Monday, September 30, 2019

Jericho

Jericho is a Palestinian city located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. It lies at latitude 31 52 degrees north and longitude 35 39 degrees east and is 250 metres below sea level. Jericho is one of the most ancient human habitations. Bartlett (1982) suggests the most ancient human remains were found in it, some of which go back to 5000 years B. C. Bartlett also believes some settlements date back to 9000 years B. C. The Ancient city was occupied by Jordan from 1948 to 1967 (Bartlett, 1982). Over centuries communities became abandoned and new settlements set up. Hunters were attracted to this location because of the abundant water sources nearby. Aqueducts and other irrigation systems were built early on, making the city an agricultural center. By 8000 BC, about 2,000 people had permanently settled near present-day Jericho (Metzger and Coogan, 1993). Jericho was an important city in the Old Testament. The city was overtaken and devastated several times. However, it was always reoccupied — sometimes quickly and other times very slowly. Herod the Great, Cleopatra, and Augustus are some of the mighty rulers that once took claim of some or all of Jericho. Many Galileans would travel through the Jordan valley and go by Jericho on their route to Jerusalem. By taking this course, they could avoid passing through Samaritan territory (Metzger and Coogan, 1993). Jericho later fell to the Babylonians, but was rebuilt when the Jews were allowed to return from their exile. The city continued to be a resort during the rule of the succeeding empires. For Christians, Jericho took on importance because of its association with John the Baptist, who was said to have been baptised by the banks of the Jordan on the eastern boundary of the city. The Romans destroyed the old city in the first century, but it was rebuilt in its present location by the Byzantines. The city briefly returned to glory when Caliph Hisham Ibn Abd el-Malik built his winter palace in Jericho in 743, but an earthquake destroyed virtually the entire city just four years later. The city later fell to the Crusaders and then was recaptured by Saladin. Jericho was largely ignored and deserted for centuries afterward. The economy of this time was in a transition from one of gathering food, to an economy of producing food. The earliest inhabitants are known as the An -Natifiyyun. These people relied on gathering wild seeds for food. It is unlikely that they planted these seeds, but rather harvested them using tools. These tools included scythes with flint edges and straight bone handles. They used stone mortars with handles to grind the seeds. Some of the An-Natifiyyun lived in nearby caves. Others lived in primitive villages, excelling in architecture. Over the course of time, they learned how to make sun-dried bricks, and began to build more substantial dwellings. These dwellings were round huts, constructed from flat-bottomed bricks, which curved at the higher edge. Canals were dug from ancient Jericho to the nearby Ein Al-Sultan spring. These canals provided ample supplies of water for residential use. As their economy progressed, they used these canals to irrigate their fields. They constructed walls 6. 56 feet (2m) in width to surround and enclose their villages. Within these walls they erected a massive tower, (9m) in diameter, and (10m) in height. Today Jericho is often referred to as the oldest city on earth, with a history of over ten thousand years. This ancient city is located in the region of Canaan at the lower end of the Jordan valley about eight miles north of the Dead Sea. Hunters were attracted to this location because of the abundant water sources nearby. Aqueducts and other irrigation systems were built early on, making the city an agricultural center. By 8000 BC, about 2,000 people had permanently settled near present-day Jericho Jericho was an important city in the Old Testament. The city was overtaken and devastated several times. However, it was always reoccupied — sometimes quickly and other times very slowly. The city of Jericho, now identified with Tel es-Sultan, is thought by some archaeologists to be as much as 11,000 years old, making it one of the oldest sites of human settlement in the world. The earliest evidence of human occupation is a Mesolithic shrine and there is evidence one city build overtop of another for several millennia. The most prominent features of ancient Jericho would have been the large, high walls. It is the oldest walled city in human history and walls remain a significant aspect of archaeological digs. Jericho had stonewalls by 7,000 BCE, even before the invention of pottery. The first walls at Jericho were built during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) period, indicating that violence and conflict were important parts of Jericho's history for a very long time. The first permanent settlement was built near the Ein as-Sultan spring between 10,000 and 9000 BC. As the world warmed, a new culture based on agriculture and sedentary dwelling emerged, which archaeologists called â€Å"Pre-Pottery Neolithic A† which were characterized by small circular dwellings, burials of the dead within the floors of buildings, reliance on hunting wild game, the cultivation of wild or domestic cereals, and no use of pottery. At Jericho, circular dwellings were built of clay and straw bricks left to dry in the sun, which were plastered together with a mud mortar. Each house measured about 5 metres across, and was roofed with mud-smeared brush. Hearths were located within and outside the homes. During the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B, settlement-phase the architecture consisted of rectilinear buildings made of mudbricks on stone foundations. The mudbricks were loaf-shaped with deep thumb prints to facilitate bounding. No building has been excavated in its entirety. Normally, several rooms cluster around a central courtyard. There is one big room ( with internal divisions, the rest are small, presumably used for storage. The rooms have red or pinkish terrazzo-floors made of lime. Some impressions of mats made of reeds or rushes have been preserved. The courtyards have clay floors. The dead were buried under the floors or in the rubble fill of abandoned buildings. There are several collective burials. Not all the skeletons are completely articulated, which may point to a time of exposure before burial. A skull cache would contained seven skulls. The jaws were removed and the faces covered with plaster; cowries were used as eyes. As new settlements arose they began to encourage the growth of plants such as barley and lentils and the domestication of pigs, sheep and goats. People no longer looked for their favorite food sources where they occurred naturally. Now they introduced them into other locations. An agricultural revolution had begun. The ability to expand the food supply in one area allowed the development of permanent settlements of greater size and complexity. The people of the Neolithic or New Stone Age (8000-5000 B. C. ) organized fairly large villages. Jericho grew into a fortified town complete with ditches, stone walls, and towers and contained perhaps 2000 residents. Although agriculture resulted in a stable food supply for permanent communities, the revolutionary aspect of this development was that the community could bring what they needed (natural resources plus their tool kit) to make a new site inhabitable. This development made it possible to create larger communities and also helped to spread the practice of agriculture to a wider area. The presence of tools and statues made of stone not available locally indicates that there was also some trading with distant regions. Agricultural society brought changes in the organization of religious practices as well. Sanctuary rooms decorated with frescoes and sculptures of the heads of bulls and bears shows us that structured religious rites were important to the inhabitants of these early communities. At Jericho, human skulls were covered with clay in an attempt to make them look as they had in life suggesting that they practiced a form of ancestor worship. Bonds of kinship that had united hunters and gatherers were being supplemented by religious organization, which helped to regulate the social behavior of the community. Because it is one of the oldest human settlements and perhaps the oldest walled city in history, archaeological excavations at Jericho provide invaluable information about how people lived and died thousands of years ago. Numerous tombs, furniture, pottery, and beads have been discovered. Politically, Palestine was a collection of independent city states at this time, with each city under the control of one King. The presence of massive defense walls suggests that these independent city-state Kings frequently attacked each other. The walls of Jericho from this time attest to that theory. Over the course of a 600 year period, beginning around 2900 B. C. E. , the walls of Jericho were rebuilt sixteen times. Invaders are not the only cause of this, as earthquakes, water in the foundations, and other natural causes played a role in the constant maintenance of the city defense structures. Most people know about Jericho in connection with the biblical stories of how the Hebrews conquered Canaan. Under the leadership of Joshua, they marched around the city seven times and God caused the walls to collapse as stated in the bible. Jericho is a religious city that has withstood the test of invasion, destruction, and time.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Unit four: Principles of supporting change in a business environment Essay

Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Please note that this Assessment document has 3 pages and is made up of 3 Sections. Name: Andrea Ecsegi Section 1: Why change happens This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 1: Understand why change happens in a business environment. Learning objective Place in Assessment 1.1 Explain reasons for change in a business environment Question 1 Page 1 1. Explain why change happens in a business environment. You should include at least three reasons in your answer. [1.1] Change in business environment are become very important, without it they can’t keep up with the demands of the customers/clients as their needs, expectations and requirements are changing frequently and quickly. Consequences of not making any changes can cause loss of customers, business failure or in some cases even breaking the law. We can speak about two  different kind of changes: reactive and proactive changes. The reactive changes are responding to external influences. PEST contains the four main factors of these: political, economical, social and technological. Proactive changes are made as a result of internal demands by a desire to make the business more effective. Some of the reasons can be to lower waste and costs, launch a new product or upgrade IT equipment. Section 2: Supporting change This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 2: Understand the purpose of supporting change in a business environment. Learning objective Place in Assessment 2.1 Identify reasons for reviewing working methods, products or services Question 1 Page 2 2.2 Describe types of support that people may need during change Question 2a Page 2 2.3 Explain the benefits of working with others during change Question 2b Page 2 1. Identify the main reasons for reviewing working methods, products and / or services in a business environment. [2.1] In the business environment everything is always changing therefore it is really important to review working methods, products and/or services from time to time. An organisation may want to review its products/services to make sure it still meets with the customers’ requirements and expectations thus they can stay competitive, efficient and productive. Reviewing the working methods can be really useful if the business is not happy with its performance or just simply want to improve and develop. 2. When a business is going through change: a) Describe the different types of support that people may need. [2.2] Some of the people can find changes hard to accept, they can become stressed. These type of people need extra support and help to get use to the new changes. The most common types of support includes: Effective planning: helps to avoid confusion and confrontation. Participation: sometimes staff have opportunity to take part in changes therefore they can feel more comfortable with it. Clear communication, explanations and expectations: gives clarity to employees about the changes will occur, how this will affect their job and why this have to be made. Encouragement: the manager’s behaviour can help to the staff to adapt the changes more easily, they need to be friendly and helpful. Training or retraining: changes in work methods, products and/or services can require training or retraining to get the skills employees might need to keep up with changes and stay effective. Counselling or coaching: support from trained professionals who have experience of helping people to adopt changes. b) Explain the benefits of working with others. [2.3] For employees it can be difficult to accept changes, they might get anxious and stressed. If people are working together they can help each other, talk about problems, share their experience and support each other. Section 3: Responding to change This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 3: Understand how to respond to change in a business environment. Learning objective Place in Assessment 3.1 Explain the purpose of responding positively to changes in working methods, products or services Question 1a Page 3 Question 1b Page 3 3.2 Identify ways of responding positively to change Question 1c Page 3 1. In relation to your current business environment (or one that you are familiar with): a) Explain why you should respond positively to changes in working methods. [3.1] Changes in working methods are usually happening to improve and speed up the working process. A positive can-do attitude will result good relationships with others and helps to learn faster and easier. If I resist and don’t accept the new way I should do my job this will generate conflicts and will bring stress to my workplace, others may have to do my work again because it’s not appropriate and also I might slow down the workflow what can result serious problems in the restaurant regarding to customers as well. b) Explain why you should respond positively to changes in products or services. [3.1] Customers’ requirements are always changing and we always have to give the best service/products – we have to make sure these are suitable and efficient – thus changes occur often. If I don’t adopt the change what have been made to serve customers better they might not meet with their needs and will leave the restaurant to find another better place. It is very important to keep up with customers’ demands and market innovations in a restaurant as you can find loads of them especially in central London. c) Identify ways of responding positively to change. [3.2] Employers are looking for people who are willing to change, happy to improve their skills. If I resist and I’m not willing to keep up with improvements I can lose my job as a result people don’t want to work with a passive employee. The most important ways how to respond to changes: Willingness to learn: understand that to learn new skills will serve us on our carrier. Willingness to teach: sharing the information and skills with others will help them to adopt changes. Willingness to solve problems: these  kind of people are looking for solutions and not waiting for others. Employers prefer to employ these type of people. Maintaining a positive outlook: have a happy and can-do attitude. Enjoying the chance to change and adapt: looking at changes as something good and beneficial Once you have completed all 3 Sections of this Assessment, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your work to your tutor for marking.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Aggressive driving Essay

(1)Aggressive driving is a phenomenon, which has only recently got the public worried. (2)The National Highway Traffic Safety Council (NHTSC) defines aggressive driving as â€Å"the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property†. (3)Actions such as running red lights, improper passing, overtaking on the left, improper lane change, failing to yield, improper turns, running stop signs, tailgaiting, careless driving and speeding are examples of aggressive driving.. (4)Such actions are dangerous to other road users. (5)Aggressive driving should be avoided because it causes crashes, injuries and fatalities. (6)The first reason why aggressive driving should be avoided is it causes crashes. (7)According to NHTSC between 78 percent (excessive speed) and 100 percent (improper passing) of the cases of aggressive driving resulted in traffic crashes and 96 percent of the drivers cited for â€Å"following too closely† or tailgaitng caused crashes as a result of their aggressive driving. (8)Moreover, â€Å"running red light†, â€Å"improper passing†, and â€Å"overtaking on the left† topped other categories of aggressive driving in contributing to traffic crashes. (9)Another reason why aggressive driving should be avoided is it causes injuries.(10) NHTSC states that the percentages of the injuries caused by aggressive driving are, in almost all categories of aggressive driving, above 100 percent. (11)Furthermore, the Department of Highway Safety (DHS) reports that this is due to the fact that each motor vehicle crash accounts for one or more injuries. (12) It was found that of the ten categories of aggressive driving, â€Å"running red light†, â€Å"failing to yield†, and â€Å"running stop signs† are the most serious factors contributing to injuries. (13)Yet another reason why aggressive driving should be avoided is it causes fatalities. (14)†Overtaking on the left† appears to be the most important contributing factor in traffic fatalities as it relates to aggressive driving. (15) â€Å"Improper lane change†, â€Å"running stop sign† and â€Å"running red light† rank second through four in terms of their contribution to traffic fatalities (DHS, 2008). (16)The above evidence shows that aggressive driving causes crashes, injuries and fatalities. (17) Hence, aggressive driving should be avoided. (18)Since the opening of the North-South Highway, the number of kilometers of roads in the country has increased by one percent while the number of vehicle miles driven has increased by 35 percent. (19) More cars and more drivers are also on the road, leading to more aggressive drivers.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Strategic management assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic management assignment 2 - Essay Example Approaches adopted by the company for attaining sustainable growth have also been discussed in the report. The study has also taken into account the financial performances of the company in the recent years. A comparative study has been initiated to study the performance of Airbus with that of its other prominent competitors. The Industry: The aerospace industry has a close relationship with the airline industry and the relationship between them keeps on altering and restructuring itself. It had recorded its first downturn in demand after the incident of September 11, 2009 and observed the same with an increased rate of downfall. Among airline companies, low fare segment remained dominant in the industry and many of the larger brands filed for bankruptcy (ATKEARNEY, n.d., p.1). Competitive strategy and industry position: Airbus adopted a strategy of manufacturing high capacity aircrafts which will also be fuel efficient and comfortable. This resulted in the formation of super-jumbo aircraft category. Restructuring of the aerospace industry and European defence led the company to adopt the industry conditions accordingly (Spulber, 2007. p.60). Environmental factors: The industry has observed a gradual increase in the competition level with the entry of some new brands in the aerospace industry such as Bombardier, Jet blue and Embraer. To defend its market share, Boeing slashed its prices for some of its products. The prices were almost equivalent to that of the new industry players. Temporal factors: The larger players of the industry recorded heavy backlogs among which Airbus and Boeing remained most prominent (See Appendix-1). The demand for aircrafts is expected to increase by the next twenty years and according to the forecasted demand, Boeing has predicted its sales figure for next twenty years as 30,000 aircrafts whereas Airbus has estimated the same as 3,112 for the next twenty

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The impact of time management on effectiveness of projects Dissertation

The impact of time management on effectiveness of projects - Dissertation Example Industrial revolution gave rise to the concept of time management; industrial revolution also gave rise to scrutiny of projects and the concept of project management. Managing time has been considered an essential skill for success in life. Projects have been found to be failures as they could not deliver the intended value. Completing a project on or ahead of schedule is not an effective measure of project success. The effectiveness of project differs from efficiency, the latter being dependent on maintaining time, cost and quality or remaining within the confines of the Iron Triangle. However, projects are not supposed to be effective if they do not achieve the intended objectives even if they have been completed on time. Projects are complex and have risks inherent which necessitate that buffer time is always built in the planning stage. With the aim to evaluate the impact of time management on the effectiveness of projects, four objectives were set in Chapter I. All the four obje ctives have been achieved based on a quality study through secondary data. The study, based on an analysis of past projects, finds that time has not been effectively used in project planning and implementation. Time schedules have been maintained and personal or political interests have taken precedence over project goals. Under pressure people are unable to deliver and give their best. Just completing a project within the defined time does not ensure effectiveness of a project. Effectiveness differs from efficiency where efficiency pertains to adhering to costs and time. Effectiveness pertains to doing the thing right even if it means time overruns. The outcome must add value and be of benefit to the stakeholders. Effective communication and information sharing also contribute to the effectiveness of projects. The parameters of project success may differ across projects and business environment but overall it should meet the intended objectives and not be constrained by resources such as time. Uncertainties and risks are inherent in projects, and these nee d to be built in the project duration. Time allowance or buffering of time is essential which would help meet unexpected events in the implementation of projects. While some discipline is essential to maintain schedules because activities may be interdependent, focusing on the clock in doing the right thing can be counter-productive. Crashing an activity to save on time can lead to compromising on quality or on project goals. The role of the leader is critical to the success of projects. It is important to have skilled and experienced leaders for projects who have the responsibility to keep the team motivated, to plan with realistic schedules and thereby deliver the project successfully. The study finds that time management has an impact on the effectiveness of projects. Maintaining time is important without which chaos and discipline would prevail. However, time has to be managed and planned. Effectiveness of projects is to achieve the project goals. A project may be late and overs pent but it should have delivered intended value. The study concluded by highlighting the limitations and making recommendations based on the limitations. Table of Contents Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Rationale for Research 3 1.3 Research Aims & Objectives 5 1.4 Scope of the Study 5 1.5 Structure of the Study 5 Chapter II Literature Review 2.1 Chapter Overview 7 2.2 Definitions 2.2.1 Time & Time Management 7 2.2.2 Project & Project Management 7 2.2.3 Effectiveness 8 2.3 Evolution of the concept of Time Management 9 2.4 Benefits of Time Management 11 2.5 Factors affecting time management 12 2.6 Project & Project Management 14 2.7 Effectiveness of Projects 15 2.8 Effectiveness of Scheduling Tools in Project Managemen

MJ refleection week 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MJ refleection week 7 - Essay Example With my positive attitude towards genetics, I have an intrinsic motivation to understand information about Becker muscular dystrophy, its genetic cause, and possible management. I am even motivated to cross reference for clarity of some information in the text that appeared challending (The New York Times 1). Based on my positive attitude towards genetics, seeing the DNA artwork captured my attention and I sought and succeeded in understanding the artist’s motivation and achievement in developing the art. I also understood, based on the artist’s success, that local researchers can used people’s preferences for DNA patterns to understand behavioral orientations, and I plan to implement this in future (The Telegraph 1). The text, ‘a hidden genetic code,’ is however less attractive due to its lack of graphics, but the desire to figure out genetic information and configure involved patterns motivates me to read though it and I have managed to synthesize the contents (Reuell 1). The Telegraph. â€Å"DNA artwork created by German university student.† The Telegraph. September 7, 2008. Web. March 10, 2015.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Cross-Cultural Issues in International Business.The Audi organization Essay

Cross-Cultural Issues in International Business.The Audi organization - Essay Example Finally, the paper will propose a solution that details the management style, structure and reporting methods that will provide a solution to the issues identified. The Establishing organization will have to work routinely with the new culture and background of the established company in China. Usually this relationship works well since the differences in culture are enriching and interesting. However, things may go wrong in some cases for reasons that may not be understood by the organization’s management. This is the reason why mastery of cultural differences is important, in order to work more effectively with people, and avoid misunderstandings (Ray, 2010). The Seven Dimensions of Culture is very essential in enhancing the mastery of cultural differences when effectively applied. The model was identified by Trompenaars Fons and Hampden Charles, management consultants, who published it in their book, "Riding the Waves of Culture." The founders found out that majority of peo ple coming from different cultures do not just randomly differ from each other; but they are different in very unpredictable and even specific ways. This is due to the fact that every culture has its own way of thinking, its own beliefs and values. Different cultures also place different preferences on different varying factors. Trompenaars Fons and Hampden Charles concluded that wherever these preferences fall is what makes the differences in culture compared to one another as described on each of the seven dimensions of culture. These cultural dimensions include: universalism versus particularism, specific versus diffuse, individualism versus communitarianism, neutral versus emotional, sequential time versus synchronous time, achievement versus ascription, and internal direction versus outer direction (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003). The organization in Europe that wishes to establish an organization in the Far East can use this model to understand and master people from this region , who practice a totally different culture. This will enable the Audi Car Company to avoid misunderstandings with the people and enjoy a good working relationship. This is very significant when the company will be doing business with different people around the region who have different cultural background. Hence, it will ease the management of the diverse groups of people from different cultures. The Seven Dimensions of Culture will also help the management of the organization to understand that there is no particular culture that is worse or better than the other; this is because of the assertion of the model, that people coming from different cultural backgrounds are not necessarily different, but simply make differing choices. In contrary, the Seven Dimensions of Culture does not explain how the management can measure the preferences of people on the seven dimensions (Hampden and Trompenaars, 2000). Therefore, it will be in the best interest of the establishing company to simply use the Seven Dimensions of Culture as a general guide when dealing with the people coming from different cultural backgrounds. The model will enable the organization to explore the strategies that can be used among people fitting the highlighted characteristics of each of the dimensions as described below: The seven dimensions of culture The first cultural dimension is universalism and particularism; according to the model, universalism is characterized by people who place much emphasis on rules, obligations, laws, and values. These people attempt

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

My walk with ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My walk with ecology - Essay Example My favorite form of outdoor activity is walking. I live in the urban city of concrete jungles with skyscrapers blocking out the sunlight. I miss the beauty of natural scenery. I have seen how man has destroyed his natural environment and upset the ecology of nature and man. Industrialization brought along deforestation to make way for human habitats and agriculture. The increased burning of fossil fuels increased the release of greenhouse gasses and the sum total effect has led to global warming. My thesis is that Man needs to reconnect with nature to help preserve ecology. The simplest and most direct way of reconnecting to nature is by walking through the rural countryside. It is one of the best ways of observing nature and appreciating the great diversity of life forms and the ecology. I believe that when Man comes to self-realization on his close relationship with nature, he will value it and refrain from participating in activities that would harm the balance of our ecology. I c hoose walking on foot to go sight seeing and explore nature because any other artificial mode of transport would burn fossil fuels and harm the environment with the emission of toxic waste gasses. When I walk at my own leisurely pace, I get to observe nature at work, play and rest. I think walking is the best way to get close to nature. Fenton recommended walking as a cheap and easy way to maintain health, effect weight loss and stay fit. We can kill two birds with one stone by taking up walking for health reasons as well as to observe nature. Fenton said that; 'Walking is not only better for your spirit, mood, and body, it's better for your whole community. Trust walking.' (Fenton 5). Walking does wonder for you while conserving the ecology. Walking is a cheap form of exercise. You just need a pair of comfortable walking shoes and thick socks to cushion your feet against blisters. The writer Werner recommended carrying a backpack for your basic essentials like a map, compass, a quart of water for every miles of walk, tissue and toilet paper, refuse / trash bag, raincoat / poncho, protective clothing against the cold and wet, energy snack foods and cell phone. (Werner 4). These are for a day walk. If you are walking at night, you need additional equipment like a flashlight with extra batteries, flares, insect repellant, and maybe a walking stick. If you are a photography and nature enthusiast, bring your camera and binoculars. If you are creatively inclined, bring along a notebook or sketch pad. The beauty of nature might inspire you to write or draw something. It is safer to prepare for emergencies in the event of being caught up in some unfavorable weather. A beginner should start walking during the day and on familiar terrain. One should take caution and plan a walk with a realistic distance as a goal in mind. I would keep in mind to let the people around me know my intentions just in case if I don't make it back in time, they would know to send out a search party for me! Walkers often choose routes to cut across natural terrain. I like the opportunity to breathe in fresh air, unpolluted by traffic. Sometimes, I see the traffic along the established paths and it is ugly traffic. Litter left behind by humans is detrimental. The wild animals do not know better than to ingest litter and this poses a health risk to them. Human food is not suitable for animals. Non-degradable refuse like plastic is an eyesore and dangerous when innocent animals ingest them. I would not have known about the effects of litter if I had not come across piles of them in my walks. They spoil the natural beauty of the landscape. This brings up the use of the trash bag in my backpack. Every walker should be responsible for keeping their own trash out of the natural environment. Waste items should be deposited in the trash bag and carried out of the natural

Monday, September 23, 2019

The corporation report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The corporation report - Essay Example In addition, they have compared corporations to a football team in that all teammates play different parts yet have a similar goal (HAINES, 2007, P 8). Furthermore, corporation has being compared to a family unit and a telephone line. Overall, corporations are greedy and materialistic organizations that do not care about the welfare of the people. Examples of workers being paid slave wages and the use of chemicals to increase milk production at the expense of the animal’s health by Monsanto is proof (YouTube, 2013). Findings Argument for the Film The film talks about the negative side of corporations and produces enough evidence. For example, the Nike shoe company has been accused of hiring child labour in the third world countries. Another corporation is the Coca-Cola Company which continued to manufacture the beverage despite protests of water infections in India. These corporations exploit people (Fisse, & Braithwaite, 1993, P, 1). The child labour in the Nike Company is al so being paid slave wages. Monsanto insisted on the use of BST Posillac, which harms the, cow and the farmer too. Monsanto also polluted Vietnam with toxic herbicide that resulted to death and cancer. The documentary has listed some negativity of corporations. Continuous deceitfulness. Callous unconcern for others. Reckless disregard for safety of others. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviours. Incapacity to endure lasting relationships. Incapacity to experience guilt. Arguments against the Film Even though the documentary has majored on the down sides of corporations it has also shed light on the good sides of some corporations. Billionaires have given out their wealth in support of the environment, for example, Bill Gates and Sir Richard Branson. Monsanto has a number of claims to defend their position. The corporation claims the following. Protecting ecosystems while driving productivity. Innovating to improve lives. Delivering the best seeds for far mers. Looking globally to plant the best locally. In the top 10 of the World’s most innovative companies. Nike also claims the following. Providing safe working environments. Usage of ethically sound methods. Socially responsible sourcing practices. Burson-Marsteller corporation claims to aid people achieve good lives by; - Giving people a voice. Set up the national smoker’s alliance. Created BCFA to combat environmental campaigns. Legal Position of a Corporation – UK Different countries have different legal positions of a corporation (Rosenau, 1997, P, 200). Companies Act 2006 is laws that restate the greater part of the enactments relating to companies (Degenhardt, 2010, 17). In the UK CA 2006 sets out the rules for reform of companies (Almond, 2013, P 191). In the company acts of the UK legal position states under Salomon v Salomon & Co Ltd [1897] A.C. 22 that a company has a separate legal personality. This means that a corporation Liability for its actions is limited to the company. It can sue and be sued, own property and enter into contracts. The EU transparency directive 2007 in the case of the Cadbury report 1992 and Hampel committee report 1998 addresses corporate fraud and accountability (Fisse, & Braithwaite, 1993, P, 2). Furthermore, it addresses conflict of interest and auditor independence or the white collar crime (Haines, 2007, P 9). Legal Position of a Corporation – USA In the USA Corporations are now armed with constitutional

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Peace Building and Community Development Essay Example for Free

Peace Building and Community Development Essay Community development is a multi-faceted activity that has different ends. It also has different requirements depending on the needs of people inside the community. Development can be achieved through sustaining small and medium businesses, ensuring education for all, managing inclusion and diversity, keeping peace and order, and creating comprehensive disaster management. Through these, a community can be sustainable. Peace and order is an important aspect of community development. Without peace and order, it is impossible to unite the members of the community and enforce other sustainability projects. It will also be difficult for the community to prosper if chaos is widespread. Businesses will perish and investors will be elusive. This shows that peace building is important for a community. According to Maiese (2003), the United Nations defined peace building as an interplay of â€Å"capacity building, reconciliation, and societal transformation†. For other organizations, the short-term goals are more evident—peace building revolves around promoting peace in an immediate situation. In hindsight, despite the contradiction, both definitions are true. They also help create the whole concept of peace building for communities. Peace building can concentrate on resolving current issues between constituents. It involves moderating by authorities or other members of the community to maintain understanding between parties. On the other hand, it is also creating a society where the constituents are educated and transformed so that they do not only know peace but also lives peace. In these terms, education plays an integral role. This creates a community which is not only dependent on intermediaries but with self-regulation of peace as well. In the end, a community filled with peace-loving citizens is a community where peace has been built.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Threats to Urban Bird Populations

Threats to Urban Bird Populations Emily Bailes, Ann Bailey, Matheus Blezer Plumm, Tom McClellan-West, Lizzie Yarwood Introduction The enigmatic creatures of the sky, birds are creatures that are treasured by many around the world, by some as cultural symbolism, others a hobby to indulge in and some just find their presence a pleasant addition to a grey and largely urban world. Human colonisation has had a huge impact on nature, birds included, with some able to utilise the new urban habitat to great effect; feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) exploit waste products and buildings as a place to nest. However, some species have found it much harder to adapt to the threats that are present within the ever increasing urban environment. In recent reports, the conservation status’ of 246 bird species were evaluated of which 52 (21.1%) were placed on the Red list, 126 (51.2%) were on the Amber list and 68 species (27.6%) were placed on the Green list (Eaton et al. 2009). Over a period of 35-45 years, there were 28 species with statistically significant population declines of greater than 50%. One of these species is the Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur); according to the CBC/BBS trend it has showed a severe decline in abundance since the 1970s (Figure 1), and it is a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In the period of 2002-2012 the Turtle Dove had an 80% decline in population size in the UK. Whilst there are many threats facing urban bird populations, there are four key threats that have been focused on in this review. Cat predation, window collisions, habitat loss and general human disturbance all have variable effects on bird abundance and have been discussed in the following paragraphs. Predation by Felines Whilst there are several high risk threats to urban bird populations, the most severe is that of cat predation. Cats have long been known to have a negative ecological impact. They are responsible for multiple cases of extinctions in ground nesting birds in island habitats, where they come into contact with species possessing little or no defence mechanisms against predation. This inevitably leads to extinction. The current global impact of free-ranging domestic cats on bird mortality is estimated to be up to 4 billion birds, annually (Loss et al. 2013). In the UK alone it is estimated that across a 4 month period, up to 100 million prey items are caught by cats, 24% of these being bird species (Woods et al. 2003). With cats bringing home an average of 13.4 prey items per year (Heezik et al. 2010), this can have a drastic impact on wildlife populations. One study that focused on the bird populations of a typical urban UK village found that 16% of birds caught in a year were House Spa rrows (Passer domesticus) which are a red listed and highly endangered species (British Trust for Ornithology 2002) (Figure 2). It was also found in the same study that cats were responsible for 30% of Passer domesticus deaths in that area. Cats are also responsible for the deaths of many other red listed species such as the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (British Trust for Ornithology 2002) (See fig 3). Another more worrying issue is that the number of bird deaths increased if that household was providing food for birds (Woods et al. 2003). This is especially troubling as cat owners trying to conserve endangered species may be doing more harm than good. These trends all point to cat predation being the number one threat to urban bird populations. However, research has been conducted that suggests that the impact of cats on ecosystems may not be wholly negative. As an apex predator, an animal with no natural predators of their own, cats have free reign to hunt in UK ecosystems without fear of predation. As well as suppressing the abundance of birds they also frequently predate other animals and some mesopredators such as rodents. Whilst their impact on bird diversity and population is clear, they also play a key ecological role in the suppression of bird’s natural predators (Ritchie Johnson 2009). Window Collisions Window collisions are considered to be the second largest cause of bird fatalities in urban areas (Loss et al. 2014). This however may not be accurate due to the lack of quantitative estimates and research on other continents (Bayne et al. 2012). There have been few attempts to estimate the number of fatalities per year within populations, however the US and Canada have had some input. Klem JR (1990a) estimated a range of 100 million to 1 billion birds killed per year within the USA, which was later considered to be a conservative estimate (Klem 2006). Bayne et al. (2012) believed these estimates to be unlikely due to a lack of research in other geographical areas. Windows pose a threat as birds do not perceive glass within their vision, and they will see windows and corridors as a route to other habitat areas (Klem et al. 2009). Reflections from windows are also perceived as a continuation of the sky-both of these things occur during light hours (Machtans et al. 2013). At night, windows become a source of light pollution which is particularly a problem for migratory birds (Loss et al. 2014). Upon collision, birds suffer fatalities due to head traumas, intracranial pressures and bleeding on the brain, rather than the â€Å"broken neck† explanation (Klem 1990b), fortified by the results found by Veltri Klem (2005) in which 91% of birds found dead from window collisions had no skeletal or cervical fractures. Urban environments, and the increase in buildings that feature glass, are proportionately linked to collision mortality rates (Hager et al. 2012). Glass is considered to be a non-selective lethal hazard by Klem (1990a) who found that sex, age and resident status does not affect the mortality rates of window collisions, neither is there a differentiation between smaller and larger species. However, this result may not be universal, with data only collected from two different buildings in differing locations. It would be favourable to take samples from a range of buildings in a number of locations around the world to see what impacts exist to which species, because although there is plausibly no difference between small and large species in terms of collision rate, those collisions impacts on individual species could be more profound. Whilst being a threat to individual birds in large quantities globally, in the US there is a lack of research into the effects of this particular mortality along with other collisions on population dynamics, with one study going as far to suggest that collisions with man-made structures, including windows has ‘no discernible effect’ on the population trends in North America (Arnold Zinc 2011). Bayne et al. (2012) explain that more research needs to be done to obtain a reliable estimate for bird mortality caused by window collisions. Research can then be done to get a better perspective of what the mortalities are doing to the population numbers. This should also be done in other locations to give more clarity on the issue, and provide greater understanding moving forwards. Habitat Loss Habitat loss is becoming a big issue over the world due to urbanization from human development. On average in the United States, urbanised areas have as few as 35% tree coverage, with another 118,300km2 of forest land expected to be lost in the next 50 years. Forest land is important as not only does it provide shade, it also provides hidden nesting areas and food (Lerman et al. 2014). Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss not only causes a community diversity loss within the animal kingdom, it removes the nesting areas for these birds, leaving them vulnerable. Bird feeders that can be found in peoples gardens can help to reduce the lack of food caused by the removal of plants and trees, of which birds and their prey feed from. However this cannot prevent, or even counterbalance, the decrease in the diversity of species which are lost and replaced by non-native species (Shochat et al. 2010). In Malaysia, nearly half of their land has been urbanised and changed by humans, causing a l oss in biodiversity. However they have created little ‘pockets’ within the urban areas for wildlife, such as nature reserves, local parks and plazas. Although, it has been noticed that exotic vegetation is not popular with the native insects and their prey-which impacts majorly on the bird population. Despite exotic plants not helping to increase native bird numbers, they are still being planted for ornamental reasons and as part of their local plants scheme so this does not help with the conservation of native birds (Idilfitri Mohamad 2012). Human Disturbance Human disturbance is a threat to bird species in urban areas and can come in many forms ranging from pollution of waterways to introduction of non-native species into the environment. Habitat fragmentation and introduction of exotic species to urban environments has seen a decline in urban bird populations. Within urban areas there are a range of habitats, from parks containing primarily native tree species, to recently developed streetscapes that do not contain any mature tree species. Here, many of the tree species found are non-indigenous. Other habitats that can be found in an urban environment are streetscapes with only native tree species, and those with only exotic tree species (White et al. 2005). Higher species richness of birds and abundance is observed in habitats with more resources, such as parks, with the greater availability of food and nesting sites. In habitats with non-indigenous tree species, nectarivorous birds are less prolific as flowers that they specialize in are not present. Insectivorous birds are also less common in such habitats; native insects have evolved with native plants, so will be absent where these trees are absent, thus insectivorous bird species will be absent. Recently developed and exotic streetscapes often lack the shelter required for certain bird species, so these birds are driven out of potential habitats (Bhuller Majer 2000). Bird species require specific flora species within distinct habitats that meet all of their requirements; some bird species are more tolerable of disturbed habitats with exotic species, whilst other species are dependent on the native flora and undisturbed habitats. Urbanisation may lead to an increase in non-indigenous bird species and the simplification of bird communities if exotic plants are planted and streetscapes continue to be created. Therefore native vegetation must continually be planted and parks protected in order to maintain complex bird communities and conserve native bird species (White et al. 2005). The effects of light pollution from urban areas on birds are also of particular concern. A study conducted on European Blackbirds (Turdus merula) showed that birds exposed to 0.3 lux of illumination at night time had an irregular molt pattern with respect to individuals that were exposed to a dark night. Male European blackbird’s production of testosterone is stimulated annually by light, in a process called photorefactoriness. After the breeding season, the birds stop being photosensitive, and so the gonads are diminished whilst they are not in use. Gonads re-develop after photostimulation by shorter daylight hours in the autumn and the increase in day length thereafter. Following long periods of exposure to light at night time, the reproductive cycles of male birds stop, with testosterone concentrations in the plasma at a minimum. Thus, it can be suggested that artificial light could confuse birds, as they miss important photo-cues for photorefactoriness. Without these cues, testosterone concentrations remain at a minimum, gonads fail to re-develop and the bird will not reproduce come breeding season. The light pollution caused by urban environments is a threat to urban bird populations, as it leaves individuals unable to reproduce through confusing their photosensitive reproductive cycles. (Dominoni et al. 2013) Conclusion It is apparent that the threats mentioned in this review all have the potential to impact urban bird populations around the world and have all been reported in literature to have a negative effect on birds. However the threats mentioned have a great deal of complexity about them due to the interchangeable effects each threat can have on one another which may make distinguishing the effects of one individually difficult. A great example of this is the provision of bird feeders in gardens. Whilst the benefits of providing food will be greatly received by a number of bird species, it can increase the frequency of predation by cats (Woods et al. 2003). It is also shown that providing bird feeders near urban buildings can increase the frequency of bird-window collisions (Klem 1990a). However, a dynamic could be present, where the ‘fear factor’ of cats is influencing the birds into quick flight paths that lead them to collide with windows. It is here that the two dynamics of the threats are interlinked. Mortality rates of birds killed by window collisions with single building may be small, but deaths from window collisions with several buildings across the urban environment accumulate to give a high percentage of mortality. To reduce this high percentage of mortality, something must be done to the structure of buildings (e.g. urban residences) so birds do not confuse window panes as a pathway, thinking that it is clear for them to use (Loss et al. 2014). Furthermore our constant introduction of exotic non-native species to parks and streetscapes changes the habitat and prey items available to urban birds which will further increase their population decline- some bird species have easily adapted to changing conditions, whilst populations of others have been disturbed with the loss of specific habitats. Not only do the exotic species disrupt the local ecosystems, they also replace habitats that would otherwise be suitable for many native invertebrates that are an important source of food for birds. Whilst this threat isn’t as obvious or as directly damaging to birds, it is still a serious threat to be considered and further researched. Exotic plants are leading to declining native bird populations, but in spite of this they are still being planted for ornamental reasons (Idilfitri Mohamad 2012). Urbanisation may lead to an increase in non-indigenous bird species and the simplification of bird communities if exotic plants are planted and streetscapes continue to be created. Therefore native vegetation must continually be planted and parks protected in order to maintain complex bird communities and conserve native bird species (White et al. 2005). All things considered there are a number of aspects that need to be addressed. Bayne et al. (2012) pointed out how there is a lack of quantitative estimates and lack of research in other geographical areas as reasons why window collision mortality and its effects on a population may not have particularly accurate data. The statement could be extended to various aspects of urban bird population. Threats mentioned above would benefit from extra research, however this is difficult to achieve when the practicalities of working in an urban environment, resources and time are taken into consideration. References: Arnold, T.W., Zinc, R.M. (2011) Collision Mortality Has No Discernible Effect on Population Trends of North American Birds. PLoS ONE, 6, e24708 Bayne, E.M., Scobie, C.A., Rawson-Clark, M. (2012) Factors influencing the annual risk of bird-window collisions at residential structures in Alberta, Canada. Wildlife Research, 39, 583-592. Bhuller, S., Majer, J.D. (2000) Arthropods on street trees: a food resource for wildlife. Pacific Conservation Biology, 6, 171-173. British Trust for Ornithology. (2002) Investigation into the causes of the decline of Starlings and House Sparrows in Great Britain. Norfolk: BTO Dominoni, D.M., Quetting, M., Partecke, K. (2013) Long-Term Effects of Chronic Light Pollution on Seasonal Functions of European Blackbirds (Turdus merula). PLoS One, 8, e85069. Eaton, M.A., Brown, A.F., Noble, D.G., Musgrove, A.J., Hearn, R.D., Aebischer, N.J., Gibbons, D.W., Evans, A. Gregory, R.D. (2009) Birds of Conservation Concern 3: the population status of birds in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. British Birds, 102, 296–341. Shochat, E., Lerman, S.B., Anderies, J.M., Warren, P.S., Faeth, S.H., Nilon, C.H. (2010) Invasion, Competition, and Biodiversity Loss in Urban Ecosystems. BioScience, 60, 199-208. Hager, S.B., Cosentino, B.J., McKay, K.J., Monson, C., Zuurdeeg, W., Blevins, B. (2012) Window Area and Development Drive Spatial Variation in Bird-Window Collisions in an Urban Landscape. PLoS ONE, 8, e53371. Heezik, Y.V., Smyth, A., Adams, A., Gordon, J. (2010) Do domestic cats impose an unsustainable harvest on urban bird populations? Biological Conservation, 143, 121-130. Klem JR, D. (1990a) Collisions between Birds and Windows: Mortality and Prevention (Colisiones de Pà ¡jaros con Ventanas: Mortalidad y Prevencià ³n). Journal of Field Ornithology, 61, 120-128. Klem JR, D. (1990b) Bird Injuries, Cause of Death and Recuperation from Collisions with Windows. Journal of Field Ornithology, 61, 115-119. Klem JR, D. (2006) Glass: A Deadly Conservation Issue for Birds. Bird Observer, 34, 73-81. Klem JR, D. Farmer, C.J., Delacretaz, N., Gelb, Y., Saenger, P.G. (2009) Architectural and Landscape Risk Factors Associated with Bird-glass Collisions in an Urban Environment. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 121, 126-134. Lerman, S.B., Nislow, K.H., Nowak, D.J., DeStefano, S. King, D.J., Jones-Farrand, D.T. (2014) Using urban forest assessment tools to model bird habitat potential. Landscape and Urban Planning, 122, 29-40. Loss, S.R., Will, T., Loss, S.S., Marra, P.P. (2014) Bird-building collisions in the United States: Estimates of annual mortality and species vulnerability. The Condor, 116, 8-23. Loss, S.R., Will, T., Marra, P.P. (2013) The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States. Nature Communications, 4. Machtans, C.S., Wedeles, C.H.R., Bayne, E.M. (2013) A First Estimate for Canada of the Number of Birds Killed by Colliding with Building Windows. Avian Conservation and Ecology. 8, 6. PECBMS (2014)  Trends of common birdsin Europe, 2014 update.  CSO, Prague. Ritchie, E. G. Johnson, C. N. (2009) Predator interactions, mesopredator release and biodiversity conservation. Ecology Letters, 2, 982-998. Idilfitri, S., Mohamad, N.H.N. (2012) Role of Ornamental Vegetation for Birds’ Habitats in Urban Parks: Case study FRIM, Malaysia. Procedia- Social and Behavioural Sciences, 68, 894-909. Veltri C.J. and Klem JR, D. (2005) Comparison of fatal bird injuries from collision with towers and windows. Journal of Field Ornithology, 76, 127-133. White, J.G., Antos, M.J., Fitzsimons, J.A., Palmer, G.C. (2005) Non-uniform bird assemblages in urban environments: the influence of streetscape vegetation. Landscape and Urban Planning, 71, 123-135. Woods, M., McDonald, R. A., Harris, S. (2003) Predation of wildlife by domestic cat Felis catus in Great Britain. Mammal Review, 33, 174-188.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Parenting Styles And Their Effect On Children Behavior Education Essay

Parenting Styles And Their Effect On Children Behavior Education Essay Early years of learning in a childs life is believed to make a significant difference in the way they develop and go on to learn throughout their lives (Kim, 1999). Developmental psychologists have been making research about the role played by parents and its impact on child development. However, developing a cause-and-effect link between parents behavior and brought up and its impact on child behavior and attitude is a relatively tough task. This can be proved from the fact that children who share a home and are brought up in the same environment, under same circumstances may develop a remarkably different personality than one another. A parenting style is a psychological concept based on regular strategies that parents use while raising their children. There are several different theories and concepts about the best and perfect ways to raise a child. Parenting style plays an important role in raising a child. Baumrinds theory about parenting identifies four distinctive parenting st yles and is complimented by a well-supported and organized progression of ideas. All these tend to cover different parenting techniques worldwide and have contrast with Baumrinds theory. Parental responsibilities start soon after the birth and play a significant role and leave an impact on childs overall life. Most of the parents usually develop their own parenting style usually based upon amalgamation of factors such as childrens temperament and parenting style influenced by their own upbringing, what they observed in other families, what they have been trained and the surrounding culture. There is no hard and fast rule about parenting. It usually evolves with the passage of time as children grow up and develop their personalities. The quality of parenting is an important influence on childrens intellectual, emotional and social development ( Nevid, 2009). How parents put in effort to respond and correct their children greatly impacts how they progress individually and socially. A childs development process is influenced by several factors, for instance, the people and situations he comes into close contact and interaction. Parents influence is the greatest on a chi lds development. The positivity as well as negativity in a childs attitude and behavior is because of parents brought up and parenting style. In 1960s a very famous theory about parenting was developed by Diana Baumrind. This theory was based upon three parenting style named authoritative, permissive and authoritarian. Later, another vital factor named uninvolved was added by Maccoby and Martin. Diana adopted a broad and well managed way to study on more than 100 preschool-age children. She used several approaches using naturalistic observation, parental interviews and other research methods. This broad study helped her to figure out and recognize four important aspects of parenting which include disciplinary strategies, warmth and nurturance, communication styles and expectation of maturity and control. The three parenting styles found out by Diana were based upon these dimensions. According to authoritarian parenting style, parents expect their children to strictly follow the rules and regulations set by them. Parents tend to punish their children if they fail to obey them. Authoritarian parents fail to give any explanation or reason for the rules imposed by them. If a child asks for explanation, the simple reply is, Because I said so. Usually these parents are less responsive and have high demands and expectations. According to Baumrind, these parents are obedience- and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation ( Rosenfeld, 2007). Such parents expect complete cooperation from their children and are not at all tolerant about the rules and regulations set by them. They expect maturity on the part of children and are very less interactive with their children. Children of such parents are usually focused in studies and tend to make good grades. They develop the habit of staying out of troubles. A negative impact of this parenting s tyle is that the children are not socially developed as they are never motivated and encouraged to give and develop opinions. They are shy and unconfident, and lack decision making power. This make them less interactive and negatively affect their decision making power. Second parenting style is known as authoritative parenting. This is a relatively democratic style of parenting as the parents are responsive and receptive towards their children. They are usually willing to respond to the questions of their children. Moreover, they are more encouraging and forgiving parents rather than punishing ones in case the child does not come up to their expectation. Baumrind suggests that these parents monitor and communicate clear standards for their childrens conduct. They are forceful, but not aggressive and restrictive. The disciplinary methods adopted by them are supportive. They want their children to be confident as well as socially responsible ( Rosenfeld, 2007). This style ensures healthy development among children because they are taught to abide by rules and regulations in a positive way. They are allowed to asked questions and develop personal opinions. Children of such parents are socially interactive and confident as they have the habit of develo ping opinions. They are self-assured. Third parenting style suggested by Baumrind is known as Permissive parenting. These types of parents are often referred as tolerant parents and they tend to make fewer demands to their children. These parents are less concerned about disciplining their children as they have low expectations of adulthood and self-control. According to Baumrind, permissive parents are more receptive than demanding. They are less concerned about culture and are soft. They do not require mature attitude, allow significant self-regulation, and avoid conflict ( Rosenfeld, 2007). They are friendly with their children. Parents in this case intend to be their childs friend then being a disciplinary figure. Parent-children communication is encouraged. Children raised by indulgent parents have developed self-confidence, healthier social skills and lower levels of depression. All these factors in turn develop a positive and optimistic attitude in individuals. The negative impact of such parenting style is that a childs emotional development is harmed and damaged. He does not matures in this area. Last category of parenting added by Maccoby and Martin is known as uninvolved parenting. These parents are usually less demanding, less communicative and less responsive. They manage to fulfill the basic needs and necessities of their children but overall, they are less attached to their children. In some cases, these parents are ignorant to the extent that they may even ignore the needs and necessities of their children. Such parents are ambivalent to their childs necessities and desires. They are neglectful about their children. As parents are less demanding and do not intend to make rules for their children, hence children lack communication, encouragement and praise. Children of such parents develop negative features in their personalities and lack confidence. They are not socially active and confident because less compliance demand by parents stunts their social growth. They are never educated about handling different situations, hence cognitive growth is negatively affected. These parenting styles have a significant impact on childrens psychology. The study of 100 preschool children helped Baumrind to develop the impact of parenting on children. For instance, Authoritarian parenting styles normally result in obedient and respectful children, who are quiet skillful, but they rank lower in happiness and social capability. On the contrary, Authoritative parenting style results in happy and socially capable children. Thirdly, Permissive parenting often results in children who face problems with power and usually show poor and weak performance in school. Lastly, uninvolved parenting styles have the lowest rank among all the categories of parenting. As these children are ignored by the parents so they grow as individuals with less self-control, low self-esteem and are less capable and skilled as compared to their peers. Another important aspect of parenting style is that the adolescent behavior is an important measure that can have a significant influence on parenting style. For instance, if a child breaks a curfew, both parents adopt a measure to deal with the child in order to enforce an action. Hence, childs behavior has a major influence on the parenting style adopted by parents. A cooperative and motivated child is more probable to have parents who adopt an authoritative parenting attitude. On the other hand, an unhelpful, immature and careless teen may be more expected to provoke a parenting style that is authoritarian or uninvolved parenting style. Overall attitude of the child tends to evolve parenting style of the children. It is commonly practiced on the part of the parents that they change their parenting habits with time. Few parents are more rigid with elder children and less rigid with younger ones. Hence, the time period, changes in culture and environment and changes in circumstances evolves the parents as well as their parenting style. Ethnicity is another vital aspect that can have an influence on the parenting style. It has been observed that authoritative parenting style is more prevalent among white families as compared to others. On the other hand, authoritarian parenting style seems to be more common among ethnic minority families. The basic reason behind this influence is the impact of culture and parental beliefs. For instance, ethnic minority families usually live in dangerous neighborhoods where life isnt secure so parents tend to adopt authoritarian behavior as it stresses upon parental control and compliance. In this scenario, this style of parenting is necessary for the safety of the children. There are other measures as well that can significantly influence the parenting style. For instance, internal factors like lack of sleep and mood, external factors such as work stress and duties and childs personality and attitude. All these factors play a vital role on parenting style adopted by parents. According to the overall study of different parenting styles authoritative parenting is considered the most effective with fruitful and positive impacts on childrens overall brought up as compared to other three parenting styles (Pressley McCormick, 2007). Now the question arises, what makes authoritative parenting the best one among all? Many reasons can be listed such as warm and receptive attitude of the parents towards the children result in a comfortable environment at home. As the result of this comfort provided at home, children usually develop a positive approach towards life. Children of the authoritative parenting style are usually self-sufficient, self-controlled, and content, hence they have an optimistic attitude overall. They develop personal opinion; interact with peers in an effective and efficient manner. They can handle situations in a wise manner. They gain all necessary skills because of the parenting style adopted at home. Overall surrounding and culture can have a vital impact on the parenting style. Research has shown that most of the Chinese parents adopt authoritarian parenting style ( Zimmerman Schunk, 2011). Chines parents are strict about rules and regulations; unnecessary freedom is not granted to Chinese children and parents are usually strict about the code of conduct and ethics. One of the major reasons behind this parenting style being prevalent in Chinese parents is basically the one child policy imposed by the government. It restricts all Chinese families to have only one child. As a result of this policy, all the attention of the Chinese parents is focused on their only child, hence they want to see perfection in their upbringing and they tend to adopt this parenting style. It leaves no room for failure on the part of parents. Secondly, the culture of China promotes hard work, so parents in China intend to raise bright and intelligent children who can excel in life thus they adopt autho ritarian parenting style. Thus the parenting style of China is similar to the authoritarian style of Diana Baumrinds theory of parenting. It has the similar outcomes among Chinese children as discussed above in Baumrinds theory. Chinese children adopt almost all the measures of Baumrinds authoritarian theory. Similarly a sample of 408 students was studied to determine the parenting style commonly practiced in Canada. Parental Authority Questionnaire, the Perception of Parental Reciprocity Scale, the Social Provisions Scale-Present Version and parental interviews were conducted to measure students and parents upon various scales to judge their relationship with their parents to figure out the parenting style being practiced. The research showed that authoritative parenting is the style commonly practiced in Canada ( Shaw, 2008). This study determined that Canadian parents are more tolerant. They seem to have authoritative parenting style. Canadians have a relatively democratic style of parenting as the parents are responsive and receptive towards their children. They are usually ready to respond to the questions of their children. They are less punitive and coercive. Although Canadian parents are concerned about rules and regulations but they are forgiving in case a child fails to abide by the rule or come up to the expectation of the parents. The disciplinary methods adopted by them are kind. Hence the features of authoritative parenting style of Baumrinds theory is seems to be practiced in Canadian culture. Based on past research, all three dimensions of authoritative parenting (connection, Regulation, and autonomy granting) seem to exist in the context of Japanese culture (Golombok, 2000). There is an old Japanese proverb, there is no treasure that surpasses a child. Japanese hold a high respect for childhood period and consider it a cherished and valued period in the human life cycle. This way of thinking among Japanese develops thinking that children are innocent and naturally good. Environment tends to affect them in later years of life. This belief develops a view among Japanese that parenting is like caring for a plant that must be carefully cultivated, skilled and pruned as it rises. Most of the children in Japan are greatly dependent upon mothers. It is a common practice in Japan that mothers performs most of the tasks of their children which includes decision-making about hobbies, education and career paths. Thus most of the Japanese children are obedient and dutiful towards th eir parents. Parenting in Japan is closely associated with understanding with parents specially mothers. Most of the mothers in Japan are so close to their child that they establish a relationship wherein mother and child have a collective mind rather than two separate, individual minds. They use this understanding and closeness to teach their children about morals, values, ethics, and to persuade them to behave wisely. They prefer to not to use coercive methods. Some of the features of Japanese parenting style are in accordance with authoritarian parenting style of Baumrind but it has some contrasting features as well. For instance, parents in Japan do not tend to punish their children if they fail to obey them. Rather, they use their understanding and closeness with the children to correct them. Hence, they are relatively lenient as compared to Baumrinds authoritarian parenting style. Japanese rather apply rational parenting approach to up bring their children. In rational parenting approach, well aware Japanese moms consult child development professionals, doctors, educators, family and friends in order to make the finest choices for their children as they mature. Secondly, Nest building and feeling parenting are two usual methods practiced by modern Japanese mothers to exercise control over their childs thinking. This helps them to develop a perfect understanding with their children. In this practice, parents tend to take keen interest in their childs nutrition, communication, activities and even fashion. Mothers prefer to keep their children at home most of the time and avoid social and outdoor activities. They are taught to communicate fairly, regularly and solely with their mothers. This approach focuses to increase dependency while depending upon the trust and closeness the child feels toward his mother. From the study about Japanese way of parenting, it is quite evident that few of the features of parenting are in accordance to Baumrinds authoritarian parenting style but overall, a unique method is practice by Japanese to parent the children. On the whole, each of these parenting styles mentioned above tends to have certain influences on childrens behavior. Inconsistency in parents approach regarding the parenting behavior can be damaging for the children. Neither all parenting styles are perfectly right or completely wrong. It is a continuous lifelong job of trials and mistakes. It needs to be evolved timely with emerging situations and changed circumstances. The results are never 100 percent. All parents adopt various approaches to raise their children with no fixed rules and regulations, no written commands and no proper instructions. What works with one child at home might completely fail in case of other child at home. Even real siblings are completely different individuals with different habits and behaviors. Situations aroused with time impel us to act in a particular way. They impact us consciously and subconsciously. Thus parenting refers to how we were raised, when we were raised, and where we were raised. All t hese factors together play an important role in parenting. Parents must constantly monitor their childs behavior and attitude and change their parenting style accordingly. Rigidity in parenting style is never advisable.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Fuel Systems :: essays research papers

Fuel Systems In this report I will explain the fuel systems in an automobile. I will cover different parts and how they work. First thing to do is explain how the fuel system works. The purpose of the fuel system is to store and supply fuel to the cylinder chamber where it can be mixed with air then vaporized and burned to produce energy. The fuel, which can be either gas or diesel is stored in a fuel tank. A fuel pump draws the fuel from the gas tank through lines and brings it through a fuel filter. Next it goes to either a carburetor or fuel injector and then delivered to the cylinder chamber for combustion. We will start with the fuel tank. A fuel tank comes in many different sizes depending on how much space is available. Most cars and trucks have only one tank but some trucks have two. Fuel tanks can be made of 3 different things. These are pressed corrosion-resistant steel, aluminum, or molded reinforced polyethylene plastic. The fuel tank has internal baffles or surge plates to prevent the fuel from sloshing back and forth. If you hear splashing in the tank on acceleration or deceleration, this means that the baffles could be broken. All tanks have a fuel filler pipe, a fuel outlet line to the engine and a vent system. All catalytic converter cars are equipped with a filler pipe restrictor so that leaded fuel, which is dispensed from a thicker nozzle, cannot be introduced into the fuel system. All modern fuel tanks include devices that prevent vapors from leaving the tank. All fuel tank designs provide some control of fuel height when the tank is filled. This is achieved by using ve nt lings within the filler tube or tank. With this design only 90% of the tank is ever full, leaving 10% for expansion. Some vehicles have a over filling limiting valve to prevent overfilling of the tank. Fuel is drawn from the tank by an in-tank or chassis-mounted fuel pump. The fuel pump is the device that draws the fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel lines, to the fuel filter and then to the engine’s carburetor or injectors. There are two types of fuel pumps: mechanical and electrical. The mechanical fuel pump is bolted on the side of the engine block or on the side of the cover of the timing gear.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Article Review on John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a Warrior for Peace :: President JFK

J.F.K The Making of America: A Warrior for Peace By David Talbot TIME Magazine, July 2, 2007 This article concerns one of the most famous presidents of the twentieth century, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. It is a thoroughly written piece on Kennedy’s devotion to peace throughout his administration. The author, David Talbot, focuses on the major points of Kennedy’s administration, starting with his aggressive campaign against Richard Nixon, touching on the Bay of Pigs invasion, and finally addressing the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis. Throughout the article, Talbot sprinkles in Kennedy’s commentary on the issues at the time of their occurrence, and Kennedy’s colleagues’ commentary on the issues long after they have passed. Talbot is careful to stay true to what Kennedy was like as a person. He titled the article A Warrior for Peace for a specific reason: Kennedy truly was a man that tried to keep the peace. This is evident with all of the issues that Talbot addressed. In the beginning of the article, Talbot includes an excerpt from a letter Kennedy wrote to his family saying â€Å"All war is stupid.† This is the tone that is effectively set for the article, that Kennedy did everything possible to avoid war. In the Bay of Pigs episode, Kennedy firmly stood his ground and did not send military enforcements (Marines and Air Force) to back up CIA officials Dulles and Bissell. Talbot remarks that that decision was the turning point of the Kennedy presidency, from then on it became a government at war with itself. Talbot harks upon the fact that Kennedy often did what he wanted instead of what he was advised. He was a man on a mission who consistently did what he, not others, thought was best and right and prosperous for his country. However, he was deft in his methods, that is, he very cleverly deflected his espionage chiefs’ military council. Talbot firmly suggests that the sort of ‘theme’ of Kennedy’s presidency was the following: â€Å"J.F.K.’s strenuous efforts to keep the country at peace in the face of equally ardent pressures from Washington to go to war.† The war that he is most likely referring to is war with Cuba. It is a constant recurrence that during the Kennedy administration, the CIA and Air Force chief General Curtis LeMay wanted Kennedy to attack and declare war on Russia/Cuba. Kennedy, warrior for pace that he was, did not. Looking back, a few members of his administration were surprised to find that though Kennedy’s Joint Chiefs assured him that there were no nuclear warheads in Cuba, there actually were.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

On the Value of Philosophy Essay

â€Å"On the Value of Philosophy† by Bertrand Russell discusses the implications of philosophy and philosophical thinking. Special attention is paid to problems and core values of philosophy. The author argues that philosophy should be studied not to find answers for questions of particular interest, but for the sake of the questions themselves. It is noted that philosophy helps to distinguish truth, to enrich intellectual imagination, to enlarge understanding of the world order and to diminish dogmatic assurances. According to the author, human mind should be open for critical thinking and speculation because the power of the mind is strong enough to change the thinking of the globe. Russell states the philosophy aims at providing knowledge â€Å"which gives unity and system to the body of the sciences, and which results from a critical examination of the grounds of our convictions, prejudices, and beliefs†. (Russell, 14) Nevertheless, philosophy hasn’t succeeded in providing definite answers to questions of particular interest. Philosophy is interested mainly in issues which are hardly explanatory. If a questioned is fully answered, then it is separated from philosophy. For example, firstly human mind was a part of philosophy, though later it became a science of psychology. Therefore, philosophy is interested in uncertainty rather than reality. The value of philosophy is in uncertainty. The value of philosophy is that it makes people free in their thinking and attitudes towards the word order. Inability to comprehend philosophy makes all objects definite and common. The greatest value is that philosophy makes all objects great and worthy of attention. Philosophical life is full of something confined and feverish. Russell argues that â€Å"many philosophers have held that philosophy could establish the truth of certain answers to fundamental questions†. (Russell, 16) Thus, philosophy aims at enlarging not only human thoughts towards objections, but also about affections and actions.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Critical Thinking: Nine Strategies for Everyday Life Essay

Most people are not critical thinkers by nature. It takes years of practice and commitment to become a highly productive and efficient critical thinker. In order to develop the right frame of mind in becoming a critical thinker there are certain stages that can be followed to help students practice their critical thinking skills. â€Å"Stage one: The Unreflective Thinker† this stage entails students who are unaware of any problems that they might have in the critical thinking process (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.1). â€Å"Stage Two: The Challenged Thinker† this is the stage where the students begin to become familiar with any problems they might have in the critical thinking process (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.1). â€Å"Stage Three: The Beginning Thinker† in this stage the student begins to improve their skills but without much practice (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.1). â€Å"Stage Four: The Practicing Thinker† here the student begins to realize the importance of practicing their critical thinking skills (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.1). â€Å"Stage Five: The Advanced Thinker† advancement is directly correlated with practice. The more the student practices the more advanced he/she becomes (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.2). â€Å"Stage Six: The Master Thinker† at this stage, the student begins to become a highly skilled critical thinker and it becomes second nature (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.2). A question a student might want to ask themselves is, what stage best fits me? And, how can I improve myself to become a more proficient critical thinker? These stages are useless unless a student is willing to accept the fact that there is some deficit in their critical thinking skills. In order to help students progress through the rankings of these stages, a list of nine strategies has been devised to aid in the student’s progress. â€Å"Strategy #1: Use â€Å"Wasted† Time† a countless number of hours are wasted every day (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.2). This is wasted time that could have been used to improve your critical thinking skills. A student must be able to recognize when the time they are using is wasted or productive. When an individual acquires this skill, the wasted time can be put to further the individual’s critical thinking development. â€Å"Strategy #2: A Problem A Day† a student must pick a problem that can be thought out thoroughly each day (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.3). This can be done on the way to work, in the shower, or when one finds that they are wasting time. Completely think out the question and  suggest solutions to possibly remedy the problem. â€Å"Strategy #3: Internalize Intellectual Standards† Some examples of universal intellectual standards are, clarity, precision, logicalness, and accuracy (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.3). Once a week a student must take one of these standards and use it in everyday situations. For example, a student might want to use logicalness and apply it to every day life. This can be applied to every task the student is performing in order to see if it is being performed in a logical manner. â€Å"Strategy #4 Keep an Intellectual Journal† a written record of a students critical thinking experiences will be helpful in allowing the student to refer back to specific techniques that were the most productive (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.4). â€Å"Strategy #5: Reshape Your Character† A student must take one personal trait such as empathy, and apply it to their everyday life (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.5). â€Å"Strategy #6: Deal with Your Egocentrism† (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.6) it is human nature for an individual to think in terms of ones self (Gelfand et. al., 2002). A student must devise a way to be aware of this type of thinking in order to minimize egocentric actions. â€Å"Strategy #7: Redefine the Way You See Things† (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.6) students consistently bombard themselves with negative thoughts about themselves, the world, and their work. A student must lean how to turn these negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Only then will he/she be more productive in every aspect of their life. â€Å"Strategy #8: Get in Touch with Your Emotions† a student must turn negative emotions into positive (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.6). One good example is to try to find the humorous side of an occasion that might otherwise make you angry or upset (Paul and Elder, 2000). â€Å"Strategy #9: Analyze Group Influence on your Life† individuals tend to give in to group influences (Paul and Elder, 2000, p.7). A student must learn to read these influences and make a decision on what action needs to be taken. In order to become a more proficient critical thinker a student must remember these three main points. First, evaluate yourself honestly in order to realize what area needs improvement, only then can you begin to improve. Second, practice makes perfect, in order to become a master of any skill a certain amount of practice is needed in any field. Third, once a student becomes a proficient critical thinker, keep exploring new ideas in order to  improve. These steps and strategies can also be applied to the research field. In research, scientific reading and writing is an everyday process. Critical thinking is a skill that every scientist must have in order to excel in their work environment. All these strategies can be used in order to improve the critical thinking skills of every employee. References Elder, L. & Paul, R. (2000). Critical Thinking: Nine strategies for everyday life. Journal of Developmental Education, 24, 40-42. Retrieved November 2, 2003, from: http://www.apollolibrary.com/srp/gbm/COM515.asp Gelfand MJ, Higgins M, Nishii LH, Raver JL, Alexandria D, Murakami F., et al. (2002). Culture and egocentric perceptions of fairness in conflict and negotiation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 5, 833-845.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Digital Fortress Chapter 44

Phil Chartrukian stood fuming in the Sys-Sec lab. Strathmore's words echoed in his head: Leave now! That's an order! He kicked the trash can and swore in the empty lab. â€Å"Diagnostic, my ass! Since when does the deputy director bypass Gauntlet's filters!?† The Sys-Secs were well paid to protect the computer systems at the NSA, and Chartrukian had learned that there were only two job requirements: be utterly brilliant and exhaustively paranoid. Hell, he cursed, this isn't paranoia! The fucking Run-Monitor's reading eighteen hours! It was a virus. Chartrukian could feel it. There was little doubt in his mind what was going on: Strathmore had made a mistake by bypassing Gauntlet's filters, and now he was trying to cover it up with some half-baked story about a diagnostic. Chartrukian wouldn't have been quite so edgy had TRANSLTR been the only concern. But it wasn't. Despite its appearance, the great decoding beast was by no means an island. Although the cryptographers believed Gauntlet was constructed for the sole purpose of protecting their code-breaking masterpiece, the Sys-Secs understood the truth. The Gauntlet filters served a much higher god. The NSA's main databank. The history behind the databank's construction had always fascinated Chartrukian. Despite the efforts of the Department of Defense to keep the Internet to themselves in the late 1970s, it was too useful a tool not to attract the public-sector. Eventually universities pried their way on. Shortly after that came the commercial servers. The floodgates opened, and the public poured in. By the early 90's, the government's once-secure â€Å"Internet† was a congested wasteland of public E-mail and cyberporn. Following a number of unpublicized, yet highly damaging computer infiltrations at the Office of Naval Intelligence, it became increasingly clear that government secrets were no longer safe on computers connected to the burgeoning Internet. The President, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, passed a classified decree that would fund a new, totally secure government network to replace the tainted Internet and function as a link between U.S. intelligence agencies. To prevent further computer pilfering of government secrets, all sensitive data was relocated to one, highly secure location-the newly constructed NSA databank-the Fort Knox of U.S. intelligence data. Literally millions of the country's most classified photos, tapes, documents, and videos were digitized and transferred to the immense storage facility and then the hard copies were destroyed. The databank was protected by a triple-layer power relay and a tiered digital backup system. It was also 214 feet underground to shield it from magnetic fields and possible explosions. Activities within the control room were designated Top Secret Umbra†¦ the country's highest level of security. The secrets of the country had never been safer. This impregnable databank now housed blueprints for advanced weaponry, witness protection lists, aliases of field agents, detailed analyses and proposals for covert operations. The list was endless. There would be no more black-bag jobs damaging U.S. intelligence. Of course, the officers of the NSA realized that stored data had value only if it was accessible. The real coup of the databank was not getting the classified data off the streets, it was making it accessible only to the correct people. All stored information had a security rating and, depending on the level of secrecy, was accessible to government officials on a compartmentalized basis. A submarine commander could dial in and check the NSA's most recent satellite photos of Russian ports, but he would not have access to the plans for an anti-drug mission in South America. CIA analysts could access histories of known assassins but could not access launch codes reserved for the President. Sys-Secs, of course, had no clearance for the information in the databank, but they were responsible for its safety. Like all large databanks-from insurance companies to universities-the NSA facility was constantly under attack by computer hackers trying to sneak a peek at the secrets waiting inside. But the NSA security programmers were the best in the world. No one had ever come close to infiltrating the NSA databank-and the NSA had no reason to think anybody ever would. Inside the Sys-Sec lab, Chartrukian broke into a sweat trying to decide whether to leave. Trouble in TRANSLTR meant trouble in the databank too. Strathmore's lack of concern was bewildering. Everyone knew that TRANSLTR and the NSA main databank were inextricably linked. Each new code, once broken, was fired from Crypto through 450 yards of fiber-optic cable to the NSA databank for safe keeping. The sacred storage facility had limited points of entry-and TRANSLTR was one of them. Gauntlet was supposed to be the impregnable threshold guardian. And Strathmore had bypassed it. Chartrukian could hear his own heart pounding. TRANSLTR's been stuck eighteen hours! The thought of a computer virus entering TRANSLTR and then running wild in the basement of the NSA proved too much. â€Å"I've got to report this,† he blurted aloud. In a situation like this, Chartrukian knew there was only one person to call: the NSA's senior Sys-Sec officer, the short-fused, 400-pound computer guru who had built Gauntlet. His nickname was Jabba. He was a demigod at the NSA-roaming the halls, putting out virtual fires, and cursing the feeblemindedness of the inept and the ignorant. Chartrukian knew that as soon as Jabba heard Strathmore had bypassed Gauntlet's filters, all hell would break loose. Too bad, he thought, I've got a job to do. He grabbed the phone and dialed Jabba's twenty-four-hour cellular.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

American Indian Women and Community Issues

America, where representations of Indian men and women perform stereotyped Noble/Savage or Princess/Squaw functions, depending on their relationships with whites. The â€Å"princess† figure is a â€Å"convert† who rejects or is rejected by her own people for her transgressive attraction to white culture or white individuals, and who may die as a result. The â€Å"squaw† denotes a shameful sexuality that taints the men she associates with (hence the derogatory term â€Å"squaw man†).Mixed-race relationships, especially those between Indian women and white men, are one way in which the landscape and resources of the American West were represented cinematically as available for sexual, economic, and sociopolitical exploitation. Silent Westerns and†Indian dramas† from 1908 to 1916 provide a remarkable window on Euro-American popular culture representations of the encounter between tribal peoples and the United States military and educational establ ishments.These early Westerns, many of them now unknown or unavailable outside of archives, provide a composite narrative that depicts the white â€Å"family on the land† emerging from the â€Å"broken home† of a previous mixed-race marriage, and that equates children, land, and gold as the spoils of failed romance, not of war. The ordeal of separating children from their families and cultures through the Indian boarding school policy and the trauma of their return home as outsiders is fully recognized in silent Westerns, which were produced during a time when federal Indian policy encouraged both assimilation and removal from the land.In these tales of interracial romance, captivity, and adoption, defining narrative features include doubling, mistaken identity, and the social and geographic displacement and replacement of persons. Such narrative strategies reflected the physical acts of displacement and replacement that have been hallmarks of U. S. American Indian pol icy, from Indian Removal and the Indian Wars through the slow erosion of reservation lands in the twentieth century.Indian men and women ultimately choose to return to their tribes, depicting a latent, racially based â€Å"call of the wild† that could reclaim eastern-educated Indian and mixed-blood children from their new lives. Another turn-of-the-century catch-phrase for this idea that the assimilated or educated Indian would simply return to the reservation and abandon white teachings was â€Å"back to the blanket,† again emphasizing clothing as an indicator of racial and cultural allegiance.The Derelict, emphasize the strength of Indian women and moral weakness of white men in cross-racial relationships. Hollywood's silent era did not change the prevailing negative cultural stereotypes about Native Americans, but it did produce a large number of Westerns and documentaries that offered alternative viewpoints influenced by the indigenous writers and filmmakers, refor m movements, and racial theories that were widespread at the time.Films about mixed-race romance and mixed-race children in the first and second decades of the twentieth century articulated and influenced public opinion about Native American assimilation (particularly about the taking of land and children through the Dawes Act and the boarding-school system), as well as public and academic speculation about the nature of race and culture. The films consistently contrast the acquisition of land and export of gold, oil, and children from the West with the importance and value of family and even tribal obligationsWORKS CITED Aleiss, Angela. 1995. †Native Americans. The Surprising Silents. † Cineaste . Allred, Christine Edwards. 2001. Harper’s Indians: Representing Native America in Popular Magazine Culture: Los Angeles, Babcock, Barbara. 1996. †First Families: Gender, Reproduction and the Mythic Southwest. † The Great Southwest of the Fred Harvey Company and the Santa Fe Railway. Ed. Barbara Babcock and Marta Weigle. Phoenix: Heard Museum. 207-17. Bataille, Gretchen M. , and Charles P.Silet, Eds. 1980. The Pretend Indians: Images of Native Americans in the Movies. Ames: Iowa State UP, Bergland, Renee L. The National Uncanny: Indian Ghosts and American Subjects. Hanover: UP of New England, 2000. Berkhofer, Robert F The White Man's Indian: Images of the American Indian from Columbus to the Present. New York: Random House, 1979. Bernardi, Daniel, Ed. The Birth of Whiteness: Race and the Emergence of U. S. Cinema. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1996. Bhabha, Homi.1994. The Location of Culture. London: Routledge. Bolt, Christine. 1987. American Indian Policy and American Reform: Case Studies of the Campaign to Assimilate the American Indians. London: Allen & Unwin. Bourdieu, Pierre. 1990. The Logic of Practice. Trans. Richard Nice. Cambridge: Polity. Brownlow, Kevin. 1979. The War, the West, and the Wilderness. New York: Knopf. Butler, Judit h. 1990. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York and London: Routledge.