Free Essays on Bleachers

Bleachers John Grisham Doubleday I think Bleachers is a really great book. The story is about a football player named Neely Crenshaw. He used to play quarterback for the Messina Spartans, and was coached by Eddie Rake. Neely was an all-american quarterback and the local town hero. Football was the biggest thing in the town of Messina. While Neely was in college he injured his knee. This injury would ruin Neely’s football career for the rest of his life. He would never be able to play again. Neely’s coach, Eddie Rake, had been sick for many years. This was the only reason why Neely returned to Messina. No one in Messina could believe that Neely had returned. To Neely’s surprise, he was still well known and a household name around the homes of the people of Messina. He was also surprised to see his big picture still hanging on the wall at the local diner. This was the first time he had returned to Messina after high school. When he first returned, he met up with one of his fellow players. He showed him around town. One of the things they did was go to the football field to talk. While they were there, they talked with other players that had attended different years. All of the players were coached by Eddie Rake. They talked about past seasons and past games. They also talked about their coach, Eddie Rake. Later they talked about the 1987 championship game. They had a come back win. During the game, Coach Rake hit Neely. He was angry that the team wasn’t playing well, and decided to take out his anger on Neely. Because of the incident, the team finished that game without a coach. They began to play better, and ended up winning the game. Eventually, Eddie Rake dies. Since his funeral was the biggest event in town, everyone was there. Logan Cirone Bleachers is a really great book. The story shows how people learn to accept the things they are unable to change and yet, ... Free Essays on Bleachers Free Essays on Bleachers Bleachers John Grisham Doubleday I think Bleachers is a really great book. The story is about a football player named Neely Crenshaw. He used to play quarterback for the Messina Spartans, and was coached by Eddie Rake. Neely was an all-american quarterback and the local town hero. Football was the biggest thing in the town of Messina. While Neely was in college he injured his knee. This injury would ruin Neely’s football career for the rest of his life. He would never be able to play again. Neely’s coach, Eddie Rake, had been sick for many years. This was the only reason why Neely returned to Messina. No one in Messina could believe that Neely had returned. To Neely’s surprise, he was still well known and a household name around the homes of the people of Messina. He was also surprised to see his big picture still hanging on the wall at the local diner. This was the first time he had returned to Messina after high school. When he first returned, he met up with one of his fellow players. He showed him around town. One of the things they did was go to the football field to talk. While they were there, they talked with other players that had attended different years. All of the players were coached by Eddie Rake. They talked about past seasons and past games. They also talked about their coach, Eddie Rake. Later they talked about the 1987 championship game. They had a come back win. During the game, Coach Rake hit Neely. He was angry that the team wasn’t playing well, and decided to take out his anger on Neely. Because of the incident, the team finished that game without a coach. They began to play better, and ended up winning the game. Eventually, Eddie Rake dies. Since his funeral was the biggest event in town, everyone was there. Logan Cirone Bleachers is a really great book. The story shows how people learn to accept the things they are unable to change and yet, ...

Understanding the Basics of Prepegs

Understanding the Basics of Prepegs Prepreg composite materials are becoming increasingly common in the composite industry due to their ease of use, consistent properties, and high-quality surface finish. However, there is much to understand about prepregs prior to committing to using this material. Prepreg The term prepreg is actually an abbreviation for the phrase pre-impregnated. A prepreg is an FRP reinforcement that is pre-impregnated with a resin. Most often, the resin is an epoxy resin, however other types of resins can be used, including the majority of thermoset and thermoplastic resins. Although both are technically prepregs, thermoset and thermoplastic prepregs are dramatically different. Thermoplastic Prepregs Thermoplastic prepregs are composite reinforcements (fiberglass, carbon fiber, aramid, etc.) that are pre-impregnated with thermoplastic resin. Common resins for thermoplastic prepregs include PP, PET, PE, PPS, and PEEK. Thermoplastic prepregs can be provided in unidirectional tape, or in fabrics that are woven or stitched. The primary difference between thermoset and thermoplastic prepreg is that thermoplastic prepregs are stable at room temperature, and generally, do not have a shelf life. This is a direct result of the differences between thermoset and thermoplastic resins. Thermoset Prepregs More commonly used in prepreg composite manufacturing is thermoset prepregs. The primary resin matrix used is epoxy. Other thermoset resins are made into prepregs including BMI and phenolic resins. With a thermoset prepreg, the thermosetting resin starts as a liquid and fully impregnates the fiber reinforcement. Excess resin is precisely removed from the reinforcement. Meanwhile, the epoxy resin undergoes partial curing, changing the state of the resin from a liquid to a solid. This is known as the B-stage. In the B-stage, the resin is partially cured, and usually tacky. When the resin is brought up to an elevated temperature, it often returns briefly to a liquid state prior to hardening completely. Once cured, the thermoset resin which was in the b-stage is now fully cross-linked. Advantages of Prepregs Perhaps the greatest advantage of using prepregs is their ease of use. For example, say one is interested in manufacturing a flat panel out of carbon fiber and epoxy resin. If they were to use liquid resin in a closed molding or open molding process, they would be required to obtain a fabric, the epoxy resin, and the hardener for the epoxy. Most epoxy hardeners are considered hazardous, and dealing with resins in a liquid state can be messy. With an epoxy prepreg, only one item needs to be ordered. An epoxy prepreg comes on a roll and has the desired amount of both resin and hardener already impregnated in the fabric. Most thermoset prepregs come with a backing film on both sides of the fabric to protect it during transit and preparations. The prepreg is then cut to the desired shape, the backing is peeled off, and the prepreg is then laid into the mold or tool. Both heat and pressure are then applied for the specified amount of time. Some of the most common types of prepregs take an hour to cure, at around 250 degrees F, but different systems are available at both lower and higher cure temperatures and times. Disadvantages of Prepregs Shelf Life: Since the epoxy is in a B-stage, it is required to be stored either refrigerated or frozen prior to use. Additionally, the overall shelf life can be low.Cost Prohibitive: When manufacturing composites through a process such as pultrusion or vacuum infusion, the raw fiber, and resin are combined on-site. When using prepregs, the raw material must first be prepregged. This is most often done off-site at a specialized company that focuses on prepregs. This added step in the manufacturing chain can add increased cost, and in some instances close to double the material cost.

Australian Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Australian Media - Essay Example One would be hard-pressed to visit any Australian home and not find a magazine of some kind. Moreover, magazines, like other print media, appeal more to the intellect than to the senses and emotions of their audiences. Magazines became volatile commodities with the advent of television but were able to sustain their territory because they were not as transient as the broadcast media. They are more permanent than newspapers, with a longer readership span; and magazines remain in readers' homes for weeks, months, and sometimes even years. Since the beginning of magazines in Australia, those with the highest circulation have been aimed at female audiences. The editors announced they would no longer depend on advertising for economic support; instead, they solicited private donations. Magazines have been responsible for the dissemination and proliferation of information to masses of people. As the first national medium, magazines have been at the forefront of the transmission of ideas, information, and attitudes from person to person, city to city, state to state, country to country, and continent to continent. Magazines appear in many forms and formats. Magazines have been so successful in their attempts to communicate with the masses that other media have often emulated them. Newspapers have become more like magazines in marketing methods, writing style, and format (Lester 75). Every year for the past decade there has been the creation of television programs promoted as newsmagazine shows. Still women's earnings are rising compared with men's, a fact that helps make women a consumer group of vital interest to the mass media. In addition, many women who do not work outside the home exercise a considerable voice in making purchases. For years advertisers have recognized the buying power of women consumers and targeted messages to them via the mass media. The movement of women into the labor market has enhanced advertiser interest in reaching a female audience (Biagi 38). This situation stems from the fact that traditional news values represent conflict, controversy, power struggles, political battles, and changes in the status quo--all elements linked to the masculine domination of society. Women, as a group, have not been key players in the political, economic, and military developments that make headlines. Women's activities traditionally have been seen as unworthy of prominent news coverage, either on the front pages of important newspapers or on nightly network newscasts. Women's news general ly has fitted into the "soft news" category of entertainment or feature material (Lester 71). The rankings of newspapers on coverage of women in the Women, Men and Media study underscored this point. Apart from their relative absence in the news, the images of women in other areas of mass communications have come under attack. Researchers consistently have found the portrayal of women in advertisements at stereotypical levels. These facts explain entertainment nature of contemporary magazines aimed to bring pleasure and delight instead of education and informing functions (Biagi 35). Since the future can only be understood in terms of the past, it may be instructive to quickly note the history of women's efforts to influence media content. Feminists have been trying for one hundred years to attack the pervasive stereotypes used in media portrayals of women as

Approaches to Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Approaches to Research - Essay Example ngst the medical fraternity and various researches have been undertaken to understand the reasons so that effective measures and programs can be implemented to arrest this rapidly growing tendency amongst the population, especially children. The wide ranging implications of obesity are serious and they need to be addressed at the earliest to promote better health and welfare of the society at large. The paper would critically evaluate the studies to see the issues that have significant impact on the obesity. The first article is a research based on the grounded theory that time spent watching television is directly correlated with hypertension in obese children. This area was particularly chosen because no previous studies had explored this dimension in the obese children though one European study had explored the effect TV viewing of children with hypertension and had found no substantial evidence of the same. Since obesity is a serious health hazard and promotes psychological disorders and hypertension, leading to other health problems of heart, diabetes etc., it also becomes pertinent to study the impact of other factors like TV viewing which may directly be responsible for hypertension in obese children. The study has reviewed 39 literatures, related to the topic, spanning twenty one years from 1985 to 2006. The most important feature of the literature review has been that twenty 23 out 39 reviews have been from studies published in the last 10 years thus giving credence to the contemporary trend of obese behavior and its implications. The study and literature review has remained focused on the issue of the obesity and factors correlated with it. It was a quantitative analysis with a total of 556 children, from the age of 4 years to 17 years who were evaluated at pediatrics subspecialty weight management clinic in San Diego CA, San Francisco CA and Dayton OH. With strict watch on the BMI level of all children, they were observed from 2003 to 2005. The

Stagnant Democracy Essay Example for Free

Stagnant Democracy Essay Democracy, whether in its early or current state, needs constant improvement even if it is a government system that is highly respectful of its constituents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henry David Thoreau lived at a time when democracy was finally being recognized as oppressive in itself because the governing system was becoming stagnant.   The laws that citizens had to abide to were being criticized because of the injustice its system was already imposing on other races like Mexicans and Negroes.   Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson have simply seen that the legal system has become inefficient if not a means for oppression because of its taxes and treatment of others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Society needs persons like Thoreau and Emerson because they are people who are able to see and declare the evils of society.   Only when declarations such as those made by them are given attention can any government or system improve.   It is upon reflection of their ideas when true great men can enact changes that would be able to improve an always imperfect society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both Thoreau and Emerson, even if they can be deemed as rebellious, do represent the traditional Western or American values because what they espoused in their writings were still democratic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thoreau, although he hints on individualism and disadvantages of the political system in his suggestions for civil disobedience, is merely applying his very rational beliefs and principles.   He is merely promoting a different concept that will be actually for the good of his community.   His suggestion for a non-violent revolution is democratic in itself because it is peaceful. Thoreau believes that every man has the power to enact change in his society even if he is not part of a majority. He says that a vote may be an act of one to show his agreement or dissent on certain issues but this is not enough to really change what is wrong in society.   He sees the exercise of voting as not enough.   To be true to one’s self would be to express fully what one is against to†¦ such as the way he has been stubborn (and consequently punished) in his non-payment of certain taxes.   He believes in the government because it can organize communities peacefully but insists that a political body can only be truly successful if it respects the individual.   In this way, he is actually espousing the very basic principle of democracy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He may seem rebellious when he attacks the government for imposing the taxes for Christianity but the basic formulations of his principles are very Christian. He believes that he is able to give back his spiritual obligations in other ways which are more useful to society.   His writings are testimony of his own contribution to the community he belongs to.   He insists that taxes are merely oppressive when people blindly pay it while they can share their skills and talents in other forms that will serve the community just as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emerson is also representative of the liberal American or Western values because he is able to find the freedom of speech to attack the problems of the society.   The theme of self-reliance is not selfish but civic because it upholds the dignity of an individual which in turn can contribute better to society.   He believes that the society during his time is already in need of a wake up call because of its reliance on conformity and consistency. He saw that men were becoming cowards to express what is fair and just because of the need to adapt to the opinions of other who are simply obeying the laws blindly.   He sees that most people are already trapped into making very wrong decisions because of the fear that people will attack their views and actions because of what they had done in the past. According to Emerson, people who are not able to rely on their instincts with regard to what is right and wrong because they are always concerned on how society will react to them become prisoners of their cowardice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emerson may seem like a heretic when he attacks the hypocritical expression of faith many Church leaders were making but his views are basically Christ-centered.   His idea that the Church has become overbearing because of its strict adherence to religious laws is true.   Morality, for Emerson, is to look inside one’s self and find the truth and what is ultimately good for the individual and the others who surround him.   He believes that God provided each and every one of us with the instinct to know what is correct or wrong and that too much reliance on Church teachings can lead one to further mistakes simply for the sake of conformity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thomas and Emerson are highly for democracy and God but the way they have expressed themselves can seem rebellious to those who insist in following unjust laws.   As Martin Luther King Jr. has expressed in his own writings, laws that disregard the higher morals it supposedly adheres to are ineffective and disobedience to these is simply necessary. In fact, King is correct in establishing that disobedience is actually democratic and spiritual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Democracy may have established laws that protect the security of many but it is still imperfect.   Individuals like Thoreau and Emerson are truly important to help this political system improve and correct itself.

Flagstaff :: Colleges Arizona Education Essays

Flagstaff Flagstaff is a small college town in Northern Arizona, with a population of around 55,000. The city is at an elevation of 7,000 feet and is surrounded by ponderosa pines. The ponderosa pines up here are the largest continuous body of ponderosas in the world. The summers are quite nice with temperatures only reaching the 80’s and with winter temperatures in the 40’s. Northern Arizona University is also located in Flagstaff with a college population of 15,000. Flagstaff is great for outdoor activities, many lakes and streams are close by along with many hiking trails. Flagstaff has all four seasons and is ideal in the winter for skiers and snowboarders. The two years that I have lived in Flagstaff have been really fun. The seasons up here along with all the wildlife make hunting and fishing very plentiful. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to go to NAU, also due to the small town atmosphere along with outdoor activities which were very close by. There are many jeep trails and off road trails to explore all around town. Flagstaff also has an urban trail system that runs through the whole town. This is for people who love to walk and bike ride or who just love to be outside this makes a nice friendly type atmosphere for people. Just outside the city limits are the San Francisco Peaks which rise above 12,000 feet, the aspen trees in the background give a unique experience while hiking or snowboarding in the winter time. The peaks also have a ski resort called Arizona snow bowl, which is the oldest ski resort in Arizona and it also has one of the steepest drops in the state which makes for some difficult runs toward the top of the mountain. When I first moved up to Flagstaff in 2002 the city was not new to me, I had visited many times before with my brother and I knew I wanted to go to college here. I also loved the cool weather along with the heavy snows in the winter. Along with hunting and fishing and the whole outdoors thing I loved to play sports so I rushed some of the fraternities and found one the fit me very well. Intramural sports up here are also a real challenge; after you triumph over all of the fraternities you can move on to all campus, then you can really show what your team is made of.

Long-Term Effects of Global Tourism on Economy

Long-term effects of global tourism on economy Tourism is the travel tour activities which provides travelers leisure facilities and service industry. And it is also a kind of leisure entertainment that has complex social phenomenon, involves the politics, economy, culture, history, geography, law, and other social fields. Generally speaking, tourism has a profound impact for the country. Tourism gradually has become a prevalent activity all over the world. Compared to 2009, there were 1002 million international tourists in 2010, which increased 6. 6% over the last year. UNWTO, 2011) And then, according to the the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) report, in the first two months of 2011, the number of International tourists arrivals rose by 5 per cent from 2010. (ibid) Furthermore, the benefits brought by the whole International tourist arrivals reached 442 million in 2010, which the annual average growth is 5. 6% from start of this century. (ibid) Overall, t ourism has shown the rapid growth and development in the past 10 years, which become one of the main sources of the world economy. There are several reasons led to the development of tourism.So this article will discuss the reason that cause the rise of worldwide tourism and the impact on the emerging economies. In fact, the tourism industry is developing rapidly in the 20th century. There are several reasons for this increase. First of all, is the improvement of the travel transportation technology. There are many ways to travel and these methods are widely used, it is possible to drive a car, take a ship or even ride on a bicycle. In addition, many cities have been connected up by the highway, which means that travel is more convenient, at the same time the ticket for air also decreases.Secondly, now people have more income for their own use, this is because part of the rising wages and part of the fall in goods’ prices. Meanwhile, there are a lot of families have a car and Dink family which has no children, it also saves a lot of money for them. Long-term effects of global tourism on economy These factors significantly increased possibility of them to be the tourists. Then, the increase of the holiday makes a great number of tourists choose mass tourism or join the tours, and the ecological tourism also became prevalent.Last but not least, the media, which have two types of media to attract visitors. On one hand, there are a lot of travel information is published in the newspapers, magazines and television programs. The ‘Island of Contrasts’ which is the largest island in the Canaries published a new web page on Facebook in January last year. After 4 weeks, the pages had more than 10,000 fans. Subsequently, the Tenerife Tourism Corporation has launched a Twitter and YouTube channel in order to attract more visitors’ attention. I Want Sun, 2011) With the development of the media and technology, the tourism company can takes full ad vantage of the convenience of the network to achieve the purpose to attract people’s attentions and allow the island became one of the hottest tourist destinations. In addition, the science and technology also can be used during a tour. According to Jaiswal’s white-paper, there are 5 technologies that are improving the quality of the tourism, which are â€Å"Mobile devices, Social Media, Location Based Services, Personalized Marketing (Behavioral Marketing) and Near Field Communications. (Jaiswal, 2012) These techniques provide a convenience to the passengers who are on their journey, some of them might achieve through the smart phones. Mobile communication technology has almost become an indispensable part of the tourism industry. The new mobile devices, smart phones like Blackberry, iphone, HTC or Samsung and tablet PCs like ipad are the most appropriate facilities to interact with tourists. (Jaiswal, 2012) For instance, people can use the mobile phones or computers to check-in or buy some duty-free goods when they at the airport.Then, tourists can plan their trip, entertain or explore on the plane with the Wi-Fi connection which a few airlines provide. Moreover, surfing the Internet or connect the Facebook share some news on the road, getting Wi-Fi and wired networks in the hotel. Nowadays, many tourists have spent their entire adult life in the digital Long-term effects of global tourism on economy products, they want their travel be information-based and personalized, in order to realize â€Å"any time, anywhere† travel.In recent years the tourism industry has become a prosperous industry all over the world, the economic benefit it brought greatly help those developing countries, and also made a great contribution to the emerging economies. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest Economic Impact Research shows that World Travel and Tourism continues to grow, despite the sustained economic challenges(W TTC(2), 2012). There are several main aspects. The first main benefit is the contribution to the Gross Domestic Product(GDP) by the Travel and Tourism.According to the â€Å"Economic Impact of Travel & Tourism 2012 Summary† by WTTC, the direct GDP in 2011 reached US $1,972. 8 billion by the tourism industry, which account 2. 8% of the whole GDP. In addition, WTTC estimated that GDP would rise and reach US $2082. 2billion in 2012(WTTC(1), 2012). This shows that the money came from the tourism activities like hotels, restaurants, transportation and so on. At the same time, this also showed the improvement of people's living standard and the money can be used to develop the infrastructures as well.Another benefit is increased employment, there is no doubt that the main point is to provide jobs to local people in the area of the tourist attractions. The report said that there were 98 million people were employed directly in 2011 because of the tourism industry all around the worl d(WTTC(2), 2012). This might be the biggest benefit for the tourism industry and the local citizens. Furthermore, being employed means there will have the opportunity to make money, not only for the industry but also for the people.In consequence, this will be a win-win situation, tourism helps local establish the foundation of the economy, and the local government helps the tourism industry to win interest and prestige. Long-term effects of global tourism on economy However, there are some negative points of tourism. One of them is the seasonal employment in some places, and this will lead to the many people facing the problem of unemployment outside of the peak tourist season. For example, this will occur in tourist attractions and resort towns, if an attraction opens to the visitors, like skiing in Swiss in the winter.The skiing coaches will teach people how to go skiing, but once the snow melted, they will lose their jobs and the staff as well. Furthermore, the impact of tourism on the environment is a significant issue as the climate change is most troublesome problem. Over the years, the environmental pollution caused by tourism was almost out of control, such as deforestation and CO2 emissions from increased air travel, has already caused the green house effect. It could lead to the loss of the destinations that depends on their natural environment.For example, the case of emissions of greenhouse gases in China. the case of emissions of greenhouse gases in china. â€Å"China is the world's largest aggregate emitter of greenhouse gases contributing to global warming, though the U. S. is the largest per capita emitter. â€Å"(World Savvy 2008) China should be responsible for a large proportion of the emission of dangerous gases, including sulfur dioxide (the main ingredient of smoke) and mercury (the main cause stunting and birth defects of children).All of these phenomena will continue, it is impossible to save the environment completely, human beings only have to try to protect it, reduce the damage to the ecosystem. Although there has the negative points, the WTTC still make the prediction for the worldwide tourism industry in the next 10 years. Experts estimate that the world GDP will continuing increase 4. 2% pre year. (WTTC(2), 2012) This means that there are going to have a plenty of work for tourism services in the next few years, including direct and indirect employment.Obviously, this will help to ease the unemployment rate all over the world to reduce poverty in the low economic area. Without a doubt, China is one of the fastest developing countries now, which occupied the third position in world international arrivals top ten in 2010. Long-term effects of global tourism on economy (UNWTO, 2011) For Europe, current forecast shows that economic growth will be back on track in 2014, the travel and tourism directly GDP of 2. 6% pre year until 2022 for the long-term growth. (WTTC(2), 2012)In conclusion, despite the negative factors, the long-term prospects of the tourism industry is still a positive side, it will continue to promoting the strong growth in emerging markets and prosperity. Now there is a way to deal with the harm caused by the tourism industry in the environment, that is eco-tourism which is defined as the â€Å"protection of tourism† and â€Å"sustainable development of tourism. †. At present, the demand for ecological tourism help to open the tourism markets and also can play a role in the protecting of the natural environment.Overall, the tourism industry is a double-edged sword, if not handled it properly not only will affect human, but the more will have a huge impact on the world. Long-term effects of global tourism on economy Bibliography 1? I Want Sun 3 March 2011 â€Å"Use of social media to attract visitors to Tenerife† http://www. iwantsun. co. uk/beach-holidays/2011/03/03/use-ofsocial-media-to-attract-visitors-to-tenerife 2? Jaiswal S. â€Å"Advances in Travel Technology† February 2012 3? UNWTO Tourism Highlights June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012. UNWTO World Tourism Highlights (UNWTO). http://mkt. nwto. org/ sites/all/files/docpdf/unwtohighlights11enlr. pdf 4? World Savvy 2008 â€Å"The Natural Environment† http://worldsavvy. org/ monitor/index. php? option=com_content=article=120=183 5? World Travel & Tourism Council (1) â€Å"Travel & Tourism Economic impact 2012† 2012 http://www. wttc. org/site_media/uploads/downloads/ world2012. pdf 6? World Travel & Tourism Council (2) â€Å"Economic Impact of Travel & Tourism 2012 Summary† 2012 http://www. wttc. org/site_media/uploads/ downloads/Economic_impact_reports_Summary_v3. pdf Long-term effects of global tourism on economy

Curricular Ramifications

The employment of computer technologies in elementary school education has significantly increased across the globe. The benefits and advantages of computer-based learning have been comprehensively discussed, yet it is also important to enumerate the ramifications associated with this endeavor. However, it is imperative to determine whether this technologically intense activity is appropriate for application to young children attending elementary school education. This paper will identify several issues that are associated with the use of computers in teaching basic lessons to young school children.One of the most alarming reports regarding the ramifications of computer-based instruction at the grade school level is that the brains of young children are inundated with so much information at an early age (Healy, 1998). It has been earlier established that the brains of young children are still undergoing further development and thus it is best to allow time and the normal activities t o enhance the young individual’s brain capacity as he grows through adolescence and adulthood.The exposure of young children to computer programs is thus a novel experience that has not been fully examined with regards to its long-term effects of human behavior and cognition (Kay, 1992). It is acceptable that adults employ computers at work and at home, yet allowing young children to use computers at such an early age may be rushing their underdeveloped brains to mature at a faster pace. Another issue associated with the employment of computers in elementary school education is that the quality of software programs may significantly vary, depending on the designer or creator of the program.There are currently so many software programs that assist a computer user in uploading, integrating and consolidating different types of information on a computer. It is thus possible that the computer program that is used by a certain elementary school has not been reviewed and endorsed by the school district and thus the school children may be affected in terms of their learning skills and behavior. The ideal computer program that could assist in teaching grade school children should not only include lessons on how to count or read, but also instill good morals, as well as conduct (Cassell and Jenkins, 1998).It may thus be possible that the computer program employed by a certain school was simply purchased based on the price of the software packaged. There are so many versions of tutorial software that are featured with violent activities that attempt to teach children how to count or read. It is therefore important that computer programs are designed as a simulation of classroom lessons, which will always include teaching of proper attitudes and behaviors.Another issue that may result from the use of computer programs in teaching lessons at the elementary school level is the decrease in interpersonal interactions among students (Whitley, 1997). One features of elem entary school education is that these children are allowed to interact with other children of the same age, as they also learn lessons from their teachers. The employment of computers in teaching lessons to these young children therefore removes the social interactions that are important in shaping the personality of a child.Computer programs will thus accumulate more time spent sitting on a desk and staring at a computer screen. The young schoolchildren will thus lose significant time in playing and interacting with other children. Computer-based learning may also decrease the opportunities for a young child to learn the concept of cause and effect, which is strongly linked to social exchange with other children. It is generally observed that compassion is often learned at children and this is mainly through seeing what happens when one child is affected by a particular stimulus in the environment.In the case of employment of computers in elementary schools, children will be left w ith less time interacting with children and thus they might not learn how to appropriately interact with other people. The effect of this setting may not be immediately seen unless they have already grown older as full adults (Whitley, 1997). Another issue associated with computer programs in the elementary school level is gender difference in the use and appreciation of computers (Barker and Aspray, 2006).According to earlier reports, grade school-age boys are more comfortable in using computers than girls, thus reflecting the concept of male dominance in computer technology use (Butler, 2000). This gender difference may therefore affect the performance and learning capacity of the female school children, as these do not fully appreciate the reason why they have to use computers in learning specific lessons at school. In addition, there are reports that describe that elementary school-age girls develop an increase in their negative perception of computers when they reach the age ra nge of 12 to 13 years of age (Kay, 2006a).On the other hand, boys of this same age range show an increase in their interest on computers, and thus reflect the significant improvement of their test scores from computer lessons and activities (Kay, 2006b). It has been suggested that this correlation between boys and computer use is influenced by the sense of confidence that this gender feels as they use such technological gadgets. Another obstacle that is associated with the use of computer technology in elementary school instruction is the difficulty of teachers in integrating this technology in their curriculum (Jenson and Rose, 2003).It is critical to understand that computers have only been employed in most human activity in the last twenty to thirty years. In addition, it has only been in the last 15 years that communication methods such as the email and short message service have been fully appreciated by society. It is thus possible that there are certain teachers in elementary schools around that world that are still not comfortable with using computers in their teaching curriculum.There are some teachers that would rather stick with the old classical method of instruction, especially when they have been teaching young children with only the basic lessons of reading, mathematics and writing (Howe, 1997). In the case where the Department of Education or the school district obliges all elementary school teachers to integrate computer programs in their teaching curriculum, this may present some form of stress of certain teachers that are not used to this technology.It is thus important that teachers be highly trained with regards to the use and the recognition of the advantages of including computers in their curriculum. It will be disappointing to see reports in the futures which describe teachers that are misguiding young school children in their classroom lessons because the teacher himself is not familiar with using a computer program. Given these ramif ications on the curriculum of elementary schools, it is thus important that the decision and choices made with regards to computer use be thoroughly reviewed and assessed.Elementary schoolchildren’s brains are highly malleable and thus it is critical that the appropriate and relevant measure are undertaken in order to ensure good educations among these young individuals. References Barker, L. J. and Aspray, W. (2006). The state of research on girls and IT. In: Cohoon, J. M. and Aspray, E. (eds. ). Women and Information Technology. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pages 3–54. Butler, D. (2000). Gender, girls, and computer technology: What's the status now? Clearing House, 73, 225–229. Cassell, J. and Jenkins, H. (1998). From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and computer games.Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Jenson, J. and Rose, C. B. (2003). [email  protected]: Listening to gendered relations of power in teachers’ talk about new technologies. Gender and Education, 15, 169–181. Healy, J. (1998). Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds – For Better or Worse. New York: Simon & Schuster. Howe, K. (1997). Understanding Equal Educational Opportunity: Social Justice, Democracy and Schooling. New York: Teachers College Press Kay, R. H. (1992). An analysis of methods used to examine gender differences in computer-related behaviour.Journal of Educational Computing Research, 8, 323–336. Kay, R. H. (2006a). Addressing gender differences in computer ability, attitudes and use: The laptop effect. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 34, 187–211. Kay, R. H. (2006b). Evaluating strategies used to incorporate technology into preservice education: A review of the literature. Journal of Research on Technology and Education, 38, 383–408. Whitley, B. E. (1997). Gender differences in computer-related attitudes and behaviors: A metaanalysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 13, 1–22. .

How to Prove an Argument Invalid by a Counterexample

How to Prove an Argument Invalid by a Counterexample An argument is invalid if the conclusion doesnt follow necessarily from the premises.  Whether or not the premises are actually true is irrelevant.  So is whether or not the conclusion is true.  The only question that matters is this: Is it  possible  for the premises to be true and the conclusion false?  If this is possible, then the argument is invalid. Proving Invalidity: a Two-step Process The counterexample method is a powerful way of exposing what is wrong with an argument that is invalid.  If we want to proceed methodically, there are two steps: 1) Isolate the argument form; 2) Construct  an argument with the same form that is obviously invalid. This is the counterexample. Lets take an example of a bad argument. Some New Yorkers are rude.Some New Yorkers are artists.Therefore Some artists are rude. Step 1: Isolate the Argument Form This simply means replacing the key terms with  letters, making sure that we do this in a consistent way.  If we do this we get: Some N  are RSome N are ATherefore some A are R Step 2: Create the counterexample For instance: Some animals are fish.Some animals are birds.Therefore some fish are birds This is what is called a substitution instance of the argument form laid out in Step 1.  There is an infinite number of these that one could dream up.  Every one of them will be invalid since the argument form is invalid.  But for a counterexample to be effective, the invalidity must shine forth.  That is, the truth of the premises and the falsity of the conclusion must be beyond question. Consider this substitution instance: Some men are politiciansSome men are Olympic championsTherefore some politicians  are Olympic champions. The weakness of this attempted counterexample is that the conclusion isnt obviously false.  It may be false right now, but one can easily imagine an Olympic champion going into politics. Isolating the argument form is like boiling an argument down to its bare bonesits logical form.  When we did this above, we replaced specific terms like New Yorker with letters.  Sometimes, though, the argument for is revealed by using letters to replace whole sentences or sentence-like phrases. Consider this argument, for instance: If it rains on election day the Democrats will win.It wont rain on election day.Therefore the Democrats wont win. This is a perfect example of a fallacy known as affirming the antecedent.  Reducing the argument  to its argument form, we get: If R then DNot RTherefore not D Here, the letters dont stand for descriptive words like rude or artist. Instead, they stand for an expression like, the Democrats will win and it will rain on election day.  These expressions can themselves be either true or false.  But the basic method is the same. We show the argument s invalid by coming up with a substitution instance where the premises are obviously true and the conclusion is obviously false.  For instance: If Obama is older than  90, then hes older than 9.Obama is not older than 90.Therefore Obama is not older than 9. The counterexample method is effective at exposing the invalidity of deductive arguments.  It doesnt really work on inductive arguments since, strictly speaking, these are always invalid.

Basking Shark Facts (Cetorhinus maximus)

Basking Shark Facts (Cetorhinus maximus) The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is an enormous plankton-eating shark. After the whale shark, it is the second-largest living shark. The shark takes its common name from its habit of feeding near the sea surface, making it appear to bask in the sun. Although its large size may seem threatening, the basking shark is not aggressive toward humans. Fast Facts: Basking Shark Scientific Name: Cetorhinus maximusOther Names: Bone shark, elephant sharkDistinguishing Features: Large gray-brown shark with highly enlarged mouth and crescent-shaped caudal finAverage Size: 6 to 8 m (20 to 26 ft)Diet: Filter feeder with a diet of zooplankton, tiny fish, and small invertebrates Lifespan: 50 years (estimated)Habitat: Temperate oceans worldwideConservation Status: VulnerableKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ChondrichthyesOrder: LamniformersFamily: CetorhinidaeFun Fact: Despite its enormous size, the basking shark can breach (jump out of the water). Description Thanks to their cavernous mouths and well-developed gill rakers, basking sharks are easily recognized when near the surface. The shark has a conical snout, gill slits extending around its head, and a crescent-shaped caudal fin. Its color is usually a shade of gray or brown. Adult basking sharks typically reach 6 to 8 m (20 to 26 ft) in length, although specimens over 12 meters in length have been reported. Notably, the basking shark has the smallest brain for its size of any shark. Basking shark corpses have been misidentified as belonging to plesiosaurs. Distribution As a migratory species found in temperate water, the basking shark enjoys a large range. It occurs along continental shelves, sometimes venturing into brackish bays and crossing equatorial waters. Migration follows plankton concentrations, which vary according to the season. Basking sharks frequent surface waters, but can be found at depths of 910 m (2990 ft). Basking shark range. maplab Diet and Predators A basking shark feeds on zooplankton, tiny fish, and small invertebrates by swimming forward with an open mouth. The sharks gill rakers collect prey as water rushes past. While the whale shark and megamouth shark can suck water through their gills, the basking shark can only feed by swimming forward. Killer whales and white sharks are the basking sharks only predators. Reproduction and Life Cycle Many of the details of basking shark reproduction are unknown. Researchers believe mating occurs in early summer, when the sharks form sex-segregated schools and swim nose-to-tail in circles (which may be a courtship behavior). Gestation lasts somewhere between one and three years, after which a small number of fully developed young are born. Female basking sharks are ovoviviparous. Only the right ovary of the female basking shark functions, although researchers have not yet discovered why. Basking shark teeth are small and useless in adults sharks. However, they may allow young to feed on the mothers unfertilized ova prior to birth. Basking sharks are thought to reach maturity between the ages of six and thirteen. Their life expectancy is predicted to be about 50 years. Basking Sharks and Humans In the past, the basking shark held commercial importance. It was widely fished for its flesh for food, liver for squalene-rich oil, and hide for leather. Presently, the species is protected in many regions. However, it is still fished in Norway, China, Canada, and Japan for its fins for shark fin soup and its cartilage for an aphrodisiac as well as traditional medicine. Within protected areas, some specimens die as bycatch. Basking sharks are not aggressive and cannot eat people. JohnGollop / Getty Images The basking shark tolerates boats and divers, so it is important for ecotourism. The species is not aggressive, but injuries have been reported when divers brushed against the sharks highly abrasive skin. Conservation Status While the basking shark does not face habitat loss or degradation, it has not recovered from past persecution and over-fishing. Its numbers continue to decline. The basking shark is categorized as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Sources Compagno, L.J.V. (1984). Sharks of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species to date. Part I (Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes). FAO Fisheries Synopsis, FAO, Rome.Fowler, S.L.  (2009).  Cetorhinus maximus.  The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. e.T4292A10763893.  doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2005.RLTS.T4292A10763893.enKuban, Glen (May 1997). Sea-monster or Shark?: An Analysis of a Supposed Plesiosaur Carcass Netted in 1977. Reports of the National Center for Science Education. 17 (3): 16–28.Sims, D.W.; Southall, E.J.; Richardson, A.J.; Reid, P.C.; Metcalfe, J.D. (2003). Seasonal movements and behaviour of basking sharks from archival tagging: no evidence of winter hibernation (PDF). Marine Ecology Progress Series. 248: 187–196. doi:10.3354/meps248187Sims, D.W. (2008). Sieving a living: A review of the biology, ecology and conservation status of the plankton-feeding basking shark Cetorhinus maximus. Advances in Marine Biology. 54: 171–220.

Revenge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revenge - Essay Example The first article found on the website field-of –themes presents the historical and social framework that explains why revenge is a common theme in Elizabethan plays. According to the article, most Elizabethan plays are highly influenced by the Greeks. Seneca, the Roman playwright, played a great role in injecting the theme of revenge in Roman theater. However, revenge as a theme ( like in Hamlet) has its own formula : In all revenge tragedies first and foremost, a crime is committed and for various reasons laws and justice cannot punish the crime so the individual who is the main character, goes through with the revenge in spite of everything†¦ Other features that were typical were the appearance of a ghost, to get the revenger to go through with the deed. The revenger also usually had a very close relationship with the audience through soliloquies and asides. The original crime that will eventually be avenged is nearly always sexual or violent or both. The crime has been committed against a family member of the revenger. (field-of-themes.com) Another interesting article about revenge in Hamlet was written by Jennifer Alpeche in 2007. Hers was an insightful article that asserts the anguish that Hamlet must go through in order to exact his revenge. It must be remembered that Hamlet almost lost his mind when he encountered his father’s ghost. All the while, people around him suspected that he was madly in love with Ophelia which was partially true. However, it was Hamlet’s contemplative disposition that made him mad upon knowing the truth. To quote: In this scene, Hamlet is still contemplating about suicide. However, it is important to realize that Hamlet is besieged emotionally and psychologically by tough choices he has to make ever since he learned of his father’s death. Hamlet is torn between logic and religion in coming up with a decision. Apparently, morals cannot help him anymore to undo what Claudius has done. Philosophy is not

The Setting of The Cask of Amontillado by Edger Allen Poe Essay

The Setting of The Cask of Amontillado by Edger Allen Poe - Essay Example The distinction shown both literally and figuratively between these two aspects is typically called the gothic interior. The gothic interior, through careful attention to the setting, forces the reader to toggle between the feelings of being free and trapped, which in turn makes the reader more aware of these emotions. By taking an in-depth look at how the setting in, The Cask of Amontillado, including: the country, the carnival, the vaults, darkness, and the tomb: influence the main character’s attitude, decisions and behavior, and how it contributes to the story’s overall impact, the importance of the setting in gothic narratives becomes clear. The country in which The Cask of Amontillado takes place is Italy. This fact would typically not have a profound impact on the reader, unless they had some knowledge of the history of gothic narratives. Upon studying into the history of gothic narratives one would find that the first person to publish an explicitly gothic story , Horace Walpole did so in Otranto, Italy. The story he published, The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story, portrays confinement in that one of the main characters is ultimately pinned beneath a giant gold helmet that falls from the sky. So the fact that Poe chose to also set his short story, The Cask of Amontillado, in Italy could be a nod to the accomplishments of Walpole, and perhaps impact that Walpole’s writings had on his own. The fact that the main character of the story is ultimately trapped, along with the fact that one of the main characters in, The Cask of Amontillado, is trapped also leads many experts to feel this location comparison of Italy was intentional. The event that is occurring during the time this story takes place, the carnival, also has a profound impact on the gothic interior, or setting, and ultimately the actions of the main character, Montresor. The carnival is a celebration, the day before lent, in which people partake of those things they will be fasting during lent. This is a representation of a time of freedom and celebration before a time of confinement. For Montresor it also represents a time of freedom before he is ultimately confined by his own actions and murderous decision. However the description, given by Montresor, of the carnival is very vague and rushed. He does not take time to describe much of what is going on, only enough to prove how foolish and indulgent his protagonist, Fortunado, is. Even during the carnival Montresor keeps thinking of the vaults, or impending confinement. At one point during their walk toward the catacombs he says, â€Å"The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with niter† (Poe).This shows how consumed he is with his hate of Fortunado and his plan to kill. He consumed to the point that he is unable to see the life, party, or wealth he has around him his sole focus was the damp, darkness that lay ahead. As with most hate filled, vengeful plans the depths of emotion and mental turmoil lay within the dark inner chambers of ones heart and soul. This is physically manifested in The Cask of Amontillado as the dark, damp, vaults Montresor and Fortunado descend into. As they enter the vaults the narrator, Montresor, gives detailed descriptions of the death and darkness that surrounded them. He does this both verbally and with his narrative. At one point he says, â€Å"