Working With Children Essays - Educational Psychology, Teacher

Working With Children An effective teacher or family care provider chooses a powerful interaction strategy to fit any given situation. Its very critical that a teacher considers what the children already know so they can then stretch their knowledge to learn new materials. By remaining present, connecting with children and extending learning often, a teacher can build strong relationships with children that will help them to feel comfortable and learn to the best of their abilities. Its important to build relationships with children using powerful interactions; one way to create a powerful interaction is by remaining present. The teacher-child relationship plays a significant role in influencing young childrens social and emotional development. Some ways that a teacher can uphold being present is by doing things such as smiling often, using affectionate words, and appropriate physical contact. These things help promote childrens positive responses toward teachers. A teacher can also be present by arranging a setting that feels comfortable and affirming. Educators can do this by being sure that there are plenty of comfortable places to relax in the classroom, as well as adding simple esthetics to the classroom like flowers or plants. Positive strategies like these will also help children to form relationships with others such as their peers and family members. It is important for a caregiver to connect with the children in their classroom gaining their trust and security. A teacher should give the child encouragements, and demonstrate or model appropriate behavior. An educator can create trust with a student by personalizing their interactions with individual children as well as, taking their time with a student and listening to the childs need. It is important that teachers and care givers notice and pay close attention to the needs of their children. By taking a second and showing the children that you are interested in them, they can then begin to relax and be in that moment with you. Some children may need extra and more detailed instruction and some may need a little bit of extra time on something to let their creativity flourish. It is critical that a teacher or caregiver continues to keep the trust growing between every child by continuing to go out of their way and make those personal interactions, so every child feels as if they c an truly count on them. Teachers should encourage persistence and effort in children by extending their learning whenever possible. A teacher who wants to make strong connections with children must be sure to teach them many things that they have an interest in while still scaffolding their learning. A teacher can extend learning in many ways such as, asking questions and having conversations. By asking a student the right question in just the right way, it can ignite thinking and promote cognitive development. It is also important that a teacher talks to their students about what they are learning, as well as asking questions to extend their understanding. A teacher can also extend learning by working with students to solve problems and linking what they know to something new. By working with a student to solve a problem they begin to feel that a teacher is not just there to tell them what to do but also help them come to a conclusion for a difficult answer. The most important thing an educator can do while working with children is create a positive and long lasting bond that the child will then remember for the rest of their life. Teachers have the ability to nourish the social and emotional development of the children they work with by making strong relationship with students. Teachers can do this by remaining present, making meaningful connections and extending learning as often as possible. Teachers need to make strong connections by using specific strategies to build relationships and have positive and powerful interactions with children. By doing these things children will be ready and open to new learning, exploring and experimenting.

Appraisal Of Security Architecture Design Models Coursework

Appraisal Of Security Architecture Design Models Coursework Appraisal Of Security Architecture & Design Models – Coursework Example Appraising Security Architecture and Design models A security model illustrates the security policy. Security policy entails adocument that effectively describes protection mechanisms for computers. The security policy entails a security statement of expectations of the system. The security model explains the entities governed through the policy; and illustrates rules that form part of the policy (Jonathan, 2008). There are various examples of security models: First, models that illustrate policies for integrity (Clark-Wilson) and confidentiality (Bell-LaPadula). Second, models appling static policies (Bell-LaPadula) and dynamic policies (Chinese Wall); and third, models which are informal (Clark-Wilson) and formal (Bell-LaPadula). The Bell-LaPuda Confidentiality Model involves the initial mathematical model with a security policy which is multilevel. The model illustrates secure state machine, methods of access, and rules of access. The model ensures that users with appropriate clea rances (confidential, top secret, and secret) are adequately authenticated. The model operates on two major rules; the subject cannot access data found at higher levels of security, and a subject cannot pass information to lower levels of security (Zellan, 2003). The Clark-Wilson Integrity Model describes the integrity of given information. The model divides data into two: constrained data item that should be effectively protected and unconstrained data items that requires less protection (Zellan, 2003). The model prevents unauthorized individuals from further modification of the system. The separation of duties also limits authorized users from initiating improper modifications. The model has effective transactions; which ensure both internal and external consistency. The Chinese Wall Model ensures access controls which effectively changes, in accordance with the previous actions of the user. The main purpose of the Chinese Wall Model is to safeguard against user’s conflict of interests, during access attempts (Jonathan, 2008). No information is allowed to flow between the subjects and the objects, in a manner resulting to conflict of interest. The subject can only write on an object, only if the subject is unable to read another object in different sets of data. A security model is responsible for mapping policy’s abstract goals to the information system through specifying the explicit data structures that that are required to implement the security policy (Cashell et al, 2004). The security model is normally illustrated using analytical and mathematical concepts, which are mapped to the specifications of the systems, and developed through the programming code. ReferencesCashell, B. et al. (2004). The Economic Impact of Cyber-Attacks. Washington DC: The Library of Congress.Jonathan, Z. (2008). The Future of the Internet. NY: Penguin Books. Zellan, J. (2003). Aviation Security. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science, pp. 65–70.

About the Giant Antaeus in Mythology

About the Giant Antaeus in Mythology Antaeus, son of Gaia and Poseidon, was a Libyan giant whose strength appeared invincible. He challenged all passers-by to a wrestling match that he invariably won. Upon winning, he slaughtered his adversaries. That is until he met Hercules. Antaeus Challenges Hercules Hercules had gone to the garden of the Hesperides for an apple. (The Hesperides, daughters of Night or the Titan Atlas, took care of the garden.) On Hercules way back, the giant Antaeus challenged the hero to a wrestling match. No matter how many times Hercules threw Antaeus off and tossed him to the ground, it did no good. If anything, the giant appeared rejuvenated from the encounter. The Strength of Antaeus From His Mother Gaia Hercules eventually realized that Gaia, the Earth, Antaeus mother, was the source of his strength, so Hercules held the giant aloft until all his power had drained away. After he killed Antaeus, Hercules proceeded safely back to his taskmaster, King Eurystheus. Incidentally, the modern American hero and demigod Percy Jackson, in the eponymous series, written by Rick Riordan, also defeats Antaeus by suspending him above the earth. Ancient Sources for Antaeus   Some ancient writers who mention Antaeus are Pindar, Apollodorus, and Quintus Ancient Sources for Antaeus  Smyrnus.

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 20

Reflection paper - Essay Example I assumed complete responsibility to come up to their expectations and prove myself before other students in general and those who were willing to replace me in that post in particular. As the editor of the college magazine, I was responsible to ensure that all content was free of plagiarism and was original, that the events and facts being reported were factual, to eliminate any kind of bias in the information, to structure the college magazine with respect to its content and make it organized, to make the features aesthetically appealing for the students and the readers, and keep track of the quality of the magazine as a whole with a view to improving in every successive edition. Understanding my responsibilities and taking care of all these things, I remained very conscious and mentally fully awake while editing the college magazine. One job that I loathed was the one in which I was employed by the police and was involved in different kinds of social services including working directly with the community and dealing with their complaints. This job was so loathsome because people came up to me with so petty complaints and expected me to assist them with overturning the accused parties. They did not understand much that my job was just to take notes and serve as a link between them and the police. I more served as a platform through which they could raise their concerns and have them conveyed to the police. My editing skills formally gained in the college helped me organize the work in this job too, but the main problem was the attitude of the complainants as well as the sorts of complaints they filed. For example, one man came to me and asked me to file a case against his neighbor because his cat had eaten one of his chicks, and even before the case could be filed or any legal proceedings could be made, he said t hat he would have nothing less than $30,000 as a compensation for this loss. Similarly, every single

Observation of Teaching English Focusing on Teacher-Student as well as Essay

Observation of Teaching English Focusing on Teacher-Student as well as Student-Student Interactions - Essay Example The projector was on but was never used for the duration of the class. Likewise, some students were deemed absent, as observed from the greater number of vacant seats as compared to the first observation period. He talks in a monosyllabic manner that is perceived to be monotonous and students at the back would strain to hear the entirety of his discussion. The students posed diverse stances ranging from perceptive, partially responsive as a class, partially attentive (which means there were a few who were really inattentive), somewhat indifferent, and generally unparticipative. Description of Teacher-Student Interactions The professor discussed the day’s subject matter on the need to examine the context of the sentence by enumerating a point-by-point sentence structure as detailed in their course material. He tried to solicit participation from the student by asking them questions after relevant points from the course material were presented. Apparently, only one student from Saudi Arabia was virtually responding actively to his inquiries. The rest of the students (predominantly Asian) were either very softly responding in their respective seats or silently observing and listening during the whole discussion. At one point where handouts were needed to be disseminated, Saudi students voluntarily stood up and assisted in distributing the materials to the other members of the class. As noted, other students (Asian) were not at all participating and one actually saw two students changing seats upon the start of the class discussion; and where one student even changed seats twice for some reason. Even worse, some Asian students were also seen sleeping in class (a total of three students) and neither the professor nor the classmates made any efforts to wake them up. The professor either did not see them or was indifferent to students sleeping in his class. Description of Student-Student Interactions Regarding observing student-student interactions, one could d educe that the students are already well acquainted with each other. This acquaintance was observed to have negative effects in terms of exhibiting private conversations and communications with each other, without regard to the professor discussing the lessons. These were actually three (3) Asian students talking to each other while the professor was explaining the lesson in front of the class. A positive student interaction was observed as two (2) Saudi students voluntarily assisted the professor in distributing the handouts. The rest of the classroom environment was predominantly silent during the lecture due to absence of reaction and response; as well as active participation from the students. Description of Lesson, Activities and Group Work The lesson was delivered purely using a lecture approach. Only the course materials were the sole reference for the discussion. Despite availability and access to using the overhead projector, it was not at all utilized. Likewise, the soft v oice, monotonous manner of speech and communication pattern, as well as being stationary (standing in front of the class) limited movement, activity, vitality, and diversity in instructional approach and use of instructional materials. At some point in time, about 30 minutes after the start of the

The drugging of our children Essay Example for Free

The drugging of our children Essay Are young children early on exposed to psychotropic medications due to lack of medical attention? Do millions of children in these countries really have ADD or ADHD? These questions arise all over North America, Great Britain, and Australia. Drugging of children at young ages is the result of self-diagnoses, teacher diagnoses, and lack of medical care and treatment for children with the â€Å"disease† of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In the documentary The Drugging of our Children, Gary Null, Forever Living Products, 2005, DVD Web, brings about the argument. Back in the 1980’s and 1990’s children began to be put on many different drugs for their behavior in school, the main drug being Ritalin. In the documentary, Null speaks out to parents of children that are on medication by interviewing many different parents, physicians, and education committees about the use of Ritalin and other psychotropic medications in young children. All of these things that are being evaluated of the child’s behavior is at school, and is compared to the expected behavior of that particular teacher’s classroom. The film goes on explain how teachers diagnose those more challenging students with either ADD or ADHD and have them forced to put their kid on a medication to â€Å"cure† their so called disease. After showing each case and their stories, the film also reflects the long term effects of the medications also. The process of diagnosing a child with ADD or ADHD starts in the school environment. Teachers early on look for flaws in students in regards to classroom disruption. There is a list of nine elements including: can’t sit in seat, fidgets, jumping out of chair, doesn’t wait his turn, blurts out answer before question is finished being asked, careless mistakes in schoolwork etc. If the teacher can identify at least six out of the nine characteristics, then she has the authority to tell the parent that their child will be sent to a special needs school program. They will also tell parents that their child needs to be medicated for this disease. Dr. James Schaller of the Medical College of Pennsylvania (Life Script; James Louis Schaller, MD) believes that one must rule everything out first and then see the actual problem before considering medication. It is common in this day and age for people to accuse the hyperactive child of their parents not knowing how to raise or control them. Dr. Michael D. Fraser states that parenting style is not a cause of ADD and ADHD but that it’s hereditary and can even have to do with things like low birth weight, diet, and allergies. Needleman stated that, â€Å"It has also been claimed that exposure to lead can cause delinquent behavior in children†. The number one symptom of ADD or ADHD is â€Å"Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat†, stated by Peter Breggin, MD. Null only gets facts and stories from people that have been negatively affected by the use of psychotropic medications and doctors that are against the use of them. The audience is only able to wrap the mind around tragic situations that’ll lead to agreement with the argument presented. It was observed that as children got older, school shootings became more common. The cause of this was claimed to be that children now days had easier access to guns in the home. Researchers looked further into this answering their own questions like â€Å"Weren’t guns easy to access in the 1950’s and 1960’s? † In fact, yes, it was just as easy, if not easier for children to get their hands on guns then also. Physicians looked further into the children committing these acts. Miguel Humara, Ph. D states that, â€Å"The most effective form of treatment for ADD and ADHD are cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychotropic medication†. All of the children featured in the film had a history of being on some sort of psychotropic medication, the most common being Ritalin. These drugs are most commonly meant for people ages eighteen years or older, but doctors were being lazy and just prescribing these drugs to small children also. Comparing an eighteen year old on Ritalin to a seven year old on it, they had different side effects. While the eighteen year old was experiencing headache and vomiting, the seven year old was hallucinating and unconsciously doing violent acts. Obvious to viewers that these had long term consequences to younger aged children. This information makes sense and is valid from people with first-hand experience, but what about the people with no horrendous side effects? What about the doctors that do rule out everything before trying out medicine? These things should have also been addressed throughout the film for accurate accusation. The argument is strong and makes the audience think about medicating young children and is definitely persuasive in making them agree. This argument makes the audience think more in depth of the side effects of medication on young children in both their short term and long term effects. Null, throughout the entire film, speaks to the audience through the credibility of doctors, educators, and parents that have lived through experiences. This is an effective way to grab the attention of the audience with real life stories of victims. It makes the audience feel as if they know the victim and can have sympathy for their experience and therefore be able to agree with the argument, making the argument effective. In reality, young children are going to be a bit hyper and squirmy in their childhood and shouldn’t be look at as diseased or troubled. They need time to grow up and understand acceptable behavior. Though teachers and parents quickly make the assumption that there is something wrong, doctors need to be the ones to make the ultimate decision. Therefore, drugging of young children is the result of self-diagnoses, teacher diagnoses, and lack of medical attention and care for those with ADD and ADHD.

Old Masters and New Cinema: Korean Film in Transition :: Free Essays Online

Old Masters and New Cinema: Korean Film in Transition Since the late 1980s Korean cinema has undergone salient changes in its industrial structure, modes of practice, and aesthetic orientation. Its remarkable transformation into a powerful cultural force in Asia has elicited considerable attention from both the commercial and critical sectors of the international film circuit. Recent discussions of Korean cinema have largely been centered on its market expansion and generic diversification over the past two decades. Accordingly, a strong spotlight has been cast on groundbreaking newcomers in the industry as catalysts for its rapid growth. The nationwide Shiri (Shiri, 1999) syndrome brought about by Kang Chegyu and similar phenomena triggered by Pak Ch’anuk’s Joint Security Area (Kongdong kyà ´ngbi kuyà ´k, 2000), Kwak Kyà ´ngt’aek’s Friends (Ch’ingu, 2001), and Yi Chà ´nghyang’s The Way Home (Chibà »ro, 2002) well illustrate this tendency.1 Amidst the unprecedented success of the new generation of Korean filmmakers in both local and global arenas, one question remains to be investigated: how do old masters of Korean cinema define their art in this period of dynamic transition? My article addresses this vital and yet somewhat neglected issue by examining thematic and stylistic changes in recent films by Pak Ch’à ´lsu (Park Chulsoo) and Im Kwà ´nt’aek (Im Kwon-Taek), two prominent figures who began their directorial careers in earlier decades but have continued their search for their own film language to the present day. Pak’s Farewell My Darling (Haksaengbugunsinwi, 1996) and Kazoku Cinema (Kajok sinema, 1998) and Im’s Chunhyang (Ch’unhyangdyà ´n, 2001), while employing the conventional mode of storytelling as a structural scaffold, often break down the wall between diegesis and nondiegesis. They thereby undermine cinematic illusionism, which has long dominated Korean fil m. Pak continues his formal experiment in his latest work Pongja (Pongja, 2000) in which he blends social and virtual realities by means of a digital camera. In a similar spirit of border-crossing and hybridization, Im incorporates traditional Korean painting into the visual language of Painted Fire (Ch’wihwasà ´n, 2002). These veteran filmmakers’ playful attitudes toward the possibilities of the cinematic medium and especially their common concern with reflexivity and intertextuality reveal their changing views on life, art, and society. In light of their long contributions to the plot-driven mimetic tradition of mainstream cinema, Pak’s and Im’s innovative styles can be seen as ironic yet earnest responses to the shifting cultural milieu of today’s Korean film.

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 13

I think,† Jeanne said, â€Å"that he's here to get Delosto close the Dark Kingdom out Shut up the castleand come join him Outside. And, incidentally, ofcourse, kill all the slaves.† Maggie stared. ‘Kill them all?' â€Å"Well, it makes sense. Nobody would needthem anymore.† â€Å"And that's why you were escaping now,† Maggiesaid slowly. Jeanne gave her a quick, startled glance. â€Å"You'rereally not as stupid as you seem at first sight, you know?† â€Å"Gee, thanks.† Maggie shifted on her branch. Aminute ago she'd been thinking how good it would feel to get away from the twigs poking her. Now she suddenly wanted to stay here forever, hiding.She had a very bad feeling. â€Å"So why,† she said, forming her thoughtsslowly,†doesHunter Redfern want to do thisright now?† â€Å"What do youthink? Really, Maggie, what do you know about all this?† Four Wild Powers,Maggie thought, hearing Delos's old teacher's voice in her mind. Who willbeneeded at the millennium, to save the world-or todestroy it. â€Å"I know that something's happening at the millennium, and that Delos is a Wild Power, and thatthe Wild Powers are supposed to do something-â€Å" â€Å"Save the world,† Jeanne said in a clipped voice.†Except that that's not what the Night People want.They figure there's going to be some huge catastrophe that'll wipe out most of the humansand then they can take over. And that's why Hunter Redfern'shere. He wants the Wild Powers on his side insteadof on the humans'. He wants them to help destroythe human world instead of saving it. And it lookslike he's just about convinced Delos.† Maggie let out a shaky breath and leaned herhead against a branch. It was just like what Deloshad told her-except that Jeanne was an uninterested party. She still wanted not to believe it, but she had a terrible sinking feeling. In fact, she had a strange feeling of weight,as if something awfulwas trying to settle on her shoulders. â€Å"The millennium really means the end of theworld,† she said. â€Å"Yeah. Our world, anyway.† Maggie glanced atP.J., who was swinging her thin legs over the edge of a branch. â€Å"You stillokay?† P.J. nodded. She looked frightened, but not unbearably so. She kept her eyes on Maggie's face trustingly. â€Å"And do youstill want to go to the castle?†Jeanne said, watching Maggie just as closely.†Hunter Redfern is a very bad guy to mess with.And I hate to tell you, but your friend Prince Delosis out for our blood just like the rest of them.† â€Å"No, I don't still wantto go,† Maggie said briefly. Her head went down and she gave Jeanne a brooding look under her eyelashes. `But I have to, anyway. I've got even more reasons now.† â€Å"Such as?† Maggie held up a finger. â€Å"One, I've got to. gethelp for Cady.† She glanced at the motionless figure clinging trancelike to the fir's trunk, then held upanother finger. â€Å"Two, I have to find out what happened to my brother.† Another finger. â€Å"And, three,I have to get those slaves free before Hunter Redfern has them all killed.† â€Å"You have to what?†Jeanne said in a muffled shriek. She almost fell out of the tree. â€Å"I kind of thought you'd react that way. Don'tworry about it. You don't have to get involved.† â€Å"I was wrong before. You areas dumbasyoulook. And you are totally freaking crazy.† Yeah, I know, Maggie thought grimly. It's probably justas well I didn't mention the fourth reason. Which was that she had to keep Delos from aiding and abetting the end of the world. That wasthe responsibility that had settled on her, and she had no idea why it was hers except that she'd been inside his mind. She knew him. She couldn't justwalk away. If anybody could talk to him about it and convince him not to do it, she could. She had absolutely no doubt about that. So it was her job to try. And if he was really as evil as Jeanne seemed tothink-if it was true that he'd killed Miles†¦ well, then she had a different job. She had to do whatever was necessary to stophim. Distant and impossible as it seemed, shewould have to kill him if that was what it took. â€Å"Come on,† she said to the other girls. â€Å"Cady, do you think you can climb down now? And, Jeanne,do you know a way into the castle?† The moat stank. Maggie had been glad to find Jeanne knew a wayinto the castle. That was before she discovered that it involved swimming through stagnant water and climbing up what Jeanne called a garderobe butwhat was all too obviously the shaft of an oldlatrine. â€Å"Just kill me, somebody,† Maggie whispered halfway up. She was soaking wet and daubed with un thinkable slime. She couldn't remember ever beingquite this dirty. The next moment she forgot about it in her worryabout Cady. Cady had managed the swim, still doing everything she was told asif she werein a trance. But now she was getting shaky. Maggiewondered seriously whether this sort of activity was helpful to somebody who'd been poisoned. When they werefinally at the top of the shaft,Maggie looked around and saw a small room thatseemed to be built directly into the castle wall. Everything was made of dark stone, with a cold and echoing feel to it. â€Å"Don't make any noise,† Jeanne whispered. Shebent close to Maggie, who was helping support Cady. â€Å"We need to go down a passage and throughthe kitchen, okay? It's all right if slaves see us, butwe have to watch out for them.† â€Å"We've got to get Cady to a healing woman-â€Å" â€Å"I know! That's where I'm trying to take you.†Jeanne clamped a hand on P.J.'s shoulder and steered her into a corridor. More stone. More echoes. Maggie tried to walkwithout her shoes squishing or smacking. She wasdimly impressed with the castle itself-it was grandand cold and so huge that she felt like an insect making her way through the passage. After what seemed like an endless walk, theyemerged in a small entryway partitioned off bywooden screens. Maggie could hear activity behind the screens andas Jeanne led them stealthily forward, she caught a glimpse of people moving onthe other side. They were spreading white tablecloths over long wooden tables in a room thatseemed bigger than Maggie's entire house. Another doorway. Another passage. And finallythe kitchen, which was full of bustling people. Theywere stirring huge iron cauldrons and turning meaton spits. The smell of a dozen different kinds offood hit Maggie and made her feel faint. She was so hungry that her knees wobbled and she had to swallow hard. But even more than hungry, she was scared. They were in plain sight of dozens of people. â€Å"Slaves,† Jeanne said shortly. â€Å"They won't tell onus. Grab a sack to wrap around you and come on.And, P.J.,take off that ridiculous hat.† Slaves, Maggie thought, staring. They were alldressed identically, in loose-fitting pants and topsthat were like short tunics. Jeanne was wearing thesame thing-it had looked enough like clothes from Outside that Maggie hadn't really focused on it before. What struck her now was that everybodylooked so†¦ un-ironed. There were no sharp creases. And no real color. All the clothes were an indeterminate shade of beige-brown, and all thefaces seemed just as dull and faded They were like drones. What would it be like to live that way? she wondered as she threw a rough sack around her shoulders to hide the dark blue of her jacket. Without any choice in what you do, and any hope for thefuture? It would be terrible, she decided. And it mightjust drive you crazy. I wonder if any of them ever †¦snap? But she couldn't look around anymore. Jeanne was hustling through a doorway into the open air.There was a kind of garden here just outside the kitchen, with scraggly fnut trees and what lookedlike herbs. Then there was a courtyard andfinallya row of huts nestled against the high black wall that surrounded the castle. â€Å"This is the really dangerous part,† Jeanne whispered harshly. â€Å"It's the back, but if one of them looks out and sees us, we're in trouble. Keep yourhead down-and walk like this. Like a slave.† Sheled them at a shufflingrun toward a hut. This place is like a city, Maggie thought. A cityinside a wall, with the castle in the middle. They reached the shack. Jeanne pulled the door open and bustled them inside. Then she shut the door again and sagged. â€Å"I think we actually made it.† She sounded surprised. Maggie was looking around. The tiny room was dim, but she could see crude furniture and piles ofwhat looked like laundry. â€Å"This is it? We're safe?† â€Å"Nowhere is safe,† Jeanne said sharply. â€Å"But wecan get some slave clothes for you here, and we can rest. And I'll go get the healing woman,† sheaddedas Maggie opened her mouth. While she was gone, Maggie turned to Cady andP.J. They were both shivering. She made Cady lie down and had P.J. help her go through one of the piles of laundry. â€Å"Get your wet things off,† Maggie said. Shepulled off her own hightops and shrugged out ofher sodden jacket. Then she knelt to get Cady'sshoes off. The blind girl was lying motionless on athin pallet, and didn't respond to Maggie's touch.Maggie was worried about her. Behind her, the door opened and Jeanne camein with two people. One was a gaunt and handsome woman, with dark hair pulled untidily back and anapron over her tunic and pants. The other was ayoung girl who looked frightened. â€Å"This is Laundress.† The way Jeanne said it, itwas clearly a proper name. â€Å"She's a healer, and the girl's her helper.† Relief washed through Maggie. â€Å"This is Cady,†she said. And then, since nobody moved and Cady couldn't speak for herself, she went on, â€Å"She's fromOutside, and she was poisoned by the slave traders. I'm not sure how long ago that was-at least a couple of days. She's been running a high fever andmost of the time she's just sort of sleepwalking-â€Å" â€Å"What is this?† The gaunt woman took a step toward Cady, but her expression was anything but welcoming. Then she turned on Jeanne angrily.†How could you bring this-thing-in here?† Maggie froze where she was by Cady's feet.†What are you talkingabout? She's sick-â€Å" â€Å"She's one of them!† The woman's eyes wereburning darkly at Jeanne. â€Å"And don't tell me you didn't notice. It's perfectly plain!† â€Å"What'sperfectly plain?† Maggie's fists were clenched. â€Å"Jeanne, what's she talking about?† The woman's burning eyes turned on her. â€Å"Msgirl is a witch.† Maggie went still. Part of her was amazed and disbelieving. Awitch? Like Sylvia? A Night Person? Cady wasn't at all like that. She wasn't evil. Shewas normal,a nice, ordinary, gentle girl. She couldn'tbe anything supernatural†¦. But another part of Maggie wasn't even startled.It was saying that at some deep level she had known all along. Her mind was bringing up pictures. Cady in thehollow tree, when she and Maggie were hidingfrom Bern and Gavin. Cady's lips moving and Gavin saying I can't feelthem at all. The hound today had said the same thing. I can't follow theirlifeforce anymore. She was blocking them from sensing us, Maggiethought. And she was the one who told us to climbthe tree. She's blind, but she can see things. It's true. She turned slowly to look at the girl lying onthe pallet. Cady was almost perfectly still, her breathingbarely lifting her chest. Her hair was coiled around her head like damp snakes, her face was smudgedand dirty, her lashes spiky on her cheeks. Butsomehow she hadn't lost any of her serene beauty. It remained untouched, whatever happened to herbody. I don't care, Maggie thought. She may be a witch,but she's not like Sylvia. I know she's not evil. She turned back to Laundress, and spoke carefully and deliberately. â€Å"Look, I understand that you don't like witches.But this girl has been with us for two days, and allshe's done is help us. And, I mean, look at her!†Maggie lost her reasonable tone. â€Å"They were bring ing her here as a slave! She wasn't getting any special treatment. She's not on their side!† â€Å"Too bad for her,† Laundress said. Her voice wasflat and †¦plain. The voice of a woman who saw things in black and white and didn't like arguments. And who knew how to back up her beliefs. Onebig gaunt hand, went beneath her apron, into a hid den pocket. When it came out again, it was gripping a kitchen knife. â€Å"Wait a minute,† Jeanne said. Laundress didn't look at her. â€Å"Friends of witchesare no friends of ours,† she said in her plain, heavyway. â€Å"And that includes you.† With one motion, Jeanne wheeled away from herand into a fighting stance. â€Å"You're right. I knewwhat she was. I hated her, too, at first. But it's like Maggie told you. She's not going to hurt us!† â€Å"I'm not going to miss a chance to kill one of them,† Laundress said. â€Å"And if you try to stop me, you'll be sorry.† Maggie's heart was pounding. She looked backand forth from the tall woman, who was holdingthe knife menacingly, to Jeanne, who was crouchedwith her teeth bared and her eyes narrowed. They were ready to fight. Maggie found herself in the middle of the room,in a triangle formed by Cady and Jeanne and theknife. She was too angry to be frightened. â€Å"You put that down,†she said to Laundressfiercely, forgetting that she was speaking to anadult. â€Å"You're notgoingto do anything with that. How can you even try?† Vaguely, she noticed movement behind the woman. The frightened young girl who hadn't saidanything so far was stepping forward. She was staring at Maggie, pointing at Maggie. Her eyes andmouth were wide open, but her voice was an indrawn breath. â€Å"The Deliverer!† Maggie hardly heard the gasped words. She wasrushing on. â€Å"If you people don't stick together,what kind of chance do you have? How can youever get free-â€Å" t's her!†This time the girl shrieked it, and nobody could help but hear. She clutched at Laundress's arm wildly. â€Å"You heard what she said,Laundress. She's come to free us.† â€Å"What are you talking a-?†Jeanne broke off, looking at Maggie with her eyebrows drawn together. Suddenly the eyebrows flew up and she straightened slightly from her crouch. â€Å"Hmm.† Maggie stared back. Then she followed all their eyes and looked down at herself in bewilderment. For the first time since she'd arrived in the DarkKingdom she wasn't wearing her jacket and hershoes. She was wearing exactly what she'd beenwearing when her mother's screams woke her threedays beforeher flowered pajama top, wrinkled jeans, and mismatched socks. â€Å"‘She will come clothed in flowers, shod in blueand scarlet,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ the girl was saying. She was stillpointing at Maggie, but now it was with something like reverence. â€Å"‘And she will speak of freedom.'You heard her, Laundress! It's her. She's the one!† The knife trembled slightly. Maggie stared at thered knuckles of the hand holding it, then looked up at Laundress's face. The blotchy features were grim and skepticalbut there was an odd gleam of half-stifled hope inthe eyes. â€Å"Is she the one?† she said harshly toJeanne. â€Å"Is this idiot Soaker right? Did she say she'scome to deliver us?† Jeanne opened her mouth, then shut it again.She looked helplessly at Maggie. And, unexpectedly, P.J. spoke up. â€Å"She told usshe had to get the slaves free before Hunter Redfern had them all killed,† she said in her light,strong child's voice. She was standing straight, her slender body drawn to its fullest height. Her blondhair shone pale above her small earnest face. Her words had the unmistakable ring of truth. Something flashed in Jeanne's eyes. Her lipquirked, then she bit it. â€Å"She sure did. And I toldher she was crazy.† â€Å"And in the beginning, when Jeanne showed herwhat they do to escaped slaves here, Maggie said it had to stop.† P.J.'s voice was still clear and confident. â€Å"She said she couldn't let them do thingslike that to people.† â€Å"She said we couldn't let them do things likethat,† Jeanne corrected. â€Å"And she was crazy again.There's no way to stop them.† Laundress stared at her for a moment, then turned her burning gaze on Maggie. Her eyes wereso fierce that Maggie was afraid she was going to attack. Then, all at once, she thrust the knife backin her pocket. `Blasphemer!† she said harshly to Jeanne. â€Å"Don'ttalk about the Deliverer that way! Do you want totake away our only hope?† Jeanne raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Youwere the one about to take it away,† she pointed out. Laundress glared at her. Then she turned to Maggie and a change came over her gaunt features. Itwasn't much; they still remainedassevere and grim as ever, but there was something like a bleak smile twisting her mouth. â€Å"If you are the Deliverer,† she said, â€Å"you've gotyour work cut out for you.† â€Å"Just everybody hang on one second,† Maggiesaid. Her head was whirling. She understood whatwas going on – sort of. These people believed shewas some legendary figure come to save them. Because of a prophecy-they seemed to have a lot ofprophecies around here. But she couldn't really be their Deliverer. She knew that. She was just an ordinary girl. Andhadn't anybody else ever worn a flowered top inthis place? Well maybe not. Not a slave anyway. Maggie looked at Laundress's clothes again with new eyes.If they all wore this sort of thing, hand sewn and plain as a burlap sack, maybe a machine-made topwith bright colors and a little wilted lace would look like something from a legend. And I bet nobody wears red and blue socks, shethought and almost smiled. Especially at once. She remembered how Sylvia had looked at them. Normally she would have been terribly embarrassed by that, perfect Sylvia looking at her imperfections. But the socks had been what started heron this whole journey by convincing her that Sylviawas lying. And just now they'd saved her life. IfLaundress had attacked Jeanne or Cady, Maggie would have had to fight her. But I'm still not the Deliverer, she thought. I haveto explain that to them†¦. â€Å"And since she's the Deliverer, you're going tohelp us, right?† Jeanne was saying. â€Å"You're going to heal Cady and feed us and hide us and everything? And help Maggie find out what happened toher brother?† Maggie blinked, then grimaced. She could see Jeanne looking at her meaningfully. She shut hermouth. â€Å"I'll help you any way I can,† Laundress said.†But you'd better do your part. Do you have a plan, Deliverer?† Maggie rubbed her forehead. Things were happening very fast-but even if she wasn't the Deliverer, she hadcome to help the slaves get free. Maybe it didn't matter what they called her. She looked at Cady again, then at Jeanne, and at P.J., who was staring at her with shining confidence in her young eyes. Then she looked at thegirl named Soaker, who was wearing the sameexpression. Finally she looked into the gaunt, hard-bittenface of Laundress. There was no easy confidencehere, but there was that half-stifled look of hopedeep in the burning gaze. â€Å"I don't have a plan yet,† she said. â€Å"But Ill comeup with one. And I don't know if I can really helpyou people. But I'll try.†

A Summary of Amy Tan s “Mother Tongue” Essay

In â€Å"Mother Tongue†, Tan writes about the awareness and discrimination about â€Å"broken English† compared to Standard English. In Tans essay she quotes her mothers’ speech to demonstrate her mothers â€Å"broken English†, it was a very trivial story but the thing that is worth looking at was her mother’s grammar. The quoted parts were filled with grammatical mistakes and the text was quite confusing. In fact, her mother had better command in English than all that was evidently showed in her story. She could read very sophisticated and high level documents without much difficulty. In â€Å"Mother Tongue†, Tan mainly talks about her realization of the existence and effects of the â€Å"broken English† of her family. She takes her mother’s talk that is full of grammatical mistakes and conversation with the stockbroker as examples, which gives us an impression that her mother is not well educated. Yet the truth is, her mother grasps better in English than her speaking ability and can easily read high-level papers and documents. â€Å"Mother Tongue† reflects on the misleading illusion that language can represent one’s education level. Amy’s mother has intelligent thoughts and is just hard to express in understandable words when special situations occur. â€Å"Mother Tongue† is a look into the way some people, look to language as a way as a sign of how educated you are. In views of Tans prompt she gives the readers the impression that her mother is an uneducated Chinese woman who does not comprehend the language. Nevertheless, this was never the effect Tan intended for readers to assume of her mother considering that Amy did not think her mother was ignorant or uneducated because her intelligent thoughts and answers were there. Her mother just could not relay her thoughts into understandable words like the time when talking to the stockbroker.

Nuclear Power Station Advantages and Disadvantages

Nuclear Power Station Advantages and Disadvantages Introduction As the human civilization has advanced, so have the energy demands of humankind. The modern world requires huge amounts of energy resources to sustain its need. For over a century, these energy demands have been satisfied by fossil fuels.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Nuclear Power Station Advantages and Disadvantages specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the energy demands have increased significantly and it has been recognized that the un-renewable fossil fuel reserves will not be able to satisfy the global energy demands for long. This together with the observed negative environmental impacts of the sources has necessitated the search for alternative energy sources. Nuclear energy has emerged as a potential alternative energy source to fossil fuel. Loyn (2011) declares that while there are other alternative sources of energy, nuclear power is the most reliable and sustainable one. The t echnology to exploit nuclear power has already been well developed and as of 2011, nuclear power stations were supplying 6% of the worlds energy needs. This suggests that nuclear power is a feasible replacement to fossil fuels as a primary source of energy for the world. Nuclear Power: An Overview Nuclear power refers to the process of creating heat through a nuclear reaction and then harnessing this heat to produce electricity. It was an offshoot of the nuclear weapons industry. After scientists successfully learned how to build the atomic bomb, government funded research and development was committed to civilian application and nuclear development. Researchers hoped to be able to harness the enormous energy produced by nuclear reactions for peaceful use. Governments have continued to play a crucial role in the nuclear industry and Western governments have expended significant financial resources to the development of nuclear power. The US government spent $70 billion between 1948 and 1998 while the OECD governments had spent $318 billion by 1992 on nuclear energy research and development (Caldicott, 2006).Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nuclear energy encompasses two varying but related forms of reactions fission and fusion. In nuclear fission, nuclear power is produced by splitting a radioactive isotope of a heavy element into two or more smaller nuclei (Benedict, 1971). The newly formed nuclei are positively charged and they repel each other thereby traveling at high speeds in opposite directions. If there are other fissionable atoms nearby, they may be induced to fission by colliding with the high speed traveling nuclei from the first fission atom and this creates a chain reaction (McKinney Schoch, 2012). The chain reaction taking place due to nuclear fission has to be controlled. If it is allowed to go on in an uncontrolled manner, it will lead to a nuclear meltdown. Control rods are the devices used to regulate the nuclear fission process. These rods are made of material that readily absorbs neutrons, such as cadmium and boron. The nuclear chain reaction can be completely stopped by inserting the control rods fully into the nuclear reactor. In the fusion process, the nuclei of light elements fuse together to form heavier elements. An enormous amount of energy is released in this process thereby creating nuclear power. The first artificial fusion reaction was attained when the US detonated a hydrogen bomb in 1954. However, controlled and sustained fusion reactions are not yet feasible as a commercial energy source. The lack of success in harnessing energy from the fusion process for commercial energy production is due to the extremely high temperatures needed to initiate the fusion reaction. McKinney and Schoch (2012) reveal that researchers are working to come up with a practical means of producing t he extremely high temperatures needed for fusion and to contain the fusion reaction after it gets started. How Nuclear Power Works All modern nuclear power plants make use of the fission process to produce energy. A great amount of energy is required to split an atom and to accomplish this a nuclear reactor, which is a machine that shoots electricity-charged neutrons at atoms at great speeds, is used. The reactor consists of a core, which has the nuclear fuel (usually uranium), a moderator to slow neurons down, and control rods to regulate the rate of the fission process (Sivanagaraju, 2010). When the nuclear power plant is in operation, vast amounts of heat energy are generated in the reactor core. Water is used as the main coolant for the core.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Nuclear Power Station Advantages and Disadvantages specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The water in the nuclear power plant is contain ed in a primary and a secondary loop. The primary loop circulates around the core and its water directly cool the core. During the cooling process, the water in the loop absorbs the core’s heat energy. Lilley (2010) states that the water in the primary loop is push under high pressure to retain it liquid form. The primary loop is exposed to the core and the water in it potentially becomes radioactive. The water is therefore recycled and not exposed to the environment. The secondary loop contains water that is heated by the primary loop through a heat exchanger. This heat turns the secondary loop water into steam. Since the water in the secondary loop does not come into direct contact with the primary loop water, it is not radioactive. The steam is therefore used directly to turn turbines in generators and produce electricity. Advantages of Nuclear Power Nuclear power reduces the negative environmental impact that electricity generation activities cause. Without nuclear power, industrialized countries such as the US would have to rely overwhelmingly on coal burning to generate electricity. McKinney and Schoch (2012) assert that coal causes severe environmental degradation as harmful greenhouse gases are produced and harmful particles are introduced into the environment. The other major source of electricity generation is hydro power plants and these facilities result in significant pollution to the environment. Hydroelectric power plants lead to flooding in the upstream areas and encourage the proliferation of disease-bearing organisms due to the disruption caused to natural water flow. Nuclear energy provides the only feasible solution to provide for the growing electricity demands in the world. The global electricity demand is expected to double in the next 2 decades (Hore-Lacy, 2011). Nuclear energy is able to provide continuous reliable supply to meet the global energy demands. To reduce the reliance on the non-renewable fossil fuels, renewable alter natives such as wind and solar energy have been proposed. Many nations have established power plants that harness these resources to produce electricity. However, these alternatives suffer from a lack of reliability. Wind power relies on the presence of substantial amounts of wind while solar energy requires the continuous radiation from the sun. For these two alternatives to be exploited, the power station has to be fitted with substantial back-up capacity in order to provide continuous energy.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The prices for the fuel for nuclear reactors is low and relatively stable making the unit cost of electricity from nuclear power stations fairly predictable (Sivanagaraju, 2010). The Fossil fuel prices are unstable and most times, they are escalating. This makes reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation unreliable and expensive. The price fluctuation has a negative economic impact on the countries that rely on fossil fuels for electricity generation. The price for uranium, which is the primary fuel for nuclear reactors, is stable which makes the cost of electricity from nuclear power stations steady over extended periods of time. Nuclear power stations are capable of providing cheap electricity especially when the power generated is large (Sivanagaraju, 2010). After the initial capital expenses have been incurred, the running costs of the power station are low. The amount of energy obtained from a small amount of nuclear fuel also contributes to the reduction in the cost p er unit. Nuclear power plants have established themselves as the safest means of large-scale commercial power generation. Since the start of commercial nuclear energy production, nearly 6 decades ago, nuclear power generation has shown an impressive safety record (Benedict, 1971). McKinney and Schoch (2012) reveal that the wide publicizing of the few nuclear accidents has caused the perception that nuclear power plants are unsafe. In reality, other sources of electricity generation have had many accidents and caused more deaths than nuclear power plants. The use of nuclear power to produce electricity increases the energy dependence of a country. Most nations rely on the fossil resources to satisfy their energy production. Overdependence on fossil fuels leads to energy dependency on the nations that have huge fossil fuel reserves. The non-oil producing nations of the world are forced to spend a lot of foreign currency importing these products. Nuclear power plants reduce the demands for coal, gas, and oil therefore promoting energy reliance in countries that lack fossil fuel resources. This increases the freedom of the country and also saves it millions of dollars that would have been used importing fossil fuels. Nuclear power plants have less space requirements compared to other electricity production methods such as hydroelectric. This is a major advantage since land is becoming a scarce resource as the human population increases and more land is required for industrial activity. The limited space requirements of nuclear power stations mean that they can be constructed relatively nearer to the load center in order to reduce transmission losses. Disadvantages of Nuclear Power Nuclear power makes use of nonrenewable resources, which means that this source of energy cannot provide for humanity’s energy needs indefinitely. Loyn (2011) documents that uranium, which is the main fissile fuel use in nuclear reactors, is a finite resource and the available ura nium deposits are expected to run out in about 100 years. The widespread availability of uranium is already diminishing as more nations set up nuclear power stations. Nuclear power can therefore not be relied upon to provide energy for generations to come. Nuclear power plants produce toxic waste that can be harmful to the environment. Nuclear plants make use of uranium and plutonium to produce the heat energy through the nuclear reaction. Once these raw materials have been used for the production of nuclear energy, they are radioactive in nature and must be stored safely. Meisen and Hunter (2007) document that these toxic byproducts have a very long half-life and they must be stored safely for thousands of years. A nation that wishes to use nuclear power to generate electricity has to invest in a sophisticated waste disposal program. Nuclear power plants require large quantities of water during routine operations. This water is used for cooling purposes and for turning the turbines to generate electricity. While most of the water is reused in the operation, significant water is released into the atmosphere therefore making the water requirements for the power plant great (Caldicott, 2006). The huge water requirements make it expensive for nuclear power plants to be constructed at locations where there is no large water supply. In addition to this, nuclear power plants lead to the contamination of water since the water in the primary loop becomes radioactive due to contact with the core. The mining and processing of the uranium resources necessary to fuel nuclear power plants has a major impact on the environment. Uranium is found in small concentration and a significant amount of uranium ore has to be mined in order to extract uranium from the earth. McKinney and Schoch (2012) state that more than 140,000 metric tons of uranium ore has to be mined to supply the uranium fuel consumed by a 1,000-megawatt capacity nuclear power plant annually. Caldicott (2006) r eveals that as more nuclear power plants are commissioned, the demand for uranium will increase and this will deplete the high-grade deposits of uranium ore making it necessary for more land to be mined in order to extract the uranium. The level of damage in case of a major disaster in a nuclear power plant would be catastrophic. McKinney and Schoch (2012) chillingly warn that the typical modern nuclear power plant contains within its walls radiation equivalent to that of a thousand Hiroshima bombs (p.223). In a worst-case nuclear accident scenario, up to 100,000 immediate deaths would occur and tens of thousands of subsequent deaths would follow due to radiation poisoning. The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 demonstrated the huge environmental implications that a nuclear power station accident can cause. Chudley (2012) documents that this accident led to the severe contamination of over 10,000 square kilometers of territory in former USSR Is Nuclear Power Friendly to the Environment? Nu clear power presents an additional danger to the environment since an accidental spillage has adverse effects on the surrounding environment. Caldicott (2006) warns that there is danger of the huge quantities of radioactive waste accumulating from nuclear power leaking and contaminating drinking water and food chains in many parts of the world. In addition to the risk of accidental spillage, nuclear power plants are making the environment unsafe. Nuclear power plants emit routine radiation that may be dangerous to the environment. Caldicott (2006) states that the radioactive elements released from the nuclear fuel cycle cause damage to living cells. The environment is in constant danger from the harmful byproducts of nuclear power stations. Nuclear power plants produce toxic radioactive waste that must be safely stored to avoid environmental contamination. Caldicott (2006) states that a regular 1,000 megawatt nuclear power plant generates 30 tons of extremely dangerous radioactive w aste annually. So far, a safe means of disposing of the deadly radioactive waste is yet to be developed. However, it should be noted that the dangers to the environment all require catastrophic failures in the nuclear power plants. While nuclear power plants pose significant threats to the environment, the US Environmental Protection Agency (2012) asserts that these power plants are built with safety considerations as a priority. The reactor plants are shielded to ensure that the radiation is contained and does not escape into the environment. The impressive safety record of nuclear power stations all over the world suggests that nuclear energy is actually friendly to the environment. In addition to this, nuclear power plants reduce the environmental effects caused by traditional energy production methods since they do not release any harmful gases into the environment. The Future of Nuclear Power Nuclear power plants promise to reduce carbon emissions while at the same time guarant eeing energy security for decades to come. However, this energy production method can still be improved upon. At the present, the nuclear power generation plants make use of nuclear fission. Loyn (2011) states that nuclear fusion is yet to be developed for use in civilian power stations. Hore-Lacy (2011) reveals that it is hoped that by the time the uranium supplies in the world are exhausted, nuclear fusion will be an option. If this technology is perfected, the society will be able to benefit from the enormous amount of energy produced from this process. In addition to this, the resources needed for nuclear fusion are in abundant supply. Loyn (2011) reveals that Deuterium, the isotope of hydrogen used in nuclear fusion, can be extracted from ordinary water. Since ordinary water is available in abundance, nuclear fusion can provide enough energy to last humanity for millions of years. The major disadvantages attributed to nuclear power plants are associated with the use of fission reactors. If major developments are made in fusion technology, these demerits of nuclear power will be eliminated. Scientists agree that fusion would be an ideal energy source since it would provide enormous amounts of energy from an infinite resource (ordinary water) and without the radioactive waste products that fission produces (Loyn, 2011). Conclusion This paper set out to discuss nuclear power station with focus on the advantages and disadvantages of these stations. The paper begun by defining nuclear power and elaborating on how nuclear power can be used to produce electricity. It has demonstrated that nuclear power is capable of producing enough electricity to satisfy the growing global energy demands. The paper has also highlighted some of the most important advantages of nuclear power, including its low environmental impact, reliability, reduced unit price, and limited space requirements. In addition to this, the paper has recognized that there are major risks associated w ith using nuclear power to generate electricity. However, measures can be taken to mitigate these risks and ensure that the society is able to harness the enormous energy held in nuclear power at minimal risk. A discussion on the future of nuclear energy has been made. The paper has demonstrated that for nuclear power to serve as an alternative to fossil fuel, major developments have to be made in nuclear fusion since the currently preferred method, nuclear fusion, is unsustainable. However, the current fission power plants are a relevant alternative to fossil fuels. These nuclear power plants will continue to play a crucial role in providing for the growing global energy demands for decades to come. References Benedict, M. (1971). Electric Power From Nuclear Fission. PNAS, 68(8), 8-16. Caldicott, H. (2006). Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer to Global Warming Or Anything Else. Melbourne: Melbourne Univ. Publishing. Chudley, A. (2012). Genetic implications and health consequences follo wing the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Clin Genet, 77(1), 221–226. Hore-Lacy, I. (2011). Nuclear Power and Energy Sustainability. S CB, 23(1), 159-176. Lilley, S. (2010). System Failure Case Studies: Island Fever, NASA Safety Center, 4 (3), 23-34. Loyn, C. (2011). Can Nuclear Power Save the Climate? Young Scientists Journal, 9(1), 16-19. McKinney, M.L. Schoch, R.M. (2012). Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions. NY: Jones Bartlett Publishers. US Environmental Protection Agency (2012). Nuclear Power Plants. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/radtown/nuclear-power-plants Sivanagaraju, S. (2010). Generation and Utilization of Electrical Energy. New Delhi: Pearson Education India.

A Tragic Hero Things Fall Apart English Literature Essay

A Tragic Hero Things Fall Apart English Literature Essay Things Fall Apart is an intriguing story of how an Indian tribe is cultivated and one man’s pride brings him down. Okonkwo is flawed but has a desire to do good for his clan. As the protagonist the clan’s conflict is sought out by Okonkwo and his excessive pride. Building his compound from nothing, Okonkwo demands authority and power amongst his fellow clansmen. By the end of the story Okonkwo is unwilling to compromise due to his pride and is brought down by it even though he has a good clan stature and power. Okonkwo is a tragic hero and fulfils all the qualifications to be considered one. There are four criteria of a tragic hero, which shape the character’s fate. The character must be flawed but have the potential or want to do good, and have a lot of pride. Conflict is attempted to be resolved by the hero because they are often the protagonist. A protagonist is a leading character that is used to influence the direction of the plot. The tragic hero has oppor tunity, wealth, or power. In the end the tragic hero’s quality of excessive pride will bring him down and the opposite of what the reader thinks will happen does indeed occur. Okonkwo is the son of Unoka, who was a very lazy and worthless man who held no tribe titles and did not look after his family. Many people knew Unoka as this and his name was soiled. He borrowed lots of money from friends and deceived them by not so much as attempting to repay them. Having been born at this disadvantage Okonkwo had to work extra hard to have a normal lifestyle or even to rise above that as a leader in the Umuofia clan. â€Å"Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men usually had. He did not inherit a barn from his father. There was no barn to inherit†(Achebe, 19). This quote exploits Okonkwo’s father as a failure and defines Okonkwo as a tragic hero not because of his low birth status but because of the internal hatred it creates in him. He becomes cold he arted to anything weak or lazy and can not easily be pleased with anything. Later his son Nwoye leaves him because of his harsh treatment, even though Okonkwo had good intentions. Nwoye attended the Christian church and was brutally beaten when asked where he had been. A neighboring tribe committed a crime against the Umuofia clan and Okonkwo was sent as a messenger to lay out options. â€Å"And such was the deep fear that their enemies had for Umuofia that they treated Okonkwo like a king and brought him a virgin who was given to Udo as wife, and the lad Ikemefuna† (Achebe, 59). Okonkwo is very strong and his chi agrees with him making him more powerful. He is aggressive and respected due to his pride and confidence that he carries about himself. This leads him to be uncompromising and violent, but he uses these qualities for what he thinks is good.

The Impact of global recession on microfinance in Asia.(approximate Assignment

The Impact of global recession on microfinance in Asia.(approximate topic) - Assignment Example Thus, micro finance narrowly deals with the provision of small loans to low income individuals to help them start small business ventures. Microfinance does not involve large loans as poor people seldom need large loans or want to start big business ventures. Microfinance advocates believe that providing access to finance can help poor people in getting the resources to help themselves out of poverty. Poor people are usually avid savers but they save in kind rather than in cash. Jewelry, gold, animals and building materials are examples of things that they save which might not always be turned into cash easily. If they require finance, they borrow from relatives or landlords and other informal mechanisms which are often exploitative. (Micro finance, 2008) The modern microfinance mechanism is accredited to Dr. Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, the founder of Grameen Bank. He experimented with lending to poor women in rural areas and achieved great success due to high repayment rate and in terest rates. Although, bankers were unwilling to assume the risks and costs associated with micro lending, micro finance institutions succeeded in focusing on women and charging high interest rates that the poor were willing to pay. Although micro credit institutions have existed since the 1700’s, it wasn’t till Grameen Bank in 1983 that the approach to micro finance changed. Currently, it is considered a vital element in the eradication of poverty as it enables the poor to lift themselves out of their situation. (The history of Microfinance, 2006) The report covers the role and limitations of microfinance as well as the effect that the recession has had on this sector. It further takes Kazakhastan’s microfinance sector into account and the implications the downturn has had on it. The importance of microfinance: According to a study by Robinson (2002); 90% of the citizens in developing countries lack access to financial services from established institutions wh ether it is for credit or savings (Vincent, 2004). The impact of the financial sector on the economy and growth of the country is great and this unavailability of finance leads to the vicious poverty cycle of low investment, low productivity and thus low growth. Microfinance is a tool to empower the power, to provide them resources to invest in venture that will increase productivity and lead to economic growth. Although there are conflicting views to microfinance’s real contribution to economic growth and poverty alleviation it is a vital socio-economic tool. The importance of microfinance is that it focuses on the grass roots rather than on dev elopement from top. It focuses on the basics likes a woman getting a loan to set up a PCO and not on setting up industries; thus microfinance is within the grasp of the poor and does not require grand visions but rather baby steps. The investment of credit in an enterprise that leads to the generation of income increases economic gro wth and development. It not only leads to higher productivity but rather a higher standard of life. It expands income sources and increase aggregate demand thus has a multiplied positive effect on the economy and the lives of the poor. It is important to realize the importance of microfinance in providing income that is sustainable, the ventures that microfinance should focus on should be economically and environmentally sustainable to be successful so they help