The Drinking Age Should Remain the Same - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 794 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/08/12 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Lowering The Drinking Age Essay Did you like this example? The opposing viewpoint is the drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19. Colleges and Universities argue that having the drinking age 21 is making issues worse. If young adults know that they are legally allowed to drink then there would be a lot less thrill seekers trying to break the law. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Drinking Age Should Remain the Same" essay for you Create order Additionally there would be a decrease in the number of fatalities and long term injuries because adolescents would not have the fear of legal consequences if they seek medical attention. College students would be affected if the drinking age was lowered. There are already so many reports of abusing alcohol on campus and it would only get worse it would be legal. Although most students find themselves at one point at a college party with alcoholic beverages, it is still regulated and not out of hand because there is an age limit. Many students have a fear from getting in trouble by not only their parent but the actual college itself so they tend to steer clear of parties as much as possible. If the drinking age was lowered it would also increase the risk of students developing other bad habits like smoking tobacco or marijuana. Adolescence is a time period of significant growth, physically and mentally. It is characterized by physical health and low incidence of disease. It is proven that physical activity and exercise is a primary prevention against chronic conditions. If the drinking age is lowered, the increase of young adults developing diseases is inevitable. Over the long term, drinking increases the risks of many cancers and can cause significant damage to the digestive, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, skeletal, and immune systems. Additionally, alcohol consumption has been linked to diabetes, infertility, sexual dysfunction, liver inflammation, and mental health issues discussed by Gale (2017). Cognitive development is extremely important. It is the development of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood which was a theory found by jean Piaget when he placed the importance on the education of children. Ages 18- 25 we are transitioning from adolescents to adults and while this is happening the brain is also continuing to develop as well. According to Arnold-Burger (2008) alcohol impairs judgment and heightens risk-taking behavior as well as slowing perceptual and motor skills, so given to a person who has an immature brain function in these areas already, research shows that the effects are even more exaggerated. And finally, the research indicates that alcohol or drug use during these formative years can cause long term, irreversible damage. The drinking age is believed to be a lifesaving effect. Adolescents are still learning about themselves and transitioning into being young adults and to give them the option to partake in what is believed an adult activity, jeopardizes their future and potentially their life. At the age of 18 you are not completely able to make the most correct decision because the mind isnt fully matured. Although people younger than 21 still get behind the wheel after drinking, there are much fewer each year because of the drinking law. There will always be several young people who will rebel, but there are a lot more who will make the more rational decision to obey the rules. Gholipor (2014) states the federal law that enforced the drinking age to 21 made a significant decline in teenage drinking and driving and there was actually a 54 percent drop over the past two decades Therefore, when states lowered the drinking age, consumption went up and more people died. When states increased the drinking age, consumption went down and fewer people died. The debate over lowering the drinking age to 18 years old has been ongoing since 1984 when it was raised to 21 years old. There is a long history of alcohol in America, and why it was legally set to this age. The belief that alcohol was the major cause of most personal and social problems is where the prohibition movement fell into place. They believed illegalizing alcohol would reduce crime and improve the health of citizens. Prohibition failed and ended in the 1930s and allowed each state to set their own alcohol consumption laws. Most states at that time made the legal drinking to 21 years of age. Around 1972 when the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18, many states lowered the drinking age as well. Unfortunately, with the decrease in the drinking age a drastic increase of alcohol-related care accidents occurred. In response to the rise in traffic fatalities the National Drinking Age Act of 1984 came into place which prohibited persons under 21 years of age from purchasing alcoholic beverages. It is evident that the drinking age should remain because it saves lives, decreases the chance of interrupting cognitive developments, as well as developing comorbidities and if lowered would negatively impact college students.

The English Language Learner (ELL) Assessment Process...

ELL Assessment Process The English Language Learner (ELL) assessment process is different in each state. Each state must assess student’s performance in reading or language arts in order to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In addition NCLB requires that schools receiving Title III funds annually assess the English Proficiency of all Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students participating in Title III programs. Although the assessments may vary, the goals of the assessments are all the same, to assess where students are as they learn the English language. Is this assessment enough or should alternative assessments be required? In our area of New York State, which is known as the Southern Tier, there are very few ELL†¦show more content†¦The test is designed by teachers and Pearsons, a test development company, and is designed to measure the proficiency of ELLs. The test assess four language modalities; listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It is done over five grade bands; K-1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12 and is administered by trained staff members. The test is comprised of; multiple choice questions in listening, reading, and writing. A short written response and an extended written response for the writing area, and an oral response for the oral area, are also required. The oral, written portion of the test is graded by trained teachers, while the multiple choice portion is graded by Pearson. The test is administered in the spring and the results provide students, teachers, and parents with an objective view of the student’s strengths and weaknesses. The listening and speaking scores are combined to obtain an overall scale score, as are the reading and writing scores. The overall performance is determined by the scores in each combined area. A conversion chart is provided in each grade band, to convert the raw score to a scale score. Then depending on where the scale scores land will give you the placement level that the student is at. To move from one level to another both component scores must land in the upper level range. A student, who advances in only oneShow MoreRelatedEnglish Language Learners ( Ells )1269 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish language learners (ELLs) are people who have to acquire a second additional language and culture. In another words, ELLs are people who do not speak English as their first language. According to the National Center for Educat ional Statistics (2014), the percentage of public school students in the United States who were English language learners was higher in school year 2012–13 (9.2 percent, or an estimated 4.4 million students) than in 2002–03 (8.7 percent, or an estimated 4.1 million students)Read MoreCapstone Essay1044 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding specific English language learners needs guided the choice of instructional strategies to support the content and language learning. It is essential to understand English language learners’ needs because ELL students face the combined challenge of learning all the academic content as other students, while also learning the language of instruction. With the rapid growth in the size of the ELL student population in the U.S., teachers who are effective recognizes ELL students unique academicRead MoreEssay about Placing English Language Learners in Special Education1182 Words   |  5 PagesWhen do English language learners need to be placed in special education? In the United States, there has been an increase in in the number of children from Spanish speaking backgrounds. The English Language Learners, commonly known as ELL’s, are being placed in Special Education without being properly tested for a learning disability. However there are a large number of ELL’s with learning disabilities in elementary grades that truly have a learning disability and are over looked. Many schoolRead MoreEffects of High-Stakes Testing on English Language Learners913 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish language learners enrollment in the Council member districts has remained relatively stable over the past several years. In 2007-08, 1.1 million ELLs were enrolled in urban schools, accounting for 16.5 percent of total district enrollment. In 2009–10, 1.2 million ELLs were enrolled, accounting for 17.5 percent of total district enrollment (Uro Barrio, p. 26, 2013). The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 required students in grades three thr ough eight to be tested every year in readingRead MoreEnglish Language Challenges957 Words   |  4 PagesWith the rise of English language learner population, schools across the America come across many challenges in supporting and providing the appropriate curriculum and materials for their English language learner students (Blazer 6). This section will discuss the challenges and issues that educators face when serving English learners. Summary Thi Diem Hang Khong and Eisuke Saito examine types of challenges that educators will come across when teaching English learner students. They categorize theseRead MoreThe Fastest Growing Subgroup Of The Nation Are English Language Learners1659 Words   |  7 PagesThe fastest growing subgroup in the nation are English Language Learners (ELLs). Over a period of 10 years, from 1995 to 2005, ELL students grew over 60% (Wolf, Herman, Bachman, Bailey, Griffin, 2008). Since 1980, the number of residents aged five years and older that speak a language other than English at home has more than doubled. Fewer than half of these residents are proficient in English. Utah is showing similar trends in population as it is growing more ethnically and racially diverseRead MoreImplementing A Major Ell Program969 Words   |  4 PagesImplementing a Major ELL Program â€Å"Successful program models for promoting the academic achievement of language minority students are those that enable these students to develop academic skills while learning English. The best program organization is one that is tailored to meet the linguistic, academic, and emotional needs of students; provides language minority students with the instruction necessary to allow them to progress through school at a rate commensurate with their native-English-speaking peers;Read MoreEll Assessments1208 Words   |  5 PagesELLs Assessments The mission of North Carolina Department of Education schools is to ensure that all students are accepted in the educational system. It is also the mission of NCDE to give every student the opportunity to receive the highest quality education possible. Due to the fact that immigrant students are the fastest and largest growing population in schools in the United States, it is crucial to develop a comprehensive plan that will identify and meet the needs of the English Language learnersRead MoreFlorida Is A State Composed Of Diverse Cultures And Languages997 Words   |  4 Pagescultures and languages. Prior to 1990 there were not any modifications or accommodations in the classroom for English Language Learners (ELL), which had become an increasing issue. During this decade Florida was the third largest state with residents that were not native-born. Historically, Florida has become the home for many individuals who migrated from Central and Latin America (MacDonald, 2004). Accordin g to the Consent Decree (n.d.), the Florida English speakers of other languages (ESOL) ConsentRead MoreSheltered Instruction For Native English Language Learners Essay973 Words   |  4 Pagesan approach to teach English language learners which integrates language and content instruction. To develop grade-level content area knowledge, academic skills, and increase English proficiency. Sheltered English Instruction has been used since the 1980’s, and the way the connection was made with English learners, was when students were considered â€Å"sheltered† because they studied in classes separate from â€Å" the mainstream† and did not compete academically with native English speakers. Today the majority

Journal of Operations Management Scheduling

Question: Describe about the Journal of Operations Management for Scheduling? Answer: Introduction This study deals with operations management process and how it can be effectively managed by the newly hired consultant. The new hired consultant was appointed at concept design so that he can being brought improvement in the manufacturing department in order to achieve continuity as well as growth. The consultant made certain strategies with which he can transform inputs into adequate outputs that will help the organization in revenue generation. This manager basically needs to guide the employees and provide them essential guidance that will even motivate them to work. The work of consultant is even to take strategic and tactical decisions that can help the organization to improve as well as to attain the long term objectives. Several inputs go through the transformation stage in order to get the desired results. The inputs can be even information in case of consultancy services, because they provide suggestions to its clients. In this particular report, the various steps that woul d take by newly appointed consultant of the company Concept Design with the aim to improve the manufacturing operations of the particular company and to ensure the growth, expansion, and continuity of the particular company have been discussed. Transformation process at CDS As a consultant in the operations department at concept design, it will be essential to focus on the transformation process in order to achieve continuity and growth (Peng and Lai, 2012). Transformation is a process that includes activities or group of taking one or more inputs so that it can add value to it. Therefore, in the company Concept design, the process of transformation has been implemented to add value and it also helps in providing outputs to its customer clients (Berenguer et al. 2015). This process will actually involve the following attributes and those are discussed below with proper justification: CDS will help in transforming from physical characteristics of materials as well as customers. Another transformation that is required is the changes made in the location of materials that will help in providing information to its customer base. Transformation can even occur while changing in the ownership of various materials in the form of information. Concept design helps in transforming from storage of accommodation in the form of materials in order to provide information to customers. Even transformation can be made when customers state of mind changes, be it psychological or physiological (Paksoy, Pehlivan and Kahraman, 2012). Figure 1: Transformation process As a consultant, it is essential to understand the transformation model as because any changes made will have direct implications on the overall enterprise (Walker et al. 2015). One of the major roles of operations in the particular organization Concept design is to create as well as deliver of goods as well as services in order to produce in an organization in order to help the customers. There are basically three components in the operational activities that include inputs, process of transformation as well as outputs. As far as operations management is concerned, it provides a systematic direction as well as control that will help in transforming inputs into outputs that is finished goods and services (Reichard and Johnson, 2011). As operations management is about managing the resources, so it is important to get the latest technology into practice. Being a consultant, the role is to manage with two of the transforming resources that are staff as well as facilities. Staffs that ar e needed to be managed are those who are directly involved in the transformation process (Chase, 2012). Another matter that needs consideration is the facilities including land, buildings, machinery as well as equipment. Even information can be transformed as in the case of consultancy firms, where fees are paid in getting the valuable suggestions. Capital intensive and labor intensive are two types of attributes that are used by the organization. The main focus of operations management is to involve in the production of goods as well as services so that the entire organization can be easily determined. If there is proper management of the operations, then there will be smooth functioning of all the relevant departments and vice versa (Subramanian and Ramanathan, 2012). Therefore, in the company Concept design, proper management of the operations of manufacturing the products is mandatory. Operations are actually the heart of the entire department as all the sections needs operations in some extent so as a consultant; it should be kept in mind that to co ordinate these work into main course of action. Implications of input resources The input resources of the company Concept design are people, money and material and this need to be properly transformed so as to get effective output that will be utilized in order to attain success within the business enterprise (Slack, 2015). Outputs are the various goods as well as services that are needed during the production process and this need to be managed in an effective so as to get profit maximization in the long course of time. As a consultant in the company Concept design, it is needed to take decisions in most strategic manner because that will help in showing a path of action, ultimately will be helpful in meeting up the goals of the particular organization (Driouchi Bennett, 2012). As a new operation manager, the main role is to involve in the development of the various business goals to understand the basic concept of meeting the needs of resources that are required in the process of production of the company Concept design. Another concept that is required in t he operations management is the cost leadership as well as differentiation of goods and services (Stevenson, 2011). Thus, in the company Concept design, all these concepts of product differentiation and cost leadership should be implemented for the betterment of the particular company. The role of consultant in an operations management is to take responsibility in viewing all the activities in an organization so that to encourage effective production of various goods as well as services. Every business enterprise is unique in its own form because each and every has its own way to manage with the available resources (Reichard and Johnson, 2011). It is important for the consultant to provide information on all the operation related issues and the way to tackle them in an effective manner. It is important that the goals are clear in the minds of the consultant so that they can explain it to employees working under the organization (Paksoy, Pehlivan and Kahraman, 2012). The goals of the organization are set in order to achieve it and this is possible only if the organization has well trained consultant who knows to convert these goals into actual performance of business enterprise (Handfield and Bozarth, 2012). A new hired operation consultant of the company Concept design can help in decision making process as he will have fresh and innovative ideas for the purpose and will also be helpful for achieving the long term objectives of the firm. They will also help in designing the composition of various products, services that will be helpful in the operations. A consultant cans effectively manage the performance by continuously monitoring the activities involved in the organization (Paksoy, Pehlivan and Kahraman, 2012). Relationship between core functions of an organization There is close relationship between the three core functions of an organization and these are as follows with proper justification: New product development One of the functions that the consultant manages is the new product development. Any product needs to undergo certain stages and these stages include, Idea generation is the first step in product development; this includes getting an idea of what to produce, for whom to produce, which technology to be used (Hendricks, Hora and Singhal, 2014). Thus, in Concept design, this particular stage actually involves basic layout of the production of the product for the beginning purpose. Idea screening is the next step after the idea is generated (Berenguer et al. 2013). Screening is required whether it will be effective or not, whether it can satisfy the needs of the customers of the company Concept design or not. Proper screening is done by the researcher also evaluating with other alternatives available. Concept development as well as testing is required in order to test the product of Concept design whether it is reliable or not (Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman, 2015).Testing can be done by various methods like alpha testing and beta testing. Researcher makes this a point that testing of a product is essential that will give a brief idea whether it can sustain in the market or not. Business analysis is another step in the product development and this will include professional to analysis the results of the testing. Several assumptions are made by the analyst related to financial, advertisement, marketing of the product in an effective manner. Prototype development is required for the product as because it will help in understanding the value it creates in the market (Brown, Bessant and Lamming, 2013). Development can be judged after the product is launched and look at the sale revenue in the next years. Test marketing is the final test before launching the product in the market (Goodale et al. 2011). This test is done by some of the selected consumers to understand whether the products can satisfy their needs as well as requirements. Commercialization is the last stage in the new development process of the company Concept design. It actually means products launched or commercialized in the market and understand whether it is success or not (Barratt, Choi and Li, 2011). Various promotions are needed in this stage so that the customers are actually aware of the products offerings. Free trials should be provided by the management of the particular company to their customers so that the marketer can have an idea of whether the product is appreciated or not (Driouchi Bennett, 2012). In all these stages, the knowledge of the new operation consultant of the company Concept design would help the management of the company to regulate the business in the right direction and also to expand the business in future. Marketing It is one of the core functions of an organization. The marketing is also a part of major operations of the company Concept design .Without making marketing strategies, it is impossible to understand the market culture (Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, 2013). Each product of the particular company has some special features that make them unique from others and this unique criteria need to be promoted because this will only attract both the existing loyal and new customers in the most short span of time. Unique Selling Proportion (USP) is the term that makes each product different from others so marketing strategies should be made in order to highlight their features in the most efficient manner. Therefore, the company Concept design should apply the Unique Selling Proportion (USP) in their business to earn more profit. STP (Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning) is an important attributes that should be taken into consideration while making marketing strategies (Foropon and McLa chlin, 2013). The marketer should understand the needs of the customers and should indulge in surveys so that they get updated with the change in fashion and trends (Paksoy, Pehlivan and Kahraman, 2012). Operations It includes combination of every aspect because it actually means to look into the matters of marketing, finance, sales department and coordinate in the most effective manner (Gunasekaran and Ngai, 2012). The operations managers actually serve as a linkage between all the departments because they are responsible to take strategic decisions that will help in bringing growth as well as continuity in an organization. Therefore, the vision of the new operation consultant of the company Concept design should be clear regarding the motives, aims and objectives of the particular company. Then only the managers would be able to keep the mind of the employees clear so that they can concentrate in their work. On the other hand, the continuous monitoring by the managers will help them to provide them guidance as well. If employee redresses is done on an effective manner by the organization, then the employees will feel comfortable in expressing their views and opinions to higher authority (Drio uchi Bennett, 2012). Production Scheduling Issues Production scheduling is a sophisticated way of managing the manufacturing operations effectively as it enables the entire manufacturing operations to follow a particular path with specific timeline towards completion. Production scheduling is essential in terms of utilizing the resources effectively and completing the manufacturing operations effectively within due deadline (Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman, 2015). The key aim of the company Concept design is to enhance customer service and the key objectives are to meet strategic goals and objectives and to ensure growth and continuity of the particular organization. Production scheduling also helps gaining competitive advantages by resolving the practical problems. However, there are various issues associated with the production scheduling that may have an impact upon customer service. The current section analyses the issues. The two key issues within production scheduling of the firm Concept design are priorities and capacity. There are various operations and activities that are running simultaneously within the manufacturing systems of the organization Concept design. Scheduling is one of the most vital aspects of the manufacturing operations for most of the companies (Kumar, Subramanian and Strandholm, 2011). Thus, the effectiveness of the production scheduling largely depends upon the knowledge and decision-making ability of the operation managers. Therefore, in the company Concept design, the new operation consultant would play a vital role. However, dealing with the manufacturing operations is never easy as it involves various unexpected events that may have an impact upon the scheduling of the production processes. Most common issue faced by most of the manufacturing and operation managers is that they usually face various problems while prioritizing the manufacturing operation activities. Thus, here the new operation consultant also faced the same issues. It is very important to make dynamic decisio ns for choosing the activities that needs to be done at the first place. An effective production scheduling system is the system that has the potential to make dynamic decisions for the scheduling function within a high-quality and timely and manner, while concurrently enhancing the output, satisfying the needs and expectations of the customers and enhancing direct operating costs associated with the manufacturing operations (Reichard and Johnson, 2011). Another key issue within the production scheduling process within the manufacturing operation is to select the most effective option for performing the tasks (Babu et al. 2014). During the process of production in the company Concept design; there are several alternatives available for the operation managers to perform any operational tasks (Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman, 2015). However, the most important step will be to select the most efficient and effective option that would help accomplishing the particular operational task effectively with quality and within due time. Manufacturing efficiency, productivity and profitability largely depend upon the capacity planning of production as it involves the ability of the company to enhance their production or manufacturing units in order to meet their market demand (Driouchi Bennett, 2012). Strategic Direction of CDS Operation functions have a crucial role towards the effectiveness of concept design. Concept design helps the organizations to progress towards the productivity and profitability. There are various strategic importances of CDS (Engell and Harjunkoski, 2012). The key objectives of CDS include adding value towards the final product of the organizations. However, it also important for the organization to utilize the resources required for their manufacturing or production department to run effectively (Nahmias and Olsen, 2015).The concept designers and the operations managers of the company Concept design have an active role for carry on the international operation and manufacturing processes effectively for enhancing the utilization of the resources. There are various other processes for improving operation function through CDS strategically. Advanced technologies are the components necessary for improving the operation performance within the current circumstances for gaining competiti ve advantages (Moghaddam et al.2011). The advanced technologies must be implemented within the manufacturing units. In addition, there are various added activities that the organization Concept design should consider such as developing partnerships with various reputed concept designers for enhancing the complexity and volume of production (Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman, 2015). There are various other strategic directions of CDS towards the success of the organizations though the enhancement of the performances of manufacturing and operational activities. Thus, the organization Concept design is using CDS for various performances such as minimizing the problems associated with the production scheduling (Hendricks, Hora and Singhal, 2014). In addition, CDS are helping the organizations to improve the usage of their resources, which is part of their strategic decisions. On the other hand CDS are also helping the organization Concept design to maintain effective relationship and collaboration between various departments such as manufacturing, distribution and marketing in order to improve the performance of the companies through various internal processes. The CDS is also helping the particular company to forest their sales effectively, which is part of the strategic goals and objectives of the particular organization (Garcia-Gonzalo, Pukkala and Borges, 2014) . On the hand, CDS is meant to draw the effective design for conducting various manufacturing processes effectively. Thus, it is essential for designing the manufacturing processes of the specified company Concept design efficiently in order to enhance the effectiveness and performances of the manufacturing processes. It is essential for the organizations to improve their manufacturing processes as their productivity and profitability both largely depends upon their manufacturing processes that the CDS helps to meet. In addition, the organizations are utilizing the CDS effectively for supporting and for enhancing the performance of the customer services (Conway, Maxwell and Miller, 2012). Ways to Support the Strategy There are various ways that the operation functions support the strategy. The volume manufactured by the companies is largely depending upon the operation function. Therefore, as the strategy implies enhancing volume, it can be inferred that the operation functions supports the strategy. Another key strategy of the organization Concept design is to gain competitive advantages that they can achieve while varying the products or services through innovation for supporting both sustainability and profitability (Hill and Hill, 2012). On the other hand, variation is another activity of operation function that helps keeping the customers largely interested and keeping the demand greater. There are various other ways to support the strategy. The particular organization Concept design is mainly concentrating upon CDS for improving the operational and manufacturing functions. Both productivity and profitability are part the organizational strategy and their existence largely depend upon how ef ficient the organizations are for enhancing the operational and manufacturing processes (Engell and Harjunkoski, 2012). In addition, the CDS is also associated with each step of the operation and manufacturing of the company Concept design. Therefore, it also enables the organizations to meet their strategies effectively. The effectiveness of CDS depends upon the decision-making of the designers. Therefore, it can be inferred that the operation function supports the strategy. In other words, operation functions are involved in all the activities that are vital for the particular company in terms of the strategies implemented by the organization (Paksoy, Pehlivan and Kahraman, 2012). The new operation manager of the company Concept design is responsible for providing guidance to its employees so that they feel free to work in the specified organization. A healthy environment and motivation will encourage employees to work in the organization for long period of time. In case of the three core functions of the organization, which are new product development, marketing and operations, the strategies of the organizations will include assessing the needs and expectation of the customers regarding the new product development, marketing the new products or services effectively within the customers to analyze the marketing demand and justifying the necessary measurements required within the operation functions for dealing with the activities associated with the manufacturing of new products or services. Therefore, most of the activities within the operation function are closely connected with the strategies of the organizations (Weglarz, 2012). Marketing will decide the market demand for the new product or service of the company that the new operation manager will focus upon and the strategies will be drawn based upon the demand for the particular product or service within the market. In addition, the operation manager also requires marinating effective communication and collaboration between the marketing and the manufacturing departments of the particular company in order to strengthen the manufacturing process, which will help them to minimize various issues and also to enhance customer service. Therefore, it can be inferred that the operation functions will support the organizational strategies through various ways that are analyzed within the current study. Recommendations to Improve Operation Management There are various strategies to improve operations for supporting the goals of the particular organization. The key recommendations are as follows: Enhancing Relationship between the Designers and Various other Departments The concept designers are the ones, who do not have adequate knowledge or understanding about the overall operations of the organizations, especially about the manufacturing units and the activities. However, it is very important for the concept designers to have overall insight of the manufacturing or production processes within the companies in order make effective and dynamic decisions, which will improve the performances of the manufacturing units of the company Concept design (Conway, Maxwell and Miller, 2012). Therefore, it is recommended for the concept designers to go through various activities such as cross training in order to improve their knowledge and understanding about the entire manufacturing processes and production activities. The key success factor in this case will be the collaborative approach, where the concept designers will have the ability or facility to obtain valuable information from other departments. In addition, it is also important for the organization s to conduct various collaborative sessions and events for help both departments communicate effectively for information upload and download. However, the key aim in this case will be to help the concept designers to have more in-depth idea about the manufacturing processes of the organizations that will help the concept designers to design more effective strategies and designs (Kumar, Subramanian and Strandholm, 2011). There are various strategies or policies that the companies may follow to enhance the collaboration process between the concept designers and various other departments such as manufacturing, marketing and distribution. Improving Sales Forecasting Sales forecasting is a crucial activity done by the operation managers in order to enhance both their productivity and profitability. Thus, the sales forecasting enables the organization Concept design to determine their needs regarding the required resources (Kerzner, 2013). On the other hand, appropriate sales forecasting allows the operation managers to enhance the profitability of the particular organizations. However, again it is important that both the operation and marketing departments have effective collaboration between them in order to estimate the sales effectively. The organization Concept design should consider providing effective training to both the departments together in order to have overall idea about the strategic goals and objectives of the particular organization and to enhance sales forecasting (Paksoy, Pehlivan and Kahraman, 2012). Cross training will help the specified organization and the managers of both the departments to know their responsibilities and t o design their activities effectively (Conway, Maxwell and Miller, 2012). Conclusion All the studies and discussions conducted within the current report conclude that operation management is essential for achieving the strategic and organizational goals of the organization Concept design. The current assignment also concludes that priorities and capacity are two critical issues within production scheduling that can easily be avoided using CDS effectively. On the other hand, the current study suggests that it is very important for the organization Concept design to improve various aspects associated with operation and manufacturing operations. The particular organization should consider improvising the relationship between the concept designers and various other departments through effective collaboration. In addition, the current study also suggests that effective collaboration will also help the organization to improve sales forecasting. Reference List Babu, S. A. I., Pratap, S., Lahoti, G., Fernandes, K. J., Tiwari, M. K., Mount, M., and Xiong, Y. (2014). Minimizing delay of ships in bulk terminals by simultaneous ship scheduling, stockyard planning and train scheduling.Maritime Economics Logistics. Barratt, M., Choi, T. Y., and Li, M. (2011). Qualitative case studies in operations management: Trends, research outcomes, and future research implications.Journal of Operations Management,29(4), 329-342. Berenguer, G., Keskinocak, P., George Shanthikumar, J., Swaminathan, J. M., and Van Wassenhove, L. (2014). Special Issue of Production and Operations Management: Not for Profit Operations Management.Production and Operations Management,23(12), 2225-2226. Berenguer, G., Keskinocak, P., Shanthikumar, J. G., Swaminathan, J. M., and Van Wassenhove, L. (2015). Call for Papers: Special Issue of Production and Operations Management: Not for Profit Operations Management.Production and Operations Management,24(2), 352-353. Brown, S., Bessant, J. R., and Lamming, R. (2013).Strategic operations management. Routledge. Chase, J. (2012).Operations management. Tata McGraw-Hill. Conway, R. W., Maxwell, W. L., and Miller, L. W. (2012).Theory of scheduling. Courier Corporation. Driouchi, T., Bennett, D. J. (2012). Real Options in Management and Organizational Strategy: A Review of Decisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ making and Performance Implications.International Journal of Management Reviews,14(1), 39-62. Engell, S., and Harjunkoski, I. (2012). Optimal operation: Scheduling, advanced control and their integration.Computers Chemical Engineering,47, 121-133. Foropon, C., and McLachlin, R. (2013). Metaphors in operations management theory building.International Journal of Operations Production Management,33(2), 181-196. Garcia-Gonzalo, J., Pukkala, T., and Borges, J. G. (2014). Integrating fire risk in stand management scheduling. An application to Maritime pine stands in Portugal.Annals of Operations Research,219(1), 379-395. Goodale, J. C., Kuratko, D. F., Hornsby, J. S., and Covin, J. G. (2011). Operations management and corporate entrepreneurship: The moderating effect of operations control on the antecedents of corporate entrepreneurial activity in relation to innovation performance.Journal of Operations Management,29(1), 116-127. Gunasekaran, A., and Ngai, E. W. (2012). The future of operations management: an outlook and analysis.International Journal of Production Economics,135(2), 687-701. Gupta, B. (2011). A comparative study of organizational strategy and culture across industry.Benchmarking: An International Journal,18(4), 510-528. Hakoun, E. F., Pinto, Y. (2014).U.S. Patent No. 8,856,501. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Handfield, R. B., and Bozarth, C. B. (2012).Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management. Pearson Higher Ed. Hendricks, K. B., Hora, M., and Singhal, V. R. (2014). An empirical investigation on the appointments of supply chain and operations management executives.Management Science. Hill, A., and Hill, T. (2012).Operations management. Palgrave Macmillan. Kerzner, H. R. (2013).Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons. Krajewski, L. J., Malhotra, M. K., and Ritzman, L. P. (2015).Operations management: processes and supply chains. Prentice Hall. Kumar, K., Subramanian, R., and Strandholm, K. (2011). Market orientation and performance: Does organizational strategy matter?.Journal of Applied Business Research (JABR),18(1). Mantere, S. (2013). What Is Organizational Strategy? A Languageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Based View.Journal of Management Studies,50(8), 1408-1426. Moghaddam, A. A., Seifi, A., Niknam, T., and Pahlavani, M. R. A. (2011). Multi-objective operation management of a renewable MG (micro-grid) with back-up micro-turbine/fuel cell/battery hybrid power source.Energy,36(11), 6490-6507. Nahmias, S., and Olsen, T. L. (2015).Production and operations analysis. Waveland Press. Paksoy, T., Pehlivan, N. Y., and Kahraman, C. (2012). Organizational strategy development in distribution channel management using fuzzy AHP and hierarchical fuzzy TOPSIS.Expert Systems with Applications,39(3), 2822-2841. Peng, D. X., and Lai, F. (2012). Using partial least squares in operations management research: A practical guideline and summary of past research.Journal of Operations Management,30(6), 467-480. Reichard, R. J., and Johnson, S. K. (2011). Leader self-development as organizational strategy.The leadership quarterly,22(1), 33-42. Slack, N. (2015).Operations strategy. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A., and Johnston, R. (2013). Operations management. Stevenson, W. (2011).Operations management. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Subramanian, N., and Ramanathan, R. (2012). A review of applications of Analytic Hierarchy Process in operations management.International Journal of Production Economics,138(2), 215-241. Subramanian, N., and Ramanathan, R. (2012). A review of applications of Analytic Hierarchy Process in operations management.International Journal of Production Economics,138(2), 215-241. Walker, P. H., Seuring, P. S., Sarkis, P. J., and Klassen, P. R. (2014). Sustainable operations management: recent trends and future directions.International Journal of Operations Production Management,34(5). Weglarz, J. (Ed.). (2012).Project scheduling: recent models, algorithms and applications(Vol. 14). Springer Science Business Media. Bibliography Brennan, L. (2011).Operations management. New York: McGraw-Hill. Heizer, J. and Render, B. (2011).Operations management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Hill, A. and Hill, T. (2011).Essential operations management. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Meredith, J. and Shafer, S. (2011).Operations management. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Paton, S. (2011).Operations management. London: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Tangpong, C. (2011). Content analytic approach to measuring constructs in operations and supply chain management.Journal of Operations Management, 29(6), pp.627-638.

Rawls View Of Ignorance Essay Example For Students

Rawls View Of Ignorance Essay Rawls View of IgnoranceRawls theory of justice revolves around the adaptation of twofundamental principles of justice which would, in turn, guarantee a just andmorally acceptable society. The first principle guarantees the right of eachperson to have the most extensive basic liberty compatible with the liberty ofothers. The second principle states that social and economic positions are to bea) to everyones advantage and b) open to all. A key problem to Rawls is to show how such principles would beuniversally adopted and here the work borders on general ethical issues.Heintroduces a theoretical veil of ignorance in which all the players in thesocial game would be placed in a situation which is called the originalposition. Having only a general knowledge of the facts oflife and society,each player is to abide based on their moral obligation. By denying the playersany specific information about themselves it forces them to adopt a generalizedpoint of view that bears a strong resemblance to the moral point of view. Moral conclusions can be reached without abandoning the prudentialstandpoint of positing,a moral outlook merely by pursuing ones own prudentialreasoning under certain procedural bargaining and knowledge constraints.Rawls proposes that the most reasonable principles of justice for asociety are those that individuals would themselves agree to behind the veil ofignorance, in circumstances in which each is represented as a moral person,endowed with the basic moral powers. What this position supports is that whileeach person has different ends and goals, different backgrounds and talents,each ought to have a fair chance to develop his or her talents and to pursuethose goals fair equality for opportunity. It is not a race or contest wherethe talented or gifted prevail, it should be complete cooperation among all sothat there may be reasonable life for all. What the veil of ignorancebrings out is that we can acceptutilitarianism as a public conception of justice only if we are prepared to letsomeone be subject to conditions we would not be prepared to subject ourselves. However, it is not the responsibility of my actions to ensure the fulfillment ofanother persons goals. These principles create an equal distribution of thepie, if you will, yet it is not attainable unless pursued or strived for. There is no room for idle observation, meaning, that while we all possess equalopportunity as we all are equally moral persons, the choice of what you wish topossess materially as well as intellectually is the discretion and capability ofthe individual. Why should we accept these principles as principles of justice?Primarily, these principles promote equality among all. Each individual has thesame basic liberties and opportunities. Each individual has a moral obligationto accept the existence of every other human being. In doing so, all peoplebecome equal in their position and desires. We are equal in that each has thebasic powers of choice and on acting on a sense of justice. The responsibilityof procedure and growth relies on each and every individual his/her self. Bydoing so we may create a level playing field. Is this a form of purecompetition? It would seem so. Competition in that what is desired must beachieved by one and desired by many perhaps. A benefit of competitivecircumstance is the betterment of all parties involved as they must evolve inorder to surpass one another . Also,in fair equality for opportunity we may eliminate all forms ofdiscrimination and discretion of races, ethnic origin, social standards andreligious intolerance and beliefs. All of these characteristics are a componentof the individual person thus making him/her individual. Justice is onlysuccumbed when the liberties of an individual are affected because of anexternal opinion of these characteristics, and, in the oppression of thesecharacteristics upon another. They are nothing more than components of a people. .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd , .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .postImageUrl , .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd , .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:hover , .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:visited , .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:active { border:0!important; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:active , .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4035caa50717df94d6ed106b7bec07dd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Jordanian democracy EssayWith the veil of ignorance we exempt our responsibility for caring forthat of which we do not know. If we dont see something physically everydayshould it be an not be a concern or an aspect of our own life? If this were so,could it not be possible that some things could be ignored by all? The wordignorance scares me since I am ignorant of many things yet in growth I hope tobecome less ignorant through education. Is it only then that I understandcertain circumstances yet since I am not affected personally than I shouldcontinue to ignore. This, it would seem, would then rely on my moral truth orobligation, yet I will be the one to ultimately decide, this being theresponsibility of all. Can we place that much faith in the moral responsibilityof human kind. It sounds great theoretically yet in practice it almost appearsthat this would create more alienation than is present today.Would we becomethe exact opposite of what is desired, a selfish and careless society? Theremust be caution in placing so much responsibility on moral obligation.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act Summary and Background free essay sample

This essay will discuss the Justice System. The Youth Criminal Justice Act, (YCJA) is the law that governs Canada’s Youth Justice System. It applies to youth who are at least 12 to 17 years old, who are alleged to have committed crimes. These are the three arguments that will explain that the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) is fair and equitable Including; How justice system protect the innocents, protect society, and ensure that those who break the law face appropriate consequences.firstly, the YCJA protecting innocents. (A youth that has committed a crime unintentionally will be affected by this for the rest of his/her life especially those pure and innocent. ) This might prevent them from applying for jobs and joining the society. (The consequences for a serious crime which is convicted to a crimeless youth is harsh enough. Young offenders are not prepared to receive heavy adult sentences such as a sentence of more than 10 years of imprison. We will write a custom essay sample on The Youth Criminal Justice Act Summary and Background or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ) (The YCJA controls criminal action by implementing probation and rehabilitation. This puts a youth criminal under supervision until the end of the sentence)Secondly, how the YCJA protect society. (The YCJA wants to protect society, as well as to manage and reduce the risk of offending for young people.) In order for YCJA to protect society. They try to put a young offender out of the adult sentence. And rehabilitate the young offender, so when they get out of prison they will be part of society. They Influence young offenders to make better choices. Tries to make the young offender return back to how they lived before they did their crime. (The YCJA is really effective for changing youth criminal behavior. This act gives the youth chance to change. This also helps them make better decisions to avoid any more troubles. )Finally, the YCJA ensuring that those who break the law will face appropriate consequences. (The YCJA allows police, prosecutors, judges, and volunteers and professionals from the community to decide what happens to each young offender. (These all consider factors such as the following: The seriousness, depending on how serious the crime is the more consequences received. The records, depending on the history, they will get much worse consequences due to their criminal records. The personality, depending on their attitude and responsibility for what they did, they will face a consequence much worse if their behavior is unacceptable. The actions, depending on what they do in their community, home, or school when they figure out they will receive a social worker to help them.)Conclusion, (the justice system treats all young offenders the same, equally and fairly. The court and everyone involved in the justice system considers the youth’s situation and circumstances. They are not treated in an exact manner, but judgments are still carried out fairly and non-biased.)

Letter Recognition for Special Education

Letter Recognition for Special Education Letter recognition is the first skill a child needs to learn before beginning the task of learning decoding skills and then word recognition. Small children often learn to recognize the letters in their name first, and with that, they gain the understanding that letters, when put together, lead to meaning. Learning disabled children often do not. A reading disability can start anywhere on the chain that leads to reading fluency. It can often begin at the beginning: with letter recognition. Teachers sometimes make the mistake of â€Å"piling on,† trying to teach letter sounds at the same time as teaching letter recognition. Children who are clearly developmentally and intellectually ready to begin reading will quickly begin to see the relationship between letters and letter sounds. Learning disabled children will only find it confusing. Helping Learning Disabled Children with Letter Recognition: Consonants: When matching letters to pictures, stick to initial letter sounds for any letter matching and stick to one sound. Stick to the hard c and hard g. Never use â€Å"Circus† for the letter C. Never use gymnasium for the letter g. Or the vowel Y sound for the letter Y (Yellow, not Yodel.) Don’t try to get children to master the consonant sounds in the middle or final position until they are 100% with lower case d, p, b, and q. Vowels:  When teaching the vowels, stick to words that start with the short vowel sound, a is ant, not auto, aardvark, or Aspergers (none of which start with the short a sound.) Stick to short vowels, since they will be the glue for single syllable words. In Wilson Reading, a direct instruction program for reading, these are called closed syllables. Problems with Letter Orientation. Back in the 70s, reading professionals focused a lot on â€Å"dyslexia† with the belief that the primary problem was a letter or word reversal. It is true there are some children who do have a problem with letter orientation, but often learning disabled children have weak left-right orientation. We have noticed that young learning disabled children often have poor coordination and lack muscle tone. Multisensory Approaches to Letter Recognition Multi-sensory approaches are good to help learning disabled students build strong directionality. Hand over hand students who are not starting their letters correctly. This is not a place for creativity. Lower case d’s are circle stick. Lower case p’s are tail and circle. In that order. Always.   Sand writing: Wet sand in a dishpan or a wading pool. Have the children working on letter recognition make the letters as you call them out. Then give each of the children a turn to call out a letter for the others to make. Stick to one or two problem letters: b and p, g and q, or r and n. Try using a ruler for your letter bases.Pudding writing: Be sure hands are clean before initiating this activity. Tape waxed paper or clear wrap practice in on a table surface, and spoon out some chocolate (or another favorite) pudding on the paper/wrap. Have children spread the pudding out, like finger painting, and write the letters in the pudding as you call them out. Licking is allowed. Be sure to have plenty of paper towels handy.Sidewalk writing: Have your students write letters with sidewalk chalk as you call them out.Letter tag. Write letters on a hard surface playground. Stick to the ones you are focusing on. Call out a letter: anyone standing on the letter is safe. Call out another letter : the children need to run to another letter to be safe.

All art is a lie that helps us see the truth more clearly- Pablo Essay

All art is a lie that helps us see the truth more clearly- Pablo Picasso - Essay Example When we say art, we mean something that a person can look at and interpret. Art is a visual perception of its author; it highlights the main subject to depict its reality. The exaggeration of the illusion can be considered as a lie that reveals the truth behind the scenes much more clearly through the art performed, painted or sung. (Simon, 2007) In his own quote, Picasso illustrates an artistic touch to call art, a lie. By that he meant the illusion, the self created image of any topic and the observed scenario which an artist creates to send the message through. Hence, using all the human senses, the artist uses self expression to make analysis about the truth that lies behind the mirror. It is on one part the mirror image but much more of a deep scan that illustrated all the parts. Many artist find that in variety of subjects, much like Yehudi Menuhin, the famous American violinist on NY Times explained: â€Å"I look upon music as the most complete exposition of the body and spir it of man – and of our universe† (NY Times, June 1986)... , The Romantic Manifesto, 47) The excerpt explains it very deeply of how no real apple can actually look like the painted apple but yet gives the direct image of how delicious and ripe the apple is. Art hence covers dimensions of a human brain for it to pursue its desires. Arts that include poetry and theatre performance play a major role in defining how a simple lie, much like Ayn Rands’ Visual Abstractions can sum up major historical events and move people to find the truth amongst the words. In stage direction, now a day, art is being judged on the amount of hits it can get rather the quality of work and the meaning behind the scenes. It is taken as a time past rather, as Harold Clurman says â€Å"as a real communication through the mask of a fable†. (Lies like Truth, 1958) Poetic illusions As Art discovers many dimensions, it plays with words and thoughts, creating images and lies that a person is inclined to look into, to make it a reality. Shel Silverstein through is versatile poetic sense creates an illusion of a tree that can speak, â€Å"Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy. And every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. ....... and the tree was happy But the time went by And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone† (The Giving Tree) In this exemplary piece of art, the poet looks into a lie that is a tree that can speak, but infact is much more than that, for many the tree can be our family on which we stand by every day and they are there to help. Through art, Silverstein emphases that how reality revolves around how human wants are never ending but by the end of everything we go back to nature, where it all start. Too look behind the lie is the art of the reader,

PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN A CHILD'S EDUCATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN A CHILD'S EDUCATION - Essay Example What are the best practices of parental involvement employed in schools? This section will highlight the characteristics of parental involvement and the strategies employed by parents and schools. It gives insight into how parental involvement can successfully enhance student achievement. The benefits of parental involvement in the child’s education will be discussed here. This section will highlight several research studies that provide support for the advantages of parental involvement. A critical discussion is provided based on the findings gathered from various research articles. Adolescent years is perhaps one of the, if not the most, trying years of parenthood. Studies have shown that parental involvement in the early years of education is related to the type of relationship that develops between parent and child during the adolescent years. This section of the paper will discuss the relationships of parental involvement in light the educational years of an adolescent child. Despite the recognition of parental involvement’s significance in the education of children, bringing the parent’s to a meaningful level of participation in schools remains challenging. The challenges and how they can be best addressed will be discussed in this section. Based on the previous discussions, through existing literature on parental involvement, recommendations on the programs and initiatives will be outlined in this section. This section will also summarize the findings and give conclusions on the role of parental involvement in children’s

What does Intel's presentation of their financial information tell you Essay - 1

What does Intel's presentation of their financial information tell you about how they use financial information in decision making - Essay Example The information technology industry in 2006 generated approximately $3 trillion, a figure that is expected to increase to $4 trillion by 2009 (Plunkett Research, 2008). Such a profitable market attracts many new firms into a very competitive industry with thousands of companies competing for market share. Countries such as India have created economic models for growth based on the exporting of information technology into markets such as the US, Europe and Canada. It is very in this industry for a company to generate revenues based on a projects which represents revenue generating contracts of IT services. The Ansoff matrix is a strategic marketing tool which could very useful for IT managers. The first payoff of the matrix position (1,1) is know as a market penetration strategy. The market penetration strategy is a strategic move to seek greater market share of an existing product a firm offers. In the 1990’s the IT firm which was the most successful at achieving market penetr ation in its main product offering was Microsoft Corporation which was able to achieve a market penetration of above 90% for a prolonged period of time. The market penetration strategy can be exploited by the IT manager in companies whose product offering is above the competition offering, the company has many competitive advantages over the rest of the players in the industry including good economic resources to pay for the high advertising expenses and other marketing initiatives required to successfully implement a market penetration strategy. The second position of the Ansoff Matrix (1,2) is called product development. This strategy is based on an IT manager developing a product in an existing market. Such a strategy can be extremely profitable. Microsoft Corporation is currently in the last stages of product development for a new product called IPTV which is broadcasting channels similar to those

Theories of Third World Development

Theories of Third World Development Post-development calls for development of theories based on the culture and struggles of the people from the Third World countries. Discuss whether or not theories derived from the culture of Third World countries could be free from the problems affecting the universal theories of development and if so how? To begin the discussion on whether or not theories derived from the culture of Third World countries as propagated by post-development could be free from the problems affecting the universal theories of development, it is imperative to understand the concepts of ‘development’ and ‘post-development’. The following table provides a basic overview in the form of comparison, between the two concepts: Development has increasingly become an unsettled concept. From the initial decades of the development era providing a clear agreement on the need for some sort of development, despite an array of positions, we have come to a decade where the status of development has become difficult to ascertain. What makes development knotty is the tension between the universe of those who study the Third World and the universe of those who inhabit this world. Development is touted to be a pervasive cultural discourse with intense consequences for the production of social reality in the so-called Third World. This has been largely due to the problems that are associated with universal theories of development: Authoritarian and specification of goal and processes: Development, by virtue of a universal scale on which it can be measured, leading to the identification of â€Å"developed† and â€Å"less developed† (or â€Å"underdeveloped† or â€Å"developing†) units, specifies the existence of a particular goal (development itself) and dictates the processes needed to achieve that goal, i.e. economic growth, industrialisation, and modernisation through the transfer of capital, technology, and knowledge from the North/West. The fact that these theories are based on one particular conception, which is then assumed to be universal (while ignoring/subordinating other conceptions) they make development authoritarian as they prescribe interventions in people’s lives that these people themselves may disapprove of. Ethnocentrism: Universal development theories entail emulating Western History and are synonymous with Westernization. These theories give a ready-made development recipe from the west and at their heart is the idea that economic growth can be stimulated in any country, by following a US/European model. This recipe was driven by behaviorist, positivist and empiricist approaches in the mould of â€Å"scientific model† that prevailed in western universities and Research Centres and assumes that Western societies as ideal models and are complete in contrast to other societies of the Third World countries, the â€Å"less developed† ones. These theories have been accused for viewing Third world countries as inferior versions of the European countries, because the standards of a good society are assumed to be both universal and identical with particular (European) standards. It is also believed that colonial tutelage gave way to diffusion of development (development aid/proje cts, etc.), but retained the purpose by providing Europe’s past formula for development as the only workable one. In other words, development is like a phoenix rising from the ashes of imperialism. Decontextualisation and Generalization: Another problem with universalization is that it groups all Third World countries into one category and ignores differences among them in an attempt to overgeneralize. Indians, Kenyans, Mexicans, etc. are not seen as being diverse and non-comparable, but as somehow lacking in terms of what has been achieved by the advanced countries. It assumes that all Third World countries have the same problems linked to a lack of capital, knowledge, technology, productivity, institutions, etc. which can be solved with technocratic solutions, unconcerned with politics, relations of power and conflicts of interest, solutions that are rational and that no one can object to. It also neglects the differences between the supposed beneficiaries such as farmers and landless labourers, rural and urban poor, men and women, wage labourers and company owners, ruling elites and marginalised groups, etc. Universal development theories also do not take into account that t he underdevelopment in the Third World is a result of Western Capitalist Explanation. Thus, when their starting points and journeys aren’t the same, how can the future discourse of the Third World ape the past of the First World? The ‘a priori’ approach of development for the developing and underdeveloped make it infeasible as the decision of the route is based on circumstances that are no longer there. For formulating bankable processes of upliftment, it is important that these nations be viewed as very different constructions of societal, economic, political, and cultural structures. Their progress into democratization or economic success will not come from mirroring the histories of the First World but must instead be unique to the needs, cultures, traditions, and prior establishments of each individual country. Exogenous Nature: The theories were developed by a body of so called experts who merely drew from their own personal thinking in their task of changing the Third World countries, making it external. Can a theory or method be forced upon people without first engaging in a conversation with the subject? If so, is the â€Å"product† created from this exercise of value? Can years of lived experience be erased through a series of strategic planning sessions, or campaigns not rooted in any significant way to the reality of the subject being trained or required to participate in the activity? These are the question that the paradigm of post-development answers in the negative. Theories derived from the culture of Third World countries could be free from the problems affecting the universal theories of development because of the following features of post development and thus of these theories: Non-authoritarian with flexible goals and processes: The primary concern of post-development is to look for alternatives to development through an interest in culture and local knowledge by promotion of localized, pluralistic grassroots movements and its strength is in its anti-authoritarian sensibility. It also believes that there are numerous ways of living a good life and every society is free to invent its own and involves responses given by a group of people to particular problems or direct instances of power. Thus, post development is neither imposing a goal nor a process and distances itself from technocratically pre-defined standards and universal models. Therefore, the theories emanating from the Third World within the ambit of post development respect alterity and anonymity in the construction of subjectivities, with each society asserting its right to define its own path. These theories allow the subjects to use their own tools, and to go alone to not only develop answers, but also its own questions. Cultural Relativism: Since these theories are based on the struggles and cultures of the people of the third world countries, local culture, artistic aspects and communal aspirations are often important concerns. These theories are generally deeply interested in the history of their communities and the place they occupy in regional or national contexts. Post-development takes into account people’s self-definitions as a crucial part in its inquiry and tends to create a new awareness of cultural difference, which contributes to the breakdown of ethnocentrism and universal values. Therefore, these theories entail discourses on difference, particularly cultural difference. Contextualisation: Post-development is related to the visibility of the grassroots and entails local contexts. It situates itself within the context of local struggles and the linkages of local people in the world systems, lending it relevance and usability to people of the Third World in their daily lives and struggles. It encompasses a plurality of collective actors and revolutions at the micro level, with their own spheres of autonomy. The theories emerging from the Third World with applicability to the Third World presuppose an adequate understanding of the different social, political and economic structures of these countries and their respective histories. Endogenous Nature: Post-development heavily relies on the knowledge of the Third World countries and this knowledge occupies an important role in the creation of theories for them and the decision making processes. It involves intellectuals from the Third World, alongside grassroots activists. Post-development counters the problems of universalization of development theories by instating faith in theories based on the culture and struggles of the people from the Third World countries, taking into account their needs, wants, desires, histories, structures, etc. An example of a theory arising from indigenous knowledge is presented in Jane C. Horan’s (2002) study of indigenous economic development. In this, female textile producers in the Kingdom of Tonga received money as part of a ‘Women in Development’ aid-funded credit scheme. Though it was anticipated that the loans would be used to produce textiles for the local tourist economy, the women produced indigenous koloa textiles for the Tongan ceremonial economy which, according to Horan, enabled a â€Å"greater range of ideological, spiritual and material gains including cash† (2002, p.206). Though â€Å"the default rate on the loans was low, and the women were engaged in a Tongan notion of development known as fakalakalaka, the funders and the critics of the schemes were either unable to or would not recognise development taking place† (Horan, 2002, p.210). The study acknowledges what people are doing vis-à  -vis what development doctrines expect them to d o. Other instances are indigenous movements originating from the south of Mexico, the south of Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia, picking up also in Peru because of anti-mining protests. These are social movements in which the indigenous component is stark, but there is also a black, Afro-Latin American component in several countries, and also a peasant one represented by those connected to Via Campesina, a federation of peasant movements who are opposing free trade and the privatisation of seeds. What one needs to understand is that since development and post-development are at the extreme ends of the spectrum, therefore the problems of universalization as seen in development are not seen in the paradigm of post-development due to its highly localized nature. However, post-development (thus by extension the theories propagated by it) has its own set of problems, even though it forces us to confront the failures of the development agenda. Critiques of post-development believe that it overstates its case and neglects all the possibilities of positive development interventions, such as techniques of modern medicine raising health and life expectancy of people, by taking an extremely homogenized view of development. Further, it romanticizes local communities and at times, legitimizes oppressive traditions, and becomes just as paternalistic as the chastised development paradigm. It ignores the local forms of oppression and violence and is accused for being indifferent to the viola tion of human rights. While the movement towards cultural sensibilities that accompanies post development is a welcome shift, the plea for people‘sculture, indigenous culture, local knowledge and culture, can lead if not to ethno-chauvinism, to reification of both culture and locality or people. Furthermore, by propagating thinking local and acting local, it tends to avoid global structures of inequality. Though, the second wave of post-development counters a few of the aforementioned shortcomings by suggesting alternatives like the conception of communal solidarity, direct democracy, social movements, indigenous knowledge, etc. and state that the it is not the aim of post-development to offer a normative, new solution, the loopholes aren’t still completely plugged and will not be till the time a viable alternative to development is proposed by this school of thought. In the absence of a feasible solution put for by it, post-development remains merely deconstructive of an existing paradigm. In today’s world, what is needed is a middle way, something between development and post-development that can incorporate the positives of universalization as well as localization. Till the time such an approach is developed, the choice pertains to choosing the lesser evil of the two. References: Horan, J.C. (2002) Indigenous wealth and development: micro-credit schemes in Tonga, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 43(2), 205-221.

Isabel Allendes The House of the Spirits Essay examples -- Isabel All

Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits In many novels, relationships shape a character. Throughout Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits dissimilar individuals constantly come together to form relationships that change or develop their disposition. While Allende uses relationships to build upon a character, she also depicts a character's living environment in order to confirm their true soul and lifestyle. Due to the observation of both relationships and environments, a character's true qualities are expressed to a reader. The relationship between two individuals, Ferula and Clara, proves itself a positive product of the union of differing people. Through analysis of Ferula's home and close observation of her bond with Clara, Allende reveals Ferula's true character as she illustrates Ferula's dramatic change from a desolate soul to the selfless and loving character that molds Clara into the confident woman she aspires to. Ferula's life story, the desolation of her soul, and the connection she eventually has with Clara all became evident in the mere description of her living environment. At one point in the novel, Clara wrote of her experience in the vicinity of Ferula?s home. Clara explained that ?The tenement was a long passageway of ruined houses, all exactly the same; small impoverished dwellings built of cement, each with a single door and two windows. They were painted in drab colors and their peeling walls were linked across the narrow passageway by wires hung from side to side. [She] walked deeper into the neighborhood, avoiding puddles of dirty water that overflowed from the gutters and dodging piles of garbage in which cats were digging like silent shadows. In the center of the little... ...ship with Clara, Ferula became one of the most dynamic characters within The House of the Spirits. From ?ruined houses? to a life giving ?fountain? Allende demonstrated the great transformation of Ferula?s soul from complete desolation to true love. The bond she shared with Clara proved itself as one that could not compare to any others within the novel. Clara ?always was thinking of [Ferula]?(152), demonstrating the great impression Ferula left with her. No other relationships developed such a transformation as did this one. Truly, Ferula?s love influenced Clara?s life and molded her heart with the love and confidence that forever remained in the Trueba household and its memories. Works Cited: Allende, Isabel. The House of the Spirits. Trans. Magda Bogin. New York: Bantam Books, 1986. Trans. of La casa de los espiritus. Barcelona: Plaza and James. 1982.

Chemical Reactions

Chemical Reactions Chemical Change †¢ reorganization †¢ original substances form new substances with different formulas †¢ may or may not involve a change of state †¢ symbols used to describe chemical reaction are known as a chemical equation †¢ Chemical equations do not have equal signs (=) they have an arrow Chemical Equations †¢ Must follow the Law of Conservation of Matter †¢ atoms can neither be created or destroyed during a chemical reaction †¢ What goes in must come out! Chemical Equations †¢ Reactants = Products same number of atoms of each element on each side of the reaction arrow Equations must be balanced! †¢ other symbols †¢ (s)solid †¢ (l)liquid †¢ (g)gas †¢ (aq)aqueous, dissolved inwater Balancing Chemical Equations †¢ First check all ionic formulas to see if they are correct! Five steps to balancing equations 1. Count the number of atoms of each element (or polyatomic ion) on the reactant side and then on the product side. You may want to use a chart or table. 2. Determine which are out of balance – these need to be balanced 3. Pick an element or polyatomic ion to start with†¦ †¢ Balance using coefficients. †¢ Do not use coefficients of 1 †¢ No changes may be made to the subscripts †¢ use least common multiples 5. Check and recheck! †¢ Practice balancing these equations †¢ H2(g) + O2(g) > H2O †¢ KCl + BaSO4 > K2SO4 + BaCl2 Types of Chemical Reactions †¢ Combination /Direct Combinationsynthesis †¢ 2Na(s) + Cl2(g) > 2 NaCl(s) Single Displacement †¢ single substitution †¢ anion always replaces anion †¢ cation always replaces cation Mg + 2 HCl > MgCl2 + H2 †¢ Complete the following Single Displacement (formula is correct) Al + CuSO4 Double Displacement †¢ 2 substitutions †¢ ion-exchange †¢ MgSO4 + BaCl2 >BaSO4 + MgCl2 †¢ Types of Chemical Reactions †¢ Double Displacement †¢ What are the expected products of MgSO4 + BaCl2 †¢ Types of Chemical Reactions †¢ KOH + MgCl ( †¢ check formulas and complete) Decomposition †¢ HgO > Hg + O2 (balance) †¢ 2 HgO > 2 Hg + O2 †¢ carbonic acid in lab activity Oxidation / Reduction †¢ oxidize iron into rust 4Fe + 3O2 ( 2Fe2O3 Oxidation reactions †¢ add O (or remove H) Reduction reactions †¢ add H ( or remove O) Redox reaction †¢ Combination of oxidation and reduction Practice †¢ How many grams of diatomic oxygen (O2) are needed to make 4 moles of magnesium oxide (MgO) from magnesium ribbon (Mg)? †¢ Hint balance equation and use coefficient as mole. Energy in a Chemical Reaction Endothermic †¢ heat in †¢ requires activation energy †¢ A + B + 100kcal => C + D Exothermic †¢ heat out †¢ A + B => C + D + 100 kcal

Robert the Bruce Biography

Robert the Bruce Biography Robert the Bruce (July 11, 1274–June 7, 1329) was king of Scotland for the last two decades of his life. An ardent proponent of Scottish independence and a contemporary of William Wallace, Robert remains one of Scotlands most beloved national heroes. Early Years and Family Born into an Anglo-Norman family, Robert was no stranger to royalty. His father, Robert de Brus, was the 6th Lord of Annandale and a great-great-grandson of King David mac Mail Choluim, or David I of Scotland. His mother, Marjorie, was the Countess of Carrick, descended from the Irish King Brian Boru. His sister Isabel became the Queen of Norway by marrying King Eric II, long before Robert ascended to the Scottish throne. Robert’s grandfather, also named Robert, was the 5th Earl of Annandale. In the autumn of 1290, Margaret, the Maid of Norway, who was the seven-year-old heiress to the Scottish throne, died at sea. Her death set off a whirlwind of disputes regarding who should succeed to the throne, and the 5th Earl of Annandale (Roberts grandfather) was one of the claimants. Robert V, with the aid of his son Robert VI, captured a number of strongholds in the southwest of Scotland during the period between 1290 – 1292. Naturally, young Robert supported his grandfather’s claim to the throne, but ultimately, the role of king was given to John Balliol. Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images Association With William Wallace King Edward I of England was known as the Hammer of the Scots, and worked diligently during his reign to turn Scotland into a feudal tributary state. Naturally, this did not sit well with the Scots, and soon Edward found himself having to deal with uprisings and rebellions. William Wallace led a revolt against Edward, and Robert joined in, believing that Scotland needed to remain independent of England. The Battle of Stirling Bridge, in September 1297, was a devastating blow for the English. Shortly afterwards, Bruce family lands were sacked by Edwards troops in retaliation for the familys role in the rebellion. In 1298, Robert succeeded Wallace as one of the Guardians of Scotland. He served alongside John Comyn, who would become his chief rival for the country’s throne. Robert resigned his seat after just two years, when the conflicts with Comyn escalated. In addition, there were rumors that John Balliol would be restored as king despite his abdication in 1296. Instead, Scotland functioned without a monarch, and under the guidance of the countrys Guardians, until 1306, one year after Wallace was captured, tortured, and executed. Rise to the Throne In early 1306, two very important events took place that would shape the future of Scotland. In February, matters came to a head between John Comyn and Robert. During an argument, Robert stabbed Comyn at a church in Dumfries, killing him. When word of Comyn’s death reached King Edward, he was livid; Comyn had been distantly related to the king, and Edward saw this as a deliberate plot to stir up dissent. Comyn’s son, John IV, was immediately whisked off to England for his own safety, and put into the care of a nobleman who was raising Edward’s own children. John Comyn was stabbed by Robert the Bruce in 1306. Print Collector / Getty Images Just a few weeks later, at the beginning of March, Robert’s father, the 6th Earl of Annandale, died. With his father now dead, and Comyn also out of the way, Robert was the chief claimant to the Scottish throne. He moved rapidly to take power. Robert was crowned king on March 25, but an attack by Edward’s army pushed him out of the country. For a year, Robert hid out in Ireland, raising a loyal army of his own, and in 1307 he returned to Scotland. In addition to battling Edward’s troops, he laid waste to the lands of Scottish nobles who supported the English king’s claim to rule Scotland. In 1309, Robert the Bruce held his first parliament. Bannockburn and Border Raids Over the next few years, Robert continued to fight against the English, and was able to reclaim much of Scotlands land. Perhaps his most famous victory of all took place at Bannockburn in the summer of 1314. That spring, Roberts younger brother Edward had laid siege to Stirling Castle, and King Edward II decided it was time to move up north and take Stirling back. Robert, upon hearing of these plans, rounded up his army and moved into position above the marshy area that surrounded the Bannock Burn (a burn is a creek), intending to stop English troops from reclaiming Stirling. The Scottish army was thoroughly outnumbered, with an estimated five to ten thousand men, compared to an English force of more than twice that size. However, despite the larger numbers, the English were not expecting to encounter any Scottish resistance, so they were caught completely by surprise in the narrow, low-lying area of the marsh, as Roberts spearmen attacked from the wooded hillside. With English archers at the far back of the marching formation, the cavalry was rapidly decimated, and the army retreated. King Edward is said to have barely escaped with his life. Following the victory at Bannockburn, Robert grew bolder in his attacks on England. No longer content to just wait around defending Scotland, he led incursions into the border regions of northern England, as well as into Yorkshire. By 1315, he had attacked English troops in Ireland, at the request of Donall ONeill, the king of Tyrone, one of Gaelic Irelands eastern kingdoms. A year later, Roberts younger brother Edward was crowned as High King of Ireland, temporarily cementing the bond between Ireland and Scotland. Robert attempted for several years to bring about an alliance between the two countries, but eventually it crumbled, as the Irish saw Scottish occupation as no different than English occupation. The Declaration of Arbroath In 1320, Robert decided that diplomacy rather than military force might be a viable method of asserting Scottish independence. The Declaration of Arbroath, which later served as the template for Americas Declaration of Independence, was sent to Pope John XXII. The document outlined all of the reasons that Scotland should be considered an independent nation. In addition to detailing the atrocities committed upon the countrys people by King Edward II, the declaration specifically said that although Robert the Bruce had saved the country from English dominion, the nobility would not hesitate to replace him if he became unfit to rule. One of the results of the declaration was that the Pope lifted Roberts excommunication, which had been in place since he murdered John Comyn in 1306. Some eight years after the Declaration of Arbroath was sealed by more than fifty Scottish nobles and dignitaries, King Edward III, the fourteen-year-old son of Edward II, signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton. This treaty declared peace between England and Scotland, and recognized Robert the Bruce as Scotlands lawful king. Statue of Robert the Bruce at Stirling. Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images Death and Legacy After a two-year-long illness, Robert the Bruce died at the age of fifty-four. Although there has been speculation that his death was caused by leprosy, there is no evidence to indicate that he suffered from the disease. Western University anthropology professor Andrew Nelson studied Roberts skull and foot bone in 2016, and concluded: The anterior nasal spine (the bone support around the nose) in a healthy person is teardrop-shaped; in a person with leprosy, that structure is eroded and almost circular. King Robert’s nasal spine is teardrop-shaped... In a person with leprosy, the end of th[e] metatarsal bone [from the foot] would be pointed, as if inserted into a pencil sharpener. This bone shows no sign of â€Å"pencilling.† After his death, Roberts heart was removed and buried at Melrose Abbey, Roxburghshire. The rest of his body was embalmed and interred at Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, but was not discovered until construction workers found the casket in 1818. Statues in his honor exist in several Scottish cities, including Stirling. Robert the Bruce Fast Facts Full Name:  Robert I, also Robert the Bruce, Roibert a Briuis in medieval Gaelic.Known for:  King of Scotland and a celebrated warrior in the Scottish fight for independence from England.Born:  July 11, 1274 in Ayrshire, Scotland.Died:  June 7, 1329 at Cardross Manor, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.Parents’ Names:  Robert de Brus, the 6th Earl of Annandale, and Marjorie, Countess of Carrick. Sources Letter from Robert the Bruce to Edward II Reveals Power Struggle in the Build Up to Bannockburn. University of Glasgow, 1 June 2013, www.gla.ac.uk/news/archiveofnews/2013/june/headline_279405_en.html.Macdonald, Ken. â€Å"Reconstructed Face of Robert the Bruce Is Unveiled - BBC News.†Ã‚  BBC, BBC, 8 Dec. 2016, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38242781.Murray, James. â€Å"Robert the Bruce in Battle: A Battlefield Trail from Methven to Bannockburn.†Ã‚  30 Aug. 2018, www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/military-history/pre-20th-century-conflict/art487284-Robert-the-Bruce-in-Battle-A-battlefield-trail-from-Methven-to-Bannockburn.Watson, Fiona. â€Å"Great Scot, Its Robert the Bruce!†Ã‚  The History Press, www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/great-scot-it-s-robert-the-bruce/.

How to Locate TreeView Node By Text

How to Locate TreeView Node By Text While developing Delphi applications using the TreeView component, you may bump into a situation where you need to search for a tree node given by only the text of the node. In this article well present you with one quick and easy function to get TreeView node by text. A Delphi Example First, well build a simple Delphi form containing a TreeView, a Button, CheckBox and an Edit component- leave all the default component names. As you might imagine, the code will work something like:  if GetNodeByText given by Edit1.Text returns a node and MakeVisible (CheckBox1) is true then select node. The most important part is the GetNodeByText function. This function simply iterates through all the nodes inside the  ATree  TreeView starting from the first node (ATree.Items[0]). The iteration uses the  GetNext  method of the TTreeView class to look for the next node in the ATree (looks inside all nodes of all child nodes). If the Node with text (label) given by  AValue  is found (case insensitive) the function returns the node. The boolean variable  AVisible  is used to make the node visible (if hidden). function GetNodeByText(ATree : TTreeView; AValue:String; AVisible: Boolean): TTreeNode;var Node: TTreeNode;begin Result : nil; if ATree.Items.Count 0 then Exit; Node : ATree.Items[0]; while Node nil dobeginif UpperCase(Node.Text) UpperCase(AValue) thenbegin Result : Node; if AVisible then Result.MakeVisible; Break; end; Node : Node.GetNext; end;end; This is the code that runs the Find Node button OnClick event: procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);var tn : TTreeNode;begin tn:GetNodeByText(TreeView1,Edit1.Text,CheckBox1.Checked); if tn nil then ShowMessage(Not found!) elsebegin TreeView1.SetFocus; tn.Selected : True; end;end; Note: If the node is located the code selects the node, if not a message is displayed. Thats it. As simple as only Delphi can be. However, if you look twice, youll see something is missing: the code will find the FIRST node given by AText.

The Flat Woods On Top Of the Hill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Flat Woods On Top Of the Hill - Essay Example The year 1938 foster the town's transformation where it was incorporated under the name Flatwoods and correspondingly, the post office carries its new name. The newly named town is named after the areas of original topography which consists of a belt of flat wooded land, approximately sixty feet in elevation, which runs parallel to the Ohio River. This quiet and charming town was once rolling farmland with green gardens and active pastures. The people are ever so hard working and maintain a closely knit relationship among each other. It was a harmonious town where people help each other in life as in the death of a family. Aside from these, the people likewise enjoy hearty meals together over succulent dishes of foods. My fondest memory of the place was Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn. The Wilburns lived at the top of my street in a charming old farmhouse. The couple had lived in Flatwoods all their lives. It has been said that Mr. Wilburn had moved in the neighborhood of Flatwoods at around 1910. As a child, he has been my depiction of the way life has been. His large overpowering farmhouse stood majestically across our modest home. He drove his antique Model-T Ford around town like it was the newest thing from Detroit. He and his wife were kind and giving people. I particularly enjoyed visiting them at night in their porch where they would animatedly tell stories of the old times. The old man at 70, does not show any sign of aging as he lovingly tends to his overflowing fruits and vegetable garden. Being the kind-hearted couple that they were, they always gave us fruits and vegetables like apples and tomatoes, which in turn we bring home to our parents. Aside from this, another neighbor's house used to be a church. I have lived in Wilburn Street, which was named after the kind-hearted couple. My family's redwood ranch style house is with a small front yard, but with a large fenced-in backyard which sat on a dead end gravel street. The huge back yard is surrounded with healthy green oak trees and scented bushes, a perfect place to be one with nature or just spend a quiet afternoon with a book or sharing the afternoon sun playing games with friends. The house looked bigger than it really was because of the attached two car garage. There were large picture windows in the front that rose to the sky with flower boxes stretching around the house, such an ideal place for family bonding and get together. I have been blessed with a wonderful family.  Ã‚