accommodate the new demands and there was more application software available. The constant change of requirements and imposing new regulations by the government and implementation of the advanced software applications have greatly improved the productivity of the cost analysis managers and reduce the workload on the contractors. This resulted in having more effective cost analysis staff that performs better in satisfying the requirements in less time and cost, and provides an more accurate information.

Regulatory Response to the Financial Crisis which began in 2007 Essay

Regulatory Response to the Financial Crisis which began in 2007 - Essay Example 1). The debate still rages as to the real cause of the crisis. King (2011, p. 48) indicates that a major contributor to the global crisis was global imbalances which requires rebalancing of global demand in order to facilitate a sustainable recovery. This paper provides a brief synopsis of the events and the regulations which followed in the US, Germany, UK, Netherlands and Spain. According to Blundell-Wignall and Atkinson (2010, p. 2) every banking crisis has been associated with major disruptions as well as recessions and this is the reason for certain bank regulations. New regulatory responses are generated by every global financial crisis (Helleiner 2010). This was no different for the crisis which started in 2007 resulting in what has been described as ‘the Great Recession.’ Regulatory Response in the United States According to the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee (2010) a multitude of events led to the Great Recession of 2008-2009. They include the housing b ubble which was caused by cheap credit made to persons who would not qualify for a loan under normal circumstances; low interest rates; failure of regulatory agencies; and inflated rating grades provided by credit rating agencies. In order to mitigate the crisis United States government introduced what they described as Targeted Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (TLGP) – (Eubanks 2010b, p. 2). The TARP was later expanded to include automobile companies such as GM and Chrysler (U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee 2010). A number of regulatory proposals were put forward in relation to consumer protection, modernisation of the regulatory system and restoring stability (Eubanks 2010a). These led to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of July 2010 and a consolidation of the regulatory bodies. The objective of the act is to â€Å"create a sound economic foundation to grow jobs, protect consumers, rein in Wall St reet and big bonuses, end bailouts and too big to fail, prevent another financial crisis†. According to Lo (2009, p. 27) there has been a recent proposal to suspend Fair-Value – FASB Statement No. 157. Fair-value or mark-to-market accounting requires the valuations of firms’ asset at fair market prices and not on a historical cost basis. The practice which has forced a number of firms to write down their assets and thus triggering defaults and insolvencies has been blamed for the financial crisis. Regulatory Response in Germany In Germany the single regulator of financial services – the German Financial Supervisory Authority which was established in 2002 in order to improve stability and integrity in the German financial system had its regulatory authority greatly increased in 2009. This was done in order to improve its capacity to manage the financial crisis. The act for strengthening the financial market and insurance supervision became effective on Augu st 1, 2009 (Eubanks 2010b). This act was a measure which had the objective of increasing the preventative, supervisory and intervening powers of this regulatory authority. The act also facilitated the strengthening of informational and reporting requirements for financial institutions, insurance companies

Compensation and Benefits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compensation and Benefits - Research Paper Example Paychecks are based on the number of hours worked by the employee after deduction of applicable taxes. Salary ranges depend upon the position and place of work of the employee. The places where employees can work are global as Best Buy has hundreds of stores in North America, European Union and Asia (Best Buy 2011) Appendix 2 shows that in North America, Best Buy has 1099 stores in USA, 71 stores in Canada and 6 stores in Mexico. Best Buy mobile has 177 stores in USA and 10 stores in Canada. Pacific Sales has 35 stores in USA. Magnolia has 6 stores in USA and Future Shop has 146 stores in Canada. Similarly there are several stores in UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and Belgium in European Union. China has 166 stores. The quantum and size of stores give ample opportunities of employment for people all around the world (Best Buy 2011) The professional-development program provides learning opportunities through its award winning website â€Å"LearningLounge†. Appendix 3 shows that 93% of the retail employees benefited from it by spending more than one million hours participating in over 4.3 million courses and achieving 406,000 certifications. Similarly employees received nearly 10 million dollars in tuition reimbursement (Best Buy 2011) Programs for retirement, paid-time off and health care are developed based on the world wide places where employees are employed. Through enterprise-wise surveys, continuous efforts are made to improve the Employee Satisfaction Index (ESI) by way of taking measures based on suggestions given by the employees (Best Buy 2011) The inspired work place offers clear communication amongst the employees, vendors and stake holders complying with the requirements of law. The ethical standards and values are enforced throughout the company after clear communication. The website â€Å"Ethics at Best Buy† provides opportunities to customers, community members and employees to

Sociology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology - Assignment Example Knowledge of sociology also helps the career pursuer. One pursuing a career, regardless of the career field, should be aware of how humans interact. This is true since almost every career goal requires a certain type of human interactions. Positive human interaction can mean a successful career. Every individual has their own political and economic philosophies. These philosophies are important to consider. Sociology teaches how others make decisions. Becoming a dental hygienist involves the use of economic decisions. One may choose to become a dental hygienist for the income level. The income level of a dental hygienist allows the one pursuing the career to reach a mid income level and become a part of the sociological class of individuals that receive moderate income. Individuals in a mid class income level are not considered wealthy but have plenty of money to get by and take care of a family. These individuals also are likely to share similar political beliefs since they will sha re the same struggles. Learning sociology has helped to learn which career goals will bring in certain income levels and which groups of people are associated with certain income levels. Although not everyone is the same, knowledge of sociology helps create an image of certain classes of individuals.

The development of English for specific purposes (ESP) Essay

The development of English for specific purposes (ESP) - Essay Example in fact, Swales (1985) uses the development of EST to illustrate the development of ESP in general: ‘With one or two exceptions†¦English for Science and Technology has always set and continues to set the trend in theoretical discussion, in ways of analyzing language, and in the variety of actual teaching materials.’ The phase took place between 1960’s and 1970’s. The major proponents of this phase included Peter Strevens (Halliday, McIntosh and Strevens, 1964), Jack Ewer (Ewer and Latorre, 1969) and John Swales (1971). Operating on the basic principle that the English of, say, Electrical Engineering constituted a specific register different from that of, say, Biology or of General English, it is important to distinguish the grammatical and lexical features of these registers. Teaching materials have adopted these linguistic features in their syllabus, a good example being A Course in Basic Scientific English by Ewer and Latorre (1969) (see below p. 26). In fact, as Ewer and Latorre’s syllabus shows, register analysis revealed that there was little distinction in the sentence grammar of scientific English beyond the tendency to favor particular forms such as the present simple tense, the passive voice and nominal compounds. However, the syllabus did not reveal any forms found in General English. But we must be wary of making unfair criticism. Although there was an academic interest in the nature of English registers per se, the main motive behind register analyses, such as, Ewer and Latorre’s was the pedagogic one of making the ESP course more relevant to learners’ needs. The main purpose was to create a syllabus that would give priority to forms of language that students would use in their Science studies. Ewer and Hughes-Davies (1971), for example, compared the language of the texts their Science students had to read with the language of some widely used school

What strategies were used by those that are exploited to strike a blow Essay

What strategies were used by those that are exploited to strike a blow agains the system Tie your response to how also Dubois relate to this situation - Essay Example evident to the oppressed people and they may be not able to communicate in mainstream political discourse because of discrimination, disenfranchisement, economics, or other reasons. At this point, many oppressed groups such as Native Americans, Marxists, or anti-Colonial liberation movements may organize armed response through guerrilla movements or armies organized to resist oppression. In America, the non-violent path is represented by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the path or armed resistance by Malcolm X, in the context of the African-American liberation struggle. But in that same context, W.E.B. Dubois life and activism in organizing responses to oppression shows a different division in methods: between the religious and the secular. For both Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. both organized their critiques of repression around a religious base, Islam and Christianity, but Dubois organizes his critiques on more secular themes of humanitarianism, socialism and communism. Thus, we can conclude that there are not only non-violent and violent responses to oppression, but also responses that are based on religious or secular values as fundamental categorizations of resistance types. For example, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized resistance responses from the pulpit of a church, through sermons. From there he led greater movements and demonstrations in the larger secular society. Malcolm X organized from the prisons, gangs, and street level of society, where outside minorities felt the crush of oppression through police violence, and he decided on a response based on armed opposition. When he organized from a religious base, it was not from the mosque in the same degree as King, but nevertheless his pilgrimage to Mecca and the Nation of Islam are examples of the inseparability of religion from his philosophy of resistance. With Dubois, we see an organization of resistance from the position of labor movements and trade unions. As Robin Kelley

Dreyfus and Kelly's Take on Nihilism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dreyfus and Kelly's Take on Nihilism - Essay Example However, this is not the case. Ultimately, what a nihilist believes and understands is the fact that no truth, reality, morality, or levels of any measurable norms can be inferred. As such, the nihilist is led to the understanding that the negation of objective meaning, purpose, or some type of value, is part and parcel of the worldview that such a philosophy espouses. In effect, the reader should come to the understanding that an individual that believed in nihilism would quickly denote that no objective reason or rational exists for any action or consequence; rather, the nihilistic approach would conclude that no moral good or objectivity can be derived from any situation – creating a litany of possible scenarios and outcomes. This can of course be denoted with regards to the means through which well-known philosophers such as Frederick Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Heidegger, and a litany of others integrated with such an understanding of nihilism and the approach th at it portends. Naturally, one of the most famous of all of these philosophers that have thus far been discussed is Frederick Nietzsche. Although it was not Nietzsche that came up with the construct and philosophical approach of nihilism, is perhaps most famous for championing it in the face of considerable opposition and a climate of incredulity during his own era. The ultimate view of Dreyfus and Kelly revolves around an understanding that although Nihilism represents a unique and fascinating chapter of the philosophical development of modern mankind, it is somehow no longer applicable to the current universalism and broadly accepted mores and norms of our time. As compared to Wallace and Gilbert’s suggestions for coping with nihilist worries, the authors take a similar tact and promote an understanding that even though certain aspects of nihilist philosophy can be accepted, the more stringent aspects of it must be denied out of hand. Ultimately, it is the view of this auth or that the dismissive nature through which the authors integrate with nihilism neither does it service nor seeks to address the underlying root core for why an individual might be attracted to such a philosophical integration. In short, the reason for why the authors approach falls short is due to the fact that nihilism in and of itself seeks to address the failures of traditional philosophy and philosophical thought; something that the authors of the text fare no better at explaining. The nihilistic problem, as defined by Sean Kelly, is with regards to whether or not nihilism is in fact an emotional state of being or a philosophical framework of understanding. The differential that was not understood during the time in which nihilism was most employed, written about, and argued, is essential in seeking to define what level of integration nihilism deserves within the current era. Ultimately, Sean Kelly denotes that nihilism is in fact an emotional state of being a philosophical fra mework (Dreyfus & Kelly 250). Although this point as well argued, it is the view of this author that it is ultimately incapable of describing the complexity of the dynamics of philosophy

The climate change debate (anthropogenic or natural) Essay

The climate change debate (anthropogenic or natural) - Essay Example However, this does not imply that anthropogenic factors do not have any effect on climate change. Based on the recent global climate simulations, and two environmental response models, the effects of natural climate variability and future climate change uncertainties, it has been found that human-induced climate change by 2050 will be unpredictable compared to the natural climate variability[3]. This suggests that both natural and anthropogenic factors have contributed to the climate change in the 20th century. This is based on a comparison of observation where the model simulates global mean and large-scale land temperature variations [4]. While climate change is human-induced, the fact that is difficult to predict the size and consequences of climate change [5], suggests that there are incidences beyond the understanding and capabilties of the human mind and human beings. These factors reinforce that climate change is a combination of anthropogenic and natural

Revised Resource requirements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revised Resource requirements - Essay Example Revised Resource requirements Most importantly, though, the entire cost of new resources must not exceed the initial $3.5 million mark set aside for the whole project. Information about how past projects of the kind handled the problem of floods will be important in alleviating the menace and stemming cases of a project creep. In light of the new changes to resource requirements occasioned by the flood disaster, the cost of investment will likely go up past the $3.5 million mark. In order to keep the cost of investment low, the project team will need to carry out a painstaking re-evaluation of the new requirements, especially those that revolve round control of floods. Specifically, the team will need to re-draw the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to include flood disaster control activities alongside the original resource requirements. A comprehensive WBS that includes flood clearance and restocking of damaged materials will provide an accurate picture and estimation of the actual resources needed for the Mobile Cancer Screening project. Estimation of the amount of resources will enable the stakeholders to take stock of the additional costs and set up control measures to avoid a project creep (Kousholt, 2007). More effort will be needed to control the disaster and set the project on the path to success. Proper estimation of the additional effort will enable the project manager to deploy the right amount of resources for a time-cost trade-off in order to retain quality.

The Art of Sacrifice Essay Example for Free

The Art of Sacrifice Essay Sacrifice, the concept of giving up something valuable as a means of gaining more desirable things or preventing evil, is a fascinating art that has long intrigued humankind. In particular, two American texts have captured the essence of it , The Great Gatsby by F.S. Fitzgerald and the 1999 movie American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes. Both texts closely explore the responsibility of an individuals relationship with his or her society for the sacrifices the individual makes; from the disillusionment of the American Dream to how the characters are affected or destroyed by it. In the world of Jay Gatsby and Lester Burnham, ideals and values are defined by their society. More specifically, theirs is a consumer-driven society, resulting in false values which place importance on materialism and hedonism, disregarding morality and spirituality. In The Great Gatsby, these values are embodied through the juxtaposition and repetition of West and East. The Mid-West of America and West Egg, where Nick and Gatsby originate and inhabit, represent moral integrity, spirituality and innocence in contrast to the East Coast of America and East Egg, where the Buchanans live, which are full of self-indulgence, material wealth and moral decadence. The function of the characters is to enhance these values depending on where they come from, Mid-Western Nick for an example is a self-described moral person (I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known) but Tom Buchanan from the East is portrayed as a ruthless, racist womanizer who is careless in using and letting other people clean up the mess [he] had made. Similarly, the opening scene in American Beauty is of a high-angle pan across a picturesque suburb and then a cut to an equally picturesque large house with a neat lawn and beautiful rose beds. This quickly highlights the concept of a social ideal to strive for, as Lester Burnhams house is portrayed as the epitome of American homes with its perfect white walls and bright red door, and it is promptly linked to consumerism through the means of his wife Carolyn, who is a competitive real estate agent she sells this American Dream, leading to the social notion that if you have money, then you can have anything. All the se techniques are used to emphasize the major role of society in defining social values and aspirations. Therefore the individual, in an attempt to gain happiness and fulfillment, will strive for the values that society imposes. They adopt the social ideals and then make sacrifices in order to achieve them. Since the first glimpse of Carolyn cultivating a perfect red rose in American Beauty, it has become the symbol for her. Like the outwardly perfect rose, she is seen as the modern-age successful businesswoman who has it all the perfect family, the perfect house, the perfect job, all reflecting her philosophy of in order to be successful, one must maintain an image of success at all times. However, like these perfect roses, she has no scent thus no soul, and instead she uses the roses as a substitute for genuine emotion and affection. The starkest example is found in the first Burnham dinner scene where the closest thing to warmth comes from the scarlet color of the centerpiece roses as everything else in the frame, Carolyns family included, are cold and sombre due to the predominance of shadows, blue hues and lack of friendly conversation. In this way, she sacrifices real feelings for surface appearances. This makes her similar to Daisy in The Great Gatsby who, in choosing Tom over Gatsby twice, makes the sacrifice of love for social status and material possession. She endures Toms blatant infidelities to achieve the comfort and respectability that the consumer-driven and superficial society demands and like Carolyn, places emphasis on outwards appearance with her wish that her daughter would be a fool thats the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool. Even Gatsbys sense of ideal is no more or no less than which his society can offer him. Everything about Jay Gatsby is based on what James Gatz believes that society would find attractive as he does not enjoy his own wild parties, which shows that he does this for the sake of a socially accepted image rather than personal taste, that he is the advertisement of a man not the actual man himself. Indeed Gatsby adopts societys false values and he uses other mens desires as his standard of value a reason why he found Daisy so appealing in the first place, many men had already loved Daisy it increased her value in his eyes. However it must be noted that not all characters are like the aforementioned in their sacrifices, as no matter what the society dictates the ability to choose still lies in the power of the individual. While society may have itsb  guidelines of social acceptability, it is up to the individual whether or not to follow the guidelines. Nick, the voice of The Great Gatsby, is initially attracted to the wealth and glamor of the East but upon realizing that it creates a frantic, aimless lifestyle without substance nor spirituality, rejects it in the end. This milestone is marked by Nicks return to the Mid-West, which is symbolic of his rejection of the superficiality, materialism and amoral disposition of the East and his embracement of the traditional, wholesome values of the Mid-West. In American Beauty, Lesters encounter and resultant obsession with Angela makes him realize the emptiness of his life and he remembers the things he wants again, I feel like Ive been in a coma for about twenty years, and Im just waking up. He then sacrifices and rejects social expectations for his own happiness as he sees the illusion of the American Dream and how his family has lost their way in attempting to follow it. One of the ways Lester tries to capture the remembered joy of his youth is through the purchase of a sports car, a 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car that I always wanted and now I have it. I rule! The Firebird is a symbol of his rebellion against suburban expectations and also one of power at the beginning of the film, Carolyn drives Lester everywhere, conveying his lack of drive, but with the Firebird, he drives himself to places he is in control of his own life once more. This echoes the power that all individuals have in making their own choices in life. Yet the choices that an individual makes reflect the relationship between him or her and their society. How the individual perceives the nature of their society is displayed in their choice of sacrifice, and it is also synonymous with the amount of control left in themselves that is not handed over to society. Carolyn, who is the embodiment of American materialism, has literally sold her soul for it, that is given up all her power and individuality to social expectations. She sacrifices morality and principle for success, and is preoccupied with maintaining this image of success with her expensive house and immaculate rose garden. Indeed, in the midst of an intimate moment with Lester, she stops it because of her fear of spilling beer on a four thousand dollar sofa upholstered in Italian silk which shows the extent to which she esteems materialism and societys values over her own  desires. In contrast, her daughter Jane is able to see what is truly important and rejects the society she lives in, as evident in her choice of unattractive clothes which are predominantly black the color of teenage rebellion. Hence she sacrifices the values of her family for her own values and she maintains her uniqueness and inner beauty. This is seen first dinner scene where Janes face in lit up by the candles whilst her parents faces are in the shadows. The light implies a halo around Jane and makes her a spiritually more worthy character than her parents, a beauty that the boy-next-door Ricky does not miss. In the The Great Gatsby, Gatsby unwittingly entraps himself to an endless pattern of imitation for he has allowed society to take over him, stripping him bare of individuality apart from his dream. Therefore, because he finds social acceptance so vital in winning the approval of Daisy, he sacrifices anything undesirable which is everything about poor Jimmy Gatz. He turns himself into the wealthy Jay Gatsby, a Platonic conception of himself and in fabricating his personal history and constructing an ideal image out of magazines, Gatsby loses his real self. While his dream may be pure and redeemable, he bases it on social superficial values and materialism which means that when the dream is destroyed and he fails to attain Daisy, he is already spiritually dead for all his superficiality becomes insignificant and pointless. In the final moments of his life, Nick envisions Gatsby realizing the hollowness of his life, his lack of true self, having lost along the path to his dream, a new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air. The word choice of ghosts is significant for that is what Gatsby really has become, for he is simply an actor with no true body or identity of his own, having lived his life according to societys values not his own. Therefore the relationship between an individual and society is an important determent in the extent of sacrifices they make. In the end, it is the relationship between the individual and his or her society which is ultimately responsible for the sacrifices he or she makes. Separately, the society and individual make up only two influences, and are not the actual causes of the sacrifice the society defines values and dreams, of which the individual has the choice to try and strive for. Rather it is the complex dynamics between the two that triggers the sacrifice.  Individuals who adhere to and revere social standards will make the greatest sacrifices to achieve socially orientated goals. If the goals are unworthy or false, the individual may however lose themselves spiritually along the way. But individuals who rebel against society and oppose social values will consider those goals as undeserving and their sacrifices for it will be little to none. Indeed, these individuals will sacrifice social expectations for personal happiness and values instead. Through the characters in The Great Gatsby and American Beauty, Sam Mendes and F.S. Fitzgerald seem to imply that this latter way is better and yields more fruitful results. Bibliography: Commager, Henry Steele. The American Mind: An Interpretation of American Thought and Character Since the 1880s. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1950. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribners, 1925; New York: Cambridge UP, 1991. Novel.