Paper vs Plastic, Which Is Better

Thousands and thousands of people are shopping in grocery stores each day using either plastic or paper bags. They think of it as something that just holds their items. What they don’t know is how much it harms our environment. So the question is which is better? â€Å"3. 14 billion Plastic shopping bags and 53 million Kraft paper bags are produced annually to satisfy the national market, consuming 28. 5 million kilograms of plastic and 4. 8 million kilograms of paper†( Goldbeck 333). A man named Shropshire in Annapolis had a campaign to get rid of plastic bags and is referred to as the â€Å"the bag man. â€Å"12 million barrels of oil are needed to produce 100 billion plastic bags used in the United States each year,† He said. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency only 5% of those bags are being recycled and the rest are thrown into landfills. He also says that plastic bags from Annapolis land in Chesapeake Bay and marine animals swallow them, mistaking them for jelly fish. â€Å"Estimates prepared by the New York City Department of Sanitation suggest that if each New Yorker would use one less grocery sack per week, the city’s garbage could be reduced by 2500 tons every year, saving 250,000 taxpayer dollars â€Å"(Goldbeck 333). Some officials say. that producing the bags takes too much energy and they create environmental hazards. The only problem is that plastic is cheaper and create less landfill waste than paper bags. Plastic bags are made with polyethylene. 80% of polyethylene is made from natural gas; a non-renewable resource. According to the Boustead Consulting Association polyethylene uses less water, oil and energy. Plastic bags use 40% less energy than paper and plastic sacks. The alliance says, they generate 80% less solid waste. Donna Dempsey of the Progressive Bag Alliance, a group representing plastic bag manufacturers, says that an alternative to plastic bags like paper wouldn’t actually be greener. She also says that paper bags use up more fossil fuels in their lifecycle than plastic. Paper bags are made from a lot of trees. Paper grocery bags, are an American innovation and were designed in 1883. It’s also made from a Kraft (German: means course and strength) paper. According to the American Forest and Paper Association, paper collection is easily and readily available in most parts of the country. But like plastic, paper uses natural resources and creates pollution. The manufacturing of one paper bag uses 1 whole gallon of water! Trees have to dry for 3 whole years before making it into paper. Then it’s cooked under heat and pressure†¦Etc. So paper also use up resources. When paper is thrown away it’s either recycled or thrown in a landfill. Both paper and plastic bags can pollute and effect the environment. So it’s hard to say which is better to use. I f we want an option better for the environment its better to use neither of them. The best option there is out there is reusable bags.

Love for Cooking Essay

To Be Graded Goal: In this paper I tried to open to different ideas to cooking opposed to giving directions about how to cook. I tried to provide each reason with two examples to give readers a better understanding about what food can really be about. Evaluation: I feel like I did good on the overview on covering all the basics on cooking to where it’s understandable and relateable opposed to writing is as a recipe or directions list that most people would think cooking is about. Cooking a satisfying dish has three aspects. The first aspect that is usually the most important is eating with the eyes. An example is how the dish is plated, how it smells, and how appealing and appetizing it looks to the eye. Another example that compares to the first example is that if food is plated sloppy or looks and smells unappetizing, it generally doesn’t catch peoples attention. A second aspect that relates to the first aspect is using fresh ingredients. Using fresh ingredients means a healthier meal, and also getting natural vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and ect. Another example is using fresh food opposed to processed food, because everyone wants to knows what they’re eating. One last aspect is making the dish taste fantastic. A dish that tastes good has people eating more of it, even though it might not be good for them to over-stuff. Another reason is people asking for the recipe or asking the chef to prepare their meals boost confidence in the chef knowing she made a good meal for everyone. One thing that will always remain is that feeling of providing something delicious for the community that has them cominging back and a sense of happiness and successfullnes in a chef.

Adolescence and Teenagers

Teenagers spending time at night It is a common phenomenon seeing teenagers hanging out at night in big cities. Places which teenagers like to hang out are shopping malls, computer games centers and sometimes, roadsides. These places have become teenagers’ favourite places because they can meet other teenagers to socialize. Teenagers start congregate at these places since evening and some of them even stay out late loitering aimlessly. Many adults feel that it is risky to allow teenagers to loiter at night. However, some parents think that it is just a phase in life which adolescence feel that they need to mix around with their peer group. These parents tend to give too much freedom to their teenage children because they think that they should not deprive of their children’s freedom to mingle with friends. Nevertheless, not every parent agrees that teenagers should be allowed to go out at night too often. These parents are obviously concerned that when their teenage children spend time out of the house too frequent at night, their children will spend only little time at home with their own family members. When two parents are working, the only time which is available for quality family time is at night. Parents are also worried who their teenage children’s companions are and what influence their children will get from their companions. In addition, parents are also concerned about the food their children consume. It is definitely unhealthy for teenagers to spend their time at fast food outlets which serve high greasy and sugar-contained food. Overeating at night could result in obesity and diabetic. Besides, undesirable and inconsiderate habit of wasting the parents’ hard earned money will be developed.

Global Warming Prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Warming Prevention - Essay Example Industrialization has caused us to increase the amount of fossil and carbon based fuels we burn. Coal, oil and natural gas are great sources of energy because they produce massive amounts of energy from a small volume of matter. Unfortunately, these carbon-based fuels produce carbon dioxide as a waste product. Carbon dioxide is a green house gas. It traps the earth’s heat and keeps it in the atmosphere much the same way a blanket hold in heat from the human body in a bed. Too much carbon dioxide is like sleeping under a thick blanket on a warm night. Too much heat is trapped, resulting in an uncomfortable situation. A minority of scientists feel that human sources of carbon dioxide have little or nothing to do with global warming. They point to the geologic history of earth and show times that earth was much warmer than it is currently. Interests, such as oil and gas companies, that want to continue to drill for and consume fossil fuels at the current levels, often support the se scientists. Countering these industry scientists are many brave individuals. Al Gore said, â€Å"Scientists around the world are sounding a clear and urgent warning. Global warming is real, it is already underway, and its consequences are totally unacceptable (Anderson, 2009).† Most independent data shows that global warming is being driven by human activity, so the most important thing we can do in this generation is develop practices and technology that lessen human impact on the global climate. The first course of action we must undertake to prevent further warming is to lessen the amount of greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere. This is not a simple job because much of our modern lifestyle depends on burning fossil fuels. The largest amounts to fossil fuels are burned to transport goods and people and to produce electricity. Reducing the amount of fuel used in these two processes will greatly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere. For electric al power generation, we need to derive more of our energy from renewable resources such a wind and solar power. Many electrical power plants burn coal because it is cheap and easy to obtain. Solar and wind power are more expensive because the technology to generate electricity this way is fairly new (Roberts, 1994). Research and development monies must be spent so that photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines can produce electricity more efficiently. Greater efficiency will result in reduced cost. Some skeptics argue that these technologies only work when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining. They say that this is not reasonable because an energy supply must be constant. Improvements in storing generated electricity in liquid metal batteries will enable sustainably generated electricity to be produced and then stored until needed. This is an example of how technology can overcome current obstacles to electrical power generation. Providing carbon-neutral transportation will be a bit trickier and require more sacrifice. We are many generations away from being able to produce solar powered cars and trucks. Currently, transportation accounts for over 25% of the fossil fuels consumed globally (Collier, 2007). Clear alternatives, such as hybrid vehicles have grown in popularity and are cutting fuel consumption, but global changes have been

Ecosystem, Temperate Forests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ecosystem, Temperate Forests - Essay Example The animals that live in this type of forest generally include squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, bears, foxes and other wildcats although most of the larger predators have been killed off or displaced by the human population. The climate goes through well-defined seasonal changes, trending toward long warm summers, moderately cold winters and an evenly spread level of precipitation throughout the year, providing the trees and other plants with sufficient moisture year round for growth while not drowning them. This seasonal shift causes the trees to drop their leaves in the fall, becoming dormant in the winter, only waking in the spring with a new crop of fresh leaves. The process of dropping the old leaves in the fall results in the brilliantly colorful displays of reds, oranges and yellows that characterize this time of year. Many other plants in the temperate forest will also go dormant during the colder months of the year and many of the animals devote their summers preparing for a winter hibernation period. These types of trees require a high level of soil fertility to grow, requiring soils high in nutrients for the development of a new crop of leaves every year. The annual drop of leaves in the fall provide many of these nutrients as they begin to decay and the leaf litter covering the forest floor also serves to reduce the amount of runoff during spring rains, allowing more of the precious nutrients to remain where the tree roots can get them. Where the soil nutrients are reduced in areas such as the more weathered soils of the Southwest or the sandy soils of coastal plains, the trees are characterized by less showy species with narrower leaves or pines. Isolation of these forests leads to a prevalence of only a few types of tree species and a specialized set of characteristics among the animal-life, such as a dominance of black bears in one region and brown bears in another,

Digital Transcription Birmingham Organization Background and Structure Essay

Digital Transcription Birmingham Organization Background and Structure - Essay Example The organization has considered using a website to improve its visibility in the marketplace but is concerned that there is a great deal of competition on the web. The organization also is resource limited  and feels unable to justify making any member of responsible for a website, or paying for a third party to build and maintain the website. DTB has decided to request a feasibility study to determine whether moving all or part of its marketing to the web would be beneficial. It is also interested in how else it could overcome some of its problems by using the web. For instance, if the organization was able to recruit home workers on an as-required basis, this might allow it to take more work in and expand its operation over time. The organization’s current website can be found at http://www.digital-trans-bham.co.uk/. The website has been operative for 2 months but to date has not generated any enquiries. It consists of 3 pages. The home page poorly describes the services on offer, the contact page provides an HTML form for enquirers to obtain more information, and the confidentiality page covers the organization’s security and payment policy. Many have argued that the Internet renders strategy obsolete. In reality, the opposite is true†¦it is more important than ever for companies to distinguish themselves through strategy. The winners will be those that view the internet as a complement to, not a cannibal of, traditional ways of competing. Porter has described the manner in which the internet influences the five forces of competitiveness (see below). The majority of impacts are negative on the long-term profitability of an organization. As Porter explains: The great paradox of the Internet is that its very benefits – making information widely available; reducing the difficulty of purchasing, marketing, and distribution; allowing buyers and sellers to find and transact  business with one another more easily – also make it more difficult for companies to capture those benefits as profits.  

Loss of Biodiversity Due to Pollution Research Paper

Loss of Biodiversity Due to Pollution - Research Paper Example The Gulf of Mexico is opulent in biodiversity and exceptional habitats, and hosts the solitary recognized nesting shoreline of Kemp’s Ridley, the world’s rare sea turtle. It has an interesting circulation array which stretches it organic and socioeconomic significance; water from the Caribbean come into commencing the south over the Yucatan Channel amid Cuba and Mexico and, after warming up in the basin, goes out over the northern Florida Canal amid the United States and Cuba to produce the Gulf River in the North Atlantic that assists to standardize the macroclimate of the western Europe. Creeks and bays are public along Gulf seashores with other reefs, sea grasses, and coastal wetlands, principally Spartina alterniflora, usual in the north, and certain oyster’s ridges, native to national sea greenswards, and mangrove forests in the south. Off shore, coral ridges are conjoint in several areas in the southern Gulf, alongside northwest Cuba, beside Florida Keys, and one district off Texas. Creatures that call Gulf of Mexico home vary from infinitesimal to gigantic. (Day, 2013). Gulf Oil Spill Gulf oil spill is acknowledged as the nastiest spill in the account of United States. Inhabitants from the Gulf of Mexico echo that, tallies of fish, mantra rays, sharks, dolphins and sea turtles are escaping the spirals of oil and cleaners to the trivial waters off the coasts of Alabama and Florida. Marine biologists suggest that these animals feel the adjustment in water chemistry and attempt to drip the polluted water dead zones by swimming in the direction of the oxygen rich shallows (National Research Council, 2012). Immediate Impact Under normal Gulf season, death is expected during laying and nesting period (Marion, 2011). The oil spills instantaneously endangered brown pelican, the egrets, the laughing gulls and other shore and migrant birds, beached with greased fuzz as they strained to rear their young nestlings. Their fledglings faced and still face an indeterminate future, as they begin their expedition on infested water. Dead and vanishing sea creatures still attempt to leak from the oxygen depreciated water, because of methane gas from the oil, which depletes oxygen at a very high speed, as illustrated in the pictures below (Benn & Bolton, 2011). Physical Effects Physical effects comprise of demise by asphyxia, with oil hindering air openings or gills. By numbing sensual organs, oil upsets creatures’ ability to discover food or sense predators. Many birds and other inhabitants succumbed to death as a consequence of hypothermia, bec ause oil led to lessening of the protecting effect of plumages and fur. Since the oil spill, crabs have been documented hiking out of water, as a toxic gleam approaches the shoreline. During morning hours, they are observed floating stomach up in the water, in a bid to get more oxygen. Nevertheless, the air they inhale is loaded with chemicals blowing up from the water (National Research Council, 2012). Impact of the oil spill on coral reefs presents unique physical conditions. This is because healthy coral reefs are amongst the most organically assorted and economically treasured ecologies on earth, providing vital ecosystem services. They are a foundation of nourishment for millions, guard seashores from storms and corrosion, offer habitation, procreating and nursery lands for economically essential fish species, offer businesses and revenue to local economies from angling, leisure, and tourism, are a basis of treatments, and hotspots for aquatic multiplicity. Immediate spill resu lted to death of some corals, leading to subsequent smothering and sinking of them. Over time, reduction of photosynthesis, development and reproduction has been documented. Regardless of this, the extent of coral reef damage unswervingly attributable to the Gulf Spill has remained unusually minor (Marion, 2011). Toxic effects Skin ulcerations, destruction to the spleen, liver, lungs and

Business Strategy Briefing Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Business Strategy Briefing Paper - Essay Example 2012-2013. Moreover, it has also been recognised that the company has over 11,500 branches located in the UK market (Royal Mail Group Limited, 2014). In order to determine the competitive position of Royal Mail, it will be vital to apply ‘Porter’s Five Force Model’. The elements of this model are aligned with the various factors related to the company and are described below: Royal Mail relies on its special deliverance system with the aim of providing quality services to its customers. In this regard, it has been determined that approximately 18,000 vehicles assist the company to produce designated postal services across the world. Thus, it can be asserted that the bargaining power of its supplier is high (Royal Mail Group Limited, 2014; Karagiannopoulos et. al., 2005). The bargaining power of buyers is rising within the industry in which Royal Mail operates its operations in the UK market. Correspondingly, it has been recognised that the present customers of the company have become more of service quality conscious and time sensitive, which has enforced the company to reduce its rate of delay or accidents in the UK market. Thus, it can be asserted that the bargaining power of its consumers is relatively high within the industry (Royal Mail Group, 2013; Karagiannopoulos et. al., 2005). A diagram is depicted below for better comprehension of the above stated concept. In order to identify the competitive rivalry, it has been observed that Royal Mail has witnessed higher threats from its competitors, due to the private courier service providers in the UK. Subsequently, it has been recognised that Royal Mail has emphasised towards quality services in order to attain competitive advantage over its competitors. Thus, the level of competitive rivalry can be identified to be high (Karagiannopoulos et. al., 2005). With respect to the threat of substitute, the company has faced severe challenges from other industries such as telecom and

Compensation Plan Outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compensation Plan Outline - Essay Example In addition to providing its employees with competitive salaries, the company undertakes regular review of the pay thus ensuring that the workers are equally compensated for their hard work. To ensure that the company gives competitive salaries, it benchmarks the pay against similar positions in the competing companies. Another aspect that makes PepsiCo compensation policy appropriate is the annual incentive compensation. By providing performance-related annual incentive compensation to the executives, their performance is enhanced thus increasing the profitability of the company. The 2004 EIC Plan is a policy that is adopted by PepsiCo in its executive compensation. During the compensation, the company considers financial position of the company, the company strategic position and the extent to which the managers motivate and manage other employees. Additionally, the company uses pre-approved earnings per share target to compensate its executives. Pepsi compensation philosophy entai ls long-term incentive compensation. According to the management team, the interest of company shareholders and those of the executive can be effectively aligned by providing stock-based incentives as well as stock ownership awards (Heneman, 2002).   . With a history of linking stock-performance to the employees pay, PepsiCo has benefited from effective compensation policy that is fair. In the same way, the company offers target grant to the executives once they meet their goals. Based on the stiff compensation in the soft drink industry.... Another aspect that makes PepsiCo compensation policy appropriate is the annual incentive compensation. By providing performance-related annual incentive compensation to the executives, their performance is enhanced thus increasing the profitability of the company. The 2004 EIC Plan is a policy that is adopted by PepsiCo in its executive compensation. During the compensation, the company considers financial position of the company, the company strategic position and the extent to which the managers motivate and manage other employees. Additionally, the company uses pre-approved earnings per share target to compensate its executives. Pepsi compensation philosophy entails long-term incentive compensation. According to the management team, the interest of company shareholders and those of the executive can be effectively aligned by providing stock-based incentives as well as stock ownership awards (Heneman, 2002). . With a history of linking stock-performance to the employees pay, Pepsi Co has benefited from effective compensation policy that is fair. In the same way, the company offers target grant to the executives once they meet their goals. Based on the stiff compensation in the soft drink industry, offering a target grant to the executives is an essential policy since it result to the attainment of the corporate goals. In this way, the company is able to effectively compete with Coca-Cola Company despite the latter being a market leader. To ensure that all the employees are motivated, it is imperative for employers to come up with appropriate beneficial ratio in their compensation system. Internally, Pepsi should ensure that employees in all the department earns three quarter of what the departmental mangers are earning. Through the ratio of 3:4,

You Are An Investment Analyst Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

You Are An Investment Analyst - Essay Example alysis of their financial statements will enable potential investors and creditors to familiarize themselves with the growth and potential growth of the companies. The beverage market is very broad and diverse. It can range from water, soda, juice or even milk. They can be hot or cold drinks or even alcoholic substances. However, not all products in the beverage world compete in the market as aggressively as carbonated soft drinks brands. These include Coca-cola and Pepsi. Coca-cola is a drink that requires no introduction. It is enjoyed by most countries all over the world with the exception of a few. It is almost the most available and unique brand all over the world currently. Coca-cola has more than one billion consumers per day. Nearly half of all soft drinks sold in the world are a product of Coca-cola. It’s most important soft drinks brands include Fanta, Coke, Sprite, Lilt, and Diet coke. Dr. John Styth Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia conceived Coca-cola in the year 1886. He produced the syrup used in the carbonated drink in a brass pot in his backyard. Superintendent Alex Samuelson, born in Sweden collected design ideas revolving around the contents of the drink. He researched and created designs which he then passed on to The Root Glass Company’s supervisor, Earl Dean who approved the shape of the bottle in 1916. The design was exclusive and thus an icon was created. The design was distinctive and thus could not be imitated as it was a copyright. Pepsi-Cola was founded in the summer of 1898 in New Bern, North Carolina by a youthful pharmacist named Caleb Bradham. Caleb drew customers to his drugstore by providing them with this refreshing drink that he created himself. He made major sales which led him to forming a company and to market the product globally. In 1902, Caleb launched Pepsi-Cola Company and received a government grant in the US on June 16, 1903. Two years later, he contracted two people to bottle the product to

The Role of Non-State Actors Essay Example for Free

The Role of Non-State Actors Essay 5.1 Introduction It is generally recognized that the process of building a capable state requires the participation of all the vital forces of a nation. A capable state is one that has all the attributes of a modern, strong, responsible and responsive state, a state capable of effectively discharging its duties of delivering security, peace, prosperity and other pubic goods to its people. Although the state has traditionally been considered as the focal point of this process, other sectors, including non-state ones, have an important role to play, and the importance of this role has grown significantly over the past couple of decades as the limitations of the post-colonial state in providing for the needs of its people have been made all too clear. 1 It is thus important to identify these other actors and recognise those areas wherein they can contribute, and have indeed contributed, to the process, as well as to appreciate better their nature, their mode of intervention, the constraints hampering their action as well as to explore ways in which their participation can be rendered more fruitful and less problematic. But before we delve into the subject of non-state actors and their role in the creation of the capable state in Africa, it would be useful to look into just what the capable state is and means, and what it has meant for the African continent since the advent of independence half a century ago. 5.2 Definitional Issues 5.2.1 Overview The capable state may be defined as one that effectively fulfils its obligations to its constituents by providing and safeguarding a range of goods, both tangible and intangible,2 that assure its people of a secure public space wherein they can live and love, produce and reproduce, and pursue the enjoyment of the fruits of their labour and love. Such a state will have attributes such as territorial integrity, public order and safety under the rule of law; ample political space for individual and group self-realisation; and socio-economic justice and equity that minimise conflict and foster intra-national peace and harmony. It is the absence of these attributes within states that creates what have come to be known as â€Å"failed†, â€Å"failing† or â€Å"dysfunctional† states, whose common denominator are varying degrees of precariousness. In these terms, the African state that came into being upon decolonisation had its work cut out. From centuries of successive forms of extreme exploitation, oppression and brutalisation, African nations found themselves confronted with the daunting task of, on the one hand, putting in place governance systems that would ensure the survival of the nation-state that was essentially an artificial creation of the colonial regime, cobbled up from a multitude of disparate and often mutually hostile ethnic entities and, on the other, assure a minimum of livelihood for the people by delivering education, health and other social services, securing good prices for agricultural produce, providing jobs through mining and Mabogunje, A.L. Institutional Radical isation, the state and the development process in Africa. Development Policy Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2000. 2 Anyang’ Nyong’o, Governance, Poverty and Sustainable Development in Africa, in The Quest for Equity in Access to Health and Development, Tropical Institute of Community Health and Development in Kenya. Industrialisation, and generally taking care of the nation, including providing welfare for those who could not fend for themselves. Herculean as these tasks were the first crop of African leaders assumed them with gusto. In fact it was the leaders who enthusiastically promoted these expectations, either because they needed seductive promises to make their peoples rally to the anti-colonial banner, or because they genuinely believed that once the colonialists were out of the way all was possible. Mkandawire3 sheds a harsh light on this â€Å"central preoccupation† with â€Å"development†. â€Å"African leaders have always been aware of the need for some nationalist-cum-developmentalist ideology for both national building and development†¦ The quest for an ideology to guide the development process inspired African leaders to propound their own idiosyncratic and often incoherent ‘ideologies’ to ‘rally the masses’ for national unity and dev elopment. If such ideologies are still absent it is definitely not for lack of trying.† Thus, it was made possible for people to expect that the state would do everything for them, in this way fostering the concept of l’Etatprovidence, the provider State. Some African states did indeed attempt, with varying degrees of success, to deliver on some of their promises, but it did not take long for most of these attempts to prove Sisyphean, rolled back by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following: a) Poor governance and managerial practices; b) Over-centralisation of power in the hands of a small group, or of one individual; c) Emergence of authoritarian/dictatorial/military regimes; d) Failure/reluctance to devolve power and responsibilities to local authorities; e) State corruption; f) Ethnic bias, nepotism, exclusion of whole sections of populations; g) Deterioration of terms trade on the world market; h) Unsustainable levels of state intervention in delivering social services; i) A crippling dependency syndrome on the part of populations hea vily reliant on government handouts, and on the part of governments dangerously dependent on donor handouts.4 By the end of the 1980s, it had become clear that the various development strategies different African countries had followed had not led to the desired outcomes. Despite the earlier promise of the 1960s, and the modest but positive growth figures of the 1970s, the 1980s came to be known as the ‘lost decade’, a grim epitaph epitomizing the shattered dreams of a whole continent, a reality from which African countries, having lost their initial elegance, have not fully emerged to this day. The World Bank blamed this inability to deliver development on â€Å"a strategy (that) was misconceived† in the sense that in their hurry to modernize, African governments were wont to copy rather than adapt Western development models, with the result that they found themselves with â€Å"poorly designed public investment in industry; too little attention to peasant agriculture; too much intervention in areas where the state lacked managerial, technical and entrepreneurial skills; and too little efforts to foster grassroots development.† This top down approach, according to the World Bank, â€Å"demotivated ordinary people, whose en ergies needed to be mobilized in the development effort.† It has been rather a case of ‘double jeopardy’ in the sense that the State that promised to deliver economic development – the ‘developmental State’ – also took away political and individual rights, constricting the political space in which citizens could enjoy full political participation, the argument being that incessant political bickering and rivalry would sap the developmental potential and undermine the nation building project. In the end, the African State, caught up in its ‘developmentalist’ quest, delivered neither economic development nor democratic governance6. The State became more ‘commandist,’ more intolerant of contrary ideas from its citizens, less reluctant to devolve power to local entities, more given to the use of force as a solution to political issues, and gradually descended into the mire of autocratic rule, the more egregious of which were military dictatorships and/or, later, rule by warlords and their militias. Faced with this stark reality, it became imperative to rethink governance with a view to finding alternative ways of confronting the development challenges of our peoples. At this same time, towards the end of Africa’s ‘lost decade’, momentous events were taking place in the world that were destined to usher in a major paradigmatic shift in world political relations. The end of the ‘Cold War’ was unfolding even as efforts were being made to see African countries ‘democratise’ and the discourse of that process threw to the fore a hitherto little heeded breed of protagonists, variously known as civil society, NGOs or non state actors. In Eastern Europe, some of these organisations played a central role in bringing about the fall of the Communist regimes, such as was evidenced, especially, by the Polish experience with the workers, union-based Solidarnos, as well as other civil society movements in Romania, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslov akia and the Soviet Union itself. Although there is little evidence to suggest that these movements sustained their role in the new, post-Communist governance systems –except that a trade union leader took over the State in Poland, and a poet in the Czech Republic – their importance had been recognized and stood ready to be deployed elsewhere. Africa, just like Eastern Europe, was emerging from a long period of negative development, and, as such, it was thought, what had worked in the former Communist regimes might work in African countries. As we shall see later, this would have a bearing on the way many of these non state actors, whether packaged as Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or simply Non State Actors (NSAs), would be viewed in many African countries, which would also, to a large extent, inform their effectiveness on the ground.

Heat combustion of Alcohol Essay Example for Free

Heat combustion of Alcohol Essay Background Information Alcohols are used as a source of fuel in many countries. For it to turn into fuel, alcohol must be burnt. Alcohol is also a good clean source of energy and heat. In this experiment I will be trying to find out the amount of energy produced when different alcohols are burned. In this experiment, the type of alcohol will be tested is Ethanol. Ethanol is a colourless liquid and is sometimes referred simply as alcohol or spirits. Carbon chains with a hydroxide molecule at the end of the chain make up an alcohol. Ethanol is a straight-chain alcohol and its molecular formula is C2H5OH. Its empirical formula however is C2H6O The heat of combustion of any substance is the amount of heat energy given out when 1 mole of that substance burns completely in air. Every covalent bond existing in the molecule has a bond energy. This bond energy is the amount of energy needed to break the bond or the amount of energy given out as a bond is formed. Concentration of an alcohol is related to the number of moles per decimetre cubed of the substance. The more concentrated the substance the more the substance will burn thus more heat energy is given out. Research Question Will increasing the concentration of ethanol affect the heat of combustion of the alcohol? Hypothesis It is hypothesised that increasing the concentration of ethanol will increase the heat of combustion of the alcohol. Variables Independent The concentration of ethanol (Molar) * 0.5 Molar ethanol * 1.0 Molar ethanol * 1.5 Molar ethanol * 2.0 Molar ethanol * 2.5 Molar ethanol Dependent * Heat combustion of the alcohol (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Controlled What will be controlled How it will be controlled Method of taking the temperature of water The thermometer will be placed in the middle of the conical flask and the tip of the thermometer will be touching the bottom of the flask. The conditions of the surrounding area The experiment will be carried out in standard lab conditions. Avoid contamination and residue to the next experiment when using the thermometer Distilled water will be used to thoroughly clean out the equipments before experiment. Equipments will not be reused for the next experiments. Method Drawing up data tables Molar of Ethanol Trials Initial temp (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Final temp (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Temp change (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Initial mass (g) Final mass (g) Mass used (g) Qualitative Data Getting apparatus ready 1. Set up the electronic scale and attach the metal clamp to the retort stand 2. Using the label stickers and permanent pen, label the beakers that contain the different molar concentration of ethanol accordingly 0.5; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0; 2.5 3. Label the beaker containing water 4. Using the distilled water, thoroughly clean out the conical flasks and measuring cylinders Carrying out experiment 1. During the experiment, record any smell or colour of alcohol and any observation in the Qualitative Data table 2. Fill the conical flask with 100mL of water. 3. Place the thermometer inside the conical flask and record the initial temperature of the water 4. Keep the thermometer inside the conical flask 5. Clamp the flask at a height approximately 2cm from where the spirit burner will be placed below 6. Fill the spirit burner with just enough 0.5 Molar of ethanol so that the wick is half soaked in alcohol 7. Weigh the spirit burner attached with the lid containing the alcohol and record the initial mass 8. Place the spirit burner under the conical flask and use the matched to light the wick 9. When the water temperature reaches approximately 40à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, blow out and extinguish the flame 10. Record the exact temperature reached when flames were extinguished 11. Using the tongs, move the spirit burner and lid to the electronic scale and weigh the final mass 12. Dispose the water and alcohol inside the spirit burner 13. Repeat steps 1 11, but change the type of ethanol in respect to independent variables 1.0 Molar, 1.5 Molar, 2.0 Molar and 2.5 Molar of ethanol 14. When repeating steps 1 11, make sure a new conical flask and water is used and also a new spirit burner is used 15. When all five experiments of the different molar concentration of ethanol is completed, repeat the experiment another two times for each molar concentration of ethanol in reference to the data table Calculations 1. Final temp Initial temp = Temp change (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) 2. Final mass Initial mass = Mass used (g)

Inequalities in Bahamas

Inequalities in Bahamas Inequalities associated with class in the Bahamas One of the greatest tragedies in The Bahamas today, is that after decades of Majority Rule many are still beguiled by the illusion that constructs a superhighway of class equality. Alarmingly, many Bahamians appear to be oblivious to the underlying prejudicial rhetoric used by politicians, the prevailing class oriented mindset and the privileged minority who continue to steer and controlled the wealth and economic course of this country. Due to profound the inequalities associated with class in The Bahamas, there is a division between thousands of Bahamians economically, educationally and in the health care system. This division has had a significant effect on the social development of the Bahamas. It can be implied that class has become the architect of a national plutocracy that furnishes the wealthy, powers the elites and elevates the corporate masters to control and dominate the political and economic system of The Bahamas. As asserted by Author, Glinton Meicholas â€Å"This di visive sociological phenomenon is creeping quickly into Bahamian Society which will create another divide social class and Economics† (pg.2). In a class society there are three type of classes the upper class, the middle class and the lower class. According to Krieger and Moss, 1997, â€Å"since prehistory, all societies have perceived hierarchy among their members. Leaders and followers, strong and weak, rich and poor: social classifications are universal. Humans have invented numerous ways to classify people—by wealth, power, or prestige; by ability, education, or occupation; even by where they live† and this is seen in the Bahamas today. Krieger and Moss further stated that â€Å"the term social class originally referred to groups of people holding similar roles in the economic processes of production and exchange, such as landowner or tenant, employer or employee. Such positions correspond to different levels of status, prestige, and access to political power, but social class eventually took on a more generic meaning and came to refer to all aspects of a persons rank in the social hierarchy† (pg. 45). The upper class in The Bahamas is very diverse and consists of the old rich white Bahamians who were born into wealth and who control the countrys means of production, economic resources as well as land and capital, whereas, the middle class and the lower class are made of predominantly black Bahamians, whose acquisition of wealth is extremely limited. Even thought The Bahamas is viewed as one of the more stable Caribbean countries both politically and economically and continues to be listed among the top nations in the Caribbean for it Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP), high standard of living, and high per capita earnings there are still thousands who have low income and consumption levels, and low levels of human development in education and healthcare thus, contributing to poverty. Poverty according to the World Bank is defined as the inability of people to attain a minimum standard of living. The annual poverty line in the Bahamas is $2863 per person. Someone who lives on this line would be able to spend $7.84 per day on a basic diet (, 2400 calories per day) and non-food needs. According to The Bahamas Living Conditions Survey presented to Parliament on October 5, 2005, the Bahamas poverty rate stood at 9.3 percent or about 28,000 people half of whom are children, are living below the poverty line. National statistics Our national statistics record that 77% of the poorest people, those who fall in the bottom 20% of the country when it comes to income and expenditure, live in New Providence and Grand Bahamas, whereas, 91% of the wealthiest people also live in the aforementioned locations. Statistical data reveals that more that 75% of all poor Bahamian households have five or more members, an estimated 42% of poor heads of household have completed some secondary schooling, 34% of poor youth, ages 19- 24 are out of school and unemployed, 54% of people living in poor conditions do not have piped water, 33% lack access to a flush toilet, 58% of poor families rent rather than own their homes and 50% crowd more than three people into their bedroom. Among the more wealthy class in The Bahamas, there are higher rates of investment and capital formation, higher salaries and employment, more luxurious lifestyles and homes, more entrepreneurial activity, self-sustained economic growth, higher levels of savings and higher levels of consumption. The upper Bahamian class would have more natural asset, land, human assets, financial Assets, including access to credit, social assets, and greater influence on the Bahamas macro and micro economic policies and conditions. Their life expectancy, education, literacy and health provision would be higher than the other classes of society. Usually it is the upper class of society that controls the means of production and consumption. The middle class on the other hand would have moderate rates of investment and savings, average employment, medium salaries, and high levels of consumption. While their access to credit may be disparate compared to the upper class it is not limited. Additionally, th is class would also have some natural assets, land- though more generational than purchased, and their life expectancy, educational, health and literacy levels would be on a similar level as the upper class. The population of The Bahamas comprises of a sizeable number of underclass of citizens who are relegated to perform menial and labour intensive work. Their living environments take on the existence of a filthy, unmaintained and poorly sanitized ghetto. Unfortunately, these ghettos have forged chains that keep many of the local residents imprisoned since they lack the necessary wherewithal to elevate themselves or to escape the trenches of the ghetto, crime is rife, unemployment and the rate of illiteracy are high, the scores of high school dropouts staggering, and there is a sense of political disenfranchisement . In The Bahamas, every boy and girl enjoy equal access to education at all levels. However, equal access to education does not mean equal participation in education. While William Allin implies that Education is not the answer to the question but the means to the answer to all questions†, author Laurence J. Peter states that â€Å"Education is a method whereby one acquires a higher grade of prejudices†. Unfortunately, it is quite the popular belief in a wide cross section of society that we are a classless society and that class should not matter. Perhaps, it should not, but unfortunately, it is evident everywhere. In our education system inclusive of elementary school settings, and college settings, class is quite apparent. Statistically, the achievement gap between the lower class students in comparison to the upper and middle class students is relatively wide. It must be noted that social class including students family characteristics affects learning and has a great influence on the academic achievement of students even in elementary settings. This is substantiated when both the public school and private school exams result are compared. Students who attend private schools The majority of the students who attend private schools such as St. Anns High, Queens College, St. Augustines and St. Andrews are from the affluent / upper and middle class who have either a steady income or who just have money at their disposal. In contrast the students who are attending Government Schools usually have to struggle to get the materials needed or have to rely on the limited resource provided by the government who is subsidizing many of the private school through funding and ensuring that the materials needed are there at their disposal. This in itself speaks of the inequalities and the injustices in the educational system that is the apparatus responsible for producing the nations future leaders. Because of the inequalities that exist in our health care system, many of the poor, especially the elderly meet their demised due to the mere fact that they can not afford proper medical assistance. These persons are made to rely on the Public Health care systems which at time can not carry it own weight or meet the demands of the general, and frequently lack the doctor prescribed medication needed for persons to get well. In other instances the medication is either expired or the public hospital and clinic is just not in the position to render the services required. On the other hand, the elite or the socialite of the country can afford to go abroad or seek medical attention at the private medical facilities such as Doctors Hospital. Alder and Steward paints an accurate picture of this relationship, comparing societal classes (or the resources associated with them) to be like rungs on a ladder. Our relative positions on the ladder, â€Å"predicts how long you live and how healthy you are during your lifetime†. (2007: 4) They further states that ‘one of the major issues of the differences between social classes in the U.S. is that the distances between the top and bottom rungs are massive. A perfect example of the massive, who at times are considered to be the under privilege attends the Princess Margret Hospital and are made to feel like second class citizens. Whereas, those who are considered the privilege are treated as first class citizens and are able to seek medical attention at Doctors hospital. Adler and Stuart goes on to state that â€Å"people at each social class level tend to have different, associated health levels. People in the lowest social classes are at greatest risk of dying before age 65 and are sicker throughout their lives, people in the middle class are healthier than the lowest class, but not as healthy as those in the highest class (Adler Steward: 5). Paradoxically, many in the lower class of society can and could have achieved national leadership in many different spheres if they were not disadvantaged and stagnated by our deeply embedded and covert class system. It would be untruthful to say that our nation has not made significant strides in dismantling the socio-economic barriers of the class system; however, the inequality gap is continually widening and the bonds of the class system becoming even stronger. In our foremost areas of society, such as business and politics, there is still the covert prevailing class system that endorses the son or daughter of an old wealthy Bahamian to carry the mantle of and leadership. It is imperative, therefore, that given our history of slavery, and colonialism, that we begin to place collaborative efforts to provide each citizen with equal opportunity, both social, educational and in the health care arena. As the old say goes â€Å"A generation which ignores history has no past and no fu ture†. The greatest lesson we can learn from the past . . . is that freedom is at the core of every successful nation in the world.(Frederick Chiluba) therefore, it is imperative to understand how the class system deprives citizens of their rights to thrive, to prosper and to participate in the socio-economic development of The Bahamas. References (2006). Central Bank of The Bahamas Annual Report. Central Bank of The Bahamas (2007). Central Bank of The Bahamas Annual Report. Central Bank of The Bahamas Alder, Nancy, Judith Steward. Reaching for a Healthier Life. (2007). The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health. Corcoran, M. (1995). Rags to rags: Poverty and mobility in the United States. Annual Review of Sociology. (1995) 21:237-267. Austin, M. J. (2004). Changing Welfare Services. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc., ISBN: 0-7890-2313-X. Central Bank of The Bahamas. (n.d). Monetary policy in the Bahamas: Overview of the financial services sector. Retrieved September, 2009. http://www.centralbankbahamas.com /policy_overview.php. Citizenship, Community Empowerment, and Advocacy. Office of Refugee Resettlement. 2001 Dec 28. Retrieved September , 2009 from Coley et al. 2007. â€Å"Maternal Welfare and Employment Experiences and Adolescent Well-Being: Do Mothers Human Capital Characteristics Matter?† Children Youth Services Review, 29,p. 193-215. Commonwealth Fund (CMWF), Analysis of Minority Health Reveals Persistent, Widespread Disparities, press release (May 14, 1999). Commonwealth of the Bahamas labour force and household income report 2005. The Department of Statistics. (2005). David, B. (2003). Rethinking the Sociological Measurement of Poverty, Social Forces Vol. 81 No.3, (March 2003), pp. 715-751 (abstract online in Project Muse). Davis, L. E., Proctor, E. K. (1987). Race, Gender and Class. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Department of Statistics. (2004). Bahamas living conditions survey, 2001. Department of Statistics. (2008). Report of the 2000 census of population housing. Gerth, Hans C. Mills, W. (1958) From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology, (Oxford University Press, 1958). (Webers key statement of the multiple nature of stratification). http://www.ilheadstart.org/history.html http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20000403monday.html http://www.justicelearning.org/viewissue.asp?issueID=12 http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenshistory1.html http://www.acenet.edu/hena/facts_in_brief/2000/05_15_00_fib.cfm http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/femhist/education.shtml Krieger, N.; Williams, D. R.; and Moss, N. E. (1997). Measuring Social Class in U.S. Public Health; Research: Concepts, Methodologies, and Guidelines. Annual Review of Public Health 18:341-378. Lloyd. W. (1949). et al. Social Class in America: A Manual of Procedure for the Measurement of Social Status (1949). Milton, F. Poverty, Inequality, and Crime: There are two kinds of money: your money and my money. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th edition) (ISBN: 1557987912) Saunders, O. C. (2003b). The Bahamian economy in the context of the western hemisphere. Journal of The School of Business The College of The Bahamas, 12, 100-107. Saunders, O. C. (2004). The unique Bahamas. Readings in Banking and Finance, 3, 73-84. Thompson, T. (2007, November 10lb). â€Å"Child rights activist call for focus on rehabilitation for troubled youths†. The Tribune, p. 3. United Nations Development Programme. (2005) Human development report: International cooperation at a crossroads: Aid, trade and security in an unequal world. New York: Author. Retrieved September, 2009 from http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_frontmatter.pdf. Zastrow, C. (1993). Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare (5th ed.). California: Books/Cole Publishing Company.

Nietsche and Evolution Essay -- Religion Creationism Evolution Essays

Nietsche and Evolution "It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all." -Melville In 1859 Charles Darwin offered a theory that seemed to disprove the longstanding explanation of the Origin of existence. Darwin's theory of evolution proposes a convincing argument that the universe was not created for a purpose, with intention, by a conscious God, but rather, was a phenomenon of random change. Fredrick Nietzsche articulated the gravity of the effect of Darwin's theory on society. He said that when Darwin published the theory of evolution people stopped believing in God. Nietzsche wrote that when people stopped believing in God, God died. According to Nietzsche people read the theory of evolution as a direct contradiction to the notion of the Mind: a Consciousness behind creation. Nietzsche's assertion pivots on the assumption that God's existence depends solely on human belief. Nietzsche assumes that belief is the greatest power that humans possess, but that this belief could not stand strong against the theory of evolution. So the theory of evolution destroyed the greatest power possessed by humans and in doing so destroyed God and destroyed the notion that there was Something that sparked the origin of species. But Darwin's theory did not stop the study of teleology: people continued the search for the Origin of existence. Even after The Publication in 1859 people still have a powerful need for knowledge, and a yearning faith that It is out there, that there is Meaning. This need fuels humanity's search for God. Darwin may have killed the human belief in a conscious, purposeful God, but he did not kill the human belief in an Origin. The search for the Spark that started existence conti... ... 1859, but only in a very specific God. In 1859 Darwin created a space for people to find new faith. Darwin did not kill the human ability to have faith in a God, but rather, opened the field of possibilities. Nietzsche's argument of 'The Death of God' did not take this opening of possibilities into consideration. Though people might not believe in a certain type of God they continue to search for something. Nietzsche writes with a very narrow definition of God: the conscious, purposeful, mindful Creator of existence. Maybe this God died in 1859, but it did not leave western society Godless. In all of recorded human history people have been searching. There has never been a time when people have given up The Search for Meaning. This Search is what makes God a living reality. Humans are always yearning to find Meaning. Only when this yearning stops will God die.

The Day The World Cried Essay -- history

The Day The World Cried Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward and freedom will be defended. Our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices – secretaries, businessman and women, military and federal workers. Moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat . But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people have been moved to defend a great nation. Those were the words of President George W. Bush, as he moved his country from disbelief to reality. Good morning / afternoon Ms. Scully and fellow classmates. September 11th was a dark and stormy Tuesday where the lives of people became the cost of revenge. Many innocent people faced their Tuesday morning by ending their lives instantly, as a high jacked plane plummeted from the sky, towards their office building. At 8:45 am a high jacked passenger jet, flight 11 of American Airlines, plunges into the North tower of The World Trade Center. 9:03 am another plane hit this time the South tower. Leaving both buildings ablaze in flames of deat...

Prostitution Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’ve often wondered what drives women into prostitution? Is it always by choice or are they forced into it? The whole idea of paying for sex seems so undignified. Something so intimate, in my opinion, should not be up for sale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is thought that those who are prostitutes are driven to do so because of their childhoods. Recent research does support this idea. Dr. Melissa Farley and Dr. Howard Barkin reported that out of 130 prostitutes surveyed fifty-five percent reported that they had been sexually abused as a child by three perpetrators or more. Ninety-four percent reported that a caregiver had physically abused them until they were bruised or injured. This gives us a good idea that most prostitutes have had an unstable childhood. Their childhoods have caused them to enter a profession where they repeat the abuse from the childhood in their adult lives. Of those interviewed eighty-two percent said they had been physically assaulted since they entered prostitution and sixty-eight percent had been raped. Which makes you wonder why they would stay in the profession if it causes them so much pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eighty-eight percent expressed a desire to leave the profession, but complained they need help. They needed training and education. They also needed medical attention because most of them had health problems from prostitution. When you face so many problems it sometimes seems easier just to s...

Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Essay

QUESTIONS 1. What additional factors encountered in international as compared with domestic financial management? Discuss each briefly. International financial management is faced with many more business factors than domestic financial management. For instance, international businesses are required to operate in many different financial aspects around the world. International financial management must deal with customers, shareholders, vendors, and other businesses across a much wider plane than domestic financial managers. Investment decisions regarding international issues may also be greatly affected by the exchange rate, taxes, and arbitrage. It may also be more of a challenge to manage financial records when involved in international trade. Additional differences include higher rates of return as well as the interest-rate parity theory (IRP). The IRP is the forward premium or discount that should be equal and opposite in size to the difference in the national interest rates. The exposure to the decline of foreign currency is also a serious factor regarding international financial management. An additional factor is the fact that many international subsidiaries may choose to work independently instead of for the multi-national company. This would in turn prove disastrous for the entire company. International companies have much more access to funds as they can seek credit and financing in other countries besides their own. Finally, financial managers have the opportunity to make foreign investments. 2. What different types of businesses operate in the international environment? Why are the techniques and strategies available to these firms different? There are many types of businesses that operate in the international environment. Any business which participates in business transactions with other nations are part of the international environment. Any organization that is involved in imports and exports would definitely be involved. As  well, any large firm that communicates daily with dignitaries from other countries would also be involved in the international environment. These techniques and strategies may be different because of these businesses’ gross domestic product. In addition, these organization’s advancements in technology, knowledge, and communication may lead to higher economic development; therefore, the opportunity to participate in international trade and globalization. 3. What is meant by arbitrage profits? Arbitrage profits involve investments with little to no risk. An investor makes arbitrage profits by buying in one market with cheap currency, and then selling in another market. This strategy does not involve an investment of funds or any risk bearing. However, the investor would still make a sure profit. 4. What are the markets and mechanics involved in generating (a) simple arbitrage profits Simple arbitrage involves two or more markets. This type of trading does not include exchange rates across all markets with a single currency. Instead, simple arbitrage is taking advantage of the differences in price regarding one asset. (b) and triangular arbitrage profits? Triangular arbitrage is the process of converting one kind of currency to another, then converting it to another currency, and the finally converting back to the original currency. Triangular arbitrage usually occurs within a short time frame. Traders involved in triangular arbitrage would have to have advanced equipment and knowledge in order to effectively and quickly take advantage of this kind of trading. References Keown, A., Martin, J., Petty J., & Scott, D. (2005). Financial Management: Principles and Applications. Prentice Hall, Inc. Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Organizations are constantly looking for new ways to grow. A part of this includes budgeting and forecasting which prepares a corporation for its future endeavors. Corporations explore options for growth and Patton-Fuller Community Hospital has discovered three options for expanding their operations. (Apollo Group, Inc., 2010). These three options include going public through an Initial Public Offering, acquiring another organization in the healthcare industry, and merging with another organization. This essay will provide the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the three options Patton-Fuller Community Hospital has. Going public through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) has its advantages. For instance, â€Å"creating currency that can be used to fund growth and generating liquidity for founders, investors and employees, among others† (Benton, 2005). When an organization goes public the largest concern is creating shareholder wealth therefore, choosing an IPO provides the funds necessary to increase shareholder wealth. However, acquiring another organization in the healthcare industry may strengthen Patton-Fuller to increase the firm’s assets. According to Patton-Fuller’s 2008 financial statement (Apollo Group, Inc., 2010), the current ratio is 5.41 indicating that Patton-Fuller has $5.41 in current assets for every $1 in current liabilities. The healthcare industry is a costly business therefore this ratio could use improvement. Merging Patton-Fuller with another organization provides benefits that this hospital lacks. Patton-Fuller is current working on remodeling the hospital waiting area and has recently solved an issue with the nursing staff. Merging with another organization could provide the assistance this hospital  requires in the sense of meeting its long-term goals as well as increasing its operating income return on investment which is currently at 12.3%. We will examine the weaknesses of the three expansion options. There are many disadvantages of going public through an IPO. The major disadvantage of going IPO is the cost and time involved in the transformation. Managers of top business people grow exhausted from dealing with attorneys, bankers, investors, accountants, etc. Another disadvantage is going public gets very expensive. Fees are paid out for various things and to various people. Losing confidentiality, flexibility, and control is another disadvantage. The SEC requires that all public organizations release information about public affairs, profits, etc. Patton-Fuller has to decide if giving up their freedom is the direction they want to gear toward. Acquiring another organization in the same industry can have its disadvantages. One major disadvantage is the industry being purchased having financial problems. This kind of organization is not worth the investment. The price to purchase may be a good cost for a bad reason. Cost characteristics can be another issue. Competitive problems are another issue. Everyone is trying to go after the same business. Some organization or cut throat concerning competition. If Patton-Fuller takes this route, they need to make sure the industry being purchase is worth the investment. They do not need their investment to work for them. Merging with another organization another organization could definitely bring on some challenges. When merging, votes must be approved by the stockholders. Stockholders play a big role in businesses merging. Obtaining the votes can be time consuming. Trying to get at least two-thirds or more votes is a task. There could also be conflict of objective between the two businesses. This could be a huge problem. When the two businesses do not see eye to eye, this can cause disruption within the organization. Then there is always the notion of a business becoming too large. When a merging business becomes too large to quick, this leads to higher costs. When merging, Patton-Fuller need to do their research about the business they want to merger with. Merging with the wrong organization could be a risky task. Patton-Fuller needs to do their research and weigh their options about all three expansion options. Patton-Fuller need to think long-term and what would be beneficial to the hospital long-term. The Patton-Fuller Community Hospital has been serving its local community since 1975; however the executives at the hospital now believe it is time expand from being a privately and have three options for expansion: going public through an IPO, acquiring another organization in the healthcare industry or merging with another organization. Opportunities of each approach that could benefit the Patton-Fuller Community Hospital will be determined and discussed. When a privately held coming goes public, it usually means that the company is selling shares of its stock for the first time to the public. This means that a once privately held company now is owned by public stockholders. The change of going from a privately held company to a publicly held company would require a lot of changes to the hospital; more than likely there would be a change in management and a loss of flexibility. However, going public through an IPO may be the only way the hospital would be able to continue to grow and expand. For any business, going public requires a lot of time and resources to ensure that the process happens smoothly. It is often believed that a company should look for other alternatives such as securing venture capital, forming a limited partnership or examine their current capital before committing to an IPO solution for expansion. Acquiring another healthcare company could be a consideration; acquisitions occur when two similar companies combine to form a new company altogether. The buyer of the other company takes control of the company because it is buying its shares; this means that the company the purchases the other company has full control over its assets and assumes all liabilities from the company that is being purchased. Acquiring another company within the healthcare industry would allow the Patton-Fuller Hospital to expand within the community. While acquisitions occur when one company buys another company and establishes itself as the owner of both  companies, a merger is the result of two companies that agree to move forward together but continue to be owned and operated separately. Merging is often a good idea for a lot of companies because it allows companies to join together for both organizations’ best interests to occur. Mergers allow businesses to dominate within their industries bu t allow them to each be individually owned and operated. There are threats associated with going public through an IPO. One threat is that there is a loss of control. â€Å"If Wall Street analysts don’t like the way the company is being run, your stock price may suffer, which means hard work has gone to waste. The board of directors may not like the job you’re doing, so your job is in jeopardy. And, of course, the shareholders may vote contrary to your opinion, which could significantly affect your life,† explains Harry S. Raphael, partner of Raphael and Raphael, LLP, a Boston-based full-service accounting and business consulting firm. The threat of losing control of an organization will run the risk of losing the organization. Also, Public companies have a greater accountability for their actions and must also meet stringent requirements from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that cause innumerable distractions to the management team. At the same time, steady growth is expected on a quarter-by-quarter basis. If the expectations are not met, there is a chance of the company not being financed by lenders and therefore causing the company to go bankrupt. Lastly, â€Å"going IPO presents a different kind of communication channel, both internal and external, which must be created and maintained. Much of this burden falls on the chief financial officer (CFO), but investor and public relations firms play significant roles in the operation and daily life of a public company, as well. Such communications practices for public companies — or those entrenched in the IPO process — can be critical† (Hell No We Won’t IPO, 2010). The thought of purchasing an ongoing business would appear to be a good idea however, there are possible issues to consider: there is an existing  reputation, customer base, suppliers, equipment, leases and cash flow. â€Å"The infrastructure and management team are also in place. These facts will make it difficult for the business to soar if all mentioned is negative instead of positive. There is the possibility of the seller backing out just you get ready to sign the deal due to emotional attachments to the business. Their products may be inadequate and/or defective. The inventory is old and outdated. The business is on a downswing and experiencing a negative cash flow. Overall, it is difficult to find one good feature about the business, except the sales price. When this situation occurs, it is easier to start a new venture than purchase an old one† (AllBusiness, 2010). Merging with another business, of the same kind, is also an option. However, there are threats to consider. â€Å"The cooperation of the target firm existing management is almost a necessity for a merger. This cooperation may not be easily or cheaply obtained. Moreover, the diseconomies of scale if business become too large which leads to higher unit costs. It’s also will create clashes of culture between different types of business. Thus this reduces the effectiveness of the integration. Merger also may be creating a conflict of objective between different businesses, meaning decisions are more difficult to make and causing disruption in running of the business. It also results dissatisfaction among current staffs as positions will be limited and the management have to decide which staffs to hold the position after the transaction has taken place† (William, 2008). Patton-Fuller Community Hospital is a privately owned and has many options on how they can expand. Patton-Fuller now knows the strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the three expansion options. They have to determine what approach would best facilitate the hospital needs. References AllBusiness. Retrieved October 11, 2010 from http://www.allbusiness.com/specialty- businesses/minority-owned-businesses/459211-1.html Apollo Group, Inc. (2010). Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. Retrieved on October 09, 2010, from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Healthcare/PFCH/pfchHome.htm Benton, G. L. (2005). The Advantages and Disadvantages of Going Public. .IPO Planner, Guide and Resource Directory for Companies Going Public. Pillsbury Winthrop LLP. Retrieved on October 09, 2010, from http://ipoplanner.webzel.net/forum/00000003.html. Hell No We Won’t IPO, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010 from http://www.va- interactive.com/inbusiness/editorial/finance/articles/hellno.html William, Peter; The Advantages and Disadvantages of Mergers, November 15, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2010 from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1189676/the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_pg2.html?cat=3

Loss of Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye Essay

Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger is a complex young man, filled with many observations about the world around him. Most of his comments tend to be negative and judgmental; however he appears much more enthusiastic and about his younger siblings, and even his past. Events and situations that occurred, both in his past and over the course of the novel, show signs of Holden’s affection for innocence. Children also allow Holden to appreciate the need for a more positive attitude in his struggle through depression. Lastly, objects and places that have an impact on Holden’s attitude and positivity, symbolize the purity of youth. Although Holden maintains a fairly negative state of mind throughout the novel, he always becomes uplifted by the mention or memory of innocence, something that he deeply cherishes and attempts to preserve in this murky world that he finds himself trapped in. Events, both in the past and present, can bring innocence back into Holden’s thought path, causing him to feel an array of emotions. One of the most influential events that happened in Holden’s past was the death of his brother, and it has definitely taken a piece of Holden’s innocence. Allie’s death had a tremendous impact on Holden’s life, and it is one of the main causes of his depression: â€Å"I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. It was a very stupid thing to do, I’ll admit, but I hardly didn’t even know I was doing it, and you didn’t know Allie† (Salinger 50). Although Allie is rarely mentioned in this novel, his death had a huge impact on Holden. The innocence of his younger brother had been lost with leukemia, which deeply saddened Holden. A plot event that also affected Holden’s innocence was the date that Stradlater and Jane went on. Holden knew about Stradlater’s nature with the girls that he dated, and he was very frustrated that Ward was about to go on a date with Jane, and old friend from Holden’s past. Holden’s innocent connection with Jane was being destroyed by Stradlater’s motives, and he wished he could have preserved the innocence of his old friend. The protagonist’s outburst to this loss of innocence was the event that lead to his premature journey out into the night, and the whole situation helped to spark the negativity that was being presented over the course the three days. Children always bring happiness and innocence to the main character, because they allow him to formulate meaningful memories, and to appreciate the innocence that they provide. Holden imagined a world of purity and innocence, and he wished he could create such a thing: â€Å"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around – nobody big, I mean – except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them† (Salinger 224). This brighter world that Holden imagined brought his spirits up tremendously, and allowed him to take his mind off of his current depression. Holden’s younger sister, Phoebe, was a child who possessed both innocence and maturity. She was a very important person in Holden’s life, because the aura of innocence that she gave off deeply affected her brother. He loved his sister not only because he had the obligation to love his family, but because she was the best representative of innocence in Holden’s life. Objects and places that Holden came across in this novel also showed signs and pieces of innocence, and Holden greatly appreciated them. Allie’s baseball mitt was a symbol with extreme ties to innocence, because they allowed Holden to happily reminisce about his deceased brother. The museum is another thing that symbolizes the inevitability that is presented by the loss of innocence: â€Å"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move†¦The only thing that would be different would be you† (Salinger 158). The Museum of Natural History symbolized Holden’s fear of changing or growing up, mentioning that there was always something different about him every time he went there. His analysis of the museum represented his desire to hold on to his own innocence, and to prevent changes that could cause its loss. Anything having to do with youth and innocence, whether it is a person, object, or event, has a very deep meaning for Holden Caulfield, and it even briefly uplifts his emotions. Salinger shows love through the innocence that was portrayed in various things throughout the novel, and he uses Holden as the ultimate symbol of love and innocence, which is slowly being whisked away by the inevitable process of the loss of this purity. For Holden, innocence holds the key to a brighter world, and Holden refuses to be victimized by the loss of innocence as he journeys through the city that refuses to sleep.

Shc 31

SHC 31: Promote communication in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings. Understand why effective communication is important in the work setting. 1. 1: Identify the different reasons people communicate. We all communicate for many different reasons; it allows us to fully participate in society. Below is a spider diagram to show the key reasons to why we communicate: How these reasons relate to child care: We communicate to express our feelings, what we need and what we want. Without being able to do this at any age can make us frustrated. For younger children this frustration can lead to them also feeling isolated, so it is important that we try to understand what young children are trying to communicate and give them plenty of opportunities to do so. Sharing Information within any childcare setting is very important. Parents should be able to share information about their children’s likes, dislikes and any important information that a setting needs to know, regarding any known special needs, cultural beliefs, dietary requirements etc. Sharing this information with colleagues and other professionals will make sure that children are fully supported and allow the setting to work at its full potential. Children’s parents will also want to know how well their children are doing at the setting and if they are having any problems. Building and maintaining relationships are the underpinning factor in any childcare setting. Building relationships with parents, their children and colleagues ensure that the setting can run smoothly. Maintaining these relationships will account for much of our language and communication used throughout the day. As human beings we are creative and have our own thoughts and ideas that we need to share with others. Young children will often just come out with things that they are thinking, as they have not yet built up a thought process, where as adults generally tell their thoughts when they need to. Sharing thoughts and ideas about the setting you are in can be beneficial. Speaking up if you think something could be done in a different way or if you are not happy about something can be resolved. Not speaking out can cause tension. People like to be acknowledged, especially when you are speaking to them. Reassuring people that you are paying attention and listening to what they are saying can be as simple as giving them eye contact. With children and young people they may need a little more, praising them and taking an interest in what they are doing will reassure them that they are being heard and that they are important. The reassurance and acknowledgement of colleagues will also create an effective work setting. 1. 2 Explain how communication affects relationships in the work setting. Good working relationships are a crucial factor in any working environment Communication is a vital relationship-building skill. In childcare settings, it is essential to establish and maintain good relationships with children, their families and colleagues as well as other professionals that may be involved in the children’s care. Practitioners who have superior communication skills are more likely to have good relationships with everyone involved in the setting. Working relationships are influenced by the body language, tone of voice and the words that we use. For example good open body posture, calm facial expressions and a calm steady tone of voice will show that you are approachable, willing to help and open to communication. Crossed arms, stiff face and leaning against the wall will show that you are not open for communication and in turn may cause tension. Good communicators should also have good listening skills as people like to know that they are being heard, this can be shown through eye-contact, positioning of the body and a reassuring facial expression. Lack of communication skills can cause problems in the work place as it limits your ability to connect with people on any level. This can lead to tension and conflict. Below is a diagram of some of the ways working relationships are fundamental in child care. Being able to communicate well and form good working relationships is a massive part of the role of a child care practitioner. From the first moment a child steps into a setting on their first day, they are experiencing many different emotions due to the transition from being at home with parents or carers to starting a Pre-school or going from Primary to Secondary School. Children will feel apprehensive, scared and out of place. This can be made easier when the adults involved have good relationships with each other and share information effectively. Gaining information regarding the child like their full name and a little bit about them will make them feel more relaxed. Finding a way to communicate and build a relationship with the child will help them to settle in and feel comfortable with you and their surroundings. This also counts for the parents, they too will feel apprehensive about leaving their children unless they have trust that their child is in good hands. Building a good relationship with parents will ease their minds, in turn their children will settle in faster than if the parents and children are all worried. These relationships have to be maintained throughout the time the children are in the setting. This is to ensure that the children are able to reach their full potential. If they are happy and relaxed they are able to play and learn more effectively. Good communication from the adults around them will allow them to develop and build on vocabulary, develop concepts and express ideas. If you can communicate well and maintain working relationships you will become a valued member of staff and the children in your care will be able to reach their full potential as individuals learning form you and with your support. Here is a diagram of

Similarities In Cognitive Development Education Essay

Cognitive development is defined as the countries of neuroscience and psychological science surveies, concentrating on stripling development with particular concentrating on information processing, linguistic communication acquisition, conceptual resources, perceptual accomplishment, and encephalon development. Jean Piaget and Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky were two innovators in the field of cognitive development. With this essay I will compare and contrast each theoretician ‘s positions on the nature or development of intelligence. I shall besides compare their positions on the phases of development from birth through adolescence. And eventually I will integrate possible schoolroom applications of each theoretician ‘s positions. Piaget believed that all kids are born with a inclination to interact with and do sense of their environment and that they need small instructor intercession. He referred to the basic ways of forming and treating information as cognitive constructions. He defined the mental forms that guide behavior as strategies, and he theorized that we use strategies to happen out approximately and interact with the universe around us. Piaget ‘s theory consisted of stairss in the development of new strategies of cognitive development referred to as version of seting strategies in response to a new object being introduced in our environment. The first measure in version if called assimilation, or seeking to understand the new object or event in our environment from known strategy, and if the new object does non suit into an bing strategy, the person will travel into adjustment where they modify an bing strategy to suit the new state of affairs. Finally the individual will make an apprehension of the new object, this procedure of reconstructing a balance between current strategies and the integrating of the new strategies is known as equilibration. Piaget theory of rational development is a constructivism position, where persons build systems of understanding through their experiences and interaction with in their environment, proposing that development came before acquisition, that specific cognitive constructions need to be developed before certain types of acquisition can take topographic point. Like Piaget, Lev Vygotsky believed that cognitive development takes topographic point in stairss that are the same for all persons. Vygotsky theorized the first measure in rational development is larning that action and sounds have intending. Second, that measure in cognitive development was practising the new action or sound. And eventually, utilizing the actions and sounds to believe and work out jobs without the aid of others, referred to by Vygotsky as self-regulation.Differences in Cognitive DevelopmentWhile Piaget believed that rational development was extremely personal, and that persons learned from experiences instead than the instruction of constructs and idea procedures, Vygotsky believed that larning development was a societal procedure straight linked to the instruction of information, and that larning proceeded development. Vygotsky theorized that linguistic communication was the key to cognitive development, and acquisition was influenced by the civilization of the per son. He believed that a kid foremost incorporated the address on others into their personal cognition and patterns it, known as private address, and subsequently they used this â€Å" private address † in attempts to work out undertakings. Vygotsky redefined this theory into what we now know as The Zone of Proximal Development. ( ZDP ) defines rational development as the ability to utilize thought to command our ain actions, but first we must get the hang cultural communicating systems, and so utilize these to systems to modulate our idea processes. Children larning with in the ( ZPD ) work on undertakings that they could non finish entirely, but were able to complete with the aid of and competent teacher. These docile minutes demonstrate Vygotsky theory that larning proceeded development, and that concerted acquisition promotes advance larning. His theory defined linguistic communication as a manner to go through on cultural values and that learning linguistic communication was the medium needed to develop cognitive idea procedures.Similarities of the Stages of DevelopmentBoth Piaget and Vygotsky were stage theoretician, intending they both believe that development takes topographic point in discernible phases. Piaget ‘s theory was that development took topographic point in four phases. -The first phase for Piaget ‘s theory was the sensorimotor phase ( from birth – age 2 ) where the kid explores the universe utilizing their 5 senses and motor accomplishments. Children are born with what is described as automatic motor accomplishments, suction, appreciation, ECT. During early development, the kid uses these accomplishments to pull strings the universe and develops strategies from these experiences in a patterned advance toward purposive behaviour approaching the terminal of this phase of development. -Piaget ‘s 2nd phase is Preoperational phase ( 2yrs-7yrs ) He believed that kids in this phase of development would n't hold mastered the ability of more complex mental operations ; kids do non hold the ability to ground through their actions. They are considered egoistic, and presume others agree with their points of position. During this phase kids lack preservation accomplishments ; they do non understand that the sum of something remains the same when the visual aspect has been rearranged. And they have non developed reversible thought or taking a job back to its get downing point. -Developmental phase three is the Concrete Operational Stage ( 7-11 ) In this phase the kid is get downing to accomplish comprehension of abstract constructs. The kid is get downing to understand preservation, position and contrary thought. The kid is capable of systematic ordination and able to group objects consequently. The kid is get downing to multitask in their idea procedures. -And Finally, The Formal Operational phase Age ( 11 to early-adult ) By this phase the individual has accomplished abstract think procedures. They have developed conjectural and deductive logical thinking. They have the ability to conceive of state of affairss and ground best solution rules. They are now capable of meta-cognition or able to believe about thought. Vygotsky ‘s phase theory of development was known as Scaffolding. In Scaffolding, First a wise man starts with supplying the kid with a high degree of support, such as one-on-one direction, leting the kid clip to develop an apprehension of the constructs being presented. Next the wise man starts to scale back the support leting the kid to take on more of the duty of the undertaking. And eventually, when the kid understands the aim of the undertaking the wise man stairss aside leting the kid to execute the undertaking on their ain, showing the comprehension of the cognition set gained.Differences in Stages of DevelopmentPiaget ‘s theory of the phases of development, focal point on development is necessary before larning can take topographic point, and that interaction with one ‘s environment is more of import to development than mentored direction. This position is really age oriented and ridged in its lineation and expatiations of kid development. Where Vygotsky vie ws acquisition as the processor to development. That linguistic communication, civilization and mentoring are all of import facets of the acquisition procedure that will assist the single develop successfully.Similarities in Classroom ApplicationPiaget ‘s and Vygotsky theories have similar applications for the schoolroom scene ; first Piaget wants the teacher must concentrate on the procedure of kid believing seeking to understand how the kid can up with the reply, and non merely the merchandise or solution to the job, deemphasize patterns aimed at doing kids make grownup like determinations, and have the teacher acknowledge the differences in single developmental advancement. Vygotsky ‘s theory in a similar manner, topographic points accent on the kid ‘s thought procedure, with the teacher understanding the kids ‘s single developmental advancement. As a instructor I can utilize these theories to develop category room techniques that focus on the pupils as pe rsons, and I ‘ll seek to understand their degree of development so that I do non coerce the pupil to run into criterions that are non sensible given their province of apprehension and cognitive development.Differences In schoolroom ApplicationPiaget ‘s theory wants the teacher to promote the pupil ‘s into self-initiation and active acquisition activities which take the accent away structured cognition and encourages the pupil to research and construct on current degrees on cognitive cognition. This differs from Vygotsky theory, which advises the instructor to supply planned activities, and promote pupils to take part in planned group activities, which encourage them to larn in construction environments which encourage high degrees of mentored direction. With an option of the two theories, I think I ‘ll lodge to a more Vygotsky signifier of lesson planning. I believe that pupils can make good with manus on actives, yet I believe that if the Instructor does non supply the pupil with construction the pupils do non develop at a rate that allow them to command themselves in a schoolroom scene, and that construction gives the pupil counsel and sets outlooks for the pupils, that give the pupils ends to endeavor for.

The impacts of recent recession on consumer behaviour within Airline Literature review

The impacts of recent recession on consumer behaviour within Airline industry - Literature review Example From a marketing perspective, the ability to influence consumer behaviour is to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the consumer behaviour (Vanhuele, Wright and East, 2013). Consumer behaviour is the activities which people undertake when obtaining, consuming and disposing of products and services (Blythe, 2008, p. 56). The fundamental basis of marketing should be that the customers are at the centre of everything the firm does. In marketing management customers are the key concern. This means that understanding the behaviour pattern of the customers is essential for the managers. Traditional marketing management emphasized on product features and competitive positioning of the product (Abramovich, 2005). The conventional marketing management theory focuses on the customer relationship with the marketers of the company and the product value (Statt, 2011). The purchasing behaviour of the consumers relates strongly to the segmentation of the markets. There are three types of segmentation; geographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation and demographic segmentation. Geographic segmentation means to divide the market area according to the location of th e potential customers. Psychographic segmentation means to segregate a consumer’s characteristics and behaviour. Demographic segmentation means the division of consumer groups according to variables such as wealth, gender, age and education level etc (Blythe, 2008). The managers of the company can strengthen their relationship with the consumers. The relational bonding between customers and employees will enable the managers to develop a product which will fulfil the consumer wants and needs. An established connection with the consumer provides the marketer information regarding the consumer behaviour. For example, the marketers would like to repurpose their products and services without hampering

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Religion - Essay Example The four types of ground described by Jesus were the wayside (or roadside), stony places, thorns and good ground (13 Matt. 4-8 King James Version). Each one of these different seed-beds results in a very different experience for the seeds that land in them. The seeds that fall among the wayside are immediately devoured by birds. The seeds that fall in the stony places sprout up immediately but soon whither because their roots are not firmly established. Seeds that fell among the thorns begin to develop normally, but are then chocked out as the thorns spring up and outpace their growth. Finally, the good ground that the Lord mentions in the parable provides all the elements necessary for the full maturation of the crop. From that one seed, the fully mature plant can â€Å"†¦bring forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold and some thirtyfold.† (13 Matt. 8 King James Version) In clarifying his use of parables to the Apostles, Jesus explained that he did this so the people would understand. Understanding the teachings of the Gospel were important because Jesus likened the seeds that fell on stony ground to people that heard the Gospel and did not understand it. Their maturation was stopped even before the seed could germinate. This lack of progress was due to ignorance even after receiving the word. In a way, Jesus was expressing to the Apostles the need for clear and succinct teaching of Gospel doctrine. The second group of individuals take root but can not make it through the trials and temptations inherent in daily living. They cannot withstand the heat of these trials and so are scorched as if by the sun. Their faith withers and their maturation ceases. The third group to receive the word are described as landing among thorns. Maturation progresses as expected among the thorns but the good crops are soon outpaced by the bad. The tender growth