Introduction (Summary Of The Case). Lowe’S Companies Is

Introduction (Summary of the Case) Lowe’s Companies is a Fortune 500 American company that operates a chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Lowes was founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina the chain has 1,840 stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I work for the Lowe’s located at 1520 E 79th Ave Merrillville, IN 46410. The company’s website is www.lowes.com. Job satisfaction is essential to Lowe’s. Job satisfaction Is the positive attitude towards one’s job (Daft, p. 462). The topic of job satisfaction is important to top management because when organizations keep their workers happy it helps strengthen a company by lowering the turnover rate, increasing†¦show more content†¦They want to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when they can perform their jobs. When there is a lack of training, the employees do not understand their job functions or what is expected of them. Poor management is creating a negative working environment and effecting employee retention. Poor management skills of the team is causing a disconnect with the employees which results in disengagement from the employees and a lack of motivation. Employee engagement means that people enjoy their jobs and are satisfied with their work conditions, contribute enthusiastically to meeting team and organizational goals and feel a sense of belonging and commitment to the organization (Daft, 2012, p. 552). Employees do not understand what is expected of them because the management team is not effectively communicating expectations. The lack of communication within the store is causing major conflicts between management and employees. The lack of communication is causing the management team to ineffectively communicate directions. According to Daft (p. 565), communication is the process by which information is exchanged and understood by two or more people. The employees are confused about their job assignments or the goal that they are working towards because of poor communication skills from the management team. Innovative Management Idea/Solution Alternate Courses of Action The first solution that I recommend to help reduce theShow MoreRelatedLowes Case Study Essay examples3044 Words   |  13 PagesExecutive Summary This general case study on Lowes will convey the conclusions drawn by our team along with our recommendations on how this company should proceed. As discussed in the introduction (1 A/B) there is one key problem with Lowes and that is the fact that they are not number one. The introduction further outlines some areas of improvement within the Lowes company such as maintaining and improving current success, increasing market share, boosting sales growth and offsetting increasingRead MoreLowes4268 Words   |  18 PagesAccounting/Financial Analysis Of Lowes Inc. Lowe’s is the world’s second largest home improvement retailer and operated 952 stores in forty five states at their fiscal year ending January 30, 2004. The company is currently in the midst of the most aggressive expansion in its history with 130 new stores opened in 2003 and another 140 slated for this year. Lowe’s saw 2003 sales reach approximately $30.8 billion, due largely to their focus on the retail customers and home-improvement projects. Read MoreValue Line Publishing - Case Analysis3345 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿VALUE LINE PUBLISHING, OCTOBER 2002 Case Analysis Report Introduction The Retail Building – Supply Industry remains to be going strong despite the slow economic growth in 2002; this is due to low interest rates and strong housing market. This industry with the size of $175 billion is expected to reach $194 billion after five years. 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The As Multidimensional And Nursing - 1297 Words

CUTIE KURIAKOSE DURHAM COLLEGE NURS – 2516- 02 PROF. JOANNA GALLACHER 100612273 JUNE 17, 2017 INTRODUCTION Many professions out there is often described as multidimensional and Nursing is one of the profession that lives up to all the expectations to be called as a multidimensional profession as there are many fields or departments that a nurse can specialise in. Gerontological Nursing is a field†¦show more content†¦Finally S represents skin break down where the focus is to determine condition of patient’s skin and if they face any risk for skin breakdown . Interview setting and Patient history Patient name is Stella Baxter , a 93 years old pleasant lady . She worked in a court as clerk from where she retired 35 years ago. She was first hospitalised with a hip fracture in 2013 , later she had undergone a hip surgery . While she was recovering from the surgery , it was found out that she had a left basal ganglia stroke . Her combined diagnoses a re Hypertension , Hypothyroidism , Osteoarthritis , Osteoporosis and GERD. She has right side weakness as a result of the stroke. I was assigned for her care on week 6 of my placement and I completed my spices assignment on the same day . In the morning after her breakfast I asked for consent to do the interview and she replied that she will be happy to help me but she wanted to do that after 3 pm. So I approached her for the interview at 3 pm and she gave consent . Discussion Of The Interview I asked her few questions from each focus in the SPICES tool , that I had already prepared. When enquired aboutShow MoreRelatedConcepts Of Health And Nursing1294 Words   |  6 Pages Compassion in Nursing NU 315 Concepts of Health Nursing Shelly Howell Compassion, or caring can be viewed as â€Å"nursing’s most precious asset† (Schantz, 2007), a fundamental element of nursing care (Dietze and Orb, 2000), and as one of the strengths of the profession. According to Torjuul et al (2007), it involves being close to patients and seeing their situation as more than a medical scenario and routine procedures. Compassion is to feel passion withRead MoreThe Effects Of Stress On Nursing Students Academic Performance And Health1250 Words   |  5 Pagesexperienced in a university context, nursing students also contend with problems associated with patients, educators, and the hospital environment during clinical practice. Thus, these aspects contribute to the stress related to being a nursing student (Karadag et al., 2008). Stress is a factor of key importance because it negatively affects nursing students academic performance and health (Rhead, 1995; Sheu et al., 1997). Consistently, studies report that nursing students self-esteem is negativelyRead MoreThe Importance Of Burnout In Nursing1236 Words   |  5 PagesIn the nursing profession, nurses are subject to various types of burnout. This coined concept has been associated with professions that are centered around helping people. Predominantly, nursing is a profession where providing care for the sick and unwell is crucial and can sometimes take a toll on the nurses. When nurses experience job burnout, both the nurses and the patients suffer. Nurses no longer enjoy going to work, and as a result, patients are not advocated for appropriately. This can becomeRead MoreThe Evolution Of Nursing Care Theories1463 Words   |  6 Pagescomplexities of 21st century medicine is the evolution of nursing care theories in combination with a changing need and expectation of the stakeholder population. Nurses must be advocates and communicators, but must balance these along with an overall philosophy of eth ics while still remaining mindful of budgets and the need for the medical institution to be profitable. It seems as if these issues comprise a three-part template for nursing: respect for patient value individuality, education of patientsRead MoreAnalysis Of Healthy Cities738 Words   |  3 PagesHealthy Cities It is difficult to measure the health of an entire city since health is multidimensional. Therefore, looking at population’s well-being in regards to their physical, psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual perspectives are necessary. These dimensions are further affected by health amenities, health promotion, environmental enhancement, and social care within the city (Webster Sanderson, 2013). In order to evaluate these four factors, objective and subjective data about theRead MoreHistorical Perspective Essay630 Words   |  3 Pages Historical Perspective Essay Nursing theories guide nursing research, they have been long used and intergraded as part as the nursing profession. The nursing profession, past, present, and future will incorporate research. 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As time passes, nursing continues to apply in daily practice this value experience with so much meaningful to the 21st Century. Follows this historical Legacy is essential for every student nurse to be able to understand the past and their own nursing roots (2010). â€Å"Nightingale was committed to empiricism.Read MoreCommunication Is A Basic Tool For Humans Essay972 Words   |  4 Pagesgratification and collect information that to identify needs for welfare. The task of communicating has always existed. As humans we interact with our environment, continuously we emit messages (verbal or non-verbal), to the world around us. From nursing to establish a correct support relationship with patients, we must learn to communicate. For this we need to acquire a range of abilities and skills that will ensure the wellbeing of the patient in a holistic aspect (bio-psycho-social) such as empathy

Gun Control Debate Essay Example For Students

Gun Control Debate Essay Gun ControlGun control is an awfully big issue in the United States today. Many people in America dont agree with the gun control laws that they have today. Gun control laws only take guns and freedom away from law-abiding citizens. Many citizens have their own reasons for owning a gun. Why would the government want to make it harder for people to own a gun? People that own guns arent very likely to be attacked by criminals. Owning a handgun is one of the best ways of protection when used correctly. The second amendment states the right to bear arms; does this grant everyone the right to own a gun? Gun control laws have not been proven to do anything for citizens. Gun control laws just make it harder for the good guy average Joe to own a gun. Gun control laws are not a good idea, and are taking part in the loss of our freedom that was given to us. (http://www.constitution.org/2l/2ndschol/133sec.html, 1996)Gun control only takes guns away from law-abiding people and it does nothing to stop criminals from buying illegal guns, who are unlikely to obey the law and register their guns at all. Most of the time the term gun control is improperly used. The definition of gun control is the government regulation of possession and use of firearms by private citizens. The government is using it as way to take our right to bear arms away from us. (Kluin, pg 121, 1982)There are many reasons that people want to own a gun. One of the main reasons that people own a gun is protection for themselves and their family. In a survey given about guns, self defense was the main reason for owning a gun. Guns provide a great source of psychological reassurance even among citizens who are not particularly concerned about the fear of crime of being victimized. The right of self-defense and the right to use firearms for self-defense and the defense of your family is the foundation for rights written in the U.S. constitution. (Long, pg 28, 1989)Why does the government make it harder for average citizens to protect themselves? Police cannot always protect everyone in the community. There are only about 500,000 police officers throughout the country, which means there is around 125,000 police officers on duty at any given time. Other than a bodyguard or a law enforcement officer at everyones side twenty-four hours a day, the most effective deterrent to a criminal attack is the criminals fear that the potential victim is armed and prepared to defend themselves. Courts have ruled that there is no constitutional right to be protected by the state against being murdered by criminals, which means that police have no duty to protect the individual citizen. (http://www.guncite.com, 2004)It is not very likely of being attacked when somebody is armed. Criminals fear armed citizens because of their right to protect themselves. Victims who used guns for protection were a lot less likely either to be attacked or injure d than victims who responded in any other way. According to the U.S. Justice Department victimization studies, an average citizen that uses arms or some sort of self-protection stands not just a greater chance of avoiding injury than the criminal, but also your chances of getting in trouble for using the arms on an un-armed criminal. The police force went on strike in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and during this time the crime rate extremely decreased because terrified citizens armed themselves and protected their homes and businesses. Criminals did not want to face citizens that were armed protecting their own property with the same force the criminals used to steal it. .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 , .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .postImageUrl , .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 , .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:hover , .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:visited , .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:active { border:0!important; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 { 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; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:active , .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .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; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525 .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u777af3fe25750e185dcec92f64e1c525:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Asian Families Essay(Zimring, pg 33, 1995)Ownership of handguns stops thousands of victim injuries and deaths that would not have been avoidable given the advantages that criminals have over unarmed citizens. In 1980, between 1,500-3,000 felons were legally killed by armed civilians as self-defense and about another 8,700-16,600 criminals were wounded under the same circumstances, which mean it was legal. If this information is accurate, then civilians kill and injure by far a lot more felons annually than police officers do. Everyone knows that police officers are trained to ask questions first and shoot later, but people

White Lies Essay Example

White Lies Essay In the poem â€Å"White Lies† by Natasha Trethewey I felt like this poem represents imagism because it mentions six different colors all describing lies. It’s about an African American girl that may tell little lies that don’t really mean much. She lies about where she lives, where she brought her clothes, and would also lie about being African American. When she lies about her skin color in the line, â€Å"I could even keep quiet, quiet as kept, like the time a white girl said (squeezing my hand), Now we have three of us in this class. It’s sad because she is not lying to act cool. When she writes â€Å"squeezing my hand,† I sensed that she only lied because she liked the way the girl was acting like her friend. The first stanza does a really good job in explaining why this poem would fit in the imagery category because it describes that she is really light skinned for an African American. It states, â€Å"I was growing up/light-bright, near-white, high-yellow, red-boned in a black place. The words â€Å"light-bright† and â€Å"near-white† make you think of a very light color. I also got the double meaning with the color white. White is connected throughout the poem to lies, at the end of the poem it is connected to soap that will purify or cleanse someone. She writes, â€Å"She laid her hands on me, then washed out my mouth with Ivory soap. This is to purify, she said, and cleanse your lying tongue. † Theses few lines make you think that she’s trying to describe white as the right thing. We will write a custom essay sample on White Lies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on White Lies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on White Lies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The author does this again in the second stanza when she writes, â€Å"I could act like my homemade dresses come straight out of the window at Maison Blanche. † This line makes me think that dresses from the White House are better than others. I think the overall message of this little girl is that she used to think that white was better than black. Clothes were better from the white house, minds are more pure with white soap, and lies that are only white are very pretty.

Analysis Of The Immigration Problem Essays - Demography, Population

Analysis Of The Immigration Problem Essays - Demography, Population Analysis of the Immigration Problem The world has gone through a revolution and it has changed a lot. We have cut the death rates around the world with modern medicine and new farming methods. For example, we sprayed to destroy mosquitoes in Sri Lanka in the 1950s. In one year, the average life of everyone in Sri Lanka was extended by eight years because the number of people dying from malaria suddenly declined. This was a great human achievement. But we cut the death rate without cutting the birth rate. Now population is soaring. There were about one billion people living in the world when the Statue of Liberty was built. There are 4.5 billion today. World population is growing at an enormous rate. The world is going to add a billion people in the next eleven years, that's 224,000 every day! Experts say there will be at least 1.65 billion more people living in the world in the next twenty years. We must underezd what these numbers mean for the U.S. Let's look at the question of jobs. The International Labor organization projects a twenty-year increase of 600 to 700 million people who will be seeking jobs. Eighty-eight percent of the world's population growth takes place in the Third World. More than a billion people today are paid about 150 dollars a year, which is less than the average American earns in a week. And growing numbers of these poorly paid Third World citizens want to come to the United States. In the 1970s, all other countries that accept immigrants started controlling the number of people they would allow into their countries. The United States did not. This means that the huge numbers of immigrants who are turned down elsewhere will turn to the United States. The number of immigrants is staggering. The human suffering they represent is a nightmare. Latin America's population is now 390 million people. It will be 800 million in the year 2025. Mexico's population has tripled since the Second World War. One third of the population of Mexico is under ten years of age, as a result, in just ten years, Mexico's unemployment rate will increase 30 percent, as these children become young adults, in search of work. There were in 1990 an estimated four million illegal aliens in the United States, and about 55 percent of them were from Mexico. These people look to the United States. Human population has always moved, like waves, to fresh lands. But for the first time in human history, there are no fresh lands, no new continents. We will have to think and decide with great care what our policy should be toward immigration. At this point in history, American immigration policies are in a mess. Our borders are totally out of control. Our border patrol arrests 3000 illegal immigrants per day, or 1.2 million per year, and Two illegal immigrants get in for every one caught. And those caught just try again! More than 1 million people are entering the U.S. legally every year. From 1983 through 1992, 8.7 million of these newcomers arrived-the highest number in any 10-year period since 1910. A record 1.8 million were granted permanent residence in 1991. Because present law stresses family unification, these arrivals can bring over their spouses, sons and daughters: some 3.5 million are now in line to come in. Once here, they can bring in their direct relatives. As a result, there exists no visible limit to the number of legal entries. Until a few years ago, immigrants seeking asylum were rare. In 1975, a total of 200 applications were received in the U.S. Suddenly, asylum is the plea of choice in the U.S., and around the world, often as a cover for economic migration. U.S. applications were up to 103,000 last year, and the backlog tops 300,000 cases. Under the present asylum rules, practically anyone who declares that he or she is fleeing political oppression has a good chance to enter the U.S. Chinese are almost always admitted, for example, if they claim that China's birth-control policies have limited the number of children they can have. Right now, once aliens enter the U.S., it is almost impossible to deport

Human

Human AbstractThis paper will attempt to analyze cross-cultural and cultural psychology. It will examine the relationship between both, discuss the role of critical thinking in cross- cultural psychology, and discuss the methodology associated with cross-cultural research. Culture is a full range of behavior patterns (N.A. 2010, p. 1). Culture can be distinguished by a set of beliefs and attitudes from a given generation (Shiraev, Levy 2010, p. 2). It is a way of life passed down from generation to generation. Cross-cultural psychology deals with the culture and human behavior. In today's society cross-cultural psychologists investigate how culture affects individuals everywhere.Cross Cultural PsychologyCultural and Cross- Cultural Psychology"Culture is a set of attitudes, behaviors and symbols shared by a large group of people and usually communicated from one generation to the next (Shiraev Levy, 2010p2). Before reaching adulthood individuals learn how to understand their environment a ccording to his parents."English: Moulton Hall, formerly the Metcalf School...Culture is a full range of learned behavior patterns"(N.A., 2010, p .1). We notice individuals of African, Japanese, Italian descent; individuals are referring to the customs and ideals that their parents used. It has become a way of life passed down from generation to generation. " in most cases, those who share your culture do so because they acquired it as they were raised by parents and other family members who have it" (N.A., 2010, p. 1). "There are certain behaviors that are associated with culture such as norms, roles, customs, traditions, habits, practices, and fashions" (Shiraev Levy, 2010, p.3). Cultures can be explained as experiencing explicit and implicit (Shiraev, Levy 2010, p .4). Certain practices in some cultures that are more dominate than others, for example saying, goodbye, and hello in our culture. "Implicit culture implies the information and cultural rules are implied and already.. .

Three Models of Corporate Social Responsibility Assignment

Three Models of Corporate Social Responsibility - Assignment Example The proliferation of mass media and web-based information highway has increased social and environmental awareness globally in the last 20 years. The increase in democratic societies since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and crumbling of dictatorships in the developing world, has meant that many local communities previously disenfranchised, and exploited by unscrupulous business activities now have avenues for demanding greater social responsibility from corporations. The Nobel Prize-winning Economist, Milton Friedman is well known for his argument against Corporate Social Responsibility for a business organization. Friedman (1970) argues firstly that human beings having a moral responsibility for their actions, not corporations, secondly that managers have the sole responsibility to act only in the interests of shareholders and lastly the fact that social issues and problems are the proper province of the state rather than corporate managers. Crane and Matten (2004), disagree with Friedman’s premise and argue that it is crucial that the fundamental nature of the business operations is questioned. They argue that corporations have to have some sense of moral responsibility in the very same way that individuals are responsible for their actions. They are the legal responsibility of corporations that demand that businesses abide by the law, but a moral dimension also requires that they be socially and environmentally responsible. The social responsibilities they refer to includes aspects of charitable donations, the building of schools or learning centers in communities, sponsoring of arts and cultural events, as well as funding secondary and tertiary scholarships for the gifted indigent in the community they do business.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 98

History - Essay Example The fifteenth century financial crisis also meant a stop to financing to the influential and controlling marabouts and Sharifian families (Tignor, Adelman, Aron, Kotkin, and Marchand). The Islamic dynasties of the fifteenth century responded through the disruption of trade networks in the quest to rebuild devastated polities. The new polities enjoyed support because of the establishment of hereditary ruling families. Clear rules of succession promoted stability in the regions and enabled dynasties to form alliances and strengthen their armies. The Islamic dynasties of the sixteenth century focused on state-building efforts through religion and taxes. In consequence, they enjoyed substantial prolonged existence and impact on the masses. New administrative practices were common in their responses. The leaders enhanced local religious and cultural traditions, and religious harmony enhanced the much-needed economic progress. The Mali, Baghdad, and Cairo Muslim societies served as commercial trading centers. In Mali, the indigenous African dynasty adopted Islam through nonviolent means, while India was marred with brutal attacks against Hindu and Buddhist temples. In India, the Islamic society took some time before it stabilized and enjoyed peace because it relied on fear to keep subjects subservient. India was split into Muslim and Hindu territories while Africans in Mali largely accepted Islam. The Muslim societies that emerged in Mali prospered because of the vastness of the region. The traditional Muslim societies in Baghdad and Cairo faced political divisions because of religious differences. In Cairo, different social groups applied Islam differently because it was seen as a complex and diverse religion. Even so, they all agreed on the basic tenets of the religion. The early forms of Muslim cultures were guided by Arab influences, and most of the tenets were adopted from the behaviors

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Essay Example for Free

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Essay The Board of Education and Administration of Holland Elementary School have agreed on a decision that will come into effect at the beginning of the Fall 2013 school year. As well as introducing many of our newly acquired teachers to the classrooms, we will also introduce a new artificial intelligence that our students have never experienced before. This will come in the form of robotic instructors who will assist our current teachers with their work and teach other lessons on their own. This may come as a shock to some, but I am extremely confident in this decision. Artificial intelligence coming to the classroom this year will have a positive impact on our school system with increased teaching strategy to achieve a higher level of learning. Robots with artificial intelligence teaching students in the classroom is something that may seem to some like a science fiction fantasy, but the reality of the matter is that robotic helpers, teachers, and playmates are part of a booming technology that has already started flourishing in other countries. Articles from the New York Times have informed us on the hundreds of robots South Korea has already hired to assist teachers, and teach certain subjects on their own (Benedict Carey and John Markoff Students, Meet Your New Teacher, Mr. Robot Para 10). The robots they use are usually computer screened faces with bodies that have arms and legs, allowing them to be entirely mobile on their own. The robots use motion tracking and speech recognition to act human like. This makes them able to engage people in conversation, play games, complete simple tasks, and teach simple skills to others (Carey and Markoff Para 8). Adam Sneed, a researcher for The Future Tense Program explains in his article Coming Soon to a Kindergarten Classroom: Robot Teachers how robots give realistic human-like responses to social cues given by people in their surroundings (Para 6). They also understand the concept of personal space, and when approaching people, they know to stop before anyone’s personal space is invaded (Carey and Markoff, Para 19). The robots are programmed to act as if they have feelings similar to those of children. If the robot is damaged purposely by the students, it will begin to cry. Children react to this by feeling very sorry and backing off right away. If the robot continues to cry, the students offer it peace as they would with another child. Experiments that have shown this in the past are a display of the strong bond students can make with the robots (Carey and Markoff Para 25). Robots with artificial intelligence can engage children through many ways that are subconscious to humans. They hold eye contact with the children and use physical rhythm to stay involved with them. For example, if a child is swaying from side to side, the robot will start to sway as well. The robots mirror the children as a game to connect with them, gain their friendship, and build a sense of trust. If a student lifts his or her arm, the robot will lift their arm as well. The robots will also play vise-versa, letting the children mimic their moves (Carey and Markoff Para 4). Robots also show a large understanding of tasks that are explained to them. In a study done at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a robot was told where certain objects belong in a classroom and then was instructed to put them all away. When the robot came across a toy that it was unsure about, it stared at the toy in hesitation to pick it up. The robot’s instructor asked if it had any questions, and the robot replied by asking where the toy belongs. When it was explained that the green toy belongs in the g reen bin, the robot nodded its head, put the toy in the bin, and said â€Å"makes sense† (Carey and Markoff Para 45-47). This is an example of how the robots that will be incorporated into our classrooms can expand their knowledge and learn from the students to help them improve their teaching. Artificial intelligence is such a large benefit to our students because of all the good teaching qualities the robots have been programmed with that not all human teachers possess. These qualities include encouraging, non-judgmental, infinitely patient, and comforting. Our robots would never get mad at a student for something, and they will never yell at a student or make his or her feel bad for thinking incorrectly. James Marshall Crotty, co-founder/peripatetic publisher of Monk Magazine has recorded in his article Why Kids Prefer Robots to Teachers and Parents that students feel more welcomed and accepted because of this, allowing them to feel more room for guilt-free error. This will eliminate the social boundaries that often keep students from being creative so they will be able to be themselves with much mo re confidence and learn in a more proficient mind set (Forbes Para 7). Robots are able to detect when children are not engaged in the learning, and they are also able to understand signals that children subconsciously put out when they are confused or have a question they are waiting to ask, in which case the robot would offer them the chance to ask their question (Carey and Markoff Para 52). These are all very important skills that are necessary for an instructor to have. The new robots will be an extraordinary help to our special education program which includes mostly students with Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism. Sneed explains how robots will help our students learn social and cognitive skills in a way that is less intimidating to them than through human contact. At times when children with Autism are shy and will not communicate with other people, the robots are able to bring them out of their shell and teach them social skills (Para 5). The robots also provide the students with certain therapies that help their disabilities such as repetitive tasks and imitation. The robots are able to keep any student on task just as efficiently, if not more than human teachers, which is something that will benefit everyone (Carey and Markoff Para 20). Robots are especially good at teaching subjects such as foreign language. In a study performed at the University of Southern California, a robot was used to teach the Finnish language to a group of preschool students. It would pick up objects and say what they were in Finnish, and use productive teaching strategies such as games and repetition to help the children retain the information. When the study was finished, all of the words taught by the robot were significantly imbedded into the children’s memories, while the words they learned from multimedia tapes or other sources were not embedded well at all. This is due to the cognitive engagement, patience, and encouragement the robots provide for the preschoolers. Many different experiments such as this one show that robots’ teaching strategies impact students at about the same level as human teaching strategies (Carey and Markoff Para 21-24). Experiments are performed all over the world by many different specialists who study robotics, and anyone can see, their data concludes that artificial intelligence has a positive influence on the learning levels in a classroom. Specialists have also taken into account the feelings of children who have had the opportunity for artificial intelligence to become a part of their lives. Studies reported by Crotty show that a majority of students are pleased to have a robot to study and play with (Para 2). Robots are able to make games out of children’s homework, and the knowledge they gain from their assignments is portrayed as fun, giving them incentive to get their work done as well as possible. This is very helpful, especially for children who are discouraged in school and have low self-efficacy (Crotty Para 4). The robots are viewed by the children as friends and as very helpful companions. A quote from an article by Rendeiro Fonesca in United Academics Magazine brings us into the life of a boy who had artificial intelligence assisting him at home as well as in school: When I get home, my robot helps me with my homework. My mother and father came in and said no video games now, homework first, but when they saw that I was already finished and had done everything correctly, they were glad that I had made friends with the robot. It could do everything—play soccer, build Legos, read, do math, write, and all the movements a person can make. Since my parents really are always at work a lot, they can’t always help me or play with me or cook something. Now the robot helps them with that.† —Boy, 9, Germany. (Fonseca Robots in the Classroom Para 4) According to this article, children see their robots as reassuring, helpful, encouraging, and as a very big influence to help them with their learning. They often feel more comfortable being their true selves around the robots than they do with a teacher they are unfamiliar with, which helps to be creative in their work when the robots are around (Fonseca Para 10). They also encourage children to be proud of themselves, which gives them incentive to show their parents and human teachers how well they are doing with the instruction given by the robots (Crotty Para 6). While we understand that robots teaching children in the classroom is viewed as unnatural by many, we ask for your cooperation to please understand the significant advancement in technology that has occurred in the past ten years. In Crotty’s article, he also explains how technology is viewed through the eyes of children as something very human. It is a major part of our culture, and young students don’t know of any life deprived of the conveniences technology has given us (Para 4). Robots seem strange and unfamiliar to us, but every new technology appears this way when it is first introduced. The introduction of artificial intelligence to the Frenchtown Elementary School District will lower our budget by decreasing the amount we will be paying in teacher salary. It will bring new learning opportunities to our children, open up a new kind of culture into our lives, and provide excellent assistance to our special education teachers, as well as general classroom lessons. With this addition to our curriculum, the administration hopes to achieve higher state testing scores, and higher overall levels of learning and motivation. Works Cited Carey, Benedict, and John Markoff. Students, Meet Your New Teacher, Mr. Robot. The New York Times. The New York Times, 11 July 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2012 Crotty, James Marshall. Why Kids Prefer Robots To Teachers And Parents. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 03 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. Fonseca Rendeiro, Mark. Robots in the Classroom. United Academics: Connect Science and Society. UA Magazine, 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. Sneed, Adam. Coming Soon to a Kindergarten Classroom: Robot Teachers. Slate. The Slate Group, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.

Importance of Chemical Bonding | Essay

Importance of Chemical Bonding | Essay George Brown Chemical bonds are either ionic or covalent. When a metal is present the bond is ionic as an electron is given from the metal to the non-metal, so the two ions are attracted to each other. When a bond is between two non-metal’s then it is covalent meaning that in the outer electron shells of the two atoms bonded electrons share electron to complete their outer electron shell. When two atoms bonded together are not the same, the electrons will not be shared equally as each atom will be positively or negatively charged in relation to each other. This value is measured as the difference of the electronegativity of each atom present. The electronegativity of an atom is the potential for the atom to attract shared electrons towards itself. The difference in electronegativity between ionic bonds is greater than that of polar covalent bonds and greater still of non-polar covalent bond. An example of a non-polar covalent bond is H-I as the difference in electronegativity isn’t very high. An example of a polar covalent bond is H-Cl as the difference in electronegativity is higher than 0.5 and lower than 1.7 and an example of an ionic bond would be Na-Cl as the difference in electronegativity is above 1.7. In figure 1 it can be observed how the electrons are shared in ionic and covalent bonds. This explains the high difference in the resultant electronegativity between ionic and covalent bonds. Metal, as an ion, donates an electron making it positively charged and a non-metal, as an ion, gains an electron making it more negatively charged meaning the attraction between ionic bonds is greater than that of covalent bonds. Ionic bonded substances are more polar than covalent bonded substances thus a better solvent. NaCl has a much high boiling point (around 1413 °c) than for example HCl (around -85c) Sodium Chloride, better known as table salt, is an example of an Ionic bonded substance due to the high difference in electronegativity. Sodium and chlorine as elements are very reactive and thus poisonous to the human body in large quantities if uncontrolled. So the fact that sodium and chloride are ionically bonded helps to control the concentration of sodium and chlorine in the body as it can only be broken down when it needs to be in the liver. Sodium and chlorine is needed In low concentrations for key cell functions in nerve cells for maintaining the â€Å"resting potential of nerve axon cells which is -70 mV† (Hall et al., 2009) maintained by the â€Å"sodium potassium pump†. It is required for the nerve cells in the human body to function. It’s the reason for why you can feel or can react to stimuli. A molecule is always non polar, where the bonds between atoms in the molecule are non-polar an example of this would be H-I. Water is an example of a polar covalent bond as it consists of polar covalent bonds H-O and the molecule is asymmetrical. This means that water is a good solvent allowing it to transport sugars and salts around the body, in blood, as they can be easily dissolved in an aqueous solvent such as water. In figure 2 you can see the relative charge of the molecule in water. CCl4 is example of a molecule of which its atoms are polar bonded together but due to the symmetry of the molecule observed in figure 2 the polarity of the molecules cancels itself out, and it acts as if it’s non-polar in intermolecular interactions The strength between intermolecular bonds is a lot weaker than the strength of intramolecular bonds and the weakest form of intermolecular bond is a bond that uses Van der Waals forces or an instantaneous induced-dipole bond. These are observed when a nearby non-polar molecules experiencing an instantaneous dipole, due to the random nature of electron clouds oscillating on molecules, which induces a dipole of another molecule, it may cause a ripple effect inducing dipoles on nearby non-polar molecules. Larger molecules have a larger electron cloud which means the induced and potential electronegativity of instantaneous dipoles would be stronger. Van der Waals forces is the attraction that occurs between all molecules polar or non-polar, but is the only source of intermolecular attraction between non-polar molecules. Lower boiling points will be observed of substances of similar elements that are polar, dipole-dipole bonds or even stronger hydrogen(dipole-dipole) bonds, than that of n on-polar Van der Waals force bonds, as they are much stronger so it requires more energy(heat) to break them. Figure 3 is an example of an induced dipole bond from an instantaneous dipole. Hydrogen bonding (an example of a strong dipole-dipole bond) is another example of an intermolecular. Standard hydrogen bonding is an intermolecular bond where a hydrogen from one molecule is attached to one of the most electronegative elements; oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine of another molecule. Figure 4 shows a diagram of a hydrogen bond between two water molecules. These bonds help to keep the water molecules together so it requires more energy for the substance to change state from liquid into a gas. It also means when water is a solid (ice) it is less dense than when it is a liquid, which is unusual as usually substances tend to expand when they heat up. Heat is a measure of kinetic energy of a substance, so when substances, molecules or atoms, has more kinetic energy it is more fluid, less packed together (less dense). You can see in figure 4 that each oxygen atom is bonded from a combination of hydrogen (intermolecular) and covalent (intramolecular) bonds to 4 oxygen atoms. Ther e is a lot of free space around these atoms when they are structurally bonded this way, so this is why ice is less dense than water. The structural function of ice is important for all seasonal marine life and some land organisms as it allows ice to float. An example of a more complex intermolecular bond is ionic hydrogen bonding. Potential uses is discussed in the article BIOPHYISCAL (Kaledhonkar et al., 2013). The article states â€Å"Standard hydrogen bonds are of great importance for protein structure and function† but â€Å"Ionic hydrogen bonds often are significantly stronger than standard hydrogen bonds and exhibit unique properties† which allows them to be used in protein folding (polypeptides), modification in the golgi apparatus, enzyme active transport centres and the formation of membranes, processes that are all critical for life. Ionic hydrogen bonding is explained further in an article in chem. rev. (Meot-Ner (Mautner), 2005). The article states that â€Å"ionic hydrogen bonds (IHBs) that form between ions and molecules with bonds strengths of 5-35 kcal/mol, up to a third of the strength of covalent bonds†. Ionic hydrogen bonds are believed to be the strongest intermolecular bond but still only up to a third the strength of a covalent bond. So even the strongest intermolecular bonds are weaker than intramolecular bonds. [Word Count: 1058] References bbc.co.uk, (2014).BBC Higher Bitesize Chemistry Bonding, structures and properties : Revision, Page2. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/chemistry/energy/bsp/revision/2/ [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014]. Chemprofessor.com, (2014).Intermolecular Attractions or van der Waals Forces. [online] Available at: http://www.chemprofessor.com/imf.htm [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014]. Hall, A., Hickman, G., Howarth, S., Middlewick, S., Owens, N., Reiss, M., Scott, A. and Wilberforce, N. (2009).Salter-Nuffield Advanced Biology A2 Student Book. London: Edexcel Pearson, p.201. Kaledhonkar, S., Hara, M., Stalcup, T., Xie, A. and Hoff, W. (2013). Strong Ionic Hydrogen Bonding Causes a Spectral Isotope Effect in Photoactive Yellow Protein.Biophysical Journal, 105(11), pp.2577-2585. Meot-Ner (Mautner), M. (2005). The Ionic Hydrogen Bond.Chem. Rev., 105(1), pp.213-284. Physicsofmatter.com, (1998).Hydrogen Bond Disorder in Ice Structures. [online] Available at: http://www.physicsofmatter.com/NotTheBook/Talks/Ice/Ice.html [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014]. Page 1 of 7 Soil Water Contamination: Wheal Jane Incident Soil Water Contamination: Wheal Jane Incident The Wheal Jane incident was a significant mine water discharge event. The incident occurred in 1992, shortly after the mine closure. This report provides a brief description of the mine, the incident itself and the resulting aftermath. Wheal Jane Mine is located near the village of Chacewater, in Cornwall. The mine itself was formed in 1861, after the merging of five smaller mines. The oldest mine workings from the area were thought to date back as far as the 1740s (Cornwall Calling, 2017). The mine had worked many mineral lodes over its lifetime, producing tin, copper, and silver-lead (Cornwall in Focus, 2017). In the years leading up to its closure, the mine was primarily extracting cassiterite, the main source ore of tin, but older workings also produced pyrite and arsenopyrite, with the modern development drives taking the mine to 450 meters below surface level (University of Exeter, 2002). The mines of the Gwennap parish were all interconnected, with Wheal Jane connected to the neighbouring, working mine Mount Wellington, and to the abandoned workings of United Mines. Wheal Jane was an extremely wet mine, requiring dewatering measures in the region of 60,000 m ³ day-1 in the winter months. The pumped water was highly acidic, owing to the dissolved metals from the sulphide mineral deposits. Approximately half of pumped water was treated before being discharged into the Carnon river (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). Wheal Jane Mine had been working, on and off, from this time until its eventual closure in 1991 due to financial difficulties, primarily relating to the low price of tin, following the International Tin Agreement in 1985. Much of the mines infrastructure and equipment was sold off at the time of its closure, with the mines operational dewatering systems being turned off after a government grant subsidising the pumping costs was withdrawn (University of Exeter, 2002). After the mine closure, and the cessation of the government grant, the operational dewatering pumps were switched off, leaving only the tailings dam pumps remaining. With the dewatering measures stopped, the water level rose and filled the expansive voids underground, with the sulphide mineral bearing rock now being leached by the rising ground water. The NRA (National Rivers Authority, now part of the Environment Agency) was concerned of the potential of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) into the Carnon river and commissioned a survey to determine the potential impact of a mine water discharge, and its likely discharge points and timing. The investigation proved difficult to predict due to the unknown volume of connected, un-surveyed mine workings which would also need to fill before release (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). The NRA continued to monitor the water levels and water quality throughout the year. On November 17th 1991 the mine water levels reached 14.5 m AOD, and a mine water discharge event occurred through Janes adit. The water treatment lagoon onsite was quickly overwhelmed by a flow of approximately 5,000 m ³ per day of AMD at a pH of 2.8 (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). The NRA had contingency plans in place and immediately reacted by adding lime at the head of the adit to raise the pH and precipitate the metals from the mine water. A plug was constructed near the portal of Janes adit and the water pumped out into the tailings dam (University of Exeter, 2002). On January 4th 1992 a technical issue meant that the pumps to the tailings dam were stopped. The mine water levels quickly rose by an estimated 4 meters. The mine water built up and, on January 13th 1992, discharged through the Nangiles adit, which was the second lowest known discharge location after Janes adit. This released an estimated 50,000 m ³ of AMD (pH of 3.1) into the Carnon river over a period of 24 hours, flowing through the Restonguet Creek, Carrick Roads and into the Fal estuary (Bowen, Dussek, Hamilton, 1998). The contaminated water created a highly visual pollution event, as oxidation caused the iron rich water to turn a yellow-brown ochre colour, drawing worldwide media attention and causing much alarm to the community ( CL:AIRE, 2004). The mine water also contained considerable concentrations of heavy metals, most significantly being the presence of over 600 parts per billion Cadmium (University of Exeter, 2002). Following the discharge, new pumps were installed by the owners to pump water from the adit directly into the tailings dam as a short-term solution. Monitoring after the incident proved that the effects of the mine water discharge proved to be short-term only, with the NRA stating that There appears to have been no major adverse effects from the incident on the biota of the estuary. (National Rivers Authority, 1995). However, it was clear after the event that the mine water could not be left unchecked, and thus a water treatment solution was proposed. The NRA proposed both an active and passive treatment system. In 1994 a pilot passive treatment plant (PPTP) was constructed, as a research method for potential long-term treatment options. An active treatment plant was constructed in 2000. The PPTP contains three different treatment streams, all containing aerobic reed beds for removal of Iron and Arsenic, an anaerobic cell for removal of zinc, copper, cadmium and iron by bacterial reduction, and an aerobic rock filter which removes manganese through growth of algae (University of Exeter, 2002). The three streams differ however in the pre-treatment. One stream is first treated with lime to raise the pH, the second is first passed through an anoxic limestone drain, and the third stream involves no pre-treatment at all ( CL:AIRE, 2004). A report into the performance of the PPTP found that it offered inconsistent performance, and water discharge commonly exceeded the permitted water quality guidelines. The PPTP was also only processing 0.6 l/s of contaminated water, The active treatment plant took over from the PPTP in 2000. The process involves the addition of lime to increase the pH, and flocculant to precipitate out the metals in solution. The metal precipitates form a sludge, which is sent to a hold tank, and onto the tailings dam. The treated mine water is discharged out into the Carnon river. This system treats an average of 200 l/s, at a metal removal efficiency of 99.2% ( CL:AIRE, 2004). Whilst there have not been any significant long-term environmental impacts from the incident, it serves as a stark reminder of the potential environmental disaster that can come from mining activities, particularly from historical mines which were not subject to the same environmental regulations that are in place today. References CL:AIRE. (2004). Mine Water Treatment at Wheal Jane Tin Mine, Cornwall. CL:AIRE (Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments), 1-4. BBC. (2014, June 3). Pumping the polluted water from mines. Retrieved from BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26573994 Bowen, G. G., Dussek, C., Hamilton, R. (1998). Pollution resulting from the abandonment and subsequent flooding of Wheal Jane Mine in Cornwall, UK. London: Geological Society. Cornwall Calling. (2017). Retrieved from Cornwall Calling: http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/mines/carnon-valley/wheal-jane.htm Cornwall in Focus. (2017). Cornwall in Focus. Retrieved from http://www.cornwallinfocus.co.uk/mining/whealjane.php National Rivers Authority. (1995). Wheal Jane Mine Water Study. Ashford: Knight Pià ©sold. Retrieved from Environment Data: http://www.environmentdata.org/fedora/repository/ealit:2627/OBJ/20000033.pdf University of Exeter. (2002). The Wheal Jane Incident and water quality. Retrieved from Projects University of Exeter: https://projects.exeter.ac.uk/geomincentre/estuary/Main/jane.htm

Comparing four or more poems Essay

The world around you is full of relationships. Some good, some bad. A relationship can bring happiness and love whilst also bringing sadness and unpleasantness. Two people having emotional feeling for each other, sharing those feelings with comfort and pleasure, form a relationship. Many will say that a relationship is the best thing ever, whilst others may say it’s also the worst. When a relationship forms why does there always have to be a good and a bad part? One of the poems I have studied is ‘this be the verse’ by Philip Larkin. It is about a child blaming everything that has happened to him on his parents. Larkin has expressed his feelings for a relationship by using the bitter and brutal word ‘fuck’. He chooses these choices of words to shock the readers and members of his family. When the poem was write in 1960 the word ‘fuck’ would have been even more offensive than it is now. Ask yourself why call the poem ‘this be the verse’? Larkin uses the word ‘be’ to get his point across on relationships. Using the word ‘be’ makes his opinion a fixed thing. Larkin’s uses of language in this poem sets out the pessimistic image that your parents destroy you. You can tell that him and his parents have never really got along by the quote: ‘they fuck you up your mum and dad’. Larkin is applying that your parents mess you up when he states ‘they may not mean to but they do’. He also sets up the image of hatred by using the rhythm to bang in an effect of anger. The rhythm is bouncy and contracts with the message. Having said that it also depends on your mood when reading the poem. Larkin obviously had a disruptive childhood by the tone and the mood of his poem. ‘Add some extra just for you’. Larkin dents the ironic image by implying he is ashamed of his parents and their parents. The second verse sets up the impression that Larkin might have changed his mind about his parents as the first word is ‘but’. However I was wrong he carries on throughout the verse ‘slagging off’ his parents and grandparents by saying ‘by fools in old style hats and coats’. On verse three he still hasn’t changed his mind about his distraught childhood and his hatred towards his parents. ‘It deepens like a coastal shelf’ Larkin explains that his hurt and hatred built up and deepens more every time he got hurt. Larkin obviously cannot forget about this childhood and forgive his parents for the way he has turned out. He states ‘get out as early as you can’. Larkin gets the impression across the only way to stop you tuning out like you family is to kill yourself. ‘This be the verse’ is a misanthropic poem. Does this mean that Philip Larkin agrees with Sartre, that hell is other people? My opinion towards this poem is that the poet, Philip Larkin is cruel and bitter towards his parents. He gives off the impression very clearly that he has no respect for his parents and grandparents what so ever. And it is very clear that he is not willing to forgive his parents for the way in which he has turned out. However his opinion is different than mine. I feel that the way you turn out has some effect on your parents. However most of it is up to you, by the way you choose to dot things and the way you choose to learn from your mistakes yourself. Another poem I have chosen to study is called ‘the sick equation’ written by Brian Patten. What is a healthy equation? One that works, that provides an answer. Patten is implying that the ‘sick equation’ is one that doesn’t work. Signifying that his parents don’t work well together. At the beginning of each poem ‘this be the verse’ and ‘the sick equation’ they both have a point of comparison. Both poets bring the image across that a relationship is a fixed and bad thing by Patten using ‘absolute’ and Larkin using ‘be’. Are both poets establishing the same message? Patten’s poem talks about the difference at home and school. ‘In school I learned that one and one made two and could have been engraved in stone, an absolute I could not question or refute’. Patten gives out the impression that at school everything has an answer however at home nothing adds up. He the goes on to use the ironic message ‘but home sweet home’ he uses irony to get the message across that he doesn’t care. I feel using irony has more of an impact that not using it. In the second verse Patten uses the strong word ‘raw’. He describes that he is feeling hurt and the hatred towards his parents has grown strongly. ‘In that raw cocoon of parental hate’. ‘I came to believe how it was best that one remained one, for two, one at least would suffer so’. Here Patten explains that for the best its better to keep yourself to yourself, as if you are to become committed at least one of you would hurt. He objects with his mum and dad being together as one of them is always hurting. In the second verse Patten is applying that he had love but let it go by the comment ‘believing this I threw away so many gifts- I never let love stay enough to take to take root, but by thinking myself of too little worth I crushed all its messengers. His parents have let love go for him, they have spoiled love for him, the way his mum and dad acted towards each other impacted into Patten that love is not a good thing. He goes on to stay ‘I grew-or did not grow-and kept my head down low, and drifted with the crowd’. Even though he grew on the outside in height he still remained immature on the inside. ‘I stayed apart, stayed one claiming separateness was out of choice, and at every wedding ceremony I saw the shadow albatross- divorce- fall over groom and bride’. By saying this it implied that for some time that Patten never had the courage to have a full time relationship, as he was scared that the same might happen to him that happened to his parents. It feels that Patten sees a divorce at the beginning of a wedding. In the final verse Patten states that he can’t blame his parents for the way he turned out. (Unlike Larkin) he explains to the reader that he can’t judge everyone for the way they are or that way they have been brought up. He changes his opinion on his parents towards the end of the poem. Its absurd to believe all others are as damaged as we’, ‘the lesson that our parents taught’ he clearly feels he cannot blame his family for what had happened to him now and in the past. He can forgive and forget, unlike Larkin. Unlike Larkin, Patten chooses to only highlight the positive side of a relationship. Pattens choice of words hammer to message into the head that not all relationships are bad, just because he had a bad experience he learnt that you will always be able to love someone. The language he uses relates to his loneliness and hurt in his past. He expresses his hurtful past through his poetry. Another poem I looked at is ‘looking for dad’ again by Brain Patten. You can guess what Patten is going to talk about before reading it for yourself. His dad. The poem is about a boy who thinks his dad has ran away because he hadn’t tided his room, when really it was just another relationship ending disruptly. The poem is set out from the others, when you look at a poem the first thing you will notice is the fact is has verses. ‘Looking for dad’ is all joint together without any verses.

Quintessential Leader Description Essay

The main focus of this research paper is leadership qualifications in the workplace. Please structure a research paper to address the following issues: (A) Develop the academic foundations of leadership by providing a brief literature review of three (3) current articles (that is, within the last 4 years) that relate to any of Daniel Goleman’s theories. Research other articles not use used in the course. Make sure that the articles you choose are appropriate and related to you topic. The articles do not require Goleman as an author. (B ) Describe what you consider to be the quintessential good leader using additional research literature (in addition to those of the previous Goleman literature review) to support your defense. (C) Using the research from the Goleman literature reviews (category A), and the literature used to describe the quintessential leader (category B ), develop a theoretical leadership model with a focus on middle manager leadership qualifications for an existing or fictitious organization. Use one of the teamwork development models from threaded discussion 2.2 as one of the expectation of the leader. In other words, I want you to build an organization with a middle manager (leader) which instills all of the characteristics that you choose to describe, defend, and analyze. This is your chance to put your preferred leadership resource in place. It is recommended that you include at least three characteristics for your leadership qualification model. Note: you have full autonomy to provide the list of characteristics as long as it is defended using proper research methods. Make sure you analyze each characteristic and defend your assertions.

ACT Guessing Strategy The Top Mistake Students Make

ACT Guessing Strategy The Top Mistake Students Make SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT doesn't penalize guessing, so you should never leave any answer blank even if you have to take a completely blind guess. Even with this information, students still make one huge mistake. Here we expose the biggest ACT guessing strategy mistake students make, and suggest a much better approach. We've seen students improve 1-2 points immediately after applying this 5-minute strategy. The Biggest ACT Strategy Mistake ACT takers already know not to leave any questions blank – after all, the ACT doesn't penalize guessing. But many students take this to mean that they should spend substantial time on each question. These mistaken students think, "if I have to answer all questions, doesn't it make sense to spend at least 20-30 seconds looking at each?" The answer is a big, fat NO. Let me be clear: you have to give an answer for each question, but you DO NOT need to spend 20-30 seconds looking at each question. I am a strong advocate of blind guessing for many students on many types of questions. First, What Is Blind Guessing? Blind guessing is exactly what it sounds like guessing on a question without even reading it. Just filling in "C" or "G" at random. This might sound crazy, but for many students this is not a bad strategy. How and Why to Use Blind Guessing In particular, you should always blind guess when you encounter a problem way beyond your difficulty threshold. For example if you usually score a 15 on the math section, then most of the problems in the "hard" towards the end of the section will be way above your skill level. You get .20 points (in expectancy) just for blind guessing, which means you have a 1-in-5 chance of getting it right. And it takes 1 second! Now, since these are hard questions, and you usually score a 15, it may take you 2 minutes just to understand each question, and another 2 minutes to eliminate a couple of answer choices. This is a really bad use of four minutes to just get .4 extra points (in expectancy). Besides, you may not even eliminate correctly. Who Should Not Blind Guess: High Scorers High scorers, those with above a 20 on all sections, should not be using Blind Guessing. That's because, to maximize their points, they need to be spending time trying all of the questions. In such a case, since you're reading and understanding all questions anyway, you might as well make a more educated guess by eliminating some answers. When Everyone Should Not Blind Guess: Easy Questions For easy questions (those toward the beginning of the section), everyone should be trying them even if you're a low scorer, these are the questions that will give you your baseline points. On these questions, blind guessing is a big no-no. Recap As a recap, a holistic ACT guessing strategy is made up of three parts: 1. Always answer all questions, even if it means blind guessing last minute. Never leave them blank! 2. If you read a question, make an educated guess by eliminating answers you think are wrong. 3. Do not spend time on all questions: for ones that you know are much too hard for you, intend to blind guess. Read More! How is the ACT scored? Is the ACT easier than the SAT? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Learning Dates and Days in Mandarin Chinese

Learning Dates and Days in Mandarin Chinese The Mandarin Chinese calendar is relatively easy to learn. The days of the weeks are numbered 1 – 6, so once you’ve learned your Mandarin numbers, weekdays are a snap. The same thing with months – all the months are numbered from 1 – 12, so once you’ve learned these numbers, you simply add the word for â€Å"month† and you have the complete Mandarin calendar under your belt. Throughout this article, audio files are marked with ââ€" º. Number Review 1 ââ€" ºyÄ «2 ââ€" ºÃƒ ¨r3 ââ€" ºsÄ n4 ââ€" ºsi5 ââ€" ºwÃ… ­6 ââ€" ºlià ¹7 ââ€" ºqÄ «8 ââ€" ºbÄ 9 ââ€" ºjià º10 ââ€" ºshà ­11 ââ€" ºshà ­-yÄ «12 ââ€" ºshà ­-à ¨r Days dayââ€" ºtiÄ nÃ¥ ¤ ©todayââ€" ºjÄ «n tiÄ nä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©yesterdayââ€" ºzuà ³ tiÄ næ˜ ¨Ã¥ ¤ ©tomorrowââ€" ºÃ¢â‚¬â€¹mà ­ng tiÄ n明å ¤ © Weeks weekââ€" ºlÇ  bi / ââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ «Ã§ ¦ ®Ã¦â€¹Å" / 星æÅ"Ÿthis weekââ€" ºzhà ¨i gà ¨ xÄ «ng qÄ «Ã©â‚¬â„¢Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿlast weekââ€" ºshng gà ¨ xÄ «ng qÄ «Ã¤ ¸Å Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿnext weekââ€" ºxi gà ¨ xÄ «ng qÄ «Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿ Months monthââ€" ºyuà ¨Ã¦Å"ˆthis monthââ€" ºzhà ¨i gà ¨ yuà ¨Ã©â‚¬â„¢Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¦Å"ˆlast monthââ€" ºshng gà ¨ yuà ¨Ã¤ ¸Å Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¦Å"ˆnext monthââ€" ºxi gà ¨ yuà ¨Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¦Å"ˆ Years yearââ€" ºninÃ¥ ¹ ´this yearââ€" ºjÄ «n ninä »Å Ã¥ ¹ ´last yearââ€" ºqà ¹ ninåŽ »Ã¥ ¹ ´next yearââ€" ºmà ­ng nin明å ¹ ´ Weekdays Mondayââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « yÄ «Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿä ¸â‚¬Tuesdayââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « à ¨r星æÅ"Ÿä ºÅ'Wednesdayââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « sÄ n星æÅ"Ÿä ¸â€°Thursdayââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « sà ¬Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿå››Fridayââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « wǔ星æÅ"Ÿä ºâ€Saturdayââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « lià ¹Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿå… ­Sundayââ€" ºlÇ  bi rà ¬ / ââ€" ºlÇ  bi tiÄ n / ââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « rà ¬ / ââ€" ºxÄ «ng qÄ « tiÄ nç ¦ ®Ã¦â€¹Å"æâ€" ¥ / ç ¦ ®Ã¦â€¹Å"Ã¥ ¤ © /星æÅ"Ÿæâ€" ¥ /星æÅ"Ÿå ¤ © Months of the Year Januaryââ€" ºyÄ « yuà ¨Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¦Å"ˆFebruaryââ€" ºÃƒ ¨r yuà ¨Ã¤ ºÅ'æÅ"ˆMarchââ€" ºsÄ n yuà ¨Ã¤ ¸â€°Ã¦Å"ˆAprilââ€" ºsà ¬ yuà ¨Ã¥â€ºâ€ºÃ¦Å"ˆMayââ€" ºwÇ” yuà ¨Ã¤ ºâ€Ã¦Å"ˆJuneââ€" ºlià ¹ yuà ¨Ã¥â€¦ ­Ã¦Å"ˆJulyââ€" ºqÄ « yuà ¨Ã¤ ¸Æ'æÅ"ˆAugustââ€" ºbÄ  yuà ¨Ã¥â€¦ «Ã¦Å"ˆSeptemberââ€" ºjiÇ” yuà ¨Ã¤ ¹ Ã¦Å"ˆOctoberââ€" ºshà ­ yuà ¨Ã¥  Ã¦Å"ˆNovemberââ€" ºshà ­ yÄ « yuà ¨Ã¥  Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¦Å"ˆDecemberââ€" ºshà ­ à ¨r yuà ¨Ã¥  Ã¤ ºÅ'æÅ"ˆ What’s the Date? What’s the date today?ââ€" ºJÄ «n tiÄ n shà ¬ jÄ « yuà ¨ jÄ « ho?ä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¥ ¹ ¾Ã¦Å"ˆå ¹ ¾Ã¨â„¢Å¸?Which day of the week?ââ€" ºLÇ  bi jÄ «?ç ¦ ®Ã¦â€¹Å"Ã¥ ¹ ¾?Which day of the month?ââ€" ºJÄ « ho?Ã¥ ¹ ¾Ã¨â„¢Å¸?What month is it?ââ€" ºJÄ « yuà ¨?Ã¥ ¹ ¾Ã¦Å"ˆ? Practice Dates What’s the date today?ââ€" ºJÄ «n tiÄ n shà ¬ jÄ « yuà ¨ jÄ « ho?ä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¥ ¹ ¾Ã¦Å"ˆå ¹ ¾Ã¨â„¢Å¸?Today is May 10.ââ€" ºJÄ «n tiÄ n shà ¬ wÇ” yuà ¨ shà ­ ho.ä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¤ ºâ€Ã¦Å"ˆå  Ã¨â„¢Å¸Today is June 22.ââ€" ºJÄ «n tiÄ n shà ¬ lià ¹ yuà ¨ à ¨r shà ­ à ¨r ho.ä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¥â€¦ ­Ã¦Å"ˆä ºÅ'Ã¥  Ã¤ ºÅ'號Today is December 24.ââ€" ºShà ­ à ¨r yuà ¨ à ¨r shà ­ sà ¬ ho.Ã¥  Ã¤ ºÅ'æÅ"ˆä ºÅ'Ã¥  Ã¥â€ºâ€ºÃ¨â„¢Å¸

Writing about my career and why i want to study in boston university Personal Statement

Writing about my career and why i want to study in boston university - Personal Statement Example Boston University is the kind of educational institution that emits an air of confidence in its teaching methods. It is the kind of university that creates students and graduates that are prepared for the world after school and who have little fear in the unknown because of the education imparted onto them. I am applying to Boston University because I feel that it is the kind of institution that allows its students to absorb education in their own ways. It also equips its students with the tools needed in order to remain confident in the education they have received and in turn, succeed in life. I am confident that I will be a great addition to the school as my skill set and experience will mesh well with the university’s culture and process. I am, first and foremost a bilingual student, able to converse well in both English and Spanish, which is my native language. This gives me a number of dimensions in which to communicate, learn and impart learning. I am also a proud holder of a dual bachelor’s degree in finance and management, which not only makes learning in similar fields easier, but it also gives me a chance to share information to my fellow students on a higher level. My skill set has also been broadened by my work and volunteer experience both in the United States as well as in my native country, Honduras. These experiences have helped me to become adaptable to any work environment. It has also taught me to prioritize what is important and think ahead. The work experience has also allowed me to interact with different kinds of people and become adept in customer communication which, when related to the educational environment, means I can adapt to different communication styles of each student and professor with little to no difficulty. Aside from my experience in business analysis and employee management, I have also been involved in teaching. I have taught English in Honduras, which has given me a look at what it is to be the

Health Care Communication Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Health Care Communication Methods - Essay Example This is a very effective method because the administration is assured that the message has reached the right people. In addition, the people would be given a chance to air their grievances which must be incorporated in the overall strategy so as to reduce the level of resistance. Furthermore, face-to-face communication method provides the administration with a platform to observe and note the real reaction of the people who are involved in the whole process. The people are the one to be affected by the process. As a result, they are likely to give out very crucial suggestions that may make the process to be more smooth and friendly. One of the major disadvantages of using this method of communication is that it is expensive and requires a large number of subordinates in order to pass the information to all people. The organization need to train them in order to ensure that the information passed is credible and according to the expectations of the administration. The method is also e xpensive. Hiring and assigning these educators is an expensive affair which might affect the overall performance of the organization (DuPreÃŒ , 2010). Therefore, when it is undertaken, the administration must have considered all the other available methods of communication. Another disadvantage is that it is time consuming. The population that will be affected by the changes is very large. Reaching all of them would be a very hard task that will take time. In addition, some of the people may need more time in order to understand the whole concept. This may delay the process, an aspect that might affect its success. Therefore, other methods should be given the first priority. This is still an effective method of passing information to the people. The health care organization involved can post an advert in the local dailies. However, before this strategy is used, a research should be conducted to study.

Strategic Management for a Medium Sized Firm Research Paper

Strategic Management for a Medium Sized Firm - Research Paper Example This can be seen by the fact that customers are getting more educated. The access to the internet also balances the information asymmetry in the market making customers knowledgeable of the price and features of competing products. Customers look for products the way they want it. With this development, essential issues should be addressed by the company as firms are producing more than they can sell which significantly drives down prices. This situation poses more intense rivalry from competitors requiring companies to develop an efficient and sustainable strategy. For a medium-sized firm operating in a hypercompetitive industry which embarked on a follower strategy should seek to have a more effective marketing strategy. Follower strategies or "me too" strategies are only able to compete on price. Thus, followers are deemed to reduce prices forever, squeezing their margins and profitability. Possible strategic alternatives which it can bank on are differentiation and innovation strategies. Differentiation strategy in a hypercompetitive market is imperative and "not discretionary." As customers have higher bargaining leverage, a firm should introduce product features which adds value to its buyers. Instead of simply following the strategies and move of the market leader, a medium size firm should embark on developing innovative products. This is very important taking note of the fact that the market is unstable. Oftentimes, the case is that buyers are dissatisfied with the present alternatives and are looking for new options. Competition through differentiation and innovation are two strategic options which are always more effective than price competition. Â  

Interoffice Memo Essay Example for Free

Interoffice Memo Essay Yesterday, July 1, 1976, the ruling in the case of Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California was decided. The Supreme Court of California imposed a legal duty to psychotherapists, enforceable by a civil suit, to warn a person who may become a victim of a violent act by a patient or if the patient threatens to harm themselves. As professionals in the Human Service field it is necessary that we adhere to this when a client may threaten to hurt themselves or another person. With this ruling, and before any action is taken, we are reminded of our code of ethics. Human Service Professionals have guidelines in their responsibility to the client. The ruling of this case has affected our ethical decision making, in that, we also acknowledge that we need to not only assist our client but also, if threat is made, to assist and protect a potential victim. Once this threat is made, ethically, we have no option but to report it and to not do so, we break our code of ethics and the law. This case has made us aware of the fact that threats can and possibly will be carried out, therefore, threats should not and will not be taken lightly. Our Code of Ethics has changed slightly since this ruling was imposed and while we still protect our client’s confidentiality and privacy, there is now an exception. â€Å"If it is suspected that danger or harm may occur to the  client or to others as a result of a client’s behavior, the human service professional acts in an appropriate and professional manner to protect the safety of those individuals. This may involve seeking consultation, supervision, and/or breaking the confidentiality of the relationship.† (Woodside and McClam, 2011) References: Woodside, M., McClam, T. (2011). An introduction to human services (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.

Dicks Androids and Scotts Replicants :: Philip K. Dick Ridley Scott

Dicks' Androids and Scotts' Replicants Philip K. Dick has written over fifty novels, and is considered among some of the greatest experimental writers of the 1950s and '60s, such as; William Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, and Thomas Pynchon.(Star 34) He has written science- fiction and regular fiction. His fiction usually spoke of people trying to figure out who they are, or what they are supposed to be. He is best known, however, for his work in science-fiction, and this represents the majority of his work. He has, also, won awards for two of his science-fiction novels. He won the Hugo Award for best novel in 1962 for The Man in the High Castle and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best novel of the year in 1974 for Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said (Brians 1). An opera has been based on one of P.K.D. later novels, Valis (Brians 1). One of his short stories, We Can Build It For You, was made into a movie recently. The movie was Screamers, starring Peter Weller. He has also had two of his novels, We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (Total Recall), Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner), made into movies. Of the two, Blade Runner (B.R.) has had the greatest impact. B.R., however, differs greatly from Dicks' original novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (D.A.D.O.E.S.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blade Runner was released in 1982 under the direction of Ridley Scott, who also made another sci-fi classic, Alien. The film begins in the city of Los Angeles. The year is 2019. The city of Los Angeles is overpopulated, teeming with all sorts of humans. Japanese ADs are all over the place. The Japanese input was strictly the director, Ridley Scot's. Scott saw the future world being controlled by the Japanese. Philip K. Dick did not mention this. The planet is recovering from World War III, although I'm not sure they actually say this. In the book, the war is clearly stated and was called World War Terminus. The effects of the radiation has mutated some people. Only the ones who had not been disfigured or altered genetically by radiation from the nuclear bombs could emigrate, (leave the planet earth). Some, who were perfectly healthy chose to stay, however. They stayed because they were stubborn and wanted to die on the planet they were born on. The chickenheads had to stay, it was law. Chickenheads is Dicks term for the disfigured or the genetically altered. They are also referred to as specials. There are no chickenheads in the movie. None of this is made clear

Junot Diaz’s “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” Essay

The elders who are used to reminiscing and looking back at the times of their younger years would usually counsel young people of today to treasure, cherish, and make the most of their youth while it is still there. They would often say that, just when a person thinks everything about youth is so wonderful, one’s youthfulness will eventually slip away and that person can never get it back. More often than not, the adventurous activities, fantasies, dreams, and endeavors are the most precious memories the elders reminisce about their youth. This could be why it is often told that a young person’s story is the most precious, the richest, and the best to remember. Many people are often grateful that once in their lives they were able to play, explore, fall in love, and discover great things. However, there are some who would just sit with regret as they look back and see nothing about their younger days but their naivety. But how would it feel like if a person had everything in his or her younger days but nothing beyond that because his or her life ends at the peak of his or her adolescence? One of the shortest yet most colorful stories ever told is that of a boy named Oscar Wao in a moving and entertaining tale by Junot Diaz called, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This is the story of a boy who had all the play time, adventures, and challenges a child can ever experience in his childhood, but it also tells the story of a boy who wished to become a full-grown man but never became one. What the Story is About A Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao tells the tale of Oscar, a young boy with the most colorful and adventurous childhood. The story is set in a humble village living an ordinary way of life in the United States. Oscar is described in the story as an overweight ghetto nerd who is always scolded and advised by his sister, Lola, to work harder on having a better physique in order to attract girls (Scott). The story opens with a retelling of the difficulties experienced by his mother, Beli, during the regime of an abusive and feared dictator, Rafael Trujillo in 1930 and 1961. Trujillo is tagged by Oscar himself as the â€Å"dictatingest dictator who ever dictated† who then became his most hated person because of how he brought sadness and bad luck to his family’s life (Diaz 80). This is where the concept of fuku appears. Fuku, as how Oscar puts it, is the mother of all bad lucks that can affect a person and his or her family not only for one generation but also for the rest of their lineage’s existence. Because his mother once dared to go in the way of Trujillo, Oscar believes that fuku has affected their family ever since, so he thinks of fuku as the reason why his family never really had a completely happy life. Aside from being a normal teenager who daydreams of the typical teenage fantasies, Oscar also dreams of becoming an accomplished sci-fi writer and a successful lover boy as well. As an adolescent, Oscar goes through the usual dilemmas and adventures of young boys such as being busted, having absurd sexual fantasies, and falling in love with a person he knew he could never have. Oscar’s story is filled with exciting adventures of a boy who tries to discover his place in a foreign land. It is also loaded with exhilarating escapades of a young boy with friends and women. Although the story has two different narrators—which makes it a little bit confusing in some parts—the language is nonetheless creatively utilized to make the text more dynamic and at the same time captivating (Flanagan). Analyzing the Themes Depicted in the Story Love and Obsession Although love is considered an eternal theme that has grazed the pages of innumerable literary works, Junot Diaz successfully captures the interest of a lot of readers in this work because of how complex, difficult, and impossible it is presented in this story. Unlike other works of fiction, Diaz chose to present the concept of love under the light of a certain reality. Diaz depicts the reality of love in this story as something which other people can only dream about; thus, he portrays the reality that the joy and bliss love brings cannot be for all, and that there are just some people who may have really been struck by fuku and can never enjoy the goodness of true love. Beli is presented as the first victim of this miserable reality of love. Her story involves that of a girl who simply fell in love with the wrong person, in the wrong time, and under the wrong circumstances. Beli was a typical kind of a mistress. She fell for a man who was married to not just any other woman, but to the sister of the feared dictator of Dominican Republic during that time, Rafael Trujillo. Her love was that strong that she was ready to face the harsh consequences that may come her way. She was ready to accept the fact that she can never be the first lady in her man’s heart no matter how painful it becomes. However, danger came really close when Trujillo and his sister finally found out about Beli. Although Beli did not want to leave her country, she was forced to do so due to her fear of losing her future and at the advice of her concerned foster mother. That was when Beli had to flee to the United States where she was to start a new life. Indeed, love can really be very bitter and unjust to some people. While other people are throwing away all the goodness love can bring, there are those who yearn for the freedom of loving someone, yet they can never do either because they were struck by fuku, or they are just simply not meant to be. Aside from Beli’s sad experience on love, Diaz’s notion about love is also illustrated in Oscar’s experience: â€Å"Love was a rare thing, easily confused with million other things, and if anybody knew this to be true, it was him† (Diaz 321). As Lola and her boyfriend Yunior narrate Oscar’s story side-by-side, it becomes apparent that Oscar was able to meet several girls in his short-lived life. Even at the young age of seven, Lola describes him to be someone who developed a great fondness for girls who wore lipstick. All the other boys his age avoided the girls like they were a bad case of Captain Trips. Not Oscar †¦ The girls – his sister Lola’s friends, his mother’s friends, even their neighbor, Mari Colon, a thirty-something postal employee who wore red on her lips and walked like she had a bell for an ass – all purportedly fell for him. † (Diaz 12) Thus, Oscar apparently had such an easy time attracting women even at a very juvenile age. However, although this was the case when he was younger, his love life meets a great turnaround during his adolescent years when he encounters a prostitute by the name of Yvon. Yvon is a prostitute whom everybody knows as the â€Å"property† of a corrupt police captain. Although this was clearly understood by Oscar, he seems to be unable to do anything about his growing feelings for Yvon—a feeling different from what he felt for all the other girls he met in the past. At first, love may seem as an exaggerated term as a label to what Oscar feels for Yvon. It may be natural for the readers to think that what he feels is an ordinary case of sexual attraction brought by his own sexual frustrations as an overweight adolescent, and also conclude that Yvon is the kind of girl who can be considered a master in seducing men. However, it becomes clear that Oscar has indeed developed a special kind of affection towards Yvon when he became so possessive and insistent on being with her despite the possible dangers it imposes upon him, knowing he is actually trying to steal the captain’s lady. Oscar even comes to a more serious point of asking Yvon to get married, but Yvon hesitates and always turns him down due to fear of what may happen to both of them if they choose to give in to their feelings. At this point, Diaz’s intention to portray love as an impossible and a difficult thing appears very clear. Based on how much Oscar fought for his love for Yvon, it is evident that he and his mother share the same unlucky fate when it comes to love. Hence, it can be inferred that they both fell for the wrong person (who belonged to the â€Å"wrong† people) at the wrong time and under wrong and unlucky circumstances as well. Considering this, the readers may not help but think that Diaz is trying to say that fuku may indeed exist as it appears to have set upon Oscar’s family. However, love, as many would say, often comes with another miserable reality called obsession, and this theme can also be observed in the entirety of Diaz’s work. Considering the love felt by both Oscar and Beli for their lovers, it can be safe to say that it was obsession, aside from love, which kept them holding on to their feelings. Indeed, both can be seen to have specific obsessions. In Beli’s case, her only obsession was her love for the man who can never give back the same amount of love to her. She knew it was not right to love a man who is already married, yet her obsession for that person and for his affection made her feel that the world is but an unjust place, unable to distribute the freedom to love evenly among all its inhabitants. On the other hand, Oscar also appears to be obsessed with love as much as how was obsessed with women in the past. While other kids his age considered women as a vice which needs to be avoided, he looked at them with so much delight that he considered them as the next sweetest thing to candies that can as well vary in size, shapes, and colors. He became so used to women calling him hombre because he was seen as a lover boy who knew all about women’s weaknesses and soft spots. He became so addicted to this kind of relationship that he never knew getting together with a girl like Yvon would be such a difficult thing to handle. As it appears, love has indeed become Oscar’s greatest obsession. He became blind to Yvon’s natural beauty and appeal which prevented him from seeing the reality that they can never be together since she is already a property of someone else—someone else who is much more powerful than him. Thus, the circumstances of Beli and Oscar suggest that oftentimes, love and obsession go hand-in-hand. Sex Oscar’s character is introduced to the concept of sex during the early years of his adolescence, just like what typically happens to average teenagers. This theme reverberates throughout the story—from Oscar’s own retelling to Lola and Yunior’s. Like average teenagers, Oscar is described to have such a glorious impression about sex as something that reflects manliness and strength. However, although he knew this, it is mentioned repeatedly in the story that Oscar thought he might possibly die a virgin. Throughout the entire story, Oscar talks and fantasizes about nothing but the image of him making love with a woman he loves. Yet, there are also times when he becomes so desperate that he just wanted to do the act with anybody just to prove he would not die a virgin. This seems to be the biggest frustration of Oscar. He leaves their home for college as a virgin and he comes back a virgin still. Thus, it can be inferred that Diaz attempts to imply that in this modern age where sex is being popularized by the mass media, it may seem hard for a typical teenager to go on without experiencing it when all the boys are considering it as a trophy and a great achievement. Aside from this, considering that Oscar is overweight, Diaz presents how hard it can be for an adolescent who is not physically attractive to dream of something like sex when everybody else in the neighborhood seems to be doing it as a normal activity. Only in the last lines of the novel would reveal that Oscar indeed has done it with the love of his life, Yvon, and he chose to describe it this way: â€Å"So this is what everybody’s always talking about! Diablo! If only I’d known. The beauty! The beauty! † (Diaz 339). Reading â€Å"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao† is like looking deep into the frustrations and fantasies of every teenager. Oscar’s characterization as a desperate overweight adolescent who enters and leaves college as a virgin, his natural tendency to wear his â€Å"nerdiness† the way a master swordsman wears his sword, as well as his occasional suicidal tendencies can be seen as honest and true-to-life representations of the challenges adolescents face (Kakutani). Moreover, Oscar’s views of love, obsession, and sex also reflect the popular notions and impressions of teenagers regarding such topics. Hence, this work of Diaz may serve as a mirror to all the young people who cannot identify with their environment either because of their color, nationality, weight, and/or personality. Oscar Wao’s fantasies, challenges, failures, and frustrations definitely show the readers that an adolescent’s life is not always plainly about play, adventure, and leading a happy-go-lucky life. All of his heartaches, mishaps, and adventures shaped his desire to be accepted by his generation, since being accepted in his age may mean having several girlfriends, being physically fit, and especially not dying a virgin. In this short-lived yet dynamic life of Oscar Wao, the reality of youth being the most colorful and upbeat period of a person’s life is once again justified. Thus, considering how Oscar’s life ended, it can be inferred that childhood is the happiest time of life, and although Oscar’s life ended there, his life tells that childhood is also the period of life that one should enjoy to the fullest. Works Cited Diaz, Junot. The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. London: Riverhead Books, 2007. Dickens, Charles. â€Å"A boy’s story is the best that is ever told. † Quote Junkie (British Edition). Ed. Hagopian Institute. California: Create Space, 2008. 16 Flanagan, Mark. â€Å"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. † About. com. Sept. 2007. 29 July 2009. . Kakutani, Michiko. â€Å"Travails of an Outcast. † The New York Times. 4 Sept. 2007. 29 July 2009. . Scott, A. C. â€Å"Dreaming in Spanglish. † The New York Times. 30 Sept. 2007. 29 July 2009. .